Hark, another chapter! This one took an awful lot of iterations, and even now I'm just sort of dragging it out of the oven and throwing it to the wolves. Trying to get it perfect means it'll never release, so... Here you go!
"Wait, wait, you agreed to what now?"
Weiss studied Yang's perplexed look, resisted the urge to roll her eyes, and offered a dainty shrug. "I hardly see what the problem is here."
"The problem, Weiss, is that we're stuck doing someone else's work again!" Yang snapped.
Not angry with her, at least not directly. That's what Weiss told herself when her friend glared at her, lilac eyes disturbed by invasive flecks of red. Furious at once again being turned into a tool by someone else. In that regard they were all in agreement; to most they seemed to be little more than weapons. Something to point at the enemy while their "allies" claimed the victory for themselves.
Frustrating, yes, but it would not be the worst job they had taken. Not by a long shot.
"There has to be more to it. There always is." Blake broke the silence, plucking at one of her sleeves. Weiss knew she had been referred to without ever meeting Blake's eyes. "Agreeing to anything with people we barely know is a risk."
"Well, I haven't formally accepted anything yet, merely agreed to pass it on to you. And here we are."
With a huff Yang leaned back against the wall and folded her arms tightly, a vein popping in her neck. "Yeah, here we are. Sticking our necks out to cover someone else's ass."
"Weiss, you're sure we can trust them? Either of them?"
Cinder? No, not really. The woman already came across as a snake and someone more than happy to throw them to the wolves. They could be a little biased since their initial meeting went poorly. Or perhaps reading people had begun to become a skill.
Weiss looked at Ruby carefully and smiled. "I'm certain we can trust Rhodes. While I spoke with him I couldn't detect any deceit or trickery behind his words."
"And suddenly you're a people expert now, eh Ice Queen?" Qrow drawled.
"They aren't asking much of us," Weiss went on, shooting Qrow a glare before shaking her head. "We're to don disguises and perform magic with Dust, that's all. Once we finish our performance we're allowed to return to the ship or walk the city however we please."
"They're still making us do it. Dust is illegal and they know that, so the second we start playing with it in front of a crowd the guard's gonna come down on our heads." Yang sneered. "I say make them do it. We have enough crap to worry about already."
Blake deigned to look up from her sleeve finally and leveled amber eyes at Weiss. One ear flicked towards the door and swiveled back, folding as she loosed a sigh. "I'm inclined to agree with Yang. Ruby needs help, Yang needs help. You need to figure out your mark." She shook her head. "We'll never get anything done if we keep doing errands for others."
"Rhodes promised that -"
"Weiss, we don't know if he'll hold up his end of the bargain." Ruby's head dropped, hands fumbling with themselves in her lap. "I want to use magic again. It feels…" Her brows knit as she squirmed on the spot, then shuddered. "Wrong. It's like having a word on the tip of your tongue and not being able to come up with it. I can feel the magic there still but I can't reach it. Like there's a wall in the way…"
"Dust can help that though!" Weiss insisted. "If Dust can replicate magic then you can use it in place of it. Ruby, we don't need to cure you if -"
"What if Ruby doesn't want to use Dust?" Yang shook her head angrily. "You don't get to decide what she does or doesn't do, Weiss. It's her choice."
"I'm open to trying it." Ruby twisted her hair around one finger with a hesitant smile. "But if I can try to get my magic back again I'd like to. I know it can be dangerous, but not having it feels weird. Like a part of me is missing."
"Precisely, it could only be temporary. A short term fix until we find a cure for you later."
"Or we get the cure for her now and keep moving," Yang's words felt just as heated as the warmth radiating off her. No compromise, a statement of finality. Yang rose from her bed and took a seat beside Ruby, drawing her sister in with an arm around her shoulders. "These people are supposed to be allies, Weiss, not our owners. We can say no to them."
"We can demand things in return," Blake added coolly. "Even if there is some merit to this idea of theirs, even if it could help undermine the Church in some way, it's still ignoring our own issues. We can't keep putting these things off."
She wasn't… They weren't. It would only be a small pause before they resumed their search for cures. Rhodes had promised her that, sworn that they would have their medicine whether they agreed to help or not. Weiss believed him but still felt compelled to argue the man's case.
Attend the festival as masked performers and show off Dust to the citizens. Undermining the Church by showing anyone could perform magic? Genius in its simplicity.
In a backwater village they could sweep it under the rug. Wipe out the problem population if need be. But a city? Among hundreds, if not thousands of spectators? The Church could never hide that fact. Word would get out and magic, at least in some form, would be made widely available to the populace.
Undermine Ozpin and his allies not through force like Raven or Cinder wanted but through the people themselves. Remove the need for Hunters and their influence would wane considerably.
A perfectly sound plan and one that didn't place them in much danger. To Weiss it made perfect sense, so why wouldn't her friends agree?
With no one else to turn to she sought Qrow for support, staring at the man leaning against their room's door. He narrowed red eyes at her slightly and gave the slightest shake of his head. Weiss knew better than to think he'd place anything over the wellbeing of his nieces, but his rejection still hurt. All of theirs did.
"I can do it, at least. They only really need one of us to help them, and the three of you can look into getting Ruby cured in the meantime."
"What happened to helping Ruby first, huh? What about my sister?" Yang wrinkled her nose. "You just wanna make out with her, is that it? Suck face then carry on like she doesn't exist?"
"Yang! I'm sure Weiss -"
"She begged you Weiss. She's your friend, your girlfriend, and you're ignoring her. And for what? Some asshole's plan to pull a fast one over Ozpin?" A threatening snarl rippled from Yang's throat, cutting off Ruby's protest and Weiss' attempt at justification. "We're not doing anything until Ruby gets help. I can wait, you can wait," she added pointedly. "But Ruby gets help first. I'm not budging on this."
The compunction made Weiss draw back, hanging her head as she studied the stitching in her black tunic. Yang's stance clashed with the plan, but both made sense. If they were so adamant about helping Ruby then why not do both?
The same faint throb from before knocked at the back of her head. An impatient visitor banging at the door demanding to be let inside. Her fingers twisted the hem of her shirt and her face went with it. Her other hand lifted, and she grazed the sensitive scar along her left eye, tracing over the flesh gingerly with her fingertips. Even just her nails grazing it made her skin ache; the healer's magic had made the scar but did little else, leaving her to deal with discomfort.
"We're tellin' them no. If Rhodes is as good as his word, then he'll still help no matter what." Qrow pushed off the door and sauntered forward, hands tucked in his trouser pockets. The only one of them not to change out of their clothes even though he'd been soaked. "Come on, Weiss, we'll go tell 'em our decision."
"I can go myself," Weiss argued weakly. "I don't require a chaperone."
"I'm goin' with you. As soon as you are done moping, we'll head out." Qrow watched her for a moment, head tilted, and an eyebrow arched. When no challenge came, he nodded, turning to Yang and Ruby instead. "You two relax. Yang, take a breather. We don't need you going all feral on us."
"I'm not about to lose control," Yang growled.
"My point exactly. And you," he nodded towards Blake. "Think you can sneak around a bit? See if you can figure out where we're heading and if they're planning anything else. I'd say don't use magic but," Qrow scoffed. "Don't really care if these guys have to deal with Grimm."
Far more agreeable than she had been with Weiss, Blake nodded and rose from her bed. "I can do that, count on me."
"Great. We'll be back after we give them our decision." To that he curled a finger at Weiss and smirked, spinning one one heel and striding to the door. "Come on, Ice Queen. Time to go piss off our new friends."
Weiss dragged her feet to the door and stopped inside of it, glancing back in one final hope of finding an ally among her friends. Surely one of them realized they needed to do this. That their own personal goals could wait just another day.
Yang busied herself with rubbing Ruby's back, holding her close and whispering so lowly that her ears couldn't pick out the words. Ruby never looked up from her own lap as her bangs obscured her face and hid her expression.
Blake frowned and nodded faintly towards the door before shadows wrapped up her legs, swirling around her torso, then entombing her in dark before she vanished without a trace.
Lingering in the doorway a moment longer Weiss smiled apologetically before closing the door behind her. In the hallway she fell in stride behind Qrow and let the silence between them grow, more than content to stew. Alone with her thoughts she could try and reason why her friends had been so against the proposal. Why she felt more betrayed than guilty for suggesting they prioritize Rhodes' plan over Ruby's recovery.
"What do you think of these people, kid?"
Weiss would have liked to ponder more if not for Qrow's bothersome question. "They're rude and arrogant. Not as filthy or crude as I'd expect pirates to be," Weiss mumbled. "But they're distasteful all the same."
"And Rhodes?"
"He seems like a good, honest man. And his plan is sound," she argued before Qrow could interject. "I don't see why we're refusing him. It's of no real risk to us, and we'd be hiding our identities. It's nothing like what we've done before."
"Hm."
"And what would one more day of waiting do to Ruby? Her condition is stable, we were all told as much by the healer. So long as she doesn't try to perform magic, she'll be fine." Weiss shook her head and huffed, stomping down the stairs as they descended to the lower levels. "And Yang's issue is her temper and her recklessness. She relies on that… Thing too much, charges into battle. Anyone else would be dead, taking the kind of injuries she does." She scoffed. "Maybe she should keep it if -"
A startled yelp choked out as breath wooshed from her lungs. Her back hit the wall and Weiss felt her feet leave the floor, gasping as her hands grabbed Qrow's wrist. Try as she might there would be no prying his grip off her. Briefly she considered trying to use a rune to separate them until she met Qrow's gaze.
If looks could kill her soul would be halfway to wherever people went after life. Without anywhere to hide Weiss could only dangle and stare back, shrinking against the wall.
"They're your friends, Weiss. And last I checked; you're planning on shagging one of them."
She could feel her magic beginning to leak from her. Drawn away Qrow's lack thereof, like water rushing to fill a hole. "L-Let me go!"
"We are helping them. I don't give a damn what these people want and neither should you. They don't matter. Until we help Ruby and Yang, Ozpin and the Church don't matter." Qrow released her and she slid down the wall. He remained inches from her though, leaning down and jabbing a finger at her chest. "So whatever's going on in that head of yours, cut the shit. This ain't you. They know it, I know it." Qrow shook his head and finally stepped back. "The only one who doesn't notice anything is you."
Her hesitant, shaky nod ruined any chance at seeming composed. Swallowing back a shivering fear she nodded once, rubbing her chest as she fell back in line behind Qrow.
"Let me do the talking. I'll straighten this mess out."
"What mess?" Weiss asked. She followed him again and huffed when he continued walking. "What mess, Qrow? What's wrong now?"
Qrow's back answered with silence and she hurried to keep pace. They passed through the hall of greenery again, moss and loamy earth yielding beneath them as they traipsed through it. The bulk door at the end of the hall sat open and waiting. She quickened her pace to meet with Rhodes first, to explain the situation. The narrow corridor made slipping around Qrow impossible though and he blocked her path when she tried.
Through a wall of lavender and lilac they waded, walking beneath the trilling birdsong that seemed to never leave. Rhodes remained seated at the pond as he had been when she'd left earlier, sat cross legged on a blanket and eating his catch of the day. When he noticed she hadn't come alone he set down his meal and smiled, rising to his feet and dusting off his hands.
"Welcome back. Qrow Branwen, it's a pleasure to meet you at last."
"Shut up." Qrow's shoulders tightened, and he rolled his neck. While Weiss couldn't see Qrow's face she could see Rhodes' and watched as he went from confused to concerned, hands slowly raising in defense. "Whatever you did to her, undo it. Now."
"I never did anything. I only -"
"I don't need my sword to kill you, Rhodes. And I can make it slow and painful." Weiss shivered at the cold edge to Qrow's words. Winced as she could feel him almost beg for Rhodes to give him a reason.
"Qrow, please. Rhodes never did anything to me, I'm fine."
The dull throb again came and with enough force to make Weiss grip the side of her head. The ache moved behind her eyes and she closed one, gritting her teeth.
She had not seen Rhodes cast any spells and neither had Cinder.
Qrow took a look around the space, frowning as he narrowed his eyes. His hand reached out to swipe at the air and it shimmered, distorting around his palm. He scowled and pointed impatiently. "Disable your ward or I'll tear your throat out."
Rhodes' tanned face went pale, eyes darting nervously to Weiss. A ward? She hadn't detected one, nor seen any indications. No stones to bind to, no physical barrier like the cities employed. Weiss opened her mouth to correct Qrow.
Runes flared to life around them. On the trees, painted on the ground, and shimmering in the air. A fine pinkish mist appeared and began to dissipate, stealing away the serenity that Weiss had felt before. The scent of lavender once potent enough that it seeped into her bones faded, and as it did the thrumming in her skull eased.
An unpleasant, startling sensation, to say the least. Like her head had been submerged under water and she'd been allowed back up she gasped, air rushing into her lungs, eyelids fluttering as she blinked rapidly. A headiness she hadn't known she'd felt vanished and the dull throb over her left eye grew, the scar changing from a faint, ashen tingle to a full burn.
"I never intended to deceive her, I swear. I have the wards up to help my visitors be at ease."
"You manipulated her. You tried to trick us," Qrow growled, stalking towards Rhodes. "We hadn't been on the ship for thirty godsdamned minutes and you tried to pull one over on us."
"That was never my intention!" Rhodes stumbled over his forgotten meal and backed towards a tree. When his back hit the trunk he looked back in alarm, then back at Qrow. "Please. It was only intended to help her relax after your ordeal, nothing more!"
Qrow lunged for Rhodes and the man reached into his belt, drawing a too small knife more suited for slathering butter than killing a man. Qrow knew it, Rhodes knew it, and Weiss tried to come up with a rune, a plea, anything to keep Qrow from killing the man, deserved or not.
A black cloak sped past her and slammed into Qrow before Weiss could even try. He went tumbling through mud and reeds, rolling with his assailant clinging to him. Through thrashing limbs and muddled curses the pair fought until settling at the water's edge. Qrow on his back, a dagger to his throat, and Cinder straddling his stomach.
"Don't you dare touch him!" Cinder snarled, pressing her gloved hand into Qrow's head to keep it down. "I'll bleed you like a pig, you leech."
"Cinder, don't hurt him!"
Qrow sneered and pressed another dagger to Cinder's neck, tilting his head back to expose his throat to her further. "We'll bleed together, how's that sound? You and me, girlie."
"Cinder, stand down, I'm fine!"
"Shut your damned mouth, little bird, before I silence you for good."
"Don't make a promise you can't keep, bitch."
"Stop!" Weiss stormed through the mud and held her hands before her. Runes sparked to life and begged to be released, magic swirling through them. "Stop, both of you. No one is dying today. Put your blades away and get off him, now."
Cinder's lips curled back and she chuckled. "No, I don't think I will. When else will I get a chance for this?" she cooed, then growled as her stolen dagger pressed against her neck.
"Been a while since I had a woman on top of me, you know." Qrow grinned. "Shame you look like jerky."
The guttural sound that ripped from Cinder sounded nothing short of animalistic. Her eye widened and she lifted her dagger, ignoring the thin cut on her throat as she raised her arm. The dagger arched down, aiming straight for Qrow's exposed throat.
And fell inches short. Weiss choked on a frightened scream and gasped as she watched Rhodes struggle to hold Cinder's arm back, kicking uselessly at the wet dirt for leverage.
"Cinder, stop. I'm fine, you're fine." Rhodes looked to Qrow silently and nodded. The dagger at Cinder's throat eased back before hitting mud. "Please, stand down. You're not a monster. You're not a monster," he pleaded softly, easing a hand up to her own. "Don't bloody your hands."
Weiss' runes continued to whirl as she watched. Qrow had left himself defenseless, hands raised in surrender. Cinde, unfortunately, looked fine with killing an unarmed man. Rhodes' hand wrapped around her own and she gritted her teeth, letting the dagger be taken and tossed aside. Only once she too had been disarmed did Weiss let her runes simmer into nothingness, exhaling shakily.
Cinder snarled and slammed her fists to either side of Qrow's head, lowering herself so their faces were inches apart.
"If you try to hurt him again I will kill you."
Not a threat, a promise.
Qrow chuckled and nodded. "That's more like it, kiddo." His eyes flicked down along Cinder before he grinned teasingly. "How long we stayin' like this, by the way?"
Cinder took his face and shoved into mud, and Qrow laughed, spitting some out while Cinder dismounted him. Without a word she retrieved both her daggers, making a point to flick dirt onto Qrow before she stalked to Rhodes' side. She continued to shake and looked to struggle to calm herself, shaking and tense.
Qrow rose to his feet and wiped the mud from his face. Not that it helped much, not mud caked his entire being. His slicked hair now stuck out sporadically, gone rigid with mud. As filthy as he looked he still managed a haughty smile.
"We'll have some more fun next time, Cinder," Qrow drawled, running a thumb along his cheek and flicking away blood. "When we get to shore we'll be leaving. And I expect you to keep to your promise, Rhodes."
"Naturally." The man's voice trembled even as he tried to level it. "Your niece will be given the best help available, and we'll even help to recoup your losses. Supplies, Lien, whatever you need, it's yours." Rhodes looked past Qrow to Weiss and lowered his head. "I am sorry, honestly. I never intended to deceive you."
Weiss lowered her arms only once Qrow grabbed one to drag her away. She stumbled, twisting to look back at Rhodes and Cinder. The latter had calmed down somewhat and ignored her own muddied state to look over Rhodes, peeling back his shirt and inspecting every visible inch of skin for wounds. Rhodes paid his surrogate daughter no mind, eyes fixed solely on Weiss.
Angry. That felt fitting. Furious even for having her mind tampered with. How, she didn't know. With the clarity she now felt she tried to find some explanation for the magic used on her, intentionally or otherwise. Yet as they left the hidden grove and the smell of decaying wood behind her mind only replayed one word over and over.
Warden. Rhodes had to be one, or had been at one time. She hadn't noticed a mark on him though but the magic he used couldn't be mistaken for anything else. Runic Magi were far and few between, coveted by the Church for their versatility, their ability to create wards and, as Weiss had learned firsthand, their pliability as tools.
Violated, she shuddered and hugged herself once freed, closing her eyes and cursing. How hadn't she noticed? Her own thoughts skewed. No wonder her friends had been so put off by her. .
I told you not to trust them, girl. The voice curled around her mind gently, soothingly. Although it lacked gender the tone sounded motherly and caring. Don't worry, you'll be safe once you depart.
Weiss couldn't wait for that.
/+/+/+/+/+/
The rest of the day had been spent in a cloud of ignominy.
Weiss had been duped by Rhodes. Whether well intentioned or otherwise the man had used magic to sway her and driven a wedge between her and her friends. One that over dinner remained even as they attempted casual conversation, trying to pretend as if nothing were amiss. As they enjoyed a meal of crusted, golden fish and roasted vegetables over a bed of plump white rice.
Yang's laughter sounded more boisterous than usual and she had downed two mugs of ale before Weiss even reached their table. Her smiles were wide but clipped and the few times their eyes met Weiss caught flecks of red among lilac. Ruby couldn't muster the same jovial fervor, speaking in hushed tones and managing a sliver of a smile. It didn't help that Weiss' attempts to pull Ruby aside were met by Yang cutting her off.
Her fish crumbled under her fork and steam rose from pale flesh. Even as her mouth watered Weiss couldn't find herself to eat much. A bite or two here or there. A small sip of cider. When Blake and Qrow joined them halfway through dinner they sat together, engrossed in a conversation more than their meals.
Considering Blake forwent fish it must have been important.
With her plate half-finished Weiss excused herself, not bothering to acknowledge Ruby's farewell as she left the dining hall. Head down, eyes fixed on the floor, she headed for the stairwell, following them up to the deck for fresh air. Down meant Rhodes, meant adding speculation that she would be going back to the man who had tried to deceive her.
She might not have felt so guilty if she hadn't wanted to see him again. Not because she believed in his plan even if it remained sound but because of what he could provide. What the man was.
A Warden broken free of his shackles. The mark could be removed somehow. Rhodes had done it and others must have too. That of course assumed the man had ever been a Warden to begin with. He may have gone undetected by the Church somehow.
Yet here he had a ship from Atlas, no doubt a gift from Ironwood himself. A connection had to exist there, and if a connection to the Church existed with his magic then Rhodes had been a Warden.
Undoing Yang's seal and freeing her. Undoing her own mark. Weiss could accomplish so much if they could only speak to the man.
The cool, crisp evening air provided some clarity as she stepped out onto the deck. Dark stained wood didn't creak or give as she cut across it, closing her eyes to simply be. To enjoy as the wind lazily caressed her hair and tossed her ponytail, ruffling her tunic and rattling the rapier strapped to her hip. The starlight above turned the ocean into a pool of sparkling silver. Waves lapped lazily against the hull, the Dust engines silent as sails ferried them along soundlessly.
For a moment Weiss allowed herself to be lost to it. The cawing of gulls, the whistling of wind as it rippled the sails.
Her hands gripped the cool railing slick with seawater and Weiss leaned forward, watching as water tumbled over itself. Spray filled the air and when she licked her lips she tasted salt, shuddering and spitting over the side.
You seem awfully morose tonight. Bad fight with your friends?
"If I wanted your input I'd ask for it."
But you do want it, I can tell. You can admit how you feel to me, Weiss.
She leaned down and laid her arms on the rail, chin atop it. Her bangs fluttered in her view and she blew them out before sighing.
"Who are you?"
If a voice had taken up residence in her head it could at least introduce. The wind whipped around her again and she heard someone above curse. A cap floated down to the ocean below and promptly disappeared beneath the waves. To her right she heard a group laughing and singing to themselves, enjoying some crude, vulgar shanty. At least Weiss suspected it to be as much but the slurring speech made it hard to figure out.
"No answer? Fine, then leave me alone."
A slight twinge in her head made her wince and she closed one eye. I'm sorry. I am… A friend.
"Sure. And I'm the queen of Mistral."
They have several, you'll need to be more specific.
Her fingers clenched the railing tighter until her fingers ached, chilled against the slick metal. "Is this funny to you? Tormenting me like this? If I told my friends what I was hearing they'd think me insane."
You are perfectly sane, Weiss, and I know. I'm sorry, but I wouldn't be reaching out to you like this if I had any other choice.
"What do you mean? What could you possibly need from me?"
The voice went silent long enough that Weiss assumed it had left. Then it came back with one simple request.
I need your help.
"Help with what?" Nothing. Weiss waited a moment before growling under her breath. "I don't appreciate you simply popping in whenever you please, you know. Answer me."
Waves continued to crash around her. A new song began and one of the crew had stolen a bucket to use as a drum. They had no rhythm, no sense of timing. How she wished she could do what Blake did and fold her ears to drown out the noise.
"Don't you dare ignore me now!" Weiss pushed off the railing and glared out at the ocean. "Answer me!"
"Who are you yelling at, snowflake?"
Myrtenaster hissed as she drew it and the tip hovered at Mercury's eye level. A whole foot short of striking which looked idiotic, she'd admit, but Weiss had drawn it without thinking. The smarmy jerk smiled down the blade at her and reached out with a fingertip to ease it from his vision.
"Easy there, Schnee. We aren't here to fight you."
Weiss glanced at Emerald and huffed. "A shame, I could use a little distraction right now."
"My bedroom is two floors down," Mercury drawled. He must have thought his grin and wink were roguish. Weiss audibly gagged. "Rude. I thought I was being welcoming."
"Mercury, no one wants to go to your room. It smells like a horse's ass."
"Oh yeah?" Mercury turned on Emerald and ignored Weiss entirely as she lifted her rapier again. "Make a habit of smelling horses, Em? And you call me weird."
"Oh shut up." Emerald pushed Mercury aside with a huff, then eyed Myrtenaster before holding a hand up. "Relax already, will you? We aren't here to cause you trouble."
"Neither was Rhodes," Weiss grumbled. She did lower Myrtenaster but she kept a firm grip on it, narrowing her eyes. "If this is about Cinder, or meeting her, you can tell her I'm through with her. Leave me be."
"Why, having a good conversation?" Mercury looked skyward and cupped his hands around his mouth. "Hey, invisible person, how are you?"
"You're a prick." Emerald shook her head. "And it's not about Cinder, although you could stand to be a little nicer to her. We aren't your enemies." Weiss didn't even bother to try to hide her scoff. The green-haired woman returned it right back and crossed her arms. "Look, we came to tell you we'll be making land by tomorrow afternoon. You and the other brats can get off there while we stock up."
"And we're just allowed to leave?" Weiss raised an eyebrow. "You won't try to stop us?"
"We're on the same side here, Schnee. Why would we try keeping you around?" Mercury laughed. "Aside from your fantastic conversational skills, of course."
The urge to skewer Mercury hadn't faded but Weiss sheathed her weapon again. With the railing becoming a bit too wet to lean on she settled for standing, hands on her hips and nose turned up. The fact both of them were taller than her made glaring a little awkward, and when the ship rocked and only she stumbled it didn't help either.
"Cinder's said you can leave whenever you want. We aren't going to force you to stay," Emerald said, stifling a yawn before waving her hand. "Don't know where else you guys will go in Mistral but that's not our problem. You're the ones that crossed the ocean to find us."
"That was before we knew you were ruffians and cutthroats," Weiss hissed.
"I mean, you do remember who sent you, right?" Mercury spread his arms and chuckled. "What the hells did you expect? We don't have time to spend trying to be saints, Schnee. Not when we've got a fucking war with the Church to wage."
"My name is Weiss. The least you could do is use it."
"Why? You guys won't be around for much longer, and we're just pirates, right?" Emerald smirked. "Come tomorrow it won't matter what we call you, princess. You won't have to dirty your hands with scum like us anymore."
Well, Emerald had the right of it at least. Why should she ask for respect from people she wanted nothing to do with? Extending courtesy to one another felt moot if they wouldn't be working together. And Mercury raised a fair point about Raven but she would never admit that; in their brief few hours left she would never hear the end of it.
Weiss decided she'd be the bigger woman then, metaphorically speaking, and try to appear polite. "Well, thank you for informing me. I look forward to making port."
"You could just say you hate us, you know. I'd almost rather that than this poshy, polite crap," Mercury drawled.
"I hate you." Weiss tilted her head and smiled. "Is that better? Or should I call you a misogynistic, boorish, irritating lout?"
Mercury balked while Emerald choked back a laugh. She had given him what he wanted. Honesty? Weiss sweetened her smile and folded her hands behind her back, raising an eyebrow as she waited for a reaction.
"Hey, Em…? What's misogynistic mean?"
"Oh for the love of…" Weiss scowled and shoved past the pair, storming back towards the stairwell.
Well, so much for enjoying fresh air. Her room might be awkward but at least she would be with people she didn't hate. She stole a glance back with one hand on the door and watched Emerald slap Mercury for some comment he'd made, rolling her eyes as the two began to bicker.
/+/+/+/+/+/
"You're shitting me."
Taiyang let a sigh pass, shoulders slumping. He might be less incensed if Raven would stop doubting his ability to get things done. What about him made that so difficult? He didn't fight like she or Qrow did, true. His work saw him traveling quite a bit less and his sedentary lifestyle by comparison probably made him seem inept.
But anyone could charter a ship with enough time and Lien. It didn't require a king's court to find and pay a willing captain. Yet as they walked to the docks lining Patch's eastern shore Raven couldn't help but doubt him every step of the way.
"Just so we're clear," Raven began again, eyes fixed on him. It felt comforting, he supposed, that he had become the sole object of her focus. It prevented her from barking at every man, woman, and child they passed who stared at her. "You got us a ship? An actual seaworthy ship?"
"Of course!" Tai sighed again, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Why is that so hard to believe?"
"I just figured you wouldn't know how. I mean, you basically had people wiping your ass when we met, so this is a pretty big step up." Raven snickered. "Have you learned how to dress yourself too?"
"Why did I ever marry you?"
"Because of my wit and charm, obviously."
Taiyang paused on the dirt path and took in Raven again. Her half-open fur-lined robe, red as blood and decorated with blackbirds. The twin blades hanging at her hips. Black scales plating splotches of visible flesh, and eyes of a predator, bloodthirsty and unflinching. At best she looked like a mercenary providing escort to him. Considering the only people on Patch who bore arms routinely were the guard Raven stood out; he counted their blessings that no one recognized her immediately.
"Mhm," he mumbled, rolling his eyes and leaving it at that.
Contained on either side by pole fencing they followed the dirt road away from Patch proper, past fishermen returning from excursions and residents coming to and from the beaches. Blanketed by hearty oaks and sturdy pines the sun barely reached them here, small rivulets of sunlight piercing the leafy veil. The air still felt warm, but not unbearably so. A comforting, cool late summer heat that gave way to a more pleasant, balmy day.
Patch's docks weren't much to look at. Not that the island itself held anything special either. The fancier homes were log cabins, sturdy and reliable in winter but plain, with straw or thatch roofs. Most of the island had been left unsettled and people congregated by the shores where two small villages had sprouted up.
Neither had been named. It had just been easier to refer to everything as "Patch" for all those present.
Not everyone lived along the shorelines though. Tai had found himself a plot of land higher up along the base of the mountains and had built a home for his family there. Along with Qrow and a few others the cabin had come together quickly, just in time for his first daughter to arrive. From there a lot had happened, and nowadays? The house served more of a rest point than a proper home.
Things had changed and he could no longer stay there without feeling distraught. Tired blue eyes slid to part of that reason, lips drawing thin beneath a scraggly blonde beard.
If Raven felt anything but bored in returning to Patch she didn't let it show. Bored from the moment they left the house she stared now at the trees lining the road, which unfortunately meant she saw the people staring at her too. Letting her growl at people like a mad dog gave him a moment to himself.
What in the world am I doing? Running off across Remnant to help my girls? Tai glanced down at himself and scoffed. A cassock wouldn't make for combat attire. The gauntlets strapped to his waist were a pair of Yang's old ones, more for show than any practical use. Hey girls, dad's here! Now can you come save me from this tiny Grimm?
No way could he sit around and do nothing. If they were risking their lives for this he had to try to help. If Summer still lived like Raven had said, like the girls seemed to believe, then at least he could try to help.
The ground leveled out and Tai paused, staring out at a field of sunflowers. Yellow, almost blindingly so. Radiant, warm, and stubborn.
Yang. Despite everything his eldest still persevered when the world tried to destroy her spirit.
What excuse did he have then?
He yelped and stumbled forward as a firm hand shoved his back, nearly tripping over his cassock. Shooting a glare back he smoothed out his clothing and grumbled. "What was that for?"
"You were in one of your broody moods. Figured I'd get you out of it." Raven shrugged. "You're welcome."
"I was not brooding; I was just thinking." Tai huffed and continued, drawing his cassock up so it didn't drag on caked dirt.
"You look like a midwife walking like that, you know."
Tai moved to the side of the road to let a cart rattle past. The farmer knew him and tipped his hat with a respectful smile. Then he saw Raven and slid to the far side of the cart.
"Hey! Don't go all silent on me!" Raven snapped; her steps heavy as she stormed up alongside him. "If you're having second thoughts now then cut the shit; things will only get harder from here."
Taiyang had always stressed the importance of honesty. Acknowledging your feelings didn't make you weak; being able to accept and face them made you stronger. Maybe those lessons came from the woman beside him. Something he never wanted either Yang or Ruby to be. "What makes you think I'm having doubts?"
"It's been a while but I know you, Xiao Long. That look you get when you're upset." Raven chuckled when he turned on her. "No, that's 'I'm pissed', I meant the frowning thing, and how your forehead gets all wrinkly. Makes you look old."
"You have bags under your eyes." Tai smirked. "Who's old here?"
"We're the same age, and you'd do well to not tell a woman she's old!"
"I'm not telling a woman she's old, I'm telling you that you're old."
"Fucker!"
Tai chuckled and let his cassock drop again. A little dirt wouldn't be the end of him, and he could always get new clothes anyways. "With a mouth like that you sound more like a sailor."
"Fitting I guess, since we'll be on a boat. I bet they'll love me."
He couldn't hide his snort of amusement and didn't bother to suppress the teasing grin on his face. "They won't know what the hell to do with you. I give it two days before they try throwing you overboard."
"I'll give it one, and don't get angry when I toss the asshole who tries over first."
Wooden planks creaked beneath their feet and Tai blinked, looking around at the storehouses and tethered ships. When had they reached the docks? Salty wind slapped him in the face and he turned his head from it, watching a pair of gulls take off from a nearby rooftop with echoing cries.
"Please don't give them a reason to leave us in the ocean," he drawled, smiling. "Unless you're a better swimmer than I remember."
"Ass!" Raven grinned and shouldered him. Hard. Stumbling like he did would've made most men feel embarrassed. Tai laughed it off instead and caught himself on a barrel.
"I'm just saying it's in your best interest to play nice. It's a long way to Mistral."
"Yeah? Well then the crew had better play nice too." Raven rolled her shoulders, then her neck, cracking it all with a low groan. "We just need the ship, not them. They're expendable."
Tai rolled his eyes and waved Raven along. "No killing the crew, Rae. I know for a fact neither of us know how to sail."
"Maybe I picked it up recently, you never know!"
"Mhm. Sure, and I bet you learned to knit too."
Raven chortled, then grabbed her robe and tugged at it. "Made this myself. Best fucking seamstress this side of Remnant." When he poorly hid a laugh behind a cough she furrowed her brow. "I'm serious, I made this." The laughter came in earnest now and she scowled. He could feel her glare boring through him as he went too, not caring how he might look. "Stop laughing, you jerk!"
Now he could remember why he'd married her. The easy chemistry they had, how easily they played off one another. How well they had gotten on after their first meeting; falling in love with a woman trying to rob you probably made him crazy. In his defense though it hadn't been love at first sight, or even second. Just as well too.
Tai doubted Raven would fall for a man with soiled pants.
Ribbing each other like this made it easy to remember bygone days. The initial fervor of their attraction, a romance that blossomed too quickly, no doubt, and resulted in the birth of his first daughter. Their first daughter, and only. As far as he knew. Even if Raven had never been around to raise Yang he could never take away the fact she had birthed her.
And like that his easy smile and laughter dwindled to pitiful embers. Raven's amused grin failed to bring so much as a smirk back to him and he turned his back on her, loosing another sigh and heading for the furthest dock where their ship should be waiting.
Raven had still left. Forced Yang to grow up without her birthmother, forced him to pick up the pieces. Somehow the woman had the gall to be angry that he and Summer had found comfort in one another, as if he owed her his loyalty well after she had shorn her own. That Yang had suffered for years despite Raven having an inkling of where she might be. Of what she endured. A cruel, hard reminder that the Raven of now could be cruel, heartless, and cowardly.
There were aspects to love, sure, and those showed up in small flickers even now.
But there remained an awful lot to hate too.
Which helped when they reached their boat and a familiar face greeted them. He didn't feel bad at surprising Raven, although in hindsight maybe he should have said something. Raven hissed and her sword followed suit, a red blade lunging for the man waiting for them. Tai yelped and barely grabbed a hold of her robe to stop her. Across the dock his feet dragged, fingers aching as he clenched fabric tight, and with a grunt he pulled back. She pulled against him like a braying hound but he kept her back.
"Raven, stop! Don't hurt him!"
Raven growled and pulled at her robe until part of it slid down. She might be immodest but even she refrained from showing herself off to a crowd of curious sailors. Her sword lowered and she snatched her garment from Tai's grip, tugging it back into place with a scowl.
"What is he doing here?!" she hissed.
Bartholomew Oobleck, to his credit, didn't flinch when a sword waved in his face. It helped that the blade fell a foot short. That and Tai had taken to throwing himself on Raven to hold her back, putting his weight, literally, into keeping her rooted. Sweat dribbled down Oobleck's brow and he wiped it off, adjusted his glasses, and took a small step backwards.
"Miss Branwen, how good to see you again. I see you haven't lost any of your vigor!"
Raven shrugged Tai off as easily as a jacket and snatched his collar, pulling him close. Hot breath washed over his face and his hands shot up in a show of surrender. Good, he'd rather have her angry at him than Oobleck. Although he didn't know what kept her from killing them both out of spite. Maybe his good looks had calmed the beast?
"Why is he here?" Raven repeated, voice little more than a whisper. "Explain, or I'll castrate you."
Okay, maybe his looks weren't quite what they used to be. In his defense you couldn't fight age.
"He's a friend, he's helping us."
"He's from the Church!"
"So was I, and so was Summer. And you're here risking your neck for her." Tai yelped, jostling like a plaything in Raven's hands. Her sword back in its sheath looked far less deadly. Now if only he could do something about that righteous glare…
"Do not fuck with me, Xiao Long. He cannot be trusted. If this is a setup I'll leave this whole dock bloody, do you hear me?"
"Ah, excuse me?" Oobleck cleared his throat and raised a hand. "'He' is also present and capable of speaking for himself, thank you very much. I would appreciate if I am allowed to argue my own case, Taiyang, although I'm certain your attempts would be entertaining if nothing else." His glasses slid down the bridge of his nose and he adjusted them. "Although I'd prefer to not be killed this day."
Raven dropped him, turning again and storming towards Oobleck. The man had the good sense to step away, and Tai hoped like hells the crowd watching them would be enough to stay her sword.
"Is this funny to you, little man?" Said the woman looking up at Oobleck. Raven sneered and gripped her sword again. "Give me one reason I shouldn't gut you this second."
"He knows about Summer!"
"Taiyang, I believe I made my desire to speak for myself clear a moment ago. But he is correct, I am aware of your purpose here and what you plan to do." Oobleck adjusted his doublet, tugging on an embroidered collar and clearing his throat. "And, if I may be so bold, I would suggest you refrain from attacking me. My being here is difficult enough without turning it into a crime scene."
Raven looked between the two of them, lips drawn in a snarl. Then with an angry huff she removed her hand from her weapons and crossed her arms. "Show me your neck. You're not marked?"
Oobleck acquiesced and unbuttoned his collar, peeling it back to reveal spotless pale skin beneath.
"No mark, I assure you. I am not your enemy, Miss Branwen, and I -"
"You not being marked doesn't mean anything." Tai stepped between them and held Raven off as she took steps towards Oobleck. "You could still be here on Ozpin's behalf, trying to lure us into an ambush. You're still loyal to him."
"Hazel Rainart is dead."
Raven stopped pushing back against him and Tai exhaled, then blinked when the words registered. He might not have known Hazel personally, but he recognized the name easily enough. Commander of Vale's royal guard, one of the king's closest aides… Dead? He dared a glance at Raven and found her showing earnest shock, eyes wide and mouth agape.
"He intercepted Ahmar Fatalwa somewhere outside of Plockton and engaged him in one-on-one combat. The specifics remain unclear to me but we know both men died as a result of their battle. They buried him last week," Oobleck went on, shaking his head slowly. "He was to find and eliminate you, Raven, but it seems Hazel encountered him first."
"Liar, Hazel wouldn't die to someone so pitiful."
"Poison is a wonderful equalizer. No matter how powerful a man, or woman, might be," Oobleck said pointedly. "Poison will claim anyone within its clutches. That much I managed to glean from the coroner at least. Hazel took an assassin intended for you, and Ozpin had the gall to act as though it were a mystery to what killed him."
Raven's lips worked soundlessly, brow furrowing. She took a look at Tai who nodded and frowned. "I don't understand."
"I abide by many things, many of which have no doubt sullied my soul and condemned me to the hells. But I am tired, Miss Branwen. Tired of hiding things, of pretending to be valorous when we perpetuate a plague that condemns Remnant to suffer." Oobleck stepped closer and lowered his voice. "So, I am here to offer you two a chance to stop this. To find your daughters, their friends, and put an end to this madness before it kills us all."
A long shot. Tai knew if he had told Raven of this meeting beforehand she never would have agreed to it. Either storm off and never return or set out to kill Oobleck, after killing him, that is. Considering the consequences of betrayal he counted his friend among the bravest people he'd ever met. Also among the most foolish. Oobleck lifted a hand as if to smack Raven then cleared his throat and adjusted his spectacles instead.
"Think logically. We understand that a Warden's Mark is required to manipulate an individual, yes? I do not bear one, and I am here disclosing information that could cause chaos in Vale. I am also here to offer something more."
"I'm not interested in whatever lies you're selling!"
"Summer Rose still lives." Tai felt the breath leech out of him, heard Raven mirror his gasp. "Granted, this is according to reports almost five years old now, but that directly contradicts her supposed passing more than a decade prior. If she is indeed still active, which I have every reason to suspect is the case, then you may yet find her."
"Summer… Is really alive?" Raven whispered.
"You're the one that came to my house promising that!" Tai balked. "You mean you didn't actually know?!"
"Either she lives, or an uncanny impersonator has taken her place. Whatever the case, I believe that you have sent those children to find her?" Oobleck stepped back and gestured to a moored ship beyond them. "Ozpin knows, as does Ironwood, and all the Archbishops. They are using the children to root out dissonance and plan to eliminate you all. As such, I would recommend that you act swiftly to gather your forces."
"Wait, wait, gather our forces?" Tai shook his head. "We aren't going to fight, Bart. We're just trying to bring Summer home, that's all!"
"Are you that naive?" Raven pushed him aside and put a finger to Oobleck's chest. "If this is real then I'll consider not killing you the next time we meet."
Oobleck glanced down at the finger and nodded. "Appreciated. Although I assume that Ozpin shall have my head on a pike before then, I'm afraid." He smiled ruefully. "Prepare yourselves. With so many people making moves now I fear it is only a matter of time."
"Until what?" Tai asked.
"Until war, Taiyang. Until those who rebel against the Church take the stage and Remnant is thrown into chaos again." Oobleck chuckled hollowly. "Another War of Magi. Should I survive I look forward to documenting it."
War? As in, actual war?
Tai just figured he would be getting his wife back. A nice family reunion almost two decades in the making.
But this? War?
I think I get why you drink now, Qrow...
Is the title a pun? Yep.
Does the pun have relevance to the chapter? Not really.
But I'mma make it anyways.
Happy Plastic Egg Resurrection day, everyone!