Chapter Text
Once upon a time there was a faunus town known as Menagerie. It sat in the shadow of a distant manor where the ruling family lived. The duke Taiyang was known as a wise and gentle ruler who spent many years leading the surrounding cities to prosperity and comfort. His two wives, both intelligent and beautiful in their own ways, gave him two daughters. For a time, everything was wonderful. But it could not last.
Things began their downward trajectory following the disappearance of his first wife, Raven. She left in the middle of the night with no indication as to where she had gone. Though there were rumors that she had gone to join a crew of bandits. Others said she had turned into a bird, flying away for parts unknown. Years later, his second wife Summer became ill. No amount of healing was enough, and despite everyone's best efforts, she passed away. The duke was left alone with his daughters. He had no interest in ruling any longer. The various cities learned to become independent, without aid from their former ruler.
It was around the time his eldest daughter, Yang, entered her eighteenth year that he passed as well. Most said it was due to a broken heart, though no one could be sure of the truth. It was the hope of many that Yang would finally take up her father's mantle and rule the land as he once had.
It was not to be. Instead, new rumors abounded, that she was notoriously rude and difficult to deal with. Beacon Manor became its own little world where no one entered and no one left. For three years, the place was silent as a tomb, and no one had the interest or the courage to investigate what had become of the family that lived there.
But secrets can never stay hidden forever. Perhaps it was destiny that eventually some curious girl might find herself entering that place to unravel the mysteries hidden inside.
“Sun!” Blake hadn't really cared before when the people around her stared or judged her. But even moreso now. Her friend had finally returned after a suspiciously long absence from Menagerie. She ran right up to him, wrapping him tight in her arms and squeezing him with all the strength she had. “Goddess, where have you been all this time??”
“Come, let's go to the tavern and I can regale you with all the sordid details.” He linked their arms together and joined her in walking cheerfully down the street as though he hadn't been missing for longer than planned. Whatever had happened to him, at least it hadn't been life-threatening or soul-crushing. Which only left Blake all the more curious. Predictably, there was a cluster of townsfolk who stared at them as they made their way over to get some drinks and food.
Of course, the positive mood was ruined somewhat by the presence of Adam Taurus, parading around and preening and drawing attention as always. It was a sickening sight, made no easier by the knowledge that once, Blake had been like all these other foolish women fawning over him. But in the interim, she had discovered literature and real friends and that perhaps her interests ought to be directed toward someone more deserving. Even if she hadn't found them yet.
Before Sun could even begin his story, Adam came sauntering over. He clapped Sun on the shoulder as though they were old friends, though nothing could be further from the truth. “Our wandering adventurer returns! What is it this time, eh? More stories of strange monsters in the woods. What did you call them? Grimm?”
“First of all, the grimm are real. I've seen them. I've fought them. But this was... nothing like that.” He shook his head, and already Blake could see that he was gearing up to weave his tale – despite the fact that Adam was playing him for a fool. She knew well enough that she couldn't stop him when he started storytelling. “On my way here from Feldspar, I lost my way in the forests of the mountain.”
“A marvelous start for your daring story, friend.” Adam looked around at the rest of the tavern, and encouraged some soft laughter.
If Sun noticed or cared, Blake couldn't tell. He just continued to weave his narrative. “When I stepped through the treeline, I found not my familiar home of Menagerie, but the mysterious manor... known as Beacon...”
Even Blake had to sit up a little and take notice at that. Nobody went up to Beacon Manor. Ever since the Xiao Long's stopped exerting their influence over the region, Menagerie set up its very own council. And in the last three years, they had found some measure of self-reliance. But there was no denying, everyone was curious to know what had happened to them. So it was no surprise when the entire tavern fell a little bit quieter at his words. Hell, even if this was just a tall tale, it could be an interesting one, no doubt.
“It was getting late, and I couldn't be sure how long the rest of the journey back to the city would take me. I thought, 'well, either this place is empty and I can at least sleep inside, or it is occupied and I can depend on the kindness of our benevolent former leaders.'” He chuckled softly and shook his head. “But I could not have expected what I found. I knocked, expecting to be met with silence. Instead, the door was answered by a young woman. Or well... an approximation of a woman. She looked more like a doll given life and breath. She spoke to me cheerfully and gave me a brief tour of the places she was 'allowed' to show me. I had many questions, and she answered few of them. I was given a bed for the night and a meal and all. I thought, come the morning, I would be on my way and that would be the end of my story. I could not have expected to actually meet the lady of the house, though.”
The only sounds one could hear in that room at the moment were the light clatter of tankards and utensils. Blake sipped at her drink and watched him carefully. This looked nothing like his usual mannerisms giving away Sun was telling yet another yarn of dubious origin. There was no grin or swishing tail. He was far more stern and serious.
He leaned in, as though he were only telling this to Blake, though obviously everyone was listening. Even Adam had shut his mouth for the time being. “The doll-woman prepared a small breakfast of fruits for me, though she ate nothing herself. I was packed and ready to leave when she came storming in, tall and muscular. Her hair was golden – not blonde, but quite literally glowing. Her eyes... red... She was fuming at the sight of me, upon seeing my tail, ordered that I leave immediately and never return. The duchess seemed more than willing to back up her threats with force. So I left in a hurry, throwing my breakfast into my bag rather than stick around.”
The ending, anticlimactic as it was, left everyone a little bit disappointed. But not Blake. Her interest was piqued. She knew her ears were eagerly pointed up and her own tail was now twitching eagerly. It had felt for years as though adventure had called to her, and never before had she found anything resembling a true chance. But this sounded like the perfect chance. An opportunity to transition from reading about heroes to being one herself. In a flash, she slammed down the last of her ale and hastily ate her food, then left a lien coin on the table before heading off for her home.
She had barely placed her first set of clothing in her worn pack before she heard the door open. Blake smiled to herself and shook her head before turning to see Sun standing there, looking at her with a somewhat desperate face. “You aren't.”
“I am.” She looked back at him with a confident smirk, a look that so rarely graced her face. “You must have known the moment you stepped into that manor. 'When I return to Menagerie, I will tell this story, and it will light up my friend's life. This is everything she has ever wanted.' Perhaps not consciously, but you knew.”
He gave a desperate sigh and walked further into the house as the door shut behind him. Tinged with exhaustion, Sun collapsed into a nearby chair. “Of course I did. I suppose I also foolishly assumed I could talk you out of it. You heard me, Blake. The duchess? She's a violent brute. And they have some kind of... golem! Who knows what other horrors are waiting in that place??”
All she was able to offer was a shrug as she slipped another change of clothes into her bag. “What else do I have, Sun? Every day Adam makes some new marriage proposal to me, and they only get more elaborate with time. He wants me as a trophy because he thinks I will make a fine addition to his mantle. Everyone else in Menagerie thinks I am little more than a starry-eyed fool. You're practically my only companion. This is my moment to discover something, and perhaps to even write about it! I could be a known name across Remnant!”
Her friend was silent for a time. Eventually he let loose a long, low sigh. “You were always bound to burn out brightly, Blake Belladonna. Be brave, and travel with my blessing.”
Blake walked cautiously over to where he sat, pressing a kiss to the top of his head. “I shall miss you, and your alliteration, Sun Wukong. But this is not goodbye forever. This is only a temporary farewell. I swear to you I will be back with a story so intricate and engaging, it will require multiple sittings at the tavern to tell it all.”
Blake finally left the forest, somewhat amazed that her friend had managed to get lost at all on his trip. Especially considering the terrain leading toward Beacon Manor was strictly uphill, with the large house sitting at the very top. If you wanted to reach it, you needed only follow the road up, literally. By foot, it was a bit of a hike, but not overly taxing. A day's walk was welcome, especially after so much time spent being sedentary.
To call this place a 'manor' was, frankly, underselling it. The building only needed a few parapets and towers to qualify as a castle. There was a book she had read in her younger days that had gone to great lengths to explain the architectural differences between various regal styles of buildings. Some of it had sunk in, some of it had not. This was one that certainly straddled a line or two.
The door alone was massive, and Blake wondered for a moment how in the world Sun could ever knock on this thing and make a noise without it being immediately muffled. Her left hand drifted down and rested lightly on the hilt of her blade, something her mother and father had given her when she showed an aptitude for it. It was her fondest memory of the two, a capable weapon and a treasured relic. With her other hand, she sauntered forward and gave the door a few hard knocks.
Just as her companion had said, there was a good deal of silence, leaving her worried that she may have come here in vain. It was just about the time that she started considering making a camp for herself that she heard the sound of a massive iron latch. Her breath caught in her chest and she waited patiently to see who would answer, and what would be on the other side.