New chapter! Author's note at the bottom. Usual disclaimer applies.
XXX
Winter had slept like the dead last night, which was very unlike her. She was used to a strict sleeping schedule. At the Academy, she went to bed early, unless she had work that needed to be done ASAP, and she always woke up early as well, often right at dawn.
It was well into the morning when Winter peeled her eyes open. Weiss' side of the double bed was empty, but already straightened out. She and Weiss were sharing one of the guest rooms so that the double bed wouldn't be wasted on just one person.
She yawned, pushing herself up on her elbows and blinking away the remnants of sleep. She climbed out of bed and began a few quick stretches and exercises. She refused to allow herself to become a lax homebody. Though perhaps, she thought as she began to do crunches on the floor, I just miss the consistent schedule I had at the Academy.
It was the second morning after the night she and Qrow had ended their talk and gone to bed. Her mind drifted to the things Qrow had said, his sincerity as he comforted her, the way he had stayed up with her for another hour or so just telling her ridiculous jokes and stories. Thanks to Qrow, she no longer felt quite so guilty for leaving Atlas and the General behind. The feelings weren't completely gone though. When she thought about the General, her stomach twisted into a knot.
But what Qrow had said and done for her eased her mind a little. And more than that, she was … happy. That he had done that for her in the first place. Or maybe it was the fact that now, she felt like a real friend to Qrow, something she was unused to. Before her mission with Qrow, before she had strayed from the path of an Atlesian Specialist, she had Mira and a few schoolmates that she would perhaps call friends, but she rarely saw them, even before she left with Qrow. And even though she was somewhat close with the Specialists she had worked with, she would hesitate to call that friendship.
She couldn't quite pinpoint the reason that she felt so light, but she was grateful that Qrow had taken the time to listen to her, even though she had been the one doing the same for him just days before.
She dressed for the day, slipping on her new outfit that she had bought for the Vacuo weather. She now wore a sky blue jacket made of a light but durable material over a white shirt and grey pants of a similar material. She tugged on a pair of dark grey boots, much more rugged looking than the sleek and formal pair she'd worn as a Specialist. But like the rest of her outfit, it was better equipped for the hot temperatures and sandstorms that she would run into during her stay in Vacuo.
When she finally exited her room, many of the others were in the living room and kitchen area. Ruby and Blake had plates lined with bacon, eggs, and other breakfast foods. Weiss had a plate too, and was staring warily at the sausages and bacon strips piled on it. She poked at it with a fork carefully, as if the food might bite her. Her eyes drifted from her meal and met Winter's, lighting up.
"Good morning, Winter!" she said cheerfully.
"Good morning," Blake said, glancing at Winter quickly before looking away. Ruby waved at her, cheeks stuffed with scrambled eggs.
"Good morning," Winter said. "Weiss, you should have woken me up. I didn't mean to oversleep."
"You haven't overslept. Besides, you needed the rest," Weiss said matter-of-factly. Winter raised an eyebrow, placing her hands on her hips. When did her little sister start talking back to her?
"If you want something to eat, I'd suggest grabbing a plate." Qrow appeared at the entrance into the kitchen, holding a plate of his own and looking at her with a raised eyebrow and a cheeky grin. "The kids have almost scarfed everything down." Winter nodded, but she didn't say anything, not moving from her spot. Since their talk two nights ago, she'd barely spoken with him at length again. They'd split up yesterday to grab more supplies, find new outfits more suitable for their stay in Vacuo, and afterwards Miriam and Qrow had gone off to look around the Oasis. Now it felt strange for her to talk to Qrow the same way that they used to. It was like their usual bantering and reluctant partnership had shifted to become something else. Like their bickering was no longer a proper buffer.
And though Winter loved having Weiss close by, it was incredibly awkward to be surrounded by her little sister's teenaged friends. She barely knew them and they were so different compared to the students and trainees at the Atlas Academy. They had no discipline, and such cheery and energetic dispositions. She knew this wasn't the Academy, and she couldn't expect others to act the same way that she had in Atlas. But this new situation was taking time to get used to.
"You really should eat something," Weiss added, despite the fact that she had barely touched her own meal, still casting unsure glances at it. "With the amount of work we'll be doing and the long span of time we'll be spending in the heat, you need to make sure you won't pass out from heatstroke."
"I am aware," Winter said, and finally made her way to the kitchen. Qrow grinned at her as she passed, clearly enjoying Weiss' new bossy attitude towards her older sister. Miriam, Clint, and Jaune were in the kitchen, sitting around the round table and eating. Miriam and Clint were bent over a Scroll, reading some kind of article. Winter wasn't sure where all the others were, though she presumed that at least Dr. Polendina and Ozpin were still in the house.
"I was telling Branwen that everyone is going to have to be careful around the Oasis," Miriam said as Winter grabbed a plate. "Clint and I are the only two in this house who really know the area, but splitting up into two large groups of people will only draw attention to ourselves and make our investigation that much harder." Miriam looked up from the Scroll, looking Winter up and down, then Qrow, and then the kids. "At least you blend in a little better with your new getup."
Everyone had outfitted themselves with new clothes that were more appropriate for the Vacuo climate. Winter and Weiss had a particularly hard time finding new outfits. They were both used to much colder weather, and they both preferred clothes that covered most of their skin. However, though Winter disliked how naked she felt with such thin clothing and her lack of a uniform, she had to admit that it was much more comfortable and bearable in the hot sun.
She glanced over at Qrow, who was messing with the collar of his new shirt.
Qrow had also changed into clothes better suited for the blistering heat of Vacuo. Though he had been very reluctant to change his longtime look, even he couldn't deny that slogging through the sand in the heat required an update to his outfit.
His new outfit was very similar to his old one, still very much in style for the grizzled and laidback Huntsman. He'd switched his old shirt for a new one in another light shade of grey with a dark burgundy collar. The sleeves were much shorter, barely falling past his shoulders, and the dark grey print of a feather was stamped over the heart. He kept his cape, bracelet, and necklace, and had even picked out a red scarf and light grey jacket in case they had to travel through a storm. His pants looked almost the same as his old pair, except the bottoms were rolled up above his shoes. They were also made out of a lighter material according to Qrow, but she had questioned his decision.
"You still want to wear long, dark pants in Vacuo?" she had asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Hey, it's my look!" Qrow had insisted. "Besides, it's called protection. So I don't get my ankles cut up or something. And you're hardly one to talk, since you're wearing long pants and a jacket too!"
"Still, you didn't want to switch to something cooler and more practical, like cargo shorts?" Winter had asked. Qrow grimaced, his expression turning sulky.
"I refuse to wear something as idiotic as cargo shorts," he had muttered angrily. Winter hadn't understood his refusal, but Yang and Ruby had laughed at Qrow's sour face. She figured it must be some kind of inside joke.
"You Schnees are really going to have to be careful," Miriam cut in, eyeing both Winter and Weiss. Weiss opened her mouth, but Miriam continued. "While we're pretty far removed from Atlas and anything that goes on there, some of the Vacuo citizens … aren't huge fans, to put it lightly. Especially among the Faunus." Weiss wilted a bit, looking guilty. Ruby nudged her shoulder, giving her friend a reassuring smile.
"Of course we won't attract attention," Winter said. She felt Qrow's eyes bearing into her and heard him cough lightly, and she gritted her teeth. She did a decent job of blending in! There was only so much she could do to hide her classic Schnee-white hair and the snowflake emblem of her Semblance.
"What are we even supposed to do?" Weiss asked, her voice bordering on a whine. "We don't know the first place to look. We don't even know what we're looking for."
"Anything that could be the work or influence of Salem." Qrow's eyes narrowed, his fingers clenching.
"I'm going to be looking into the contaminated water situation," Clint said, not even raising his eyes from his Scroll. "Hopefully today I'll find some tidbit of information to help us."
"I'm looking into securing passage to the capital. I'd like to get to Shade Academy and meet with their headmaster as soon as possible," Qrow said.
"I'll do what I do best and try weaseling out any secrets from the people of the Oasis," Miriam added. Supposedly, she had tried the same yesterday with Qrow, but had come up with very little. Despite being a native citizen of Vacuo, many had been unwilling to speak with her. Scared, Qrow had suggested, and even Miriam agreed. But of what, no one could say. Or would say.
"And where does that leave us?" Yang entered the room, dressed in a simple tank and shorts, her hair still wet from her shower. She was running a towel over her hair to dry it.
"I don't know. Sounds like something for you to figure out," Miriam said nonchalantly, shrugging. Winter saw Yang's eyes flash red for a brief second.
"Where are the Professor and Doctor Polendina?" Winter asked, changing the subject.
"Both are still upstairs," Qrow said. "Dr. Polendina's been a little … squirrely since he got here. He's rattled. Makes sense, of course. Considering what happened in Atlas."
"And Professor Ozpin?"
It was barely noticeable, but Qrow flinched at the mention of Ozpin. "He's been pretty reserved and kept to himself." He shuffled a bit, looking away. Winter wondered what he was thinking about. Was he still on edge around Ozpin?
Miriam seemed to have noticed too. She twirled her glass of juice around, watching Qrow with a contemplative stare. "Should he be talking more? Does he know anything about what's going on?"
"I don't know," Qrow said with a sigh. "He remembers some things. Maybe it's all slowly coming back to him. Maybe he only remembers part of his life. But he's been tight-lipped since our last talk."
"Well he should think about sharing what he knows." Miriam's face darkened. "Before this kingdom falls too."
Qrow's eyes turned glassy, lost in thought. He rubbed his chin, humming under his breath. Winter almost reached out a hand to see if he was ok, when he looked back up, first at her, then at Miriam.
"Maybe we should consider talking to Ozpin about the plan that the Brotherhood discussed," he said. Miriam's eyebrows raised to her hairline. Winter searched her memory for what plan the Brotherhood had debated, then she remembered.
Salem would want Ozpin.
She would go after someone she deemed worthy.
Even after all this time, every attack, every move in her game, every kingdom she toppled and death she sowed, Ozpin was always the one who took her attention. If there was one person she wanted more than anything, it was Ozpin.
"You want to hand Ozpin over?" Winter asked incredulously.
"I want to set up Salem," Qrow corrected. "And I think the only way to do that is by enlisting Oz's help."
"Will he agree?" Miriam asked, leaning back in her chair. She already appeared to be in agreement with this plan. Clint looked up from his Scroll, eyes going back and forth between his sister and Qrow. Jaune, who had been listening quietly to the conversation, began to look nervous.
"Don't know. Guess we'll have to ask?" Qrow gave a weak smile.
"Now?" Clint asked. Winter kept her eyes on Qrow, searching for something, though she didn't know what.
"No, not yet." He sighed again. Winter noticed that his hand moved to his side for an instant, then froze. The past few days had been rough for everyone, especially Winter. With their escape from Atlas, her near imprisonment within the military compound, and Beth's death, these whirlwind days had changed her and caused her so much grief. And though she may have been stressed, reserved, even sorrowful, she was still observant. Her skills had not vanished. And so she took special notice that Qrow was no longer drinking from his flask.
"If he agrees to such a plan, do you think we will be able to lure Salem out? To outsmart her?" Winter asked. Once. All they needed to do was outmaneuver Salem once to get the upper hand. Qrow looked at her, and smiled. It wasn't a particularly cheerful or large smile, but for some reason it stopped Winter in her tracks. This smile felt like she was the only one seeing it. It was almost bright. Hope, she thought. That's what it was.
"That is the question, isn't it?" he said.
"Here here," Clint muttered.
"Let him rest here then, for now," Blake suggested from her spot on the couch. She and the other girls had remained quiet, watching the exchange. But Winter presumed that they would involve themselves further in this twisted puzzle. "What can we do now? How can we help?" The other girls of RWBY nodded eagerly.
"We can fight," Yang offered, smashing a fist into her palm for emphasis.
"I'll go with Miriam to look around the Oasis," Ruby suggested.
"You have to meet with Kendall today, Ruby." The smile on Ruby's face wavered a bit. Kendall had just arrived earlier and was staying on the other side of town. Qrow had been insistent that Ruby start training with Kendall as soon as possible. He had filled Winter in on most of the story behind Ruby's powers, and he'd mentioned that he had attempted to train her with minimal success. Now, though he hid it beneath his gruff exterior and matter-of-fact words, Winter could tell Qrow was more concerned about Ruby than he had been previously.
"I could help with the patrols," Ruby tried again.
"Kendall is here to train you, Ruby. You've gotta meet her, kiddo." Qrow said, walking over to her. He placed a hand on her head. "Take some of your friends with you. Remember, Miriam wants us travelling in packs. Kendall knows what's going on. I'm sure she'll have you helping out with this mission."
"Ok," Ruby mumbled.
"We'll tag along with you, Ruby," Blake said. Weiss nodded her head. Yang, on the other hand, shot each one of the adults in the room a hard look.
"You do know we can help, right? That we're not just students anymore?" she said in a hard tone. "I mean, Ruby froze a giant Grimm back in Vale. Blake and I took care of your problem back in Mantle. You're welcome, by the way."
"Yang!" Blake shot her a wary glance.
"Pff. That's rich. Of course you're still students." Miriam rolled her eyes. Yang's eyes turned red in response. The temperature in the room seemed to rise. Not good.
"Yang, stop," Qrow ordered. Yang's eyes remained red.
"Geez, calm down. Of course you're going to help." Miriam drummed her fingers against the tabletop. "But let's get some things straight. I truly have no problem with any of you being a part of this. We need all the help we can get, and I admit it; you've all got skills. But that doesn't change the fact that if Beacon were still standing, you would be a student. You're certainly better than a lot of Huntresses-in-training that are still stuck in their classes. But we -," she pointed at Clint, Qrow, and even Winter, "- have been out in the real world for years. We have experience that you don't have yet. So by all means, join us. But just remember that when we talk about these things, we know things you do not. Not because they're a secret, but because we learned them from being Huntsmen and Huntresses."
Weiss' and Ruby's expressions grew solemn. Blake turned to Yang, reaching her hand out. Yang stared at Miriam for a few more moments, then the red faded from her eyes. She took Blake's hand, giving it a gentle squeeze, before nodding.
"We get it," Ruby said softly.
"Good."
Clint cleared his throat. "Lie Ren offered to stay behind at the house so Dr. Polendina and Professor Ozpin won't be alone. Jaune and Nora will stay within the nearby vicinity. Miriam, you're heading out on your own." His sister nodded. "Qrow?"
"Winter and I can pair up to look into Shade Academy," he said.
"I'd be happy to, but I have to pick up my sabre from Eden," Winter interrupted. She'd received notice that Eden had finished the new weapon, and Winter was eager to have a weapon on hand again, though she was anxious to own a weapon that was not her original sabre. "I can meet up with you afterwards."
"I'll go with you to the blacksmith." Weiss smiled.
"Are you sure? If you'd rather go with Ruby or-,"
"Miriam suggested everyone pair up. I'll at least take you to the smith's. Yang can come too!" Weiss continued to smile. Yang, on the other hand, seemed less than pleased. But she didn't protest against this arrangement.
"Sounds like everything's settled then?" Qrow drawled.
"Please," Miriam muttered.
"I'll see you shortly," Winter promised.
Everyone got up, preparing to leave, when Miriam stopped them with one last warning.
"Remember, there's already something going on here. Clint and I believe Salem's already set her sights on Vacuo. Be careful, and keep your eyes open. It's not a matter of when she or her goons get here. It's a matter of what she's already up to." For Miriam, it was an unusually serious and almost cryptic statement. It alarmed Winter to hear it coming from the wild and carefree woman, and that made it all the more significant.
They split off in groups, each going their own way. Weiss and Yang accompanied Winter. Weiss was cheerful and chatty, talking almost nonstop with Winter while Yang was quiet and stoic, always walking a few steps behind them.
"Are you excited to get your new weapon?" Weiss asked. Winter gave her a small smile.
"Excited seems a bit of an exaggeration. I am looking forward to having a weapon on me again so that I will be fully prepared for any future fights. But it is a completely new weapon and I shall have to get used to it."
"I'm sure it will work perfectly," Weiss said. "You did give Eden the exact measurements and a detailed drawing of your old sabre."
"Yes. Hopefully it's enough." Winter grimaced. "I find it hard to believe that a sabre made from Atlas' most skilled weapon makers could be replicated so easily in a smith's shop in Vacuo."
"Come on, Winter," Weiss said, her tone almost chastising. "You know that's not fair."
"I know, I know." She turned her head away. "My apologies. I just find it difficult to forget Atlas and its teachings." They were built into her, part of her code. It was not something that could be undone like the flick of a switch.
"You don't have to forget. You just have to learn," Weiss suggested helpfully. Winter smiled again, and gave her sister's hand a squeeze. She thought Yang might have scoffed behind them.
"Atlas teachings." Winter heard her grumble. Winter glanced behind her, making eye contact with Yang. From Weiss' letters, Yang was described as the fiery, fun-loving member of team RWBY. She was certainly fiery, but the Yang Winter had seen in the past few days was a stoic one. There was a weight to her, something she was carrying that held her down. Winter didn't know what, but she understood the feeling.
They made it to Eden's shop in short time. Once again, the market area was enjoying an average day with vendors out and customers shopping. It wasn't overly busy, but enough people were out and about that the strange feeling of foreboding was swept away. Almost.
"You may both go now. I'm sure Ruby and Blake will want to reconvene with you," Winter said, looking up at the sign to the shop.
"We could wait with you. To be safe," Weiss said. Yang coughed into her hand, and Weiss shot her an icy glare. Winter nearly laughed.
"Thank you, but I will be fine. I'll be meeting with Qrow soon after," Winter explained. She brushed a hand over Weiss' bangs. "Be careful. And stay strong." Weiss blushed.
"Honestly Winter, you'd think we were going into battle. We'll be fine." Weiss waved at her, and then she and Yang left, wandering down the street past the market. Winter watched a moment longer, then entered Eden's shop.
Of course, absolutely nothing in the shop had changed. It still smelled of smoke and the sting of metal. Swords, axes, and all manners of weapons hung on the walls. And once again, no one was in the shop except for Eden. Winter wondered how her business stayed afloat.
Eden was leaning against the counter, checking something off on a notepad. She raised her eyes as Winter approached. "Welcome back."
"You've finished it then?" Winter asked, stopping at the counter.
"Yup."
"Thank you very much. Especially for working so quickly on such short notice."
Eden shrugged. "It's what I do. Lemme get it for you." She ducked into the back room before returning, holding the new sabre in her hands before offering it to Winter. "Here you go. It's done."
"Thank you." Winter gently took the weapon from Eden's hand, gazing at in slight wonder. The new weapon was silver, sleek, and beautiful. She had to admit, she was quite dubious of any weaponsmith in Vacuo being able to even replicate the quality of her sabre, let alone create an improved version. The new sabre had a beautiful handle that clearly took inspiration from the original, though this one had decorative, swirling metal pieces around the handle and an intricate design carved into it. The blade was finely crafted too. Not quite the same as her old sabre. It seemed a little thicker, possibly made with a sturdier type of metal.
"The Dust canisters will hold more Dust, and can hold multiple types of Dust as a time now," Eden explained. Winter nodded. Very similar to Weiss' Myrtenaster. "When you use the secondary dagger, a thin but durable sheet of metal will fill in the space, so your sword won't have an opening," Eden continued. Winter nodded, testing it out. Sure enough, when she clicked the handle and her parrying dagger separated from the sabre, the space that was left open immediately filled in. With another simple twist and click, she slid the dagger back into its single-sword form. She wondered how Eden was able to accomplish that.
"Thank you," Winter said again.
"I added a couple other features," Eden said. Winter narrowed her eyes. "Minor ones, I swear! Nothin' flashy or show-offy." She pointed at the tip of the sabre. "The ends of both the sword and dagger are specially enforced, so they won't break if they're covered in Dust. I heard you rely heavily on Dust and your Semblance, and I thought maybe you'd want to try some new methods of utilizing the Dust with your weapon."
"Oh," Winter said, because that was the only thing she could think to say. Truthfully, she should be attempting to try new attacks and devise new ways to use her Semblance. She'd often attempted to do so during her training sessions back in Atlas, but that was so long ago …
Winter fished in her pocket and held out a large handful of Lien. Eden looked it over, then took a little more than half of it. Winter raised an eyebrow, opening her mouth to insist, but Eden stopped her with a hand.
"Your friend already paid the extra," she said, already counting the Lien.
Winter didn't have to ask who the 'friend' was.
Damn you, Qrow.
Winter nodded at Eden, hooking the sabre to her belt loop. She already felt better with a weapon at her side. Leaving her original sabre in Atlas had left her vulnerable, feeling naked, with nothing to protect herself except her Semblance and wit. Yes, she was better off than most would be, as she was a skilled fighter and had mastered her Semblance. But having a sabre on hand again made her feel whole.
For the first time since she had arrived in Vacuo, Winter felt confident.
Winter thanked Eden one more time, and exited back out into the street market.
Like the first day they had arrived, there was still an uneasy air in the marketplace and throughout the Oasis. Something that didn't sit quite right, despite the chatting vendors and citizens going about their day.
Qrow had been unable to find any substantial clues, and he was getting restless. He'd told Winter the day before that he wanted to visit Vacuo's capital, to see how Shade Academy was doing and if the Headmaster would meet with him. First though, Miriam insisted that they buy enough supplies for another battle, since Grimm were common in the desert, and both Miriam and Clint asked that Qrow, Winter, and the kids spend some time in the Oasis first, both to get used to the area and to find out if anything had happened in the Capital.
Winter was used to Special Op missions as a Specialist, though she preferred to have very specific parameters for her missions. She often knew what she was looking for before she even embarked. Though the Specialists were used for Special Op missions, the idea was that they were sent in because action was required, and each Specialist was a skilled Huntsman or Huntress. This not knowing and the blind missions were jarring to her.
Something Winter had not noticed in the previous days were the ragged pieces of paper depicting sketches of various people that were plastered along poles and the sides of buildings and were littered in the alleyways. Upon closer inspection, Winter realized they were bounties for Wanted people. Most had very ordinary looking people on them. A woman with bronze skin and tightly curled black hair. A thirty-something man with spiky brown hair and eyes like a snake. A young woman with pale white skin and strangely colored pink-and-brown hair. The descriptions were faded or ripped on most of the Wanted posters, so it was hard to decipher the reason as to why these people had bounties on their heads.
Some of the faces appeared more than once. One of the nearby buildings had a Wanted poster taped to it. The same poster was caught in a nearby window, flapping in the wind. A woman, maybe in her thirties, with dark, near black skin and amber hair piled into a high ponytail, stared out from the piece of paper. Fringes of hair framed her face, and two large, fluffy fox ears poked out of her hair. No name appeared to be listed, but the bounty listed was enough to make even Winter Schnee raise her eyebrows. That was a lot of Lien for just one person. Were bounties for people common in Vacuo? Atlas didn't have anything like that to her knowledge. Of course, the military would often arrest anyone who broke the law themselves, so there wasn't room left for the civilians to take matters into their own hands.
A few of the posters weren't for bounties, but instead were intricate drawings of some kind of ethereal figure in long robes, their face hidden. Judging by the pose of the figure and the number of different drawings, Winter guessed this was some local legendary hero. Perhaps a figure from a primitive religion.
"Quick, come on!" A few people raced by Winter, not even noticing her presence. She watched them trail dust as they ran down the street, obviously in a hurry. Was there something going on? She moved to go after them, then hesitated. She was supposed to meet up with Qrow. But instinct implored her to follow.
Making a quick decision, Winter followed them, sending a message to Qrow about her location and that she was following a trail. They didn't stop in the market area. Instead, they turned down a side street, then another, before stopping in a wide street where a small group of people had gathered. No one stood out to Winter. They were all average Vacuo habitants. Some were dressed in finer clothes, others were wrapped in ripped vestments and covered in sand.
Facing the group stood three women, relatively young though the apparent leader in the center was certainly older than Winter by at least a decade. The leader had some kind of head covering with a veil that fell down her back and a blue jeweled brooch at her neck. She and the other two women were dressed in modest, pale blue dresses with gauzy, light pieces of fabric draped around their arms. They looked like nuns of some order of religion, though not one Winter recognized. The leader was saying something to the crowd, holding her arms out in a pleading manner.
As Winter inched closer, the nun's words became clearer.
"She is watching, I assure you all. She knows exactly what you and I know," the leader said to the crowd, her eyes sad. "Vacuo has become a dangerous place recently. The Grimm have gone rampant with few to stop them, and outsiders and insurgents threaten the tentative peace that you all hold." Winter started. So the uneasy feeling and the peculiar events around the Oasis weren't her or Qrow or Miriam and Clint's imaginations. Others noticed them too.
"And the other kingdoms are in worse conditions," the leader continued. "Vale has been in ruins for months now, and Mistral and Atlas struggle to return to normalcy. Atlas especially is suspect in their treatment of the other kingdoms." Grumbling from the crowd confirmed Miriam's earlier words; the citizens of the Oasis were not fans of Atlas.
"We simply want the world to become better. It is so divided now. The kingdoms are on the precipice of war, and there is so much strife everywhere." The nun bowed her head sorrowfully. "This is not how it is supposed to be. We aim to restore the world to a better and simpler time, when there was equality and peace among everyone."
"Sounds like a fairy tale," Winter muttered. The head nun raised her head and smiled at Winter, her eyes crinkling at the corner with something similar to delight. The corner of her mouth tipped up in a knowing smirk.
"Remnant has many fairy tales that have been passed down for generations upon generations. Today, they are merely tall tales to many people, but many years ago, they were the truth," she said. Winter eyed her, feeling suspicion grow. After all, she had learned in the past few months just how many fairy tales were true.
"Sister, the Grimm have started to appear in the westward dunes again," somebody called out.
"I'll send some Huntresses out to take care of them," the head sister said. Her face had transformed into a smiling, warm expression. She looked almost angelic.
Huntresses, she said. Were the sisters Huntresses?
"Are the rumors true?"A worried, elderly man cried out. Judging from the questions and attitudes of the surrounding people, Winter guessed these sisters belonged to the town. There was a trust between the people and these women.
But what the leader said next shook Winter from her thoughts.
"We cannot confirm anything yet," she said gently, her voice somehow carrying. "I assure you, my Huntresses are looking into it. But it's very possible that Atlas has begun to send members of their army to Vacuo."
Winter's breath almost left her.
"If there are Atlas soldiers nearby, we don't know their intent," the leader went on. "However, it's very likely that, regardless of their intent, it means there are hard times ahead for Vacuo." The small crowd began to murmur and frantically talk amongst themselves, a few wringing their hands together.
But Winter's mind was dreadfully still and yet wild at the same time. Atlas soldiers in Vacuo? That couldn't be right. She hadn't heard anything about sending troops to Vacuo back in Atlas. The General had not mentioned a mission or project in Vacuo to her. And they couldn't be talking about her. She'd only arrived two days ago.
But what if Atlas had decided to make a move against Vacuo? What if the General had some plan in motion? Or what if he had sent soldiers to apprehend and arrest her?
"Hey, Winter." Winter turned her head and spotted Qrow walking towards her, holding out a hand. "Where you been?"
"Picking up my new weapon." She gestured to the sabre slung on her belt. "I meant to meet up with you afterwards. But I was distracted by … this." She nodded her head at the group. Qrow raised an eyebrow.
"What is this?"
"I'm not sure," she said. She could feel Qrow's eyes shift to her, watching her, just as confused as she felt listening to this strange woman comfort the crowd. She kept her eyes trained on the nuns, when the hair on the back of her neck stood up. Her skin prickled in anticipation.
A low, whistling sound broke the air, causing the crowd's chatter to stop abruptly. Everyone looked around, confused, and then a small, round object fell from the sky and landed right in the middle of the group. The second it hit the ground, it began emitting smoke rapidly. People shrieked and began to move away. Winter thought she spied the dark silhouette of a person moving along the rooftop, but it was gone in a flash, if it was ever really there.
"Everyone, please! Calm yourselves," the head priestess said. "Return to your homes for safety. We will look for the attacker." The two sisters to her left and right needed no other instruction. They dashed away, their gauzy robes flowing in the wind, and then they were gone, leaving the head sister standing by herself. The crowd began to disperse, a few stragglers staying behind to talk to the nun. Winter placed a hand on Qrow's arm.
"I think we should leave," she murmured. His brows furrowed.
"Why? Don't you think we should learn more about … whatever this?"
"I think we can do that someplace better. We'll learn nothing else here. And we don't want to raise suspicions." She leaned in closer. "They suspect Atlas of sending soldiers to secretly infiltrate Vacuo's cities." Qrow's frown deepened, causing creases in his forehead. He nodded, and they quietly slipped away, keeping their faces turned away from prying eyes.
They stopped in an empty alleyway once they were far away from the crowd of people.
"Qrow, I think Vacuo's worse off than it seems. There's something strange to this place, like a sickness below the surface."
Qrow nodded in agreement. "Yeah, I'm afraid Miriam and Clint were right to come back here so soon after Atlas. Salem's had her eyes on each kingdom, and I think she wasted no time in setting her sights on Vacuo."
"What do we do then?"
"I'm getting us a ride to Shade Academy tomorrow. We need to meet with the headmaster."
On the other side of the Oasis
Ruby slipped to the outer edges of the Oasis, followed closely behind by Kendall and Blake. Her hood was pulled up, covering her head and making her look like a brightly colored specter gliding across the sand.
A number of the two-story houses that lined the Oasis were empty, seemingly abandoned. It was one of these buildings that Ruby sped up above using her Semblance, dropping down onto the flat top of the roof. From here, she could see far into the desert and almost the entirety of the Oasis. It was quite the view.
She pulled out her weapon, using the scope of her weapon's gun to see far distances more clearly. She looked through it, taking a quick peek at the Oasis before directing her attention to the perimeter of the settlement, towards the desert.
All kinds of Grimm roamed the dunes. Some appeared to be travelling, while others were sprawled out across the sand, as if they had all the time in the world. It was hard to count the number of Grimm. Some disappeared into the sand, only to reappear yards away. A few Ravagers circled the skies. Everywhere Ruby turned to look, there were black specks dotting the desert. The Grimm were waiting.
"What do you see, Ruby?" Kendall and Blake arrived on the rooftop. Kendall was calm, her hands behind her back, but Blake's ears were perked up, as if she could hear something out of the ordinary.
Ruby kept her eye trained on the Grimm, looking through the scope of her weapon. But she looked worried, a frown digging lines into her face. "I don't get it," she said, drawing back a bit. "They're not attacking. Why aren't they attacking the city? I thought maybe they were drawn to the negative feelings of the people who live here, but this is something else. What is going on?"
XXX
I was so happy to see the great response to the last chapter! Thank you to everyone who left a review! I can't reply to them all individually at the moment, but I'm glad so many people enjoyed the chapter, especially the ending with Qrow and Winter's talk. :) That was a fun scene to write. Your comments mean the world to me and keep me motivated each chapter!
This chapter was one of those ones that went through a lot of rewrites and revisions, and I ended up moving some important moments, some of which I cut from this chapter and will appear in the next chapter instead. I'm iffy on parts of this chapter, but I am very glad to be able to move on to the next one! This chapter also works more as a transition/preparation chapter. You get a hint of a lot of things that will become important to the Vacuo arc of this story.
Somewhat important note; I have an internship starting up in about a month and a half that will last for approximately half a year at the shortest amount of time. Again, I want to emphasize that I will continue to write this story to the end. It will not be abandoned, nor do I plan on any sort of long-term hiatus. That being said, I don't know exactly what my schedule is going to be like once my internship begins, so there might be a little more time between updates. I hope there won't be, but I'll see how things go. Thank you all for your patience with this fic!