Chapter nine: Thanks

A/N: Hello again! It's Pyg with some good news. I made my deadline earlier than expected again! Anyway, we're going to have some humor in the beginning, but we're going to get serious by the end of the second line break.

"Our storyteller's a bit late tonight for whatever reason. Until then, talk amongst yourselves. Just…" The guard sighed as a rock flew past his head.

"…Be patient."

"Hello?" said a voice, "Anyone home?"

"Velvet. Thank God. Where've you been?"

"Sorry I'm late, mom. Keep your pants on. I ran here after stopping at home for a piss."

The 'guardian angel' of the group around the fire burst out laughing.

"What? I'm allowed!" said Velvet, both a bit annoyed and a bit confused.

"Sure…You are…heh. Just go. I need water or something," he said, doubled over in laughter.

"One more thing before I go. Are you fond of bird watching?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"Because I see a really interesting one right…here," Velvet said, giving the guard the finger.

"Really creative. I haven't heard that one before. Go on in," he said sarcastically.

We were back on our horses again, trudging blindly to the north.

"So…Blake," I said innocently, "How do you know Adam?"

I had no idea how she did. She always kept quiet whenever he was mentioned.

"I…It's complicated."

"Complicated how?" I asked as I perked up my ears, making sure she'd give in to telling me.

"It was…It just is. It's a long story."

"We've got a long way to go before making it there, so Blake…Please?"

"I can't say no to that face."

"I know you can't. Nobody else can."

Blake. She knew exactly when it was time to give up. I was grinning madly after she admitted defeat.

"You know I can't say no to you. You look way too adorable. Even now."

"The ears are a blessing and a curse, Blake. You know it."

"Okay. Well. We were once partners. Before the s**t hit the fan, we were partners in the White Fang."

"I'm assuming that running away wasn't in your best interest?"

"No. But I had to. We had placed explosives on the train and Adam showed no remorse if we were to have a few hundred people's innocent blood on our hands. I unlinked the two pieces that held my train car to his. I never saw him since."

"Oh. Okay. Well, in light of those events, I think we've found the entrance to our city."

I got off my horse and stood proudly in front of a large sewage grate.

"It'll be hell to pay on our noses, but at least it's a way in," I said.

"Yich. I think I just saw that brown thing move."

"Ruby, Please. You aren't making the smell better by complaining about it."

"You're funny. I just wanted to warn you about a piece of…Something. Moving around on the floor."

"Well, think of it this way. If it smells that bad to you, imagine how bad it is to me."

"Sorry, Velvet."

"It's fine. I'm just as happy as you are, and I'll be more than happy as soon as we get out of here. This being what it is. A literal s**thole."

I heard a muffled Blake, who was trailing behind, say "Amen, sister!"

After that, it was just silence. So silent that you could hear a pin drop into a bed of soft feathers.

Then, out of nowhere, a loud voice came through the makeshift intercom that was installed. Whoever lived here must have been paranoid.

"Hello? Hello, hello? Uh…Hi! Welcome to the city under the city. I didn't expect to see you all so soon. We're still setting up," despite his opening words, he spoke in a tone that could calm most anyone.

"Who's there?" I asked shakily, startled by the voice.

"Relax, Velveteen Rabbit. You'll find me soon enough. I'll even give you and your group of fairy tales a fair chance. I'm in a room with a sign on it that says 'Surveillance crew only.' You'll see me then. The door is colored red. Can't miss it."

"You're challenging us, yet you're helping us?"

"I'm an ally, but I was once your former enemy. I'm here, I'm there, and I'm blowing up a fair. Savoir Faire is everywhere…If everywhere were a red door with 'Surveillance crew only' on it. Tah tah for now!"

"What do you suppose we do now," I asked no-one in particular, "We can't find him."

"Sleep through the night?" questioned Ruby.

"Umm, I don't really see how that would help our current situation, but okay," said Blake.

"Well, that settles it then," cheerily chimed Yang.

"Where the hell were you?" I quietly asked.

"What are you talking about? I've been here this whole little adventure."

"You never said anything, though. It's just a bit…Out of character, you know?"

"No. Let's just get to sleep."

"Agreed."

The next morning

"HELLO again, girlies! I'm back again to give you another clue. Take a left and go through the air vent closest to you."

I never thought about the air vents.

"AIR VENTS!? When were those available to use?"

"When I waited all night for you four to get here."

"Point taken. Thanks!"

We did as the voice said, and one by one we realized just how bad a mistake it was to take the sewers into town. The person who aided us was none other than an older, paler, and possibly wiser, Roman Torchwick.

"The rabbit's a bit late for the mad hatter's tea party, but the good news is, you follow instructions. Good enough. Now that you're all here, not trying to kill me, hear me out."

I heard behind me, the murmurs of my friends.

"Hello? He's a criminal! Why would we 'hear him out?'"

"Because he knows what's happening. If he can get us to Adam, I'd say he's fine."

"I can't be sure. He kinda looks different. Kinda like an old grandpa who wants to help his kids. He seems to be able to be trusted."

"Hey! I heard that one! I want to help, but nobody calls me grandpa!"

I say, before everyone can adjourn their court, "I think we should listen. He sounds more likeable in this tone of voice."

"See! I knew at least one of you would understand! Thank you! What's your name?"

"Velvet."

"Say, Velvet, have you ever come across a strange, leather-bound book on your travels?"

"Sure. What do you need it for?"

"I need it to confirm a theory."

As he flipped through the pages, I noticed he was moving his mouth to match what he was reading. From what I read off of his mouth movements, it was in another language.

"Have any of you come across a faunus infected?"

"No…Why?"

"Can any of you read this?"

"Let me see if I can. Faunus verkar ha en viss immunitet mot svampen kallas cordyceps. Dessa varelser har vi skapat det ska döda människor som vi har förlorat svampen. It means, 'The Faunus people have certain immunity to the disease known as cordyceps. These creatures we have created should be able to kill off the humans we have lost to the fungus.' Strange. The picture here refers to a Beowulf."

"And that, my dear friends, is why I needed that book. I knew that fungus had to have done something to the Faunus, or vice versa, in order to make them immune. Either that, or it's natural immunity. Then, to have the faunus create the creatures of Grimm, such as the Beowulf, to fend off the Cordyceps, this must have happened before."

"I saw it firsthand. My friend, Lumin, he died from a bite, but had enough time to turn. I waited to shoot him, but he never turned. I thought of the possibility of us being immune, so thank you for proving it."

"Now that we've confirmed everything, all we need are the necessary supplies to reverse-engineer a cure. Including restraints for a live, fungus/human specimen."

A voice from behind me and Torchwick whispered softly in our ears, "Back away from her, before you won't be able to use your legs to go anywhere at all."

"Ruby! He's trying to help! Just let him do what he can! It seems like our theory could work. If you'd just get it through your heads that people can be made better through suffering, you'd be able to figure out that he's able to save mankind. Think guys, save mankind! How amazing would it be to do that, and have it, for once, not F**KING HAVE IT BLOW UP IN OUR FACES!?"

"Velvet. I'm sorry…I just…didn't know that you…could just do that. Just trust someone you know was once a wanted man on accounts of many different thieveries, injuries, and more."

"He's changed, Ruby. Just give us a couple more days after the equipment is ready, and then start to doubt us. That is, if we haven't found a cure yet."

"C'mon guys. Let's let them work. Maybe we can find some supplies for them before their delivery."

"Ruby?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks."