Chapter 23: Split family and split minds
Yang was shivering as she laid down in the bullhead, teeth chattering as she struggled to gain some level of control over her body. She shivered despite the rabid heat in the aircraft and the sweltering Vacuo sun beaming in through its windows. The effects of Aura depletion and Aura overexertion were numerous and very well documented, with a myriad of recommended remedies, ranging from scientifically based medications to simple home remedies. Utilizing Grimm abilities, on the other hand, were much less well documented with no remedies for its effects written down anywhere. The damage caused by using the Grimm senses and unleashing the dragon was now currently eating at her insides, she was wracked with nausea, extreme soreness and a rabid desire to bite into something living on top of the usual after-effects of her busting her aura out there.
And to top it all off, Neo is still sitting on my chest dammit! Struggling to lift her head Yang checked to see if the little psycho was still there and sure enough the tiny ice-cream girl was still perched atop 'The girls' eyeing Yang with a smug expression on her face. Don't you smirk at me, you little witch.
Yang tried to smack Neo off her chest but for all her struggling effort, all she managed to do was slowly raise her hand and flop it on top of the girl's head.
"Neo" Yang grunted "Please do me a favor and choke yourself on my hand. Thanks!"
Daintily Neo lifted Yang's hand and placed it against her throat and leaned in against the palm making uncomfortable eye-contact with Yang as she did. Yang tried to squeeze her fist shut but a turtle-neck would have done more damage. Great, I can't even choke a person who is literally helping me do it.
Letting her hand and head flop down Yang let out a tired sigh. She could feel Neo giggling atop her boobs, that or the girl was bouncing up and down on them just to exacerbate Yang's soreness.
"Quit it, they hurt enough without you bouncing on them" she croaked out, dust her mouth was dry. At least I can talk again. "Neo be a peach sherbet and grab me some water alright?"
Once again, she felt the girl's movements rather than saw it, she knew that Neo had left when the soreness on her boobs subsided. Neo was light on her feet and when she moved, she was almost silent. The creepy part about that silence was that unlike Yang and Raven, Neo wasn't using an aura trick to do it. Where did Roman find this girl?
Yang was about to ask when she felt her head being lifted and set down on Neo's lap. Pushing back the helmet Neo exposed Yang's full face and looked down on her holding a bottle of water in her hand and knife in the other.
"Thanks, Neo," Yang said ignoring the knife even as Neo slowly lowered it closer and closer to Yang's forehead. Only when the blade scraped past Yang's bangs and against her forehead did Neo retract the blade and give Yang the necessary water.
It felt like dumping water into the desert of Vacuo itself, it didn't so much quench Yang's thirst as it staved it off. Yang drank greedily until suddenly the drink was pulled away from her lips. Yang shot Neo a glare that could kill and tried to focus her aura only to have spurts of ghost flame flair around her. Neo held her hand over her mouth and giggled at Yang's futile rage.
"I fuckin Hate you"
2 years ago
"I fuckin love you!" Yang screamed into the wind of the open door of the Bullhead as Neo sped through the air. "Woooo!"
The howl rang out into the mountain pass where they'd set up a base in the last two weeks. Emerald was still unconscious and tied up, unable to appreciate this beautiful sight or the exhilaration of the wind in her hair.
"We at the drop point?" Yang shouted at Neo in the pilot's chair. She received a thumbs up from the girl. "Great I'm gonna try something"
Coco was right there's no fun like jumping out of a plane. Grabbing Emerald by the chains Yang took a deep breath, took a step back and flung herself out of the Bullhead and into the open mountain air.
It was just like her dreams only with the threat of real danger, that danger made it all the sweeter. She'd been flung out of aircraft before but never from this height and never without the supervision of one adult or another. Sailing through the Air reminded her of the Beacon initiation and the excitement of just getting launched into a great unknown. Plus the wind felt fantastic through her hair.
Focusing her aura to her legs she braced for the fall and right as she was about to hit terra firma she flung her captive into the air. Hitting the ground she still rolled to offset the fall and quickly scanned the sky, sure enough, a greenish, brownish bundle was still flying up into the air… and away from Yang.
"Oh Shoot"
Yang sprinted after the bundle trying to keep track of it. Turns out my throwing arm is still a bit off. Vaulting over a felled tree she flung herself forward, hands extended, towards Emerald, reaching out to catch her before the little thief cratered into the dirt.
"Gotcha"
Suddenly Emerald simply hung in the air and Yang froze where she stood. Emerald's arms were extended over her, seemingly held above her head by her Manacles alone. Focusing her aura to her ears Yang listened for any sound and the first thing that struck her was the sound of liquid sloshing in a container. When she focused it to her nose she could smell the booze. Qrow!
Yang didn't dare close her fist for fear of cracking her knuckles by accident, her eyes just nervously scanned the tree line for some flash of grey, instead, she received an eyeful of Red, Bronze and milky white skin.
Pyrrha? Well, that was an unexpected occurrence, but not entirely unwelcome. Yang had always wanted to throw down with Pyrrha truth be told but with the scent of her uncle in the air, she knew that that was not the brightest idea, and besides she didn't know what Pyrrha thought about the whole Vytal festival incident. Who knows maybe she's on my side… Still, though that fight would be intense.
"Put her down, she's not what we're hunting after" Qrow's slightly inebriated voice came from the foliage that seemed far off from Yang. His voice was more commanding than Yang was used to hearing.
"Why?" Pyrrha's own voice came out strange as well. Something about all of this felt off to Yang, there was a tone of impatience in it and she didn't seem to be asking for clarification so much as asking what Qrow will do if she doesn't.
Qrow let out a tired sigh and Yang could almost visualize him wiping his hand over his face before he spoke.
"Pyrrha. Pyrrha!" Pyrrha's head slowly turned towards where Qrow's voice came from. "Ain't that your friend Coco?"
Yang had to suppress a snort. Apparently, Emerald's been playing with a few other people's heads. That or Qrow doesn't recognize Emerald.
"Coco? No that not…"
"We saw her the other day and you called her Coco" Yang heard sloshing again followed by a tired sigh. "That argument can wait, just put the girl on the ground"
"Coco, no this bitch isn't Coco" Pyrrha muttered as Emerald was slowly lowered to the ground. The alarm bells were going haywire in Yang's head now and when Emerald was suddenly lifted sharply up and slammed into the dirt by Pyrrha they only got worse.
"Hey!"
Unconsciously Ember Celica unfurled on Yang's wrists. Yang needed to get Emerald out of here and back to the meetup point, she needed to get away from Qrow and Pyrrha. She focused her Aura to her feet and senses and crouched lower to the ground and simply listened. She heard the clumsy shuffling of feet as Qrow approached the younger girl.
Why is Qrow with Pyrrha right now? That question would have to wait for another day. Yang's priorities needed to remain straight.
"Don't do that again" she heard Qrow hiss through gritted teeth. "So this ain't Coco huh? Wonder why you thought she was the other day… She's chained up"
Yang peered under the bush and saw that her uncle was now stooping over Emerald's unconscious form and lifting her chains with his finger. Behind him, Yang could see Pyrrha's bronze greaves and held her breath when they turned towards her.
"No no not Coco" Pyrrha's voice came out familiar and almost frightened. "But I do know her" this time the voice came out cold, quiet and utterly unique to Yang. "She was there on that day"
Qrow's hand holding the chain started to shake, it was subtle, nigh unnoticeable, but Yang could read someone like Raven, Qrow's signs were obvious to her, and he was very frightened. He stood up turning to face Pyrrha.
"How about I just call this in? we head out, hunt some Grimm and leave her for someone else to deal with." He took a step towards Pyrrha putting himself between the gladiator and Emerald. "There's plenty of Bullheads flying about, she won't be here for lo-"
"NO!" Pyrrha's scream shook out sending a shock wave through Yang with its loudness and ferocity Qrow even took a step back away from Pyrrha. "No! she was THERE! SHE WAS THERE THAT DAY, She's Mine!"
What is she talking about? Yang was shivering in her hiding spot, with a shaking hand she reached up and pulled her mask down over her face, and the cool calm flowed over her body and into her mind. It was like dipping into a cool pool and as she calmed, her mind thought rationally. She's suffered as I have it seems, wonder what they did to Pyrrha.
An Evil grin split Yang's face for reasons she didn't fully understand.
"Pyrrha Nikos," Qrow said like a man calming a horse like he was talking to a rabid beast. "You are Pyrrha Nikos, your name is Pyrrha Nikos and you don't know this girl"
"YES I DO! Don't I? I thought I did. NO, I DO!" Pyrrha squatted down on her haunches and gripped the sides of her head. Yang could see her face now, her eyes were closed but beneath them were heavy dark bags, she hadn't slept in a while. But still, her face was turned right towards her, Yang buried her fingers in the dirt in front of her and readied herself for a sprint to grab Emerald and be out of there in an instant, in preparation for when those eyes opened. "I don't know I don't know. Why don't I know?"
There were tears pouring down Pyrrha's tired face and Yang saw Qrow place a hand on the former champion's shoulder in an effort to calm her down. She was shivering and as Yang tried to sense her emotions only to be bombarded with a conflux of different feelings, strange feelings, incorrect feelings. The Grimm hated humans and viewed them as disgusting gross things but what Pyrrha was right now was Wrong, Unnatural.
Mom was right, Ozpin will do anything for his "Peace" Yang grit her teeth so hard she could feel them crack under the pressure. Ozpin, what did you do to Pyrrha?!
"No Pyrrha you might know her. she might have been there, but you weren't there on that day"
"I remember being there though" she whined. "She had different hair and clothes and weapons, but I'm sure that's her, I'm sure of it. I was there"
"No you weren't, That's Amber's memories. You are Pyrrha Nikos."
Pyrrha took a deep shuddering breath again and again until her shivering seemed to stop. And for a second there was calm in the forest.
Then her eyes opened, and Yang stared into them, one golden brown the other emerald. Something is very very wrong. Emerald forgotten, Pyrrha unfurled Milo and launched it forward, Yang juked to the side out of the way and sprinted out towards Emerald on all fours. Fuck fuck fuck that was nothing but rotten luck.
"Grimm!" Pyrrha shouted a half smile on her face and Yang sped past her all in black her white bone armor showing off a very Grimm like appearance. Qrow swung his sword at his oncoming niece but Yang managed to hop over the blade, grab emerald and started to sprint towards the tree line when Emerald's chains hooked on an upraised tree root and she was pulled forcefully backward. Ahh Come on bad luck is one thing but this is bullshit.
Spinning with the trip Yang rolled away and righted herself on all fours again. Milo back in her hand Pyrrha began stalking toward Yang when confusion hit… well half her face. The javelin shifted to its rifle form and pointed right at Yang's forehead. Qrow was also looking her up and down the barrel of his scythe Harbinger pointed right at Yang.
"It's not a Grimm it's a… person" Pyrrha lowered milo's barrel as she marveled at the animalistic Yang. "Maybe the one of the white fang?"
Can't resist
Yang let out a low rumbling growl towards both huntsmen and slowly plucked Emerald's chains off of the tree root, a shot blasted the chains out of her hand and she heard the tell-tale clockwork of Harbinger loading in another shot.
"Could be, we ain't gonna figure that out if she gets away will we?" Qrow responded. "I don't see any faunus traits on her, so…"
Then his eyes caught the wrist bracelets, and everything fit neatly into place. Yang could see it on her uncle's semi-inebriated face, all those cogs turning in his head, she figured that people who knew her would be able to see through her disguise quicker than most. All those years Qrow spent out in the wild sure paid off.
"Yang?" he said it with a mixture of Horror and relief in his voice. Pyrrha's face twitched and it took a good 5 seconds for the realization to fully spread over her own face.
"In the Flesh!" Yang sprung up from her more animalistic position to standing, her arms spread wide over her head. The movement was so sudden and quick it caused Qrow and Pyrrha to bring their weapons back up in shock. "Sup, Pyrrha?"
"Y-yang?" Pyrrha again lowered milo with twitching hands. "I-I'm sorry, I've been busy lately."
It would be so fun to fight her. Something nice and kind and comforting whispered into Yang's ear like a sweet nothing. An image of Raven's disapproving face was all that was needed to squash that particular fantasy.
"What the hell are you wearing Yang?" Qrow asked annoyance in his voice. "Where the hell have you been?"
"OH didn't you hear? I joined up with the white fang. Yep surprise Qrow I've been a secret faunus the whole time. Everyone thought it was Blake but nope it was me" Yang slowly lowered her hands and prepped her Aura for the sudden boost of necessary speed. The little hint of mockery was just a good distraction for her friends turned pursuers. "You know death to the humans and all that jazz, we want free rights and crap."
Yang blew out a raspberry drawing an angry look from Qrow and a half-confused look from Pyrrha.
"This isn't a Joke Yang!" Qrow shouted at her taking a step towards her.
"Yes, it is!" Yang shouted back, stepping towards her uncle in clear challenge. "The uncle who berates his sister for being an absentee mother leaves his own niece high and dry when she's at the worst point in her life. That's funny. I cared for Ruby her whole life and protected her only for her to nearly cripple me when I needed her the most. That's funny! And a kingdom I fought to defend and protect thinks I'm a traitor and is willing to chuck me into the hands of another kingdom. THAT'S. FUNNY. It all has to be funny Qrow or else it's all unbearably fucking sad."
Yang laughed and turned away from her Uncle and former friend. She felt her hand shaking and could smell the iron in her nose.
I've made a horrible mistake She thought to herself as the adrenaline flowed like rapids through her, she was grateful for her mask not only was it dampening her feelings but it concealed how teary her eyes were getting. I shouldn't have lingered or said that.
"Yang!" Qrows voice came out commanding towards her.
Spinning around Yang launched a shotgun blast right at her uncle's face. "Leave me alone!"
Qrow ducked beneath the oncoming shotgun slug. Yang, wasting no time, scooped up Emerald and began sprinting into the forest around her. Suddenly the wind picked up in speed and she felt a cold chill blast over her. Ignoring the cold Yang continued running with Emerald slung over her shoulders until her captive was suddenly jerked backward. Shooting a looked over her shoulder Yang's eyes couldn't help but widen.
Oh, dust!
Pyrrha stood in the middle of a small tornado her hand extended towards emerald and bizarre mixture of horror and hate stretched over her face.
"She's mine!" Pyrrha's voice seemed distorted like two people were talking at the same time and as she spoke Yang felt the tug on Emerald's chains grow more insistent. Digging her feet into the ground Yang tried to pull back against the magnetic grasp of the former mistral champion. As Yang began to focus her aura to give her next pull a little more Oomph Qrow slammed into her knocking her to the ground.
Come on man. Rolling with the tackle Yang managed to spring back to her feet and get her fists up to face her seemingly sober uncle. At the same time, Emerald's chains were brought right into Pyrrha's grasp, the Amazon slowly lifted Emerald up by the chains letting them go when her arm was fully extended and relying on her powers of polarity to lift the illusionist further. Distracted by that odd scene Yang was barely able to counter Qrow kick aimed right at her chest by deflecting it to the side.
Focus, fight Qrow first save emerald later. Deflecting the kick away Yang quickly closed the distance and launched an open palm strike into Qrow's chin sending him into a spin. Rolling with the spin Qrow swept at Yang's leg, hopping over the sweep Yang's foot landed on an uneven stone causing her to start stumbling back.
Again her uncle surged forward and launched a punch at Yang's face. Smiling and focusing her aura to her face Yang tanked the hit, it hurt but not as bad as she expected it to. The blow was strong but she'd focused her aura and was back on solid footing. So when Qrow's knee came at her she was ready. The knee struck her stomach and would have knocked the wind out of her had this been two weeks ago but instead, she barely lurched back and took hold of Qrow's leg. Qrow had about a millisecond to look both shocked and impressed before Yang's elbow slammed down on Qrow's upper thigh.
"GAAAAHHH!" Qrow shouted stumbling back gripping his bruised thigh. "Yang you-!"
Pointing both shotgun gauntlets behind her Yang blasted herself into her uncle smashing him in the chest with a devastating shoulder check. His aura sparked as he was launched back, he halted his backward momentum by slamming Harbinger into the dirt. Finally, he brings out the big gun.
"Nice move firecracker!" Qrow said though there was no mirth in his words. Yang responded by cracking the knuckles on one hand. Qrow lifted Harbinger over his head with a miserable look on his face when suddenly his eye's shifted over to Pyrrha, dragging Yang's gaze with them.
Pyrrha had magnetically wrapped the chains of Emerald's manacles around her throat and was choking the now twitching girl. What did you do Ozpin?
"Pyrrha!" Qrow shouted causing Pyrrha to snap out of whatever state of mind she was just in and thankfully loosen the chains around Emerald's neck. Both of Pyrrha's eyes shifted towards her handler though disturbingly Yang noticed that there was a delay between the movements of each eye. "Put the girl Down NOW!"
Emerald hit the ground like a sack of potatoes as Pyrrha turned back to look at Qrow and Yang. Qrow gestured to Yang never breaking eye contact with Pyrrha.
"Focus" spoke his voice again calming. "Help me with Yang and then we'll deal with whoever that is. Ok?"
She gave Qrow a nod and a Yang a calm smile that she'd seen on Pyrrha's face a hundred times. Then her hand lifted up and she tried to crush Yang's Grimm mask with her polarity. The pressure was extreme and Yang's head was filled with agony as she felt her Grimm mask being magnetically pressed into her skull.
Pyrrha's trying to kill me. Yang's mind raced in panic. Yang fell to her knees grasping at her mask trying to pull it away. She was slightly aware that Qrow was screaming at Pyrrha but the pain was drowning out what he was saying. Pyrrha's going to kill me.
Weak! The word boomed in Yang's head and suddenly the pain was replaced with a sort of delirium. It took her a moment to realize it was her own thoughts shouting at her. Pyrrha's going to kill me with my own Mask. MY MASK! If she kills me here now I'll be weak.
Focusing her aura to her head and then her helmet she felt the pressure lessen further and further. When she looked up she saw that Qrow and Pyrrha were arguing, Qrow's hand was gripped around Pyrrha's upraised wrist and was desperately pulling at it. Slowly on shaking legs, Yang brought herself back up to a standing position.
Mom said give your enemies illusions of weakness and punish them for looking down on you.
She still gripped her helmet and let out a horrendous shriek. Qrow turned to face her and Yang took a few stumbling steps towards Pyrrha and Qrow. Instantly she felt the Mistralian attempt to increase her pressure and fell to one knee in response screaming even louder.
"Pyrrha!" Qrow rasped at the former MRT champ, clearly, he'd shouted himself hoarse while Yang was in agony. "Let her go!"
"She was coming right at us" Pyrrha's voice was filled with confusion. Honest confusion.
"We don't just kill people! She's my niece! She's your Friend!"
"And yet you left me" Yang moaned, thinking back to her mother's lessons. "You left me to die Qrow. You didn't even search for me"
Qrow could have retorted, he could have cursed at her, he could have done a whole lotta stuff but instead, he stayed silent. Because he knew Yang was right. Only when the doubt was thickest on his face and in his mind did Yang strike. The shot she fired at Qrow and Pyrrha was a dust cartridge, one of the few her mother had shown her how to forge, a combination of fire lighting and earth creating a particularly powerful explosive she called 'Thunder dust'. She had to use this round regardless of how long it'd taken her to make it, Pyrrha's control over metal would make any non-dust rounds useless.
With a twitch of her hand, Pyrrha Or the thing that once was Pyrrha attempted to halt the incoming shot with her magnetism, rather than bring her shield between her and Qrow. The thunder struck and ignited screaming out a resounding boom and sending both targets flying in opposite directions. The path to her charge now clear Yang let out a snarl and retrieved Emerald once more before racing off into the woods.
There is no bravery in fighting a losing battle
Man mom's mantras are useful.
She had to multi-task freakin hard as she ran through the woods; first by slinging the unconscious thief over one of her shoulders and texting rapidly on her scroll. She was writing on automatic and had diverted almost all of her protective Aura to her legs to keep her moving forward and fast.
Y: Drp PoInt compenisedd ned evac.
The message was garbled, and she half considered just calling her when a red wound, in reality, opened in front of her. Yang sprinted through it and ran smack dab into a wall. She felt her unprotected nose crack as it struck bulk-head. "OW!"
Raven's hand shot out and clamped itself over her daughter's mouth and squeezed it tightly. Yang's eyes finally scanned her surroundings and saw that she was within the depths of a ship. The portal behind her had vanished and she was alone with Emerald and her mother. Raven slowly turned Yang's head to face her, to look into the Grimm mask on her mother's head, slowly she lifted her finger up to where her lips should be as if to say "Sssh"
Yang gave her mother a slow nod and Raven's hand was swiftly removed from her lips. Focusing her aura to her ears she heard faint footsteps come closer before walking off and finally fading away to nothing. Raven nodded to Yang signaling her to speak.
"We're in the clear. Neo and I were at the drop off point when-" Raven's hand smacked the back side of Yang's head and threw the girl slightly off balance with the force of it. Gripping the back of her head Yang whisper shouted at her mother with evident annoyance. "OWW! What was that for?"
"For getting caught this early Daughter mine and for cutting off my escape route" Raven couldn't afford to yell at Yang, not in here, but even if they were alone in an open field Yang knew her mother's voice would never rise higher than an octave or two. Raven didn't need loud when she wanted to make a point. Pushing out a breath Raven held her daughter's face and examined her broken nose. "Hmmm, who saw you?"
"Qrow and…" Yang hesitated, earning a raised eyebrow from her mother, though the eyebrow was rather difficult to see from behind her mask, Yang could just see it in her mother's stance and posture. "…And Pyrrha, but something was 'off' with her it was like she was an entirely different person."
"Ozpin and Ironwood's futile little quest justifies any action. Don't scream" That was all the warning she gave before she grabbed Yang's nose and cracked it back into place. The sudden pain was terrible, but the only noise Yang made was a sharp intake of breath. "I'm sure my brother would like to have words about this, did you tell him you were with me?"
"No," Yang said poking her nose before letting her aura handle the rest. Her questions about Pyrrha and Ozpin's 'futile quest' were pushed back to the depths of her mind as she focused on the mission before her. "Have you found Torchwick?"
"Yes," Raven retrieved her scroll and displayed a map of the ship's interior inside it. She pointed to a cell on one of the mid-levels. "He should be here and the guards present should be negligible, though We'll have to think up a new escape plan"
Retrieving her own scroll, Yang set about typing even quicker. "I got it, Neo's still out there and has transport"
"Transport?"
"We stole a bullhead filled with dust contraband," Yang said not bothering to hide the smirk. Raven paused just staring at Yang for a minute until Yang felt slightly uncomfortable. Yang almost flinched when Raven reached out, grabbed the back of Yang's head and pressed her mask's forehead against Yang's. A buzz seemed to go through the masks and Yang heard hints of the song again, it felt nice and warm. The song ended when Raven broke away and gestured to the still unconscious Emerald.
"We can't lose her. Set up the escape route, tell Neo we're on the clock" her voice was still cold and business-like. Adjusting Emerald on her shoulder Yang simply nodded and sent the information to their getaway driver.
Present
Yang flexed her fingers back and forth as she sat in the bullhead. They landed the ship on a plateau for the night and in the hours, it took to get here Yang had managed to sit up. Yay progress. She looked down the open ramp of the bullhead and saw that Roman and Neo were clustered around a portable electronic heater and Roman seemed to be babbling about some exploit or another to the little girl who shook slightly when he reached his punchline. As close as neo can get to laughing
She considered staying there and letting her aura take care of the desert cold, rather than walk down there to join the two outlaws but her Aura was coming back it was still on the fritz spitting out gouts of ghost flame every few seconds. Blowing out a shivering breath, Yang slowly lifted herself up and limped to towards the heater.
Seeing her distress Roman opted to not get up and help her down the ramp. Not that Yang would've wanted his help with that anyway.
"The little dragon walks, congratulations" Roman gave Yang the most sarcastic slow clap she'd ever heard in her life not helped by Neo joining in. "Come on and have a seat"
Yang was just sweating getting down the ramp so when she finally reached Torchwick and Neo's side she had to collapse on the ground rather than sit.
"And she sticks the landing" Roman commented wryly unafraid of Yang's eventual wrath. Yang slowly shifted herself into a proper cross-legged position and held her hands out to the heater, it was nice, and its warmth helped her differentiate her cold shivers and her AD shivers.
"So" Roman spoke retrieving a cigar from his pocket and jamming it into his mouth. "Care to fill us in on what this job with 'Mister green' is?"
Leaning over Neo extended Roman's old lighter and lit the end of his cigar for him, granting Yang a curious look before returning to her seat.
I still haven't asked them what their relationship is. Yang thought neglecting the question, choosing to instead look up into the desert sky, it was truly beautiful so filled with stars and infinite looking. It's enough to make a girl feel small.
"Well?" Roman's insistent voice piercing through Yang's little moment of Zen.
"Roman, has Raven ever steered you wrong?" Yang asked not taking her eyes off the expansive sky, it helped quell the Grimm aspects inside her. "She's certainly been more upfront with you about her schemes than your last employer."
"That's not much of a bragging point, ole Cinder wouldn't tell me where to find the fire extinguisher if our hideout was burning down" He blew out a puff of smoke before grumbling to himself a little bit. "Still a hint wouldn't kill yah"
Yang sucked in a breath of the frigid air, it was cold but in a refreshing sort of way. Like Weiss. Yang smiled softly and the memory of Weiss and the thought of the kiss they shared not a few hours ago and everything turned sour as the memory of her fist crashing through Weiss' unprotected face flashed in her skull. She pulled her knees up to her chest and hugged them close all at once feeling dreadfully exposed and unstable.
"Kid?" Yang looked up and saw Roman was looking at her with a look of concern mixed with caution. "You're not gonna flip out on us are ya?"
Yang looked from Roman to Neo and saw that while the little girl wasn't looking at her, she was tense and seemed ready to spring into action at any moment. Yang consciously let go of her knees and flopped down onto the ground again her arms splayed out.
"Just some issues of the heart is all" she could almost hear Roman rolling his eyes at that comment. "Now the mission is an assassination one again"
"Alright. Another diplomat or perhaps would-be-megalomaniac?"
"Nah, think higher Roman?" Roman scratched at his chin before taking a deep drag.
"High ranking huntsman?"
"Close" Yang teased.
"An atlas specialist?"
"Not anymore" She let the words come out slowly, letting it linger on her tongue for a bit. She did this all to see the look on Roman's face. Roman did not disappoint. The outlaw tensed as the realization hit him. Slowly Yang turned her head to see Roman staring at her with a wicked look in his eye.
"Yer kidding" he drawled.
"Nope! Mom's had it in her mind for 2 years now" Roman extended Yang his arm and she took it allowing herself to be lifted back into a seated position. "and ole Jimmy Ironwood has slipped up royally"
Author's Notes
Thanks for reading this latest chapter and I'm happy to announce that I'll soon be employed which means I can send little funds for art commissions and Grammarly Premium! Woot woot. I'm really loving the recent RWBY episodes and actually picked up the RWBY Manga, which you should read btw there will be a quiz on it later. Any ideas and reviews are greatly appreciated, friends! And One Day I will have a TV tropes page for this I swears it!