Gamer4 in. Around this time, Goodwitch decided to start talking about the woods surrounding us- in particular, asking if I was familiar with them. I answered I wasn't familiar with these woods in particular, but had grown up just over the mountains, about 253 miles to the west. As such, I was familiar with living among the woods, even if it wasn't these woods in particular.
She seemed satisfied. "Sometimes, nature plays tricks on us," she reminisced. "Bidding us to imagine that we are something other than what we truly are. Perhaps this is the key to life in general. Alternatively, it may be the story of the two-headed schizophrenic.
"Each head believed the other was following it, until one day, one head shot the other, and by so doing, struck himself dead as well."
Chapter XVI
Rescue
Ruby woke up very groggy the next day- she and Yang had stayed up very late putting together a plan of action for the upcoming exchange.
She listlessly reached out and picked up her recorder, dragging it over to her mouth. "Oscar... 6:42 in the morning. I... didn't sleep well. One of my dreams involved roasting marshmallows with Yang, but when I tried to eat it, it was very tasteless. I woke up and realized I was chewing on one of the earplugs you sent me. Good thing I wash 'em every night, huh? Probably shouldn't have had that fourth coffee..."
She grumbled as she forced herself to her feet. "Still pretty sore where I took the bullets- Doc Wukong gave me some exercises to do, and, like an idiot, I haven't been doing them. I should probably get on that now."
She grabbed her pillow and placed it on the floor next to her closet. "Opening up with a headstand..."
She flipped herself over and lowered her head onto her pillow. "Oscar, I'm upside down. I can feel myself waking up... everything's coming into focus... becoming... clear..."
Her voice trailed off as her bed and its underside changed from a vague blur into sharp relief- including the white sheet of folded paper beneath it.
She would have tilted her head, if she wasn't currently standing on it. She flipped herself over and crawled under her bed- her heart leapt when she recognized Weiss's handwriting. She immediately seized the recorder. "Oscar, Ozpin was right, I forgot something! Weiss left me a note the night I was shot!"
She quickly unfolded it, and read the short message in a matter of seconds.
My special huntress,
I'm heading north. I believe the answers truly do lie within the Widow's Web.
-Love, Weiss.
XXXX
"Hey, Fox!" Yang greeted with a smile upon noticing the man re-entering the station after his couple days of absence. "Thought you got lost in the Emerald Forest!"
Fox looked anxious, hopping from one foot to the other. "There were a couple of retired teachers living in the house next to the Arcs', up on Haddock Lake. They don't remember anyone resembling Cindy- as they told me after drinking three full pots of tea. To which end, I must now relocate myself to the restroom. Pardon."
"Got it," Yang nodded. She called after him as he dashed to relieve himself, "Divert attention back to Roman Torchwick! Ruby's convinced he's got the answers!"
"Hey, Yang?"
That was Nora- Yang turned to greet her.
"Yang, I'm taking some leave over to Argus for a couple days- my cous just had a baby- it's a boy!"
"You're good to go, Nora," Yang nodded- they had gone over this several times already, but Nora liked to be thorough whenever she was on leave. "It'll be rough, but we'll keep the investigation going while you're gone."
"Aren't ya gonna get a replacement for pancakes and coffee and everything? Maybe I should stick around a little and train them-"
"Nora," Yang interrupted, "we'll be fine. Tell your nephew hi from me, okay?"
"But... the pancakes!"
"Don't worry- we have it covered."
By sheer coincidence, Ruby entered just as Nora was leaving. Ruby smiled. "See ya, Nora! Tell your nephew hi from me!"
"Oh- okay..."
Ruby stepped through the doors and got straight to business. "Yang, cancel the delivery." She broke into a wide smile. "I know where Weiss is!"
XXXX
"Now, this lovely harness will allow you to fluidly transport the unfortunate Mr. Taurus- even in the great outdoors and experience the great nature you have out here!"
The salesperson continued to babble to Cardin, currently sitting in the harness itself to test its weight limit- and to Velvet, watching from the doorway of Adam's bedroom. The harness in question was attached to a crane, which was, in turn, attached to a machine for ease of movement.
"Look," Cardin spoke up, interrupting the salesman's babble, "I want to make sure that Adam has the fullest life experience possible."
"And that's why I'm here!" Mr. Salesman nodded with that far-too-wide smile on his face. "Here, let me show you!"
As he began crudely fastening the harness around Cardin (causing the boy in question to become rather uncomfortable,) Velvet stepped in. "And... you'll install a ramp as well?"
"Oh, of course, of course! I've already got some great boards to install tomorrow, absolutely! Wonderful suggestion- now, I think we are ready!"
He went to the machine and pushed the button to raise Cardin.
Nothing happened.
"Well, uh... that's a bit of a wrinkle," the salesman stated the obvious, never losing that humongous-ly fake smile. "Odd, very odd, it was working perfectly yesterday! Come on, come on!"
He was pleading with the machine to work as he hammered on the button with everything he had. "Sometimes, you gotta be rough with these things! Give it a good smack, let it know who's boss!"
Finally, the machine moved- jerking up then back down, sending Cardin a clear foot into the air before smashing back onto the seat.
"Cardin!" Velvet squealed. "Are you okay?!"
It was Cardin's turn to force a smile as he ripped the harness off. "Fine, just fine- how about you go get a cold drink, Vel?"
She nodded and rushed out. Cardin waited until she was gone to drop the smile, cornering the salesman and grimacing at him. "This piece of shit is a deathtrap. When I said I wanted Adam to experience life, I thought that implied a life longer than a few seconds."
"I'm sorry, sir, but this is all we've got!" the salesman quivered. "This or a wheelbarrow!"
Cardin only pulled away when he heard Velvet returning- the last thing he wanted was for her to see him like this again. She had two bottled sodas in her hands, which she passed to each of them.
"Oh- I would prefer a Diet Coke-" the salesman, only to quail as Cardin turned his glare back on him. "But this is great, too! I'll take another look at the harness, see if I can't figure out what went wrong!"
Cardin was happy to leave him to that, stepping out into the hall at Velvet's urging.
They were just out of his line of sight when Velvet spoke. "I'm meeting Adam's lawyer today."
"For the hearing, right?" Cardin recalled.
"Just another second, sir!" the salesman called out, prompting a heavy eye-roll from his client.
"...Yes," Velvet nodded. "Look, Cardin... things are going to be okay, right?"
Cardin's heart melted at the trembling nerves in her eyes- he sought to quell them as he always did, by bending over into a kiss, which she gratefully accepted.
"And I got it working!" the salesman crowed from inside the room. "Come on, take a look, it's working!"
"...Well, he's okay. How about we take this outside?" Cardin suggested. "He can let himself out."
Velvet smiled and raised no resistance as he guided her out the door. They were both perfectly content to ignore the salesman's calls.
"See, working just fine! Okay, that's enough- er, okay, that's enough, it's time to stop! Mr. Winchester, the switch! I can't reach the switch! It's not stopping! Mr. Winchester!"
XXXX
As per standard procedure in Vale, the Crow Bar was rented out as a makeshift courtroom- a judge's bench and a couple of chairs were placed upon the stage, Vytal Kingdom's flag not far behind. Plenty of chairs were loaded into the dance floor for witnesses, spectators, and, of course, the lawyers.
"Order! Order in the court!" Judge Williams declared as he banged his gavel. "Now, Mrs. Arc has pleaded 'Not Guilty' to charges of murder in the first degree. She has requested bail. This pre-trial hearing will determined whether she will be granted such a boon."
Jacob and Nicholas were sitting right next to each other, both on the edges of their seats. Yang sat alongside Ren, who was occupying his time with a sketchbook, honing his skills by drawing the others in the chamber. Ruby was right behind them, watching both Ren's sketching and the court proceedings with interest.
"Mr. Edgeworth, you may begin your opening statement."
"Thank you, Your Honor," Edgeworth nodded as he rose to his feet. "We the people of the Kingdom of Vytal move that Mrs. Arc be denied bail, on the basis primarily of the weight of the crime of which she has been accused, and the apparently premeditated nature of the act. Secondarily, the prosecution wishes to indicate the oft-witnessed instability of Mrs. Arc throughout the period following her son's death."
There was very little emotion in his voice- he was very much playing the part above all.
"Very well," Williams nodded. "Ms. Xiao Long, if you will speak for the defense?"
Ruby paid close attention as Yang rose to her feet- tough as her sister was, she'd always had trouble speaking in front of crowds. Nonetheless, she held steady as she offered her address. "Your Honor, Nichole Arc is a well-respected and beloved member of this community. Her grandfather, James Arc, brought the family a hundred years ago, and since, the family has more than staked their claim in this town.
"Your Honor, none of us here can truly understand what it's like to lose a child the way Nichole did. That's all I have to say."
She resumed her seat, where Ruby patted her on the back.
Ren nudged her. "Perhaps I should start doing commissions," he suggested, showing the sisters his sketch.
They fought down a laugh- it was a nearly photographic drawing... of the back of Nichole's head. "I'd... put a little more face in there," Yang chuckled quietly. Ren smirked as he pulled the book back towards himself.
The trial ended with another banging of the gavel.
"-and thus, I release Mrs. Arc on the power of her own recognizance," Williams declared, bringing a smile to Nick and Jacob's faces.
"Now, Nichole," Williams spoke up.
"Yes, Your Honor?" Nichole asked as she rose to her feet.
"I'm... sure it goes without saying, but I will require you to remain in town and make your whereabouts known to Sheriff Xiao Long on a regular basis. I will arrange a trial date as soon as possible, so that we may finally put this unpleasant business behind us."
"Thank you, Your Honor," Nichole nodded, bowing deeply.
XXXX
As Sun approached Penny's door, he spied her peeking through her window shades. He smiled- she had rapidly come to look forward to his visits.
He didn't even have to knock this time- Penny opened the door for him and ushered him in. It was all the better for him- he still had her tray of food in his hands, after all.
"Salutations, Sun!" she beamed.
"Hey, Penny," he greeted.
"The food smells wonderful today," Penny grinned. "So, what would you like to do today?"
"I wanna take you up on your offer," Sun explained. "I'll tell you about my life- letcha write it all down. But- in return, I'd like to read Jaune's journal."
Penny hesitated. "Hmm... interesting."
She stepped further inside, allowing them both to resume their usual seats. "Maybe... hmm..."
Sun held his tongue- he didn't want to pressure her.
Penny fiddled with the long sleeves of her petticoat. "...How about... I read it to you? I'll read from any part you want, and leave nothing out- as long as it doesn't leave this room."
Sun figured this was the best he was gonna get. "Alright, sounds good to me!" he smiled. "Tell ya what, I'll even start!"
"You are very gracious," Penny grinned, turning to her bookshelf. She reached to the bottom shelf and moved aside a particularly large tome- HOUSE of Leaves- to reveal a small wooden ornament carved into the wood. At the very least, that's what Jaune thought it was until Penny turned it, and a panel beneath the shelf opened up, revealing a large collection of other books and papers. She picked Jaune's journal and another book out from among them, closed the panel, and relocated HOUSE of Leaves back to in front of the ornament, concealing it once more.
Finally, she resumed her seat across from him, opening the other book to reveal her own handwriting- so perfect as to seem like it came from a typewriter- and flicked to the first available page.
"The Narrative... of Sun... Wukong," she whispered as she headed it. "Okay... fire away!"
Sun leaned back in thought. "Well, I'm from Vale. Technically, I was born in Vacuo, but my Mom dragged Dad and I here when she got a job at the hospital. I don't worry about it too much- I was so young at the time, I barely remember anything else." He paused. "Where are you from, Penny?"
Penny's eyes widened, as though she hadn't foreseen such a question being asked. Nevertheless, she remained calm. "I was born in Atlas. My father was very kind, but very strict. Between him and... mother... I never really got to know anyone else, so I was mostly raised by books."
She scratched at her arms as she spoke.
"Well, books are well and good, but you can't get everything from 'em," Sun pointed out.
"I know," Penny agreed. "There are things we can't find anywhere- so we seek to find them in others. At least, that's what Father always said. Please... continue."
Sun smiled, reaching out for Jaune's journal, snatching it off the table. "Nah- it's my turn!"
Penny panicked. "Wait- what are you doing?"
Sun jaunted across the room to the door. "I just thought it would be nice to get some fresh air while we read it!"
Penny offered a strained smile. "I... appreciate the thought, Sun, but please- we just got started!"
"No need to be afraid, Penny!" Sun cajoled her. "There's a big ol' beautiful world right outside your door!" He opened that door as he spoke and stepped out.
Penny walked up to the threshold, but stopped there. "Sun... please..."
Sun took one final step backwards, and Penny leapt over the threshold and grabbed the journal. Sun grinned as he released it. "See? Nothing to be afraid-"
He stopped short, his smile vanishing, when he saw Penny trembling violently as she looked up at the sky. The journal slipped through her hands and thudded against the ground- shortly followed by Penny herself, just before she began having a seizure on the pavement.
"Penny! Penny, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to- I'm sorry!"
XXXX
Judge Williams's gavel banged again, this time during the trial of Adam Taurus. "The defense will continue with its evidence!"
The defense attorney was a rather unpleasant-looking individual with greasy black hair and an overlarge nose. "I would like to offer into evidence this chart. On the top is a scan of my own head, representing normal brain activity."
"I object to the use of the word 'normal,' Your Honor," Edgeworth interrupted- he'd been acting far more invested in this case than in Nichole's.
"Overruled- he's close enough for our purposes," Williams dismissed. "Continue."
"The lower scan is of Mr. Taurus's brain activity- as you can see, it is practically at the bare minimum of what is required in order to survive. A previously submitted medical report found that Mr. Taurus has suffered severe brain damage- he doesn't have the competency to take a competency exam. Ergo, the defense submits that trying Mr. Taurus would be a mockery of the justice system- the unfortunate man in question would not even comprehend what was occurring around him."
"Thank you," Williams motioned for him to return to his seat. "Now, Mr. Edgeworth, how does the prosecution respond?"
Edgeworth rose to his feet. "Of course, it is abundantly clear that Adam Taurus is in no fit shape to represent himself. I can understand why it may seem ridiculous to make him stand trial. However, I propose that trials are for more than administering punishment to wrongdoers. To try Mr. Taurus would help bring to this community a sense of justice and retribution. Adam Taurus is suspected of numerous crimes, including domestic abuse, drug trafficking, and the murder of Jaune Arc- crimes that have wounded the entire town."
A fire seemed to have been ignited in Edgeworth- he was speaking far more passionately now than he had at any point during Nichole's hearing. "The prosecution stands firm that, as long as Adam Taurus draws breath, he is as deserving of a trial as this community is deserving of a sense of resolution!"
"Order! Order!" Williams raised his voice- Edgeworth's speech was causing some restlessness in the crowd, but it was subdued at the banging of his gavel. "Understood, Mr. Edgeworth. Please, return to your seat."
Edgeworth obeyed, his arms crossed and his brow furrowed.
"Very well," Williams decided. "I must deliberate on this matter- I call a ten-minute recess. Ms. Rose, Ms. Xiao Long, if you would come with me, I must speak to you."
The three of them met behind the stage's curtain, where the Bar's owner, Hei Xong Jr. fixed them all some quick drinks.
"Well, Mr. Edgeworth certainly made his stance perfectly clear," Williams noted. "Particularly bringing up Mr. Arc's murder...
"About that," Ruby piped up. "Your Honor, I don't believe Adam is the killer."
"I see..." Williams pondered. "Yang... how's the town doing? Is it a trial they want, or a lynching?"
"They wanna make sure the true killer is brought to justice," Yang assured him.
"Well, they hardly need a performance for that," Williams decided. "And that's what any trial of Mr. Taurus would end up as. Do you have any thoughts, Rose?"
"We're hot on the killer's trail- she's practically in our sights."
"In that case... I intend to declare Adam Taurus unfit to stand trial, and that he be sent home when possible. Yang... would you mind informing Velvet Scarlatina?"
"Right," Yang nodded, rising to her feet and heading back through the curtains.
Williams thought for another moment before asking Ruby, "So, how long have you been here?"
"Twelve days," Ruby answered automatically.
Williams smiled. "You should keep an eye on the woods- they're wonderful around here, you know? Way out in the middle of Emerald Forest, there's a wondrous place we call Forever Fall- the leaves are a marvelous shade of red year-round. Marvelous... and strange."
XXXX
"They're not gonna try him," Yang whispered into Velvet's ears.
"They're not?" Velvet asked, uncertain how to feel.
"Nope- he's coming home," Yang nodded, patting her on the shoulder.
"...Thanks," Velvet finally decided, forcing a smile that Yang returned as she got back on her feet. The second Yang's back was turned, her smile fell, and she took a deep breath. In... and out.
XXXX
Pyrrha didn't know what to expect when her Aunt Neon finally returned home, but it certainly wasn't to see her prance in like a schoolgirl, look at him with a complete lack of recognition, and ask, "Who're you?"
Pyrrha glanced to Yatsuhashi, who came in right behind. "Er... who am I?"
"You... you go to Beacon, right?" Neon broke into a smile as if she'd just pieced together a massive puzzle.
"Well... yes."
"Sorry it took me so long," Neon apologized, sticking her tongue out and bopping herself on the head. "You're not in any of my classes, y'know?"
Yatsuhashi took over the situation. "Alright, Neon, why not take a seat, I'll get you a drink."
"Nah, I can get it!" Neon grinned, skipping into the kitchen. She paused on the threshold, looking back at Yatsuhashi and Pyrrha in the living room, sitting down on the sofa. "Where are Mom and Dad?"
Yatsuhashi's eyes widened, and he thought fast. "Oh, they're out of town- on vacation in Mistral!"
"Okay!" Neon accepted the explanation immediately, turning back to the kitchen, singing quietly to herself- "Listen, girlfriend, can't you see, I'm all of the things that you'll never be..."
Pyrrha looked to Yatsuhashi, silently begging an explanation. Yatsuhashi could only shrug.
"Doctor Wukong said to... roll with the punches."
Pyrrha threw another glance in the direction of the kitchen. "Perhaps we should speak to Doctor Oobleck..."
"He really is on vacation," Yats shook his head. "Went to visit his cousin in Vacuo. He certainly deserves it, after that nasty business the other night..."
Pyrrha's insides twisted with guilt, but before she could voice any of it, there was a loud CRASH! from the kitchen. Slowly, Neon stepped out, holding the door to the refrigerator in her hand, looking truly bemused. "What are these things made out of, cardboard? It just came right off!"
Yatsuhashi and Pyrrha glanced at each other, Yats silently promising to make an appointment as soon as he could.
XXXX
Willow was organizing things in her office when her scroll rang- it was her secretary. "Mrs. Schnee, we have a Mr. Wu Ya here to see you."
"A Mr. What?" Willow asked, bewildered. She was distracted when she saw the man from the previous night stepping into her office, immediately seating himself in the visitor's chair, a briefcase on his lap.
Willow narrowed her eyes. "Excuse me, but do you have an appointment, Mr..."
"Wu Ya," Wu Ya introduced himself. "I represent... Animanian investment bank. We have superior offer for Hienton Project. I have commitment letters from Kirigiri banks, prepared to move immediately."
"Fascinating," Willow grunted dismissively. "However, I have an important call coming soon-"
Wu Ya interrupted her. "I have prospectus... and taste."
He reached into his case and produced a check that he tossed onto the desk.
Willow took her seat and examined it- it was a check made out to her... for five million lien.
Mysteriously, her dour attitude vanished. "Well, what exactly did you have in mind, Mr. Ya?"
XXXX
One of the hotel's hallways in particular was seeing a lot of unusual traffic that afternoon- first, Hazel went stomping along it- or rather, he was walking normally, his weight simply made it sound like stomping- oblivious to Cardin Winchester tailing him from a distance. At one point, Cardin ducked into a nearby open room to avoid Ruby making her own way down the hall- somewhere along the line, she'd found a kazoo, and was currently entertaining herself by blowing notes to some of her favorite songs on it.
Hazel entered Willow's office, but quickly backstepped when he saw the meeting occurring.
"Very well, please leave these papers- my people will examine them," Willow was saying.
"Point of visit," Wu Ya nodded.
"Arigato, Mr. Ya," Willow smiled as they bowed to each other. With that, Wu Ya saw himself out the door. Willow examined her folder of documents one last time before sliding them into a drawer on her desk. She looked up and spied Hazel watching her from her office's back door.
"Rose is on her way," he informed her, before closing the door again.
Willow checked the time on her scroll- and just as the time changed from 11:59 to noon, it began to ring.
"Our call?"
That was Ruby, stepping into the office and pocketing her kazoo.
"Yes," Willow nodded. "I would have appreciated you cutting it closer."
Ruby ignored the sarcasm, sitting in a sofa overseen by a stuffed weasel of some sort, with white fur.
Willow answered the scroll, putting it on speaker. "This is Willow Schnee."
"Are you ready to play the game?" came Tyrian's voice.
Ruby's eyes widened, practically ready to leave her skull- she knew that voice! Nevertheless, she maintained her composure, mouthing to Willow, Weiss.
"I want to talk to my daughter," Willow ordered in her most demanding tone.
"That can wait for tonight," Tyrian cackled. "Listen up, now, I'll only say this once! Make the crossing across the border, go five miles east of the docks- just off the road to Argus is a bar- the Alchemilla. Behind that, a failed amusement park. Go to the carousel- one of the horse's heads has been claimed by the whims of time- leave the money on its saddle. Midnight, alone. I suppose this should go without saying, but... don't even think about callin' the cops, you yellow-bellied city-slickers!...Heehee... I've always wanted to say that!"
"My representative will be there," Willow promised.
The line went dead.
Willow took a deep breath and reached under her desk, producing a case full of the ransom money. "Serialized denominations, as per your instructions," she reported. "Do not mess this up, Ms. Rose- my daughter's life is in your hands."
"Of course," Ruby nodded, still looking somewhat shaken as she made her way to the door. "Keep your scroll with you, kay?"
Willow turned and ushered Hazel back into the room. "Follow her," she ordered. "Make sure Tyrian gets everything he wants, and bring Weiss back."
"I thought that was Rose's job."
"No- she's a sacrificial lamb."
Willow paused as she moved back to her desk. "Oh, and Hazel- if at all possible, recover the money as well."
XXXX
Night fell, and Sun headed to the Arc house to meet up with Jacob and discuss their plan.
"I'm gonna keep her distracted, but you're gonna need to move fast," Sun explained. "Penny's got a secret shelf and the bottom her bookcase- you gotta go to the bottom shelf, there's this big book called HOUSE of Leaves. You wanna move that to the side, there's this little wooden doodad that you gotta spin to open the secret shelf. That's where the journal is. I'm gonna lure her into her greenhouse, then I'll signal you with the flashlight."
"I don't get it," Jacob scratched at his head. "I thought you were friends with this girl- why all the subterfuge?"
"I don't wanna hurt her," Sun agreed, "but we're running short on time. The killer's already had twelve days, we don't need to let them have any more time to get away, and this journal could be the key to everything. This is the only way."
Jacob couldn't tell which of them Sun was trying to convince more.
XXXX
"Well, tonight's the big night," Miltia announced to her sister and Tyrian. "You got everything ready, chucklefuck?"
"Relax, Miltia, everything's going to be fine!" Tyrian laughed. "She doesn't know I've got a prosthetic tail- I'll wait for her to set down the briefcase, then come in from behind and end her."
To demonstrate, he raised his tail behind him and stabbed the stinger on the end through a strawberry from the fruit bowl in front of him.
"That's all well and good," Melanie nodded, "but what about the Schnees?"
"They're handing control of this fine establishment to me- I certainly have no need for it," Tyrian laughed. "Of course, it would be all the better if we could run it together, dear Melanie..."
He was running his tail along her side, but she swatted it away. "Are you sure they'll be so agreeable with their daughter dead?"
Tyrian rolled his eyes. "Haven't you ever heard not to look a gift horse in the mouth? I'm sure you lovely ladies love steak, but you don't ask questions about how it got to your plate, do you?"
"There are some things I wanna know," Miltia piped up, inserting herself between Tyrian and her sister. "For instance, how do you plan on ending her?"
A knock echoed at the door, but Tyrian didn't let it distract him. "A simple overdose should do the trick," he beamed as he moved to answer. "All things considered, I can imagine far worse ways to go."
XXXX
With Nora gone, it was up to Ren to provide the usual catering to the police station- luckily, he was responsible for Nora's love of pancakes in the first place. He had just finished arranging their usual smorgasbord, and was now making a call on his scroll to the lab. "Hello, yes, my name is Lie Ren, I'm calling for some test results. Doctor Wukong gave me this number."
"Alright," said a very bored-sounding woman on the other end. "What was this test for, sir?"
Ren groaned, lowering his voice as much as he could. "It was for a... semen analysis."
"Who for?"
"Ren- Lie."
"Oh, right- I remember. Yeah, the doctor came up with Oligospermia."
"...Pardon?"
"Oligospermia. A terrible condition, but a temporary one."
"Temporary?" Ren asked, wondering if he dared to hope.
"Correct," the woman agreed, still without any emotion. "With the condition, you have too few sperms to impregnate a woman, but this test came back positive- if anything, it seems like you're making up for lost time."
"...Thank you!"
Ren was overjoyed as he hung up- he had to call Nora. He picked up his scroll and dialed- and faltered when he heard ringing nearby. He looked in a drawer and found Nora's scroll there. He took a deep breath, steeling himself, and opened the scroll- fortunately, Nora didn't have any complex locking on it. He went to the contacts, hoping to find her cousin's number, but he hesitated when he spied something else- a contact reading Clover's Abortion Clinic. His heart dropped into his stomach. "Nora... what did you do?"
XXXX
"So, the main bar and greeting room is here." Ruby pointed to a map of the Widow's Web, which she and her sister were poring over in preparation for the night's assault. "Over here, the casino, and over here are the... bedrooms."
"This one looks like an office," Yang noted, pointing at a room in the corner.
They quickly fell silent when Fox appeared in the doorway. "I'm closing in on Torchwick," he announced. "He's staying in the Point Defiance Inn on highway 43, but it's been a day or two since anybody's seen him. I've been in his room- he's definitely been there recently. I also found a bottle of medicine- the same medicine we found here. It's an odd smell, but I couldn't tell you much aside from that."
"We'll have to wait on Winter for that one," Ruby nodded. "Thanks, Fox."
"See you in the morning," Yang agreed, smiling.
Fox eyed them suspiciously, clearly noticing the effort to herd him out, but he didn't comment on it, throwing one last glance around the room before heading back out.
Ruby immediately went back to planning. "Alright, so we approach through the woods to the rear door- from there are stairs leading to the working rooms. I'd bet good money that's where they have Weiss."
"They got muscle?" Yang asked.
"Bouncers in the casino, probably a few more in the back," Ruby thought back to her last infiltration.
"Alright- let's get funky," Yang grinned.
XXXX
Pyrrha was eating at Coco's Diner when Jacob entered, ignoring the jukebox and moving straight to the counter. "I need some coffee- to go- large, please."
"Oh, hello, Jacob," Pyrrha smiled, trying to get his attention. "Have you seen Sun today?"
Jacob bit his lip, then shook his head. "...No, can't say I have. Sorry. You?"
It was a feeble lie, but for the moment, Pyrrha didn't call it out. "No, I haven't. What's with the coffee?"
"Coffee? What about coffee? Who's getting coffee?" Jacob fumbled. Pyrrha silently pointed to Nolan, who was currently preparing her order. "Oh, that coffee! That's for Aunt Nichole!"
"...No coffee at home?"
Jacob's eyes flicked back and forth. "Er... I... I can't talk right now!" He seemed very grateful when Nolan returned with his coffee- he left three lien on the counter. "Keep the change- I need to go!"
"Go where?" Pyrrha asked, bewildered.
"Er... home! Wanted to catch the newest episode of Mario Mario- see you around, Pyr!"
With that, he dashed out, leaving a very suspicious Pyrrha in his wake- Mario Mario didn't air new episodes this day of the week. It didn't take her long to follow Jacob's example- she put twenty lien under her plate, ditched the rest of her meal, and dashed out the door.
XXXX
Jacob guzzled the coffee on his way to Penny's house, where he crouched in the darkness, waiting for Sun's signal.
Luckily, Penny seemed to have forgiven Sun for the mishap earlier that day- when he attempted to apologize, she raised her hands, declared, "It's fine, you didn't know," and changed the subject.
"Alright, let's try this again- once more with feeling, as Jaune would have said!" Penny giggled, preparing her book. "Okay... go!"
"'Dear Diary,'" Sun chuckled, leaning back. "Okay... er... I remember, three or four years ago, Jaune and I were trying to figure out what 'normal' teens did, and, dumbasses that we were, decided the best thing to do was to head to the beach and try to pick up chicks. Jaune always did fancy himself a ladies' man.
"We decided to just bare our teeth and hit on the first girls we saw, which ended up being a group going by Nebula, Dew, Gwen, and Octavia. Great idea, huh, especially considering they were six or seven years ahead of us, but again- dumbasses, we were. They humored us- thought we were cute, I'd imagine.
"But that's just me looking back- at the time, we thought they were really into us- they made us feel older, more important than we really were. They end up inviting us to a party, and we agreed. Jaune seemed really into it, but I started second-guessing things by the time we got to their truck. But Jaune got in, so I got in after him- such is the logic of the hormone-ridden fourteen-year old.
"They take us out to this stream running through the Emerald Forest. We were out there a while- I remember it being a full moon. Big ol' campfire, and Gwen breaks out some fireworks. I'm just blundering along like the idiot I was, but Jaune got it into his head to get up and start dancing. I... I don't know if you ever saw, but he was one heckuva dancer. He had everyone's eyes on him, tearing up the forest floor like a dance floor, all the girls smiling and starting to clap- except Dew. She was just watchin'. I don't know why, but... that upset me.
"I think we must have had a few drinks, because the next thing I know, I was on my feet, shouting that we oughtta go skinny dipping. They must have had even more, because they agreed. Nebula and Octavia were having fun with Jaune already, kissing him from either side, and there I am, taking off my swimsuit like a moron. I hopped in the stream and started swimming against the current like that was some great accomplishment. Next thing I know, there's Dew, swimming out to me, and he starts kissing me. I probably would have forgotten all this by now, but... that was my first kiss. I can still feel it. It caught me off guard- little idiot I was, how was I supposed to know what to do? She's trying to tell me something, but I can't hear. I'm too busy trying to figure out what the hell is going on, and how I got here.
"And after that... we never saw any of them ever again."
Sun leaned forward to meet Penny's eyes. "And... that's about that."
"Beautiful," Penny smiled.
XXXX
Ruby could hear the wind blowing through the trees as she and Yang approached the Widow's Web- both dressed in black. Ruby held Yang back when she spied a man standing outside the door.
"Leave this to me," Yang smiled, rising to her feet.
Ruby nodded, watching her go. She practically jumped out of her skin when she heard the hooting of an owl- she looked up into a nearby tree to find the culprit gazing down at her. Not doing anything else, just sitting there, watching.
"Hey, buddy, got the time?" Yang asked as she marched up to the man.
"What're you-" the man began, but was cut off as Yang took him down with a two rapid, well-placed fists. She wasn't Beacon High's boxing champ for three straight years for nothing. She slapped some duct tape over his mouth for good measure, then tested the door- sure enough, it opened.
"Oh, Ruby!" she whispered over her shoulder. "Your big sis won!"
Ruby stepped out of hiding, and together, they dragged the man inside and deposited him on the floor before shutting the doors behind them.
The inside was a mess of purple wallpaper, carpeting, and drapes. They moved carefully, doing their best to keep out of sight of workers and patrons alike. Ruby had the map, and directed them into a hallway full of- in their opinion- absolutely hideous flowered wallpaper and tacky paintings. Anytime anyone saw them, they did their best to appear like guests who'd gotten themselves lost- as most of the people who saw them were in the middle of other things, they tended to look away.
At one point, Ruby heard a high-pitched scream and opened the door it seemed to have come from... only to blush furiously and mouth to Yang that this wasn't the room they were looking for.
They turned a corner into a four-way three-way junction, including a large set of glass doors. Ruby glanced down one hallway. "Yang, keep watch," she whispered, taking her chosen hallway. Yang grunted, but did as she was asked.
Ruby returned. "No, dead end..."
They headed down the other hall together. Yang took point around the next corner, motioning for Ruby to stay behind this time- she saw another glass door, behind which were Tyrian and Miltia- for once, Melanie was nowhere to be found.
Yang raised two fingers.
"Weiss?" Ruby whispered.
Yang shook her head. Ruby pointed to the ground and made her way further down the hall, leaving Yang to keep her eyes on the largest imminent threats.
XXXX
Miltia sighed- she didn't like being alone with Tyrian, but Melanie had to use the restroom, and they agreed they shouldn't leave the scorpion faunus out of sight altogether, so here she was, watching as he prepared Weiss's final dose.
"It's very poetic, when you think about it," Tyrian was musing. "Socialites like her often die through their own overindulgence anyways. Is she alone?"
"Where d'ya think she's gonna go?" Miltia scoffed. "But, now that we're alone, I want to tell you..."
She stepped around so she was facing him eye-to-eye. "You should be keeping your damn hands off my sister, freak."
"You don't need to worry for your sister!" Tyrian gasped as if she had mortally wounded him. "I have no ill intentions, I assure you! She is just... so beautiful... and pure..."
XXXX
The moon was high in the sky, and Jacob was finishing the rest of his coffee as he continued to wait for Sun's signal.
Sun was being led to the greenhouse at that very moment, as Penny wanted to show off some of her orchids. "When most people think of them, they imagine the exotic wilds of Mistral," she explained, light in her eyes as she showed them off. "But if you have enough water and light, you can grow them anywhere!"
"They're some nice-lookin' flowers," Sun agreed with a smile.
"It's all about humidity," Penny continued. "That's why I needed a greenhouse. You need to keep it under control- too little moisture, they dry up, too much, they start getting sick. This here, this petal that looks like a lower lip? That's the labellum- a landing platform for pollinating insects. They're just so amazing... able to take what we view as pests and turn them into a crucial part of their life cycle... it's... quite romantic, isn't it?"
Sun blinked, uncertain where to go from here. "I guess that's one way of looking at it."
Penny blushed furiously. "I... my apologies. Will you excuse me for a minute?"
She turned away from him, and towards the flowers on the back wall. Sun moved into the living room and gave the signal.
Jacob saw it and immediately moved to the front door.
XXXX
Ruby continued poking through the Widow's Web, when Melanie appeared, brushing her hands until she saw him. "You lost, little girl?"
"Oh, yeah!" Ruby quickly played it off. "Sorry, my name's Rachel." She extended her hand, which Melanie took- Ruby quickly bent the arm behind her back and whispered, "Would you take me to Weiss Schnee, please?"
Melanie grunted in pain, but held fast. "She's not available tonight, I'm afraid."
"I think she'll make time for me," Ruby assured her in a sickeningly sweet voice. "Please, lead on!"
Weiss's room was black when Melanie opened the door, stepping in with Ruby right on her heels. When she saw Weiss tied up, Ruby tossed Melanie roughly to the ground and rushed over. "Weiss! Weiss, can you hear me?!"
"Oo... ee..."
Ruby kept her eyes on Weiss even as Melanie produced a knife from her sleeve and began advancing.
"My... prayers..."
"Don't worry, Weiss, we're gonna get you home," Ruby assured her, taking a moment to grab Melanie's arm and twist the knife out of it. One more well-placed punch sent her to the ground- Ruby took the knife and severed Weiss's bonds, lifting her up in a fireman carry as she left, heading back to Yang, failing to notice- or, perhaps, to care- as Melanie rose to her feet behind.
Throughout all this, Yang was still keeping an eye on Tyrian and Miltia- they were arguing, and from what she could see, the argument was growing rather heated- Tyrian's tail was sticking in the air behind him, seemingly in agitation.
It was hardly any surprise to her when the tail lashed out and cut through Miltia's throat.
The two fell to the ground, Tyrian licking his lips as he examined her body- then spied Yang out of the corner of his eye. He quickly pulled out a gun and opened fire- Yang ducked behind the nearby corner, waiting for the fire to stop before turning and preparing to shoot back-
Tyrian was already gone, leaving only Miltia's lifeless body.
Yang heard Ruby approaching, and raised a hand to stall her, double-checking the room- when she was certain they were fine, they began making their way back to the door.
They were at the steps when Melanie appeared from another hallway, looking furious as she aimed a gun at them. "Miltia- you took Miltia!" she screamed. "You think I wouldn't know?! I felt it when you killed her! I felt it! Drop your fucking guns!"
Yang bit her lip, but did as she was told.
"Now, give me one good reason I shouldn't paint this place with your fucking-"
*Thunk.*
Melanie's eyes widened, and she fell to the ground, a large knife sticking out of her back. The sisters looked up to see Fox Alistair descending the stairs, smirking slightly. "I hope you two appreciate how lucky you are that you can't keep a secret."
Ruby and Yang smiled faintly and dashed outside, where Ren was keeping watch.
"Did you find her?" he demanded of Yang before his eyes fell on Ruby and her load. "Good. It's time to go home."
As they dashed back down the path from whence they came, Hazel watched from behind a large tree, before pulling out his scroll and delivering his report. "There's been gunfire, but they have your daughter."
His call ended prematurely with the feeling of a blade against his neck- he looked down to see Tyrian Callows, taking advantage of his surprise to pull a gun as well, lowering his tail. "And who might you be, big boy?" he asked, smirking.
Hazel reached into his pocket, producing his wallet and handing it over.
Tyrian's eyes widened in glee when he saw the ID. "Miles... Edgeworth... a district attorney, hmmm? Well, now, this is an interesting turn of events."
XXXX
With Jacob inside, Sun returned to the greenhouse to keep Penny distracted as Jacob fumbled around with the bookcase. Sun had to divert his attention between Penny and trying to motion towards the hidden knob.
This is likely why, when Penny appeared behind him and tapped him on the shoulder, it caused such surprise. "Are you okay, Sun? You seem distressed."
"Nah, nah, everything's fine!" Sun shook his head quickly. "You just... caught me by surprise, is all!"
Jacob had finally located HOUSE of Leaves, and was fumbling with the knob.
"So, what's this flower all about?" Sun asked, directing Penny back to the rear of the greenhouse.
Jacob finally got the knob to move, and the secret shelf opened with a louder thud than anything he'd expected.
Penny looked through the window, and saw him grabbing Jaune's journal.
She looked back to Sun, her eyes wide, hurt... betrayed.
"Penny, it's not like that!" He quickly slipped into damage control. "You don't understand!"
Penny reached behind her and grabbed a knife generally used for cutting thick, unnecessary stems.
"Jacob!" Sun yelled, darting into the room to put himself between Penny and Jacob.
Penny managed to get between them and the door, staring at them with anger, despair, and betrayal. "Is this what is was all about?!" she screamed, tears leaking from her eyes. "All this time, all you wanted from me was a little book you thought had all the answers?! Is that all you wanted?!"
The tears grew more intense. "Jaune wanted answers, too- and he got them. The only answer he wanted... was who was coming to kill him."
She rolled up her sleeve, revealing several old, faded scars along her arm- old and faded except for the brand new one she was carving with her knife.
XXXX
Please R&R, constructive criticism, theories, and guesses welcome, Gamer4 out.