Author's Notes: And another one bites the dust! Welcome back ladies and gents to a new instalment of Qrossing Field!
With this I'm gonna say I'm finally reaching the third and final general arc of the story, similar to the Mistral arc of PATI. And that means I get to really jump into some of the fun stuff. Ooooh, I'm so excited! Now with no classes I get to consider this my only form of work (going to conveniently ignore my upcoming psychology exams in a few weeks).
So I'll cut off here so I can continue writing chapter ten. Hope you enjoy!
- Vex out!
Qrossing Field - Mission Nine: By The Campfire
Qrow's scissor swipe of scythes swept over its target's head as Aster collapsed to one knee. A second later, the man sprang up, smashing his skull into Qrow's. A fist plunged itself into Qrow's abdomen, smashing out the air from his lungs. Not satisfied with his combo, Aster gripped his raven headed opponent's head with nails as sharp as claws, digging them into his head before raising a knee in a single solid hit to the head, knocking Qrow away.
Before he could advance to continue his assault Aster was forced to leap back to dodge the rain of razor icicles that tried to penetrate his flesh. A momentary glance around the field of battle showed the last few of his Beowolf hoard being mopped up, and now the Schnee heir had redirected his attention to assisting his team mate who struggled to get back up. Rather than follow up his failed attack, Reined stabbed his rapier into the ground. Beneath his feet, an icy blue glyph appeared, identical to the one that flashed into life under Aster, who made to try and escape. Despite his efforts, the man found a leg encased in ice.
''You think you're so clever,'' Aster spat.
''As a matter of fact, I do.''
The wind upon his words were carried suddenly became the carrier of a multitude of red scraps, fluttering down from above . They converged on Aster, swirling around his unmovable position. The green of the forest quickly became blocked out by the maelstrom of rose petals. Though he swept with his arms, Aster was unable to make a break in the new canvas. Taking offense to his attempts, the roses began to lay short sharp slices across his skin. None were deep or lasting, however they were enough to build his rage, and draw his attention.
He snapped a hand up several inches from his neck in time to catch the hard whip that shot through the red smokescreen, breaking through to reveal a shot of the outside where Leizel looked taken aback. ''Get over here!'' Tugging the bullwhip across his body he managed to separate Leizel's boots from the ground, bringing her flying through the roses to smack down on the other side.
Though broken for a moment, the petal wall reformed, resuming its annoyance tactic of paper cuts across his skin. A blast of dark energy scattered the nuisances, along with shattering the ice which shackled him. From out of the plume fell Carmine, who Aster spared not even a second glance as he tumbled away. The sound of dashing footsteps were much more attractive to Aster.
Qrow was back to his feet and charging, hoping to try his luck at a head on assault.
Aster turned to face the oncoming boy, ready to block when a strange sensation washed his mind, churning his stomach in a sudden drop of nausea. Everything skipped forward, like the video on an antique cassette tape, and a sudden stabbing pain shot through Aster's shoulder. With a pained snarl he grabbed the pole attached to the curved blade which had impaled him. Both he and Qrow fought over it, each pushing for dominance as Qrow's second scythe came swinging in from the side. Aster took the advantage just long enough to remove the intruder to his shoulder and jump away to safety.
Seeing each of his opponents regrouping and readying themselves for another assault illustrated the futility of continuing the fight. ''You win this round. But I'll be back,'' he growled, clutching his wounded shoulder as he rushed into the thick, shadowy undergrowth and out of sight.
'Who' was the question on everyone's lips, and only one could give anything close to an informative answer. ''Agent Aster Minos. I've only seen him a few times from afar in the past.'' Isabelle frowned. ''He would always wear his hood though so I've never seen more than his face.'' The frown tightened as that particular visage flashed through her mind again.
''He could control Grimm. That's not natural,'' Leizel muttered, raising a curled finger to her lower lip.
''And that attack of his - the energy thing?'' Carmine asked, waving his arms about. ''It was like aura... but different. Notice how his cuts weren't healing?'' A crack of Leizel's whip shut off his frenzied state. Calmer, he concluded with a simple, ''He's not normal.''
''No doubt,'' Reiner started. ''However, we don't have time to postulate those abilities now. We should put as much distance between ourselves and this place by nightfall as we can.'' If he was able to find them then it wouldn't be unthinkable that more could - especially if they came looking for the ship.
''Sounds like a plan.'' Qrow threw his spears back over his back and made to lead the way, patting Octavius on the shoulder on the way past. ''Thanks for the assist, Oz.''
Octavius nodded and fell in behind. ''No problem.''
When she first took her captive, she imagined a scenario vastly different from the one in which she was presently stuck.
''Kristaaaa! Are we there yet?''
''Well what do you think?! Do you see a town here?'' Summer snapped, flicking a hand out to the thick foliage that surrounded them.
Krista had been an alias she had come up with on the spot. It didn't seem too bad an idea at the time – in fact Reiner would've probably been pleased with the precaution – however continuing the story was more difficult. Between questions of Vacuo and her adventures as a 'full' Huntress, it eventually became easier just to respond to his questions with silence.
It had taken about two hours of walking for Flay to get bored with trying to pry information out of her, and changed his tactics to being unbearably annoying. Every few minutes he would start spouting some nonsense which made their already slow trek through the trees even slower. It would be so easy to just leave him, to speed through the forest and to the nearest boat. If she did that then she might even be back in Vale for breakfast. But a part of her held back these impulses – she had a job to do still.
As the sun began to set, so too did Flay's enthusiastic attempts to play on her nerves. Instead, his thoughts turned to more pragmatic concerns. ''We should make camp. It's not good to travel through the night.''
As much as she hated to admit, the boy did have a point. There was no telling the types of Grimm that were lurking, waiting for their chance to strike. And rest didn't sound too bad either. ''Alright, we'll find a place to stop.''
They only had to walk a short way until they reached a clearing, dominated by a fresh water stream which reflected the orange embers of a dying sun. They set themselves up on the stony bank, the smooth pebbles making a surprisingly comfortable bed on which to sit. First came gathering the firewood. A good source of heat and light would be enough to ward off the interest of lower level Grimm, as she had learned back in prep school. Then seeing as they were right next to a river, came catching their dinner.
''You know, I think this is the part where you're supposed to interrogate me,'' Flay teased as he used one of his knives to peel the scales off of their catch.
''Oh shut up!'' Summer growled as she brought the fire to life. Her turn of questioning only began after she had taken a bite into one of the fish they had caught. ''What's an Agent?''
''Basically a Huntsman or Huntress, except our mission isn't killing Grimm. I mean, we can do that if we have to, it's just not the be all and end all.''
''Okay, so what so you do?''
''Whatever we get told to. The Commandant set up this little group a few years back; only got recognized as an official organization a year ago. Doesn't even have a name yet – everyone just calls it ''The Agency''. I mean, I'm all for the dramatic, but that's just dull.''
''Commandant? Who's that when he's not in the office?''
''No idea. Never met him. He usually works through Cassius and Vergil – Executives – his right and left hands you could say. And before you ask, yes, they are the only two. Want me to waste the entire night giving you every detail of how we're organized or can we talk about something more interesting?''
''I can't tell if you're the best or worst prisoner. Why are you telling me all this so easily?''
''Because I'm a big fan of karma. You saved my life, I won't get away with not giving you something in return.'' He held one of his blades in the flames, watching as the heat licked the steel, a faint glow emanating from it. ''Flay's just a nickname you know.''
''I figured. Pretty weird parents to name their kid that.''
The white haired boy nodded in agreement. ''I got it back in agent training. One day we had this… field test. A group of us were taken to the ass end of nowhere and separated. It was a whole free for all scenario – we'd get graded on how we perform and all that jazz. Anyway, first night I go to sleep. End up waking up with my face flat in the dirt, hands bound together.'' Flay placed his knife gently onto the stone and brought his hands up to unbutton the tattered remains of his coat, revealing the lack of a shirt being worn underneath.
''Turns out the guy who caught me was a real psycho.'' He slid the coat off, exposing his skinny, pale body. He turned to reveal his back to Summer.
Unlike the pristine purity of his front, his back reflected the state of his arms… except cleaner. In the centre of his back, reaching out as far as it could, was a great area of raw, uneven red skin, curving into his back… as though it had just been sliced away.
Summer didn't so much as blink at the sight however. ''I see.''
''Like I said: psycho. He took his time, peeling me with his dagger like a tangerine… If he'd just killed me or beat the crap out of me it would've been fine. Damn idiot.'' The last utterance came with a slice of melancholy and slight flare of nostrils as he started to put his clothes back on.
''What happened then?'' Summer asked, prompting him to continue the admittedly engaging tale.
''I used my semblance to rip off the rope around my hands.'' Flay held out his arms, putting his wrists on display for his listener. ''See these deep cuts here? That's where I got them. Anyway, I knocked the guy out… First I took his hands, then… well, let's just say I repaid him tenfold.'' He sighed, and then the seriousness dropped from his face. ''So yeah, word spread about me doing that and since then Flay was all I heard.''
He finished in a chipper tone which was met with a resounding silence of thought and evaluation. ''Do you regret it?'' Summer asked some minutes later.
Flay frowned in the way a child did when they were asked a stupid question. ''Do I regret surviving? No. Do I regret torturing the prick? I don't know.'' His expression softened and he looked away, taking a bite of his fish.
''But you haven't done it again since, right?''
''Nope. Only thing I skin now is fish,'' Flay replied, taking another bite.
Summer nodded once and closed her eyes, placing her dinner on the rocks. ''I hate people getting killed. That's why I became a Huntress. Everyone should have a right to live.''
Flay rolled his eyes, mentally filling in how the rest over the conversation would go.
''…up to a point.''
That was not the next line he had imagined.
''They give up that right when they try to take another person's life. I don't think you were wrong. People can do all kinds of things when they're under pressure… revenge is just part of who we are. It doesn't make us monsters. It was you or him.''
Flay sat there, features frozen in the flickering firelight as he studied her. ''You know what Krista… you're the first person to see it like that.''
''Yeah, well, I'm weird like that.'' She shrugged and continued to eat.
''Octavius… could I make a request?''
The young man snapped out of the daydream he had been lured into by the hypnotic flames of the fire he had been poking. The warmth illuminated their encampment, settled under a speckled sky of stars. ''What do you need?'' he asked, looking over to one of the occupied sleeping bags where a pair of bright cerulean orbs blinked out.
Isabella crawled out of the bag, clutching a blanket close to her as she shuffled up to Octavious' side. ''Could you tell me more about Qrow's hatred of Carmine?''
''It's like I said before, Carmine has been after Summer since our first year. It just got annoying after a-''
His non-comittal response was cut off swiftly before the shrugging tone could complete itself. ''Yes, but there's a difference between being irritating and deserving hatred. There's more to it, isn't there? It's clear as day.''
''You're not wrong,'' Octavius chuckled at her pressing insistence. ''Did you know that Carmine is the leader of his team?''
''Really? I would have imagined Miss Garnet a more likely candidate.''
''Everyone would.'' Shifting in place to half face Isabella, Octavious inhaled before starting his story. ''The initiation test to Beacon that wear was essentially a race – the faster the time, the higher your grade. Anyway, our teams ended up running into each other and decided to work together thinking that it'd be faster in a larger group. It all went well until we reached this area… well, let's say it for what it was. We ended up in the hunting ground of a herd of Boarbatusk. The herd was sleeping, so Qrow suggested we just went through them… that we should go 'as the Qrow flies' he had put it.'' Octavius rolled his eyes, remembering how Summer had smacked her brother to the ground for that.
''But I suppose that isn't what happened?''
''Carmine thought it would be safer to go around. It would take longer, but there would be less chance of us waking up the Grimm and getting trapped in them. Things started to get heated, and that was what woke up the herd.'' Octavius sighed, rubbing his temple in deep circles at the memory, not least of which for Qrow's second pun about the Grimm hearing them. ''Qrow was never able to accept how someone he saw as a coward ended up being named leader. He's hated Carmine ever since.''
''That's… rather close minded of him.''
''Right, but that's just who Qrow is. There's no point in trying to change that.'' Across the camp, the dark haired leader lay in his sleeping bag, snores rumbling from within. ''He may be a hard-headed idiot, but he's honest and straightforward. You know exactly where you stand with him. And he was the one who got us out of that mess back then. I'm happy with him being Team Qros' leader, though Summer and Reiner wouldn't have done too bad either.''
''And what about you?''
Octavius raised an eyebrow at Isabelle before leaning back, looking up to the sky where constellations hanged above in a great canopy. ''Summer may seem like she doesn't care but when someone needs help she can actually be very sensitive, though she is quick to lose her temper. By comparison, Reiner thinks so much about the big picture he forgot to care about others around him and how they might feel. Qrow was the point in between, and all three are excellent fighters.'' He brought his head back down to smile. ''I'm lazy. I'm smart, but only about things that interest me. I'm passable at combat, but nowhere on their level. And I'm-''
''Humble.'' Isabelle finished. ''And kind. Sometimes a good leader needs to be someone who doesn't stand in the spotlight, but can sit back and plan ahead. Unassuming, understanding.''
She reached out and grabbed his hand, then proceeded to raise one of his fingers. ''Straightforward and honest.'' She raised a second finger. ''Sensitive.'' She raised a third finger. ''And able to see the big picture.'' She pushed the fingers back down and closed her hands around his. ''It seems to me there's someone else who's a point in between. I think you'll be a great leader someday, Octavius, you just need a little faith in yourself.''
He sat stunned following her short soliloquy, astounded by the candidness of her thoughts. Then, all at once, he became aware of the warmth of her hands enclosed around his, the closeness of her face to his. She shimmered with that glittery gold from the night they first met, even when muted by the dye in her hair. The warmth of their connected hands spread up his arm and to every corner of his body, brightening his face with red. ''Uhh… thank you…''
''Ahem!'' The pair broke apart at the sudden interruption, heads shooting behind them to see the source.
''Oh! L-Leizel. You're up,'' Octavius noted with a nervous chuckle, fighting to keep from breaking sweat under her gaze.
''It is time for me to take over the watch. And you, Miss Arc, should be asleep. We have a long day ahead of us.''
With a slight nod, Isabella stood up. ''Right, I'm sorry. I was just having some trouble sleeping.'' She turned to Octavius, a gentle smile tugging at her face. ''Thank you for speaking with me, I'll see you in the morning.''
''Sleep well,'' Octavius muttered as she walked back to her sleeping bag and settled in. He and Leizel remained in their positions until the gentle sighs of sleep came.
''You should be more careful with the volume at which you speak.''
A quiet groan mixed in with the crackling fire. ''You heard us?''
''Indeed, and I believe she is not wrong.'' Liezel sat down, wrapped tight in her coat, settling into the position that would be her lookout spot for the following hours. ''You should have more faith in yourself. Perhaps if you did you would be able to shed your lethargic nature and achieve something of value once in a while.''
''… I can't tell if that's a compliment or an insult.''
''Go to sleep,'' Liezel ordered with a flat tone and a razor glare.
''R-right.''
The difference between the two girls was astounding, yet both were equally intimidating in their own ways.
With the taste of bloody meat still in his teeth, Aster pulled hard on the fabric, tightening the knot around his wound with a supressed growl. The bleeding had finally stopped and he was able to replace the bandaging stained red which he had worn through the night. There was no pain but the material rubbed against his raw and sore shoulder, imploring him to scratch with those wonderfully sharp nails. It served him right for underestimating them.
With the scattered rays of a rising sun came the welcome sound of an airship above, coming in to land. ''Lookie lookie what we found!'' chirped a voice minutes later which stabbed at his eardrums.
Aster twisted his head to look up the sloped embankment he had inhabited for the night, the corners of his mouth curling. ''Took you long enough,'' he snarled.
''Our apologies, it was more difficult to find you than I would care to admit. Though it would seem you're okay, for the most part.''
Vergil's inquisitive tone just played on Aster's already short temper. ''I fought the targets.''
''Alone? That was foolish.''
''Bite me,'' Aster snapped.
Coral poked her head out from behind the Executive. ''Where's the doggy?''
''Coral! What did I tell you?''
''Sorry!'' she said, lifting up her stuffed toy and playing with it, moving its hand back and forth as if it were waving to her.
Vergil smiled at the girl who paid him no mind, shaking his head before returning to Aster, who stood below, with a passive expression. ''We reached the crash site but only found the crew, you and Flay were the only ones missing; the rest of the crew had been moved and covered up however, so it's clear that someone was there. Though I doubt Flay would go to that much effort…''
Aster only half listened to Vergil's recount of their evening's search. The damn man spoke too much. ''I fell off the airship as it was going down. Landed and smelled the girl, so I went after her. Just thought he'd die in the crash.''
Though if his body wasn't with the others, his survival was almost a certainty - the boy was tougher to kill than a cockroach.
Vergil must have come to the same conclusion as his following statement showed. ''Well, from here we will just have to trust Flay to find his own way if he is indeed alive. We must go and continue the mission. Come, Aster, I feel the endgame is approaching and I must hear what you have learned from your encounter. We cannot allow them to outmanoeuvre us at this stage.''
Aster grunted, lifting himself from the water's edge and scaling the bank. He growled at the little girl as he stepped past, only for her top stick her tongue out in response. Vergil could have his grand mission; all Aster cared about was ripping apart the pricks who managed to injure him. They would make for worthy targets.
The airship took off and within moments left the area in peace. A bloody, mutilated stag remained as the first bugs began to approach for a feast of scraps.
Next time, Mission Ten: Closing Net
