"Pyrrha...wake up."
She opened her eyes, ignoring the fizzing in her mouth and the sun beating down on her.
Oscar was leaning over her, hazel eyes wet with tears. "Are you okay?"
She sat up, the palm trees swayed in the breeze, a uprooted tree chopped up for kindling, her clothing dry. The walls of the stone almost enclosed the pool, leaving a small entrance and exit, the backs of two guards visible if she squinted.
"Used a glyph to dry you off. Come, sit by the fire." Oscar helped her up, looking closer to eighteen than sixteen, brown waves stuck into a braid thick with flowers. The bags were in a corner, a smattering of golden petals over them. Ruby, Winter and Glynda sat by the fire.
"Where's everyone...I can't think straight...where's...?" Oscar dragged her over, handing her a mug of warm tea. "Where is everyone?"
"Still in there." Ruby looked up at her, hair frizzy. "...the darkness can corrupt us all. Without fail. Fuck getting dicked down by a Grimm when that's how you'll end up if you're not careful."
"I don't understand."
"What's the last thing you remember?" Winter added another log. "You'll have to really think. But don't say anything...we have ears."
'The only thing I think is I want to see her again. Prove myself...'
"You'll not hope to lay eyes on me again until you let go of that pretense of civility."
'...I am not a monster.'
"And you are not a paragon. Restrain yourselves or you will be killed!"
Glynda looked over her shoulder, handing Winter her cup as she pulled Raven and Taiyang out of the pool, getting the water out of their lungs, Winter drying them off with a orange glyph. Ruby refilled tea, swirling over to her father as he woke up.
Oz pulled himself out of the basin, coughing up water.
"Hey Dad," Oscar helped him over to the fire, his metallic and mortal leg both visibly skinny under the knee in wet denim. "You made the right call."
"Fuck right I did." Oz winced as Winter dried him off. "Bucket?" He floated up right on time.
The next hour went by, most crawling or getting plucked out of the water. The last to surface were Adam and Yang, devoid of their newly acquired appendages, coughing and hacking as they pulled themselves out.
"Okay...Grandfather..." A yellow petal blew by Oz' face. "Can I have a bottle, resealable, tough wearing?" A dark green bottle showed up, Oz filling it with water from the oasis. Another empty one clattered at his heels, he filled that one too. Everyone ran to fill their flasks.
Qrow stood up, hair completely white. "We'll talk in private." A march came over, the sound of parade march and footsteps shaking the packed earth.
The azure and white flag of the White Fang came through the browning foliage, a man with leopard printed skin hollering into the enclosure. "I am Lt. Freesia of the Main Branch of the White Fang. You- where did they go?"
The guards came running in. The fire was ice cold, the only thing left of them were some mixed petals and footsteps.
They kept to the back streets of Kuo Kuana, lead by Blake, the dog days of summer unrelenting on black gauze, the smell of blooms and rot mingling in the heat, the sea salting the breeze and the work songs of sailors and miners reaching high to the clouds.
"We can't stay in my father's house; he'll want to raise too much hoopla." Blake signed. "We-"
A young man with a monkey's tail curled around a staff dropped from a roof, white coat hanging from his shoulders.
"...I'm really tired of running into you, Blake the Flake. Only a few people know this path. You're one of them. Hello Brotherhood of Strange and Convenient Interlopers." Pyrrha waved. "You all are mildly famous. If you want secure lodging, I'll take you." They ended up in a large summer cabin, Black Claw guarding the entrances, stepping aside as Blake and Sun approached.
It was bigger on the inside, with three stories and bedrooms on each floor, the hearth central to the house and main living area, massive screen doors leading to the ocean at the back of the house, the waves hitting the sand not half a league away. "It's not much, but it's not the chieftain's house, which is definitely the opposite of covert. I'll have food sent." He stared Blake up and down, she was standing in the middle of the floor while everyone else settled in.
"How are you doing?" She murmured.
"Why do you care?" He walked out. "You'll just leave."
-.-.-.-. * -.-.-.-.
He woke up first.
The groceries were left on the porch, The sun stretched into the windows. He did what he could, leaving the heap of raw vegetables to Adam and Oscar, fixing pancakes and the rest of the meal for everyone else, already used to cooking over coals instead of Dust.
"Couldn't sleep?" Pyrrha padded over to him, hair wet, with more grey than crimson. "Taiyang was right. This is a fool's errand."
"Well," he hugged her with one hand and flipped pancakes with the other. "Good thing we're all fools in here." He leant down to kiss her, she stole a few more, before leaving him to cook.
The rest of the Cavalry filtered in throughout the morning, everyone assembled around the low fire. Ruby curled up in a blanket, hiding marks from her father. Yawns and bruises were a penny a hundred, all of them bleary eyed and saggy tailed, even Nora had to start Ren's braid over four times.
"I'm sorry." Glynda spoke first. "I should have said something. That we stop and talk about things."
"We did stop." Ironwood carried on cleaning his pistols, the beard growing in blacker by the day. "It wasn't enough. We...we're fighting things greater than ourselves, and because of this...we keep swallowing the things that are bothering us. No more. No secrets, no bullshit, no silence."
"If you feel bad..." Nora huffed, finishing Ren's hair off with a pink scrunchie. "Say something. Even if it ends up a simple misunderstanding. Say something."
Jaune bit his tongue. Pyrrha turned over a log with a poker. Yang finally looked up from the fire, sitting by herself.
"We'll all have to try to rely on each other. Be more careful. Take less risks." Ren braided up Nora's hair.
"Try to be a team." Weiss threw lavender into the coals, the emerald bracelet scrubbed clean.
"I'm sorry that this is what it will take." Oscar got up. "I'm sorry that this is nowhere near over."
A knock at the door. Everyone ran for cover.
"Hello?" The door opened anyway. The girl with freckled skin and curled brown hair stepped in, holding boxes, another man with bat wings holding more behind her. "We'll... just leave it here. Goodness, they're skittish."
"They're a cult, Ilia. A aggressively friendly cult. Let's go."
The door closed. Glynda picked open the boxes. More food. Scarfed down without a second thought.
"Ghira Belladonna, High Leader of the White Fang, Chieftain of Menagerie requests the presence of the Brotherhood of Strange and Convenient Interlopers at his abode." Ilia spoke, her voice barely making it through the door.
"Is that what we're called?" Weiss whined. "Can't we pick our name?"
"We did. The Cavalry." Oscar booped Ruby, looming over her by a foot, she spun around him in a lazy waltz, a cheeky smile over her face as she fell out of suspension. "Though nobody calls us that."
"Well, unless we get a battle standard, it's fine." Qrow got up, using Winter's proffered hand as a counterweight. "And all of you are shit for the arts."
"Hey, Sunny." Taiyang looked at his daughter, who hurtled travel worn shoes into the trash, dealing with flip flops in the heat. "What did you do back there? You waved at us, and then-"
"We couldn't lose. Or we would die trying." Jaune huffed. "...it took the gas out of your stove though."
"...I gave you my strength. You...couldn't trust me and I wasn't going to sit there like a duck and not have anything to say about it. Besides." She booped Jaune. "You learn from the best."
They marched through the massive wooden door, Blake first, though the hoods were raised as practiced.
A group of the White Fang greeted them at the entrance hall, bowing for them, the rest of them walking carefully.
The white coats escorted them into the meeting space, with its balconies and dark wood framing the lower level, Ghira himself sitting in a hardwood throne, Kali at his side. Sun WuKong and Ilia at his left. The fifty odd members of the Fang that walked them in closed the door behind them. Black Claw stood up, leering over the balcony, the glints of weapons catching in the light.
The rafters groaned, a pair of black loafers and the velvet edge of a overcoat visible.
"All may rest." They did. Except the Interlopers. Ghira finished reading his newspaper, dated a month ago, the incident with High General Clementine on the front cover. "...There is a report in several newspapers that my daughter appears to be among your numbers. I am also well aware of the...happening over Akros. Lord Harbinger...is..." He paused to collect himself, sitting up in his chair. "His methods are interesting and effective as usual and I want nothing to do with them, even in his strange and horrifying circumstances. All of that said, please, I ask that my daughter be relinquished."
"For what reason?" Ironwood spoke.
"...It has been brought to my attention that...the Grimm are now mortal like us. And it is been made very clear to me the dangers of dealing with them. I wish to keep her here."
A pillar holding the balcony groaned. That half was quickly evacuated. It cracked.
"Unfortunate." Ghira looked over his glasses. "Blake, if you are with these people, I ask you step forward now." The doors closed behind them.
One of the hooded figures stood forward, then two more flanking the first, moving to stand aside of Blake. "...We request a...private audience with you, Ghira." A woman with a rich voice.
"This is a private audience." Ghira gritted his teeth.
"A extremely private audience."
Her father scanned over the three that stood forward, two held black feathers, one held a rose petal, the black or red just barely peeking through their fingertips. "I see. Immediately. The rest of are dismissed."
They were all pressed into Ghira's study, the fit a bit tight for all twenty one of them. Oz tapped at his Scroll, shorting out security and wires.
One looked at the other, the second nodded, the first pulling off the hood, Ghira's eyes softening at the sight of his daughter.
"Blake...what's with all the secrets?"
"I'm sorry Dad. I can't stay."
"I...cannot fathom that...a few weeks would be disruptive? Every time you come, you run right back out. What is it?"
"It would be. I must...keep the course. I am sorry, Dad."
Pyrrha swayed back and forth, Ren and Jaune holding her steady.
'Idontwanttoleaveherbehind,who'sgonna- There are fifty two books in that sh-takecareofherwhenI'mgone?' Cerise eyes stared him down. He turned away.
"Would a night be disruptive?"
Blake turned to look at the rest. They shook their heads. "...we...are not at liberty to discuss."
"What...kind of madness is this?!" Kali spoke up. "You...run around in cloaks! Sneaking around like thieves? What are you doing?"
"I can't tell you."
"Where are you going?"
"I can't tell you."
"When are you leaving?"
"I can't tell you."
"Who's behind you?"
"I can't tell you."
"Why can't you answer anything?"
"I can't tell you."
Kali threw up her hands. "GODS! What can you tell me, Blake?"
"I won't be home for a while."
Kali sat back on the arm on her husband's chair, trying not to sob and failing, Sun passing her tissues. Hands went back and forth in the cloaked crowd.
"...Blake." Her father stood up. "When is this going to be over?"
"I can't tell you." Her shoulders sagged, pulling the extra drapery tighter.
"...certain things stay quiet." Qrow cracked his knuckles, still veiled. "certain things are told plainly. I need your help."
"What do you need from me?" The panther ran claws through his hair, looking down at his daughter, who was rubbing her head on him. "Just...don't explain, I don't want to know, you creepy old birds. And you, Rose," Adam and Ruby looked over. "Good to see you've gotten a grip. Sienna will be here soon, if you can manage to stay, she misses you dearly."
"I need your best Dust, and to know of any suspicious locations or happenings, if you want me out of your office as quickly as I came in."
"You..fell into one of them...was that you?" Qrow said nothing, just took a shot with the rest of them. "...oh dear. What have you- know what, don't bother. Sun, get them our best, and me a map." Sun whisked off and came back, one of his clones holding drinks for everyone, the other holding Dust cartridges, the third holding a map. Another of the cloaked ones pushed through to look, both of them pulling aside the veil to see. Ghira frowned, Qrow ignored Kali's 'who is the girl, why does she have white hair, why do you have white hair?'
"We have the sacred well you may or may not have fallen into," Ghira circled it. "then a temple north of here, then on the clear opposite side of Menager-"
Qrow and the newcomer grasped hands. "Enough. We'll bring back-" Qrow wavered, eyes flashing, Ironwood sliding into place to support him. "...we'll need that." He rested his weight on the table, blood seeping from his mouth, eyes already far away, the smaller one digging her hands into the wood, shaking like a leaf.
"...what has you by the neck?" Ghira leaned over the table. "Feathers..." Amber met gilded red. "What is going in here?!"
"We've got to go." Pyrrha managed to stand up, Ren holding her by the waist. "We can't stay."
"Bye, Dad..." Blake pushed them all out of the door.
"Wait!" Ilia popped in the back entrance. "Can't you be bothered to tell them the truth!? When are you coming back?"
Ghira turned to look at Ilia. "What do you mean by that?"
"Sir, that's a...long story."
She awoke to Jaune's arms wrapped around her, her body supported by his, Qrow staring into the middle distance on her left, sitting between Winter's legs, her back resting on the couch. Her tanned hands were still wrapped around his rings, Jaune's Semblance running through both their fingers. She could taste the blood in her mouth, swallowing it anyway. 'This is going to kill me before the Grimm do.'
"Love, are you awake?" Winter ran a hand through his hair, Pyrrha watched his eyes fade into red. "Love?"
"...mmm." He blinked. "Where are we?"
"The beach house. You both fell over as we got in. What's going on?"
"..We gotta go over there." He went to stand, just to fall back.
"I don't think you're going anywhere for the next few minutes." Winter wove his hair out of his eyes. She looked over at Pyrrha who blinked in response. "You both are dropping closer and closer to this fire."
Jaune pulled off her circlet, running a hand through her hair, braiding the soaked bangs off of her face. "I...don't like this at all. Is she awake?"
Winter sighed. "Yeah, just out of it." Emerald eyes traced over a few of the others sitting around of the still glowing coals. "They'll probably fall back out again...gives us time to prepare to move."
It was another few twigs added to the hearth before Pyrrha could sit up, still holding on to Qrow. "...I'll start." Blake held in out of ember's reach. "Give me a stick." Ren threw a metal chopstick at her, she caught it in grey haze. "We'll have to warp over there, the heat will kill us." She pointed out a alcove with a waterfall. "We've...got to hurry before t..." She faded away.
"The heat is killing us now." Ironwood had his vents open, the blue lights of his metal half now orange, sleeves rolled up, dark bands on his arms. Weiss stared at him. He ignored it. "Are we even equipped and rested enough to move? Look at them!"
'We aren't equipped to move, in fact we've been moving since low spring and and now the dog days of summer are bearing down on us. Is there any end in sight? When are these hallucinations going to end? Stop, stop, stop.'
He heaved a sigh, returning his thoughts to the girl in his arms. "We'll have to wait for Qrow." Jaune held Pyrrha's head back, her eyes had slid closed. He hoisted her up and on one half of pair of sandwiched couches, Ironwood reached to pick Qrow up and put him on the other half, making sure their hands were touching.
"I feel...really useless." Oscar threw lavender into the fire, his antlers finally out of velvet. "All I can do is make things grow."
"My Semblance is situational as well. There's no need to feel down about it." Nora hopped over. "Come on, you want to spar?"
"I rather be right here, waiting for them to be strong enough to speak..." He got up. "I'll be getting dressed."
"Ruby's in there." Weiss looked up from her book, hair braided up like her sister's, nearing its original length.
"...good." He walked into the hall and up the stairs, the perky "Oh hi Oscar!" met by the close of a door.
"Wasn't he a cute kid a few months ago?" Nora sat by the fire. "...he's suddenly..."
Glynda looked over her glasses. "Yeah, that's what I was talking about." Nora wailed into the abyss about losing her baby brother. "He's still your baby brother...he's just bigger. It's quite...discomforting to watch."
The door knocked. Weiss threw on a cloak and opened it, holding it a inch wide with a glyph, Nora and Glynda coming for backup. "What can I do for you?"
"...you can let me in the door?" Boxes were in his hand, obscuring his face, a white coat blowing in his feet.
"Set the boxes down and walk away."
"Ma'am, I assure you that this is sensitive material."
"...set the boxes down and step back." He did, the six high stack coming up to his waist, revealing a dark skinned man with ram horns curling around his face stepped backwards down the porch, coiled hair up in a ponytail. Glynda opened them up without touching them, it was fresh food, more clothes, medicine and other such. The boxes clattered as they floated around the broadside of the house. "Anything else?"
"I have a message for your leader."
"You will tell me."
He glared her down, the gauze over her face preventing a proper staring match. "I see. Tell your leader that I am your escort across Menagerie, and I am stationed to the defense of this house of Strange and Convenient Interlopers. You will need me if you don't want to get eaten by the wildlife. When you need me," He handed her a jet black Scroll. "Present this to...Him." He turned and walked away, purple eyes catching the sun.
Weiss closed the door, pulled off the cloak and stuck her head under the cold tap.
"Um..." Jaune looked up, weaving Pyrrha's hair into a series of interesting braids. "Are you okay?"
"A tall glass of water showed up at the door." Glynda sorted through the boxes without looking at them, flipping through the book in her lap. "And she's thirsty."