Chapitre 11: Saviour and accidents

It had been four days since Daemon had arrived on Patch and began to live with the Xiao-Long family. He had enjoyed it and found that he got along well with Tai who was like a fun uncle who was always willing to have a laugh or have some fun. Summer was like a doting aunt who for some reason was always way to happy to see her nieces or nephews. Ruby was adorable since he had started to teach her archery, she had been less shy and would often talk a hundred words a minute before then blushing in embarrassment as she realised, he couldn't keep up or understand her. Even Zwei liked having him around would often come for a stroke or a sneaky treat from his inventory. Zwei also spent much of his time playing with Lilith and chasing each other around. Tai had even unlocked the little fur balls aura so he could play with Lilith easier.

However, there was one small problem. Yang still absolutely hated him, like passionately hated. She wouldn't even stay in the same room unless it was meal time and Summer and Tai made the whole household sit down together. She would storm out of a room if he entered. She would send a dirty look and a glare his way and she would barge past him. It was made worse by the fact that Daemon didn't even know what he had done wrong. As far as he could recall he hadn't even said a word to her beyond a hello. Not knowing the problem, he could do nothing to fix and could only hope that she would get over it in time like Summer had assured him that she would.

Daemon had woken up this morning and gone about his morning as usual before going downstairs to the kitchen where he was met with Tai making some eggy bread for everyone for breakfast. Daemon quickly came in and sat at the table with the girls and Summer. "Morning Summer. Morning Tai. Morning Ruby. Morning Yang." Daemon received a chorus of "Good mornings" in return with the exception of a bark from Zwei who was playing with Lilith. Huh had wondered where she had been this morning. And a grunt from Yang.

Tai quickly served up breakfast for everyone and then sat down himself. Summer then spoke and said "Right children. Tai has to go back to work today and will be leaving soon. I also have to go out today as I need to meet my boss and give an in-person report about my last mission this morning meaning I will be leaving for Vale within the hour. This means you kids will be home alone for a while but Qrow should be here by mid-day to look after you all."

After Summer had finished Tai then spoke. "Girls you know the rules for when we both have to go out. Daemon in simple terms. Don't open the doors if you don't know someone. Don't use any cooking stations while we are out. No fighting. Stay out of our room. Finally, don't leave the boundary of the property. Daemon, you can still train in the garden just be aware and don't damage anything and ensure Ruby doesn't get involved without yes here to watch or we will have to ban both of you from training. Also Qrow will be bringing some lunch with him so don't worry about food."

Daemon having listened said "Okay will do. Also will we be able to call if there are any problems?" Tai smiled and gave him a nod before explaining. "You can call but please only do so in an emergency as if you call constantly my boss will make me turn my scroll off when I teach. If its not an emergency just call between 12:30 and 1:30 as it will he lunch break." Daemon gave a nod and said thanks and Summer said "Same here if its emergency call and I will be sure to answer if not please don't call until I send a message saying I am done in my meeting." Daemon gave another nod of agreement.

Half an hour later Summer was hugging everyone and Tai was waving good bye to them as he left. Once they were just being to go out of view Yang closed the door and locked and bolted it before giving him a dirty look and storming up stairs leaving him and Ruby standing together by the door.

Daemon turned and looked at Ruby "Ruby what are you going to do? I'm going to be training outside." Ruby paused and put her hand on her chin making her look even more adorable before she responded "I'll probably listen to some music on my scroll and play some games. Maybe some angry grimms." Daemon smiled at rip off of the classic game from his previous world. It was the only game that really existed from his previous life and as such was something he planned to capitalise on when he got a bit older. Daemon stopped his inner monologue and ruffled Ruby's hair and began then summoned three cookies wrapped in a bit of tissue causing her eyes to sparkle and her to hug him before turning red and running away up stairs.

Daemon then went outside into the back garden and began to do warm ups starting with a five-mile run and one hundred push-ups, sit-ups and squats as well as his bane. Burpees. He finished these almost two hours later and began to go through his sword forms with the sword his grandfather had given him. He spent almost an hour going through the 13 basic katas that made up his sword style right now. He then began to practice with a pair of kamas for another hour. He had been given the kamas by his grandfather at some point in his training and right now wanted to use them as part of his main fighting style in the future but knew he needed another weapon as they were too small to be his main weapon by themselves as he could only use them for close combat.

By the time he finished doing his forms with the kamas he looked up at sky and realised it must be close to mid-day and figured he would go and check on Ruby and Yang as Qrow should be here soon. Suddenly his scroll rang and he quickly open it to see it was Summer. He answers without a second thought.

"Hi Summer, what's up?"

"Nothing much don't worry. Qrow had messaged he won't be able to get there until six tonight and I won't likely get home until about eight myself and neither will Tai. I have messaged Ruby and Yang told them to get some food from the fridge and what is happening with Qrow both have said its okay.

Anyway, help yourself to the food in the fridge if you want. We will be hope later and sorry about Qrow being late. Anyway I have got to go. Remember of there is an emergency feel free to call me. Bye."

"Okay Summer thanks. Bye."

Daemon hung up the call before quickly deciding to just each a couple of chicken wings from his inventory before continuing his training. The chicken was delicious as always. He also drank a bottle of water to keep hydrated and then sat down for fifteen minutes to rest and plan.

He decided that he should practice with kamas some more. The next few hours he spent going through forms spinning around striking invisible enemy's, stabbing into enemies with tip of the mini synthetic like weapons and using the outer edge to push and slash, the inner edge was used to hook invisible weapons and tear open guards, to catch attacks or to cut at invisible limbs.

From a distance it looked like a complex and beautiful dance as Daemon weaved and stepped and dogged creating a distance before closing it again with a lunge or a quick shuffle. His kamas were silver blurs as he swung them and spun them in his hand. It was only two hours that he stopped his invisible fight and knelt panting and sweating. He quickly summoned a bottle of water and slurped at it greedily before sighing in contentment.

He then decided he should meditate for a while and practice his aura control. It was about three hours later he finished his meditation. He came to covered in snow and surrounded by it. His semblance had a passive effect that he couldn't get cold as his aura had a natural heating effect. Glancing around and seeing that it was dusk he checked his scroll for the time 17:20.

Daemon decided to go in and check on Ruby and see how she was doing. He had gone inside and found the front door open and panicked. He quickly ran upstairs and checked Ruby's room. It was empty. Nothing was knocked over or broken and everything was neatly in its home. Be ran down the corridor to Yang's room. He banged on the door "Yang! YANG! Open up Ruby is missing!"

Not getting a response he opened the door and just like Ruby's room it was empty yet tidy. There clearly hadn't been any struggle so neither could have been taken against their will. It was made even clearer that there hadn't been an intruder as Lilith and Zwei were sleeping peacefully under the table in the kitchen.

Suddenly with startling clarity he remembered from the original series in his old life Yang running away with Ruby to go look for her mother Raven. Originally this was due to Tai being really depressed after Summer's death meaning he had no clue why she did this time. He remembered in the series she pulled Ruby along in a small wagon so ran outside to the shed and found a set of tracks a pair of lines and a single set of footprints in the snow leading out of it. The tracks were clear but seemed old, maybe a couple of hours old. He was lucky his grandfather had taught him tracking and that Yang was only six and was having to pull her sister in a wagon slowing her further, granted she looked around ten, people in Remnant seemed to grow faster even Ruby looked and acted more like a six-year-old.

Wasting no more time he set off at an aura enhanced jog pulling out his scroll as his breath was visible in the air. He quickly called Summer to tell her what was going on after two rings she picked up.

"Daemon. What's wrong why have you called?" She could hear his heavy breathing and rustling like he running somewhere "Daemon are you running? Daemon what's going on?"

"Summer. Yang and Ruby have run away. No wait let me finish. I came in from training and found the front door open so I decided to go and check on Ruby but she wasn't in her room and neither was Yang and there didn't appear to be any signs of struggle so I assumed they had run away.

Knowing the front door was open I went outside to check for any signs or tracks in the snow and found that small carts tracks leading from the old shed with only one set of footprints running alongside it. They appear to be at least two to three hours old. I am following the tracks as we speak. They lead eastward towards a forest. Is there anything that Yang could be looking for out that direction as it seems that the tracks will take me into a woodland. Also is Qrow on Patch yet?"

Summer paused and thought before an idea came to mind. "There should be an old shack in the woods. Raven, Yang's birth mother used to stay there before she left. It was her little hide-away. Also, Qrow has just messaged me that he has landed on Patch. He won't be able to reach you for at least 30 minutes if not more after I call him. Daemon be careful there are grimm in the forest and I don't want you or the girls to get hurt. I will call Qrow as he will be the best positioned to help you then Tai, and Daemon. Thank you."

Daemon just shook his head and replied "Its okay Summer you and the girls are family now so its my job to help and look after you guys. Also, thanks I now have an idea as to where they have gone which is going to make my job a little easier. Roughly how far is this cabin from the house?"

Summer thought and said "For an adult maybe an hour at a brisk walk. For Yang who is also carting along Ruby at least two or three hour most likely maybe more maybe less. You may be able to reach it in thirty minutes if your going at an aura enhanced pace. I know that when me and Qrow once raced the same distance in our first year of Beacon we only took about twenty minutes. Oh Yang, that silly girl why would she have done this? I just hope my daughters are safe."

Daemon just sighed and said "Summer I will hang up now so that I can speed up the pace. Also don't worry I will make sure that they get home safe and sound. Bye Summer" Daemon quickly hung up and began to run and use flash step every few metres to speed himself up a little. After thirty minutes he was in the middle of the forest having followed the tracks in the snow having to duck between trees and through bushes when he heard a scream in the directions that the tracks led. Crap, Yang and Ruby were probably in danger, he had to move quickly.

Daemon quickly summoned his sword from his inventory and flash stepped toward the screaming ahead of him ready to fight. He found Yang and Ruby surrounded by a pack of seven beowolves with one alpha amongst them. The alpha was only a couple metres away from the two girls and was preapring to lunge at them. Daemon quickly channelled aura into his blade and flash stepped in front of the one that had just swiped at Yang who was crouched over covering Ruby and unable to see anything and swung in sword in a wide upwards diagonal arc taking off its paw and head in a single swing of his sword causing the decapitated body of the grimm to fall to the ground smoking and dissolving into a black sludge and smoke as it began to evaporate.

(Yang POV flashback)

Mom and Dad had just left for their jobs leaving her in the house with just her little sister and her replacement, Daemon. She had locked the door and gone up to her room.

She didn't understand why he was so special. But she did understand that he looked more like Summer than she did l. He had silver eyes and dark purple hair. If you saw him, Summer and Ruby together you would believe that they were a family but not her she didn't look like them. She looked like her dad but not those three.

It was also clear to her that her little sister liked the boy and was spending more time with him than herself. It annoyed her, Ruby was meant to be HER little sister not HIS. Yet since he had arrived, he was all Ruby spoke about. His so cool, he has an awesome weapon, he's teaching me archery. It pissed her off. Why did Ruby like him? No doubt because she wouldn't be the one being replaced. She had known that her parents had wanted a son. Now they had one and they wouldn't her anymore. After all even her own mother hadn't wanted her and left her behind.

She quickly reached inside her pillow case and fished out an old photo. It was a photo she had found of her mother beside a shack here on patch. She thought that maybe her mother would take her in if she found her. The only problem is that uncle Qrow would stop her and he would be here by mid-day and she didn't want to leave Ruby behind.

She spent a few hours planning and thinking about how she could get to the shack in the photo without getting stopped when her step-mother had messaged. 'Qrow will be late should be there by six. When you get hungry there is food the fridge for and Ruby. Love you xx' this made Yang's planning easier as she went and got Ruby from her room and took her to get some lunch and gave her some cookies. Still silently scheming on how she do this and how to get Ruby to come with her when an idea came into her head.

Yang then asked Ruby how she felt about going on an adventure with her to find a lady living in a shack in the forest. She managed to convince her that it would be like an adventure from one of her fairy-tales. She felt bad lying to her little sister like this but she couldn't just leave her behind. She didn't want to leave her behind so she had to take her with her when she left. Her little sister was always happy to do something if she thought it related to being a hero, it was why she always wanted and wore a cape. She did however feel bad for tricking her sister like this.

By around three o'clock she managed to get Ruby and her self ready to leave. She had Ruby dressed in her jacket and her little red cloak overtop of her skirt, legging and top as it had been snowing and she wanted her warm and safe. She herself was wearing jeans, a long sleeved white t-shirt and a brown leather jacket. She had taken Ruby to the shed to get the small wagon as she believed it would be quicker and that Ruby wouldn't be able to walk as far as her. She then turned to the house and gave it one last look and firming her resolve in her choice as she laid Ruby in the wagon and covered her with another blanket in order to keep her warm as they travelled to the shack in the picture. If her parents didn't want her anymore she would find her mother.

Yang had been walking as the snow had gotten thicker and continued to fall around her. She had reached the woods after almost three hours of walking. She felt tired and exhausted, especially since she had, had to pull the wagon that Ruby was in through the snow over buried twigs and branches that made it harder to pull. She could hear a light snore from underneath the blanket and realised that Ruby had fallen asleep on the journey here. It was only a few minutes later that the abandoned shack came into view.

It was nothing like the picture. This shack was run down and clearly abandoned. It was falling apart due to neglect, age and no weather damage. It was large wooden building that looked similar to a barn with a rounded roof. In the picture the building was age but looked liveable and clean. Now the wooden looked rotten and like even the slightest amount of force would make it collapse into a pile of timber. The building was desolate and unlived in.

Yang quickly came to the conclusion that this one clue, one potential link to her mother was a dead-end and that it would lead no where. She clearly didn't live here as evidenced by the state of decay that the now derelict building was in. She felt like crying. This was the one chance she had of finding her birth mother and now it turned out to just be a dead end.

Suddenly the sound of crunching twigs and rustling leaves caught her ears causing her to turn and see grimm emerging from the bushes around all staring at her as she began to tear up, her negative emotions rolling off of her in waves drawing the grimm in and feeding their murderous hunger like oxygen fed a flame, making only grow with each passing moment. She looked into the glowing red eyes her panic rising with each moment as time seemed to come to a crawl as she let out a scream.

Yang quickly looked over at the wagon in which Ruby was now sat up peaking out from beneath the blanket that covered her. Her silver eyes were filled with fear as tears gathered in her eyes as she saw the grimm. Yang's heart fell as she realised in her selfishness and anger, she had doomed her sister to die alongside her. Her mind then turned to how her parents would react to their deaths. She thought of the tears that would both cry and the guilt they would both feel. She quickly threw herself overtook of Ruby embracing her in a final hug as she saw the biggest wolf like grimm tense like it was preparing to lunge.

Yet the expected blow never came only a low swishing sound and a metallic ring rung out through the air. Followed by a voice she had hated until now but bow only brought her relief reached her ears "You both alright?" She looked up to see him standing their shoulder length plume hair dancing across his shoulders, silver eyes glowing with intensity and a slight cocky smirk beginning on his lips. She felt her breath pause. It was like seeing a hero from a story. His steel sword held up in through of him shining a with a slivery-blue glow.

Yang quickly shook her head and answered her voice shaking "We are both okay." Daemon gave her a smile over his shoulder before a beowolf to lunged at his only for him to roll to the side and come up on one knee from his position bring his sword upwards in arc taking the head clean off the lunging grimm. He shot her a smirk and joked "Let me clean up this rather grim spectacle and I will be right with you guys." Gesturing with one hand to the remaining five grimm causing Yang to give a half sob half laugh but slightly amused but also relieved that they would be okay.

She watched in awe as Daemon suddenly blurred out of vision and all she saw was a silver metallic as the grimm around her fell to the ground missing limbs, bisected or decapitated. Suddenly Daemon reappeared in front of her panting and hunched over making his sword disappear mumbling "I really need more training to be able to use that in combat." Suddenly Ruby barged past her as she wrapped Daemon in a tight hug before quickly wrapping both him and Ruby in a tight hug whispering "Thank you." Causing Daemon to give them both a slight squeeze.

"You know Summer was really worried about you both when I called. No only her but Tai as well no doubt and even Qrow. Why did you do it? Is it something I did?"

I stepped back as I looked him in the eyes and saw only concern and worry in them. I almost choked realising that he was worried for me when I had spent the whole time, I had known him hating him. So, I took a deep breath and began to explain.

"I wanted to find my mother, my birth mother. I had a photo of her with this shack in and thought she might be here." I paused "I thought since Mum wasn't actually my mother, she would replace me now that she had you. I mean you even look like her and Ruby unlike me." I began to cry as I thought of my parents not wanting me only for Daemon to flick me on the forehead draw me into a tight hug as softly said to me "You idiot. You do realise Summer would never replace; she loves you. You are HER daughter not anyone else's as far she is concerned."

I clung tightly to his chest sobbing with my face buried in his shoulder at what he said. Ruby having wiggled her way out from between us was standing off to the side pouting at us. He held me as I cried gently rubbing circles into my back when for some reason I felt Daemon tense.

Suddenly the world spun as I fell my back hitting the floor knocking the air out of my lungs, his arm wears my neck would have been holding some sort of long pink thing in his hand with the rest wrapped around his forearm. His face looked pale and he was sweating when I heard a crow squawk and my uncle appeared in usual White shirt and black trousers covered in jewellery and his mecha-shift sword/scythe/shotgun in hand in its sword form cutting the long pink thing before quickly firing off a round into the tree line causing a squelch making Yang look to see a small frog like grimm dissolving catching Daemon as he collapsed after releasing an intense wave of fire that strangely burnt nothing.

(End of Yang POV)

(Daemon POV)

I was comforting Yang and hugging her after the admittedly emotional conversation we had just had when from the treeline behind her I saw a pink moving rapidly. I barely had time to think and reacted on instinctively pushing Yang aside and bring my arm up to catch the pink projectile only for to wrap around my forearm before I caught the end of it. The pink projectile seemed to be a tongue it was weird to feel. It felt soft and fleshy but it was like hundreds if not thousand of miniature needles piercing into his skins all along his arms. Yet for some reason it didn't feel painful just numb.

Within a couple of seconds, I felt the world begin to blur and my body heat up like a fever as I held the tongue, my skin suddenly felt sweaty and chalky as a memory came to mind. This was a tinctorius grimm. Summer had told him about this type of grimm when they had arrived on Patch a few days ago. Just a touch was enough to kill someone nine times out of ten. He could do nothing as it seems that they also blocked aura when in contact with them. He tried to summon his semblance to heal but was unable focus on the healing flames so focused burning out the poison, yet it had already began to effect him. He felt sluggish, heavy and tired when a startlingly clear noise reached him, a crow's cry. A white blur then appeared and cut them tongue causing it to dissolve and he felt his body burn and his blood boil as he let out a huge wave of fire before falling.

(End of Daemon POV)

(Qrow POV)

I arrived just in time to see the tinctorius' tongue wrap itself around the boy's arm as he pushed my niece out of the way of the tongue. Hia reaction was incredible considering that he was a little older than Ruby. However, I shook that thought off rapidly, now wasn't the time that, I quickly turned back into a human after letting out a cry.

'Oh shit, Summer is going to kill me. You better survive kid. If not, I better have one last drink'

I quickly drew Harbinger and extended my weapon into blade form before quickly rushing into the area and slashing the tongue and shooting the damn frog causing it to dissolve and disintegrate rapidly as it was such a small grimm. The boy then let out a massive wave of flames as I quickly covered my face only to feel no heat and quickly rushed to catch him before he hit the floor.

Absentmindedly I take note of all the seven dissolving grimm corpses that the boy must killed impressed as he had clearly done it quickly and cleanly. He must also have unlocked his semblance although Summer may have said he already it. I admittedly couldn't remember and would have to ask but for a boy his age it was impressive regardless. I owed the boy. He had been able to save his nieces when he hadn't. I could only hope I would be able to save him and that ultimately, he would pull through. I would do everything I could to save him I owed him that.

The boy was burning up in my arms running a temperature of almost a hundred degrees Celsius. No doubt his semblance played a role in this but it still caused him to panic. He quickly picked him bridal style and told Ruby and Yang to both get on his back. He channelled aura into his legs as she rushed back to the house knowing Summer was going to be there. Oz had let her get a lift directly to the house on his personal bullhead after hearing the emergency.

He quickly ran up to the house, Summer was stood watching out on the porch and smiled seeing Qrow before realising something was wrong. He paused in front of her panting "Kid got hah hah got by a hah hah tinctorius. He is hah burning up?"

(Hey guys sorry I didn't update at the week I did have this chapter almost completely written on word on my phone by Sunday but for some reason my files didn't save so when I went to check Sunday evening ready to finish it, I only had a 400-word file not a 4000 word file. I rewrote the chapter over the last few days. Due to starting a course I will probably only write 2-3 chapters a week from now. But I will not drop the story and intend to continue writing.

Anyway, the word count for this chapter reached 4965 words excluding this last bit. Lastly hope you all enjoy the chapter.)