Music Choices: Andvevarljod by Wardruna
Eclipse
Chapter 44
Rooftop Meetings
The Library rooftop was pretty steep in most places. It wasn't as severe as some of the other more iconic buildings, but it certainly wasn't flat. However, there was a joint between two peaks that was gentle enough for the group of eight to sit comfortably; that and it was concealed from view, save from above. Considering that Reinhardt was with them, along with a small squad of re-appropriated drones, the skies were safe for now. However, that didn't stop Raven from pulling out a few Semblance glyphs, including the one gifted to her by Tormund, to ensure there was little to no possibility of eavesdroppers.
ARSN, who had collectively arrived with her brother through the portal Tai had set up for them, had watched this ceremony in caution without comment. Sigyn's eyes continued to flicker anxiously, however, as she sat next to her sister, eating what looked to be the stolen contents of a well raided vending machine.
Finally, Raven and Reinhardt concluded that the roof was as spy proof as they could make it.
"So uh," Argent started awkwardly, leaning against the shaded slope of the peak behind him and eating a sandwich. "What's up guys? How've you been?"
"Ya know. Same old same old," Qrow drawled. He was lying flat on his back, a bag of chips readily available.
"Cool, cool -Just getting picked up on terrorism charges then, right?" Argent glanced between the four of them, his expression a mixture of emotions. "I'll admit. I definitely thought it'd be us getting into trouble like that way before you guys."
"Yea right, we wouldn't get caught like a bunch of nerds!" Reinhardt teased, grinning at STRQ's looks for a moment before realizing how grim they were. "Wow. Ok, that bad huh?"
"Yea, no shit, super-cop," Qrow rasped irritably, stuffing a chip into his mouth.
"How dare you call me a slur-"
"Rein," Natalia started.
"Sorry, sorry," Reinhardt grumbled, glancing away.
Raven shared a look with her partner, who seemed to be coming to a decision; they'd already discussed sharing certain things ARSN earlier, and considering Summer's sister was on the team, Raven considered that it would be mostly Summer's call on whether or not they would veil them in.
She was still not really sold on the idea, personally. Especially factoring in how dangerous and close the Service was. However, ARSN had already involved themselves the moment they snooped around the interrogation rooms and harassed Verdant; and frankly, if she was being very honest and a little selfish, she had been glad of their intervention.
Summer exhaled, looking at her sister who looked genuinely stressed.
"Ok. So I think the best place to start would be at the beginning. Because otherwise, this might not make a lot of sense."
"Or we could just toss them into the deep end," Qrow sat up, wiping his face on his sleeve. "Cuz the whole story is gonna take all fuckin day, and we've already missed too much class."
Summer gave him a very particular look, clearly studying his body language and face. Raven, meanwhile, simply brushed over their bond, picking up the loudest emotions being broadcasted. What she felt did not surprise her; she did not, however, snitch on him.
"You don't want to tell them?" Summer asked calmly.
ARSN's feathers collectively ruffled at this, save for Natalia, who like Raven could probably sense the reason as to why.
"Not fuckin, really, Summer, no," Qrow grimaced irritably, looking at their friends. He had pulled his flask out and took a swig. "No offense. I love you guys. I just don't want you to get hurt, too. This is some high risk bullshit, and the fewer people who know all the details the better. And it's…."
"It's very personal?" Natalia queried, giving Qrow a knowing look.
Raven inspected her fingernails, brushing imaginary dirt away.
"Yes. And I would feel goddamn awful if something happened to you guys because of this."
Taiyang looked frustrated and Summer looked particularly serious as she considered everything. Raven, meanwhile, kept finding her eyes drawn to the skies above them.
"No offense, Qrow, but we're already kinda involved? And frankly I have a right to know what's going on with my sister, and I'm sorry if that's stepping on your angsty little piggies or whatever? But you have, like, two options right now," Sigyn started, a dangerous frown settling on her face. "You guys either spill the flippin beans? Or I'm gonna go FIND the beans, and I don't care if them beans are super dangerous or embarrassing, you little edgelord-"
"Sigyn," Argent grunted.
Sigyn's eyes were locked on amber and Raven had no doubt in her mind whatsoever that the other girl would, in fact, find all their beans.
"Sweet, I love ultimatums. Whatever," Qrow waved, flopping back over to stare at the sky. "If this shit backfires, though? Don't say I didn't warn y'all."
"Dude, you're being kind of a jerk," Taiyang observed helpfully.
"Fuck you, Tai."
Tai flipped his partner off with a smile.
"Qrow," Summer started.
"Yea?"
"You're doing the thing again."
"Cool, I don't care-"
"Yes you do," Summer interrupted, her tone brokering no bullshit.
Tai and Raven exchanged looks out of the corner of their eyes nervously.
"Yes you do care. And we can talk about it later? But you need to get your shit together for right now and be better than this. Because we all need to be on the same page to stay safe. Ok?"
Raven almost instinctively winced at the tone, but managed to get over the reflex. Taiyang stretched compulsively, likely trying to self soothe. Apparently, they both got a little nervous when people they cared about got into conflict.
"They already know too much at this point," Summer insisted seriously. "And leaving them halfway in the dark could put them in danger. So I'm going to tell them everything . And I would like your support."
Qrow did not reply to this admonishment, his bond flickering with emotion as he glared at his team leader. Summer held his stare evenly until he looked away.
Raven watched this play out with mounting uncertainty, habitually brushing the feathers at her hip.
I understand where they are both coming from, but I'm really not sure who I agree with on this point.
Previously, she knew would have probably been the one in Qrow's position, insisting on complete secrecy and starting fights with her teammates over their desire to include more people. In fact she still found herself agreeing with him and his perspective; but she also trusted Summer's ability to make the right call and accepted her authority on the matter.
Am I still being objective? Are my feelings - is my relationship...clouding my objectivity? Or am I just changing, little by little?
"So," Summer set her apple core down, having finished it some time ago. From a pouch on her belt she pulled out a piece of mirror. "From the beginning."
Downtown Vale….
Vale had a lot of new construction as of late. A booming, optimistic populace and time of plenty had blessed the young Kingdom for the past two decades, and it had been expanding upwards and outwards at a steady rate; not even the loss of Mountain Glenn had hampered construction or the economy.
In fact, some officials even argued that the loss of the satellite city had been a blessing in disguise, as it seemed to have even spurred growth onwards instead of halting it; not that they ever admitted such out in the open. That would have been in poor taste.
Regardless, there were quite a few projects in the works, and one in particular stood taller than all the rest. A glittering corporate tower who would soon be open for business. Atop said tower was nothing but fresh concrete, a stairwell and the wind; that and a lone falcon.
Said falcon was staring at the city below, gold eyes fixed on the cars, capable of seeing the occupants even at that height. She could see everything, really. The fragile little people living their fragile little lives, blissfully unaware of the dangers around them. They got to enjoy those soft, happy lives because of the sacrifices others made daily.
They had no idea of the sheer cunning and hunger of the threats that existed out in the world. That walked their streets, or flew in their skies. Sat in their classrooms.
Not all monsters looked like Grimm. In fact, the most dangerous were the ones that wore the faces of people; and quietly, gleefully, fed on the innocent lives around them.
"Hello."
The falcon's head turned sharply to glare at the figure that had appeared seemingly from nowhere. They were dressed in mundane, but sturdy looking gear; dark cloak, dark pants, long sleeves, boots. No visible weaponry, but a strange bandolier hung across their chest. A musky scent wafted from their clothes, like burnt wild herbs.
They wore a mask, almost similar to the ones adorned by the leaders of the savage tribes and outlaws that plagued the world. However, unlike it's wild cousins, said mask wasn't very distinct or remarkable; just a flat pale, featureless helm that covered their entire head. All that could be seen were their silver eyes, peering out of black pits.
After a brief flash of hesitation, the falcon leapt into the air and shifted skins, feet landing gently on the concrete.
Regalia appraised the featureless void, aware that she could not even detect their aura; either because they were repressing or concealing it, knowing her abilities. Or, they did not have any. Considering the wild tales told to her by their previous inmates under duress, it was hard to say what was fact and what was fiction.
However, apparently they hadn't been all lies.
"Hello," Regalia returned cautiously.
"You are surprised," they observed.
"I wouldn't say surprised, no," the Lieutenant denied.
A brief silence fell, as the wind gusted off the ocean in the distance and brought the smell of rain and salt.
"Aren't you afraid?" Regalia asked after a moment, confused. "That this could have been a trap of some kind?"
The faceless person stared at her.
"Hmm. No. Are you?"
Regalia puffed up a little at that.
"No," she clasped her hands behind her back. "Well. If you're here, then I take it you are interested."
"That is how that works, yes," they replied. Even their voice was distorted, likely by a microphone of some kind.
"Well. My offer stands-"
"Mmm," the faceless one turned their face up towards the sky, inhaling slowly through their blank mask. "Ocean."
Regalia could feel her temple pulsing, but she was so off-put by the person or entity in front of her that she couldn't find it in herself to get overly angry. She also recognized that trying to brow beat them into submission was not going to get her results.
I must adapt if I am to outsmart my enemies. In my anger and single mindedness, my methods have narrowed and grown brittle; to win, I must evolve.
"Did you know….that in the ocean. There are the remains of great cities?" the faceless one asked her, their voice artificially flat, but carrying a sense of wonder.
Regalia was beginning to question the sanity of her new 'friend'.
"I...did not know that, no," she conceded.
"Most don't," the faceless one started to wander on the rooftop, looking out at the city. "Too many Grimm down there for your people to explore easily. Big, big Grimm. So old. And... so sad."
She eyed them carefully as they roved almost listlessly over the rooftop. They stopped at the ledge before hopping up on it, walking along with their arms out like a bird. Regalia had to stop herself from informing them that Grimm did not actually feel things, but felt it would be wasted on such a person. They weren't exactly grounded in this world; perhaps a side effect of the forces they dealt with.
Regalia considered herself lucky that her own magic was something a bit more practical.
"How did you see these dead cities?" she prompted, trailing after them.
"Trade secret," they paused, wagging their gloved finger. "But that's what you're after, isn't it? All of the little...secrets we keep?"
"In part," she admitted truthfully. "I want to learn everything I can about magic and those that wield it."
Honesty was the best policy with this one. Those eyes saw too much.
"Then you will be very busy," they dropped into a squat on the ledge, balancing dangerously. A strong gust would likely knock them free and sending them sprawling into the abyss. "What price will you pay, far-seer, to learn so much?"
Regalia raised a brow calmly.
"Are we negotiating now? Or is this some kind of riddle?" she asked evenly.
A head wobble.
"No."
Mounting irritation, that Regalia quelled forcefully.
"Then I don't understand the question."
"You will, eventually," they stood up, throwing their arms wide. "You always do. Now! Sing me a song, little seeker! Where do your eyes most wander? What would you like to learn more than anything else in the world?"
Regalia felt her hair tussling in the wind, but the person on the ledge was not affected by the gusts that played and rushed around their ankles.
"I want to know," she started carefully, a strange sense of weight settling around her shoulders and the nape of her neck. "What magic was involved in team STRQ's and Nwyfre Donovan's victory? And how does the King's Service combat and counter such magic in the future."
"Ahhhh, yes, yes, yes - Interesting!" they perched on the ledge again. "You will make many enemies with these questions, you know?"
Regalia's expression set haughtily.
"Then so be it."
She could feel that they were amused, even if she could not see their face.
"Then so be it," they declared, standing suddenly again. "I will find your answers, far-seer. And you will find my payment."
"Indeed," she nodded. "How would you best like me to contact you again?"
They spread their arms again and laughed, a distorted, static-filled sound that still made the hairs on her arms and neck stand up.
"Don't worry! I'll find you at the best moment - but careful, falcon lady! Questions echo far and wide in the halls of the speculorum!" they teased. "And the guardians will come looking! So, be sweet and be smart and cover your mirrors! Or someone naughty might pull you in and it will be your end."
Regalia opened and shut her mouth briefly before finding her tongue once again.
"I...will keep that in mind."
"I hope so," they waved playfully. "Until our next song, far seer."
And then they stepped off the side of the building and dropped.
Startled, Regalia strode to the ledge and looked over the side. There was no falling body, no sign of Semblance use; just the glittering, vacant panes of the skyscraper reflecting the cityscape smoothly back up at her and the sky.