"Hmmm… Yes. It is clear that they were here not too long ago. Several days ago at the latest."
Arthur Watts eyed the little Seer grimm hosting the visage of its fallen Queen inside, intrigued at the inner workings of such a creature. As he had learned many years ago during their first meeting, Salem possessed a unique ability known as 'magic', which held the wondrous ability to defy physics and render his previous understanding of the world somewhat moot. The reveal of magic did such things to the intellectual thinker, unfortunately.
However… it did open up certain opportunities.
Salem's magic had allowed for a great many miracles over the years. Up to and including, supposedly, transmitting some nebulous sense that allowed Salem to identify the happenings of the ever-illusive Silver-Eyed Maiden and her reality-warping Rozen Maiden from all the way across Remnant.
Traveling for days had been something of an enlightening journey for Arthur Watts, as he had made numerous intriguing observations during his journey that, as of late, had remained something of a mystery for his mind to ponder at a later date.
Namely, as to how in the world he possessed such a good connection to the internet despite being in what was essentially the ass-end of nowhere. His custom scroll was transmitting at speeds typically only found within major Kingdoms, where the device was within the same area as a communications tower.
However, as one would likely infer, he had refrained from voicing his intrigue to the Queen. They had not traveled halfway across Remnant in order to test server latency, after all.
"And why would they be here, I wonder?" Arthur mused aloud as he surveyed the surroundings. There was nothing of major import littering the landscape, save for a ruined town that had clearly been annihilated by a grimm some time ago. "There's nothing here."
"They were here, not so much as for the environment itself but for its location," Salem explained. "It is highly likely that this was nothing but a place to rest and recuperate for the travel ahead. However, compared to previous locations, the scent is different here."
He raised a brow. Were her senses so acute as to determine slight variations? Truly, these 'Seer' grimm were of a fascinating design.
"If I may ask, how so?"
"The scent of the Silver-Eyed Maiden intensifies here, to a significant degree. I do suspect that this is where Ruby Rose received the other portion of the Fall Maiden powers."
"The Fall Maiden powers?" Arthur blinked, baffled. "Cinder was killed almost a month ago. If my understanding of the transfer rate of 'magic' is correct, should her retrieval of the Fall Maiden power not have been neigh-instantaneous?"
"You possess quite a strong memory," the visage of Salem mused beneath the haze of the Seer grim. "I had spoken of the exchange rate of Maiden powers across great lengths, in a hypothetical scenario, mere days following Hinaichigo's arrival and Cinder's subsequent demise. I did not expect you to remember, nor for you to apply it to the late Cinder Fall."
He resisted the urge to smirk. Ever since the self-absorbed little brat had ever had the gall to mock Arthur's exemplary work ethic, imagining the many deaths of Cinder Fall throughout her meagre time working for Salem had been something of a guilty pleasure of his. Applying his yearning for her death to practical matters had been something of a mental exercise, as a way to pass the time during dull moments.
"We all have our own pastimes."
"Indeed we do," Salem chuckled, one of many oddities that had begun to present themselves following the introduction of the Sixth Rozen Maiden doll. Not that he would say such a thing aloud, but a more relaxed Salem was equal parts comforting as it was damning. An invested heart could be shattered with little effort, as his lumbering oaf of a former rival could attest towards. It was Arthur's job as a respected peer in order to look out for the interests of his Queen. Hinaichigo herself may pose no threat, but those connected to the little doll were quite powerful indeed, and likely wouldn't hesitate to use Salem's newfound 'empathy' against her.
"You were saying? The Fall Maiden power?"
"Ah, yes. It is my belief that the two halves of the Fall Maiden powers were unified in this area. Which, considering that this scent is mere days old, should not be possible in this particular scenario. Namely, a burst of Maiden power unattached to an aura and thus unable to be stored in an aura transfer device. Any theories as to how this occurred, Dr. Watts?"
He frowned beneath his brow, eyeing the bleak landscape with barely-hidden derision. Why? That was the question, wasn't it? Why would anyone wish to come here for any prolonged period of time? There was nothing around here but ruins, bleak reminders of past failures that did little more than serve as locations of despair to bring forth the grimm. More so, the grimm were relentless in this area, their crimson eyes belayed only through Salem's dark powers. Why would one absorb the Fall Maiden power in this place, and how?
There were too many contributing variables that argued against the scenario that Salem presented. However, he knew better than to believe her to have been fooled. Magic was a trump card, after all.
"...Magic," he breathed in realisation.
"Hm? What are you suggesting?"
"Magic," Arthur continued aloud as the idea surged forth in his mind. "The extraneous variable that affects all else. The trump card that defies physics and opens up possibilities outside common knowledge. In this case, something akin to the idea of 'magic' would hold the ability to manipulate an implausible event into one within the realm of possibility."
The Seer grimm writhed in place, as Salem's voice came out noticeably deeper. "...Are you suggesting Ozpin is involved?"
Swallowing, Arthur quickly shook his head. That hadn't been what he had been implying, for he knew all too well the dangers of suggesting Ozpin's involvement in a matter without concrete evidence. Many a time during their service, numerous associates of Salem had been tasked with eradicating any-and-all topics deemed associated with Ozpin in any way. As one Headmaster Lionheart had found out, such things were easier said than done as the coward willingly sent off pawn after pawn of Ozpin's for slaughter in the hopes of quelling the Queen's fury.
"No. It is far too soon for him to reincarnate, given your prior reports on the duration between reincarnations. However, we do have data on a similar force to magic that has been observed to be capable of shifting things in its favour. One that is uniquely invested in the development of our illusive Silver-Eyed Maiden."
Salem's projected expression lessened into a thin line, as the Seer's boneless limbs shifted in slow motions. "Rozen Maiden. You're suggesting that Kirakishou had a hand in manipulating the Maiden powers."
"Indeed," Arthur confirmed with a nod of his head. "We have all read the reports of Hinaichigo's description of the Rozen Maiden and the powers they possess. Kirakishou, in particular, seems to hold a higher degree of manipulation over the N-Field than the other dolls. Using her connection with Ruby Rose and her mastery of this 'N-Field', she may have been able to prevent the Maiden power from reaching Ruby until this moment. Although, the reason behind it eludes me."
Nothing more than a small prod. A request to understand.
"Silver-Eyed Maidens are a rare, curious sort. They are not known for their restraint. Point being, I am surprised to find surviving vegetation, let alone in such quantities," Salem's voice waned for a moment, before continuing. "Regardless of the reason, I find myself agreeing with your hypothesis, Dr. Watts. Impressive deduction. I would suggest that you investigate this area for any strange events."
Arthur hummed at the assessment, pleased to be recognised. However, he knew the wording for what it was- a deflection. There was nary a shred of doubt in his mind that Salem possessed some intrinsic understanding of the Seventh Rozen Maiden outside of what she had shared with the rest of her court. For why else would she go so far as to empower a Silver-Eyed Warrior, a threat, and have him journey halfway across Remnant in search of them? It didn't make sense to his current understanding of the situation. And Salem wasn't offering any relevant data that would clue him into her reasoning.
Silver-Eyed Warriors. Silver-Eyed Maidens. One part myth, one part warning. Data concerning the two nebulous factions was tightly controlled by the likes of Salem and Ozpin, immortals locked in some bizarre power struggle the likes of which he could not rightly articulate without fear of retribution. Plans could be made that would take several lifetimes to bear fruit. Arthur Watts and the rest of Salem's council knew little of the Silver-Eyed Warriors, having only encountered their ilk a handful of times over the years according to older members, but Silver-Eyed Maidens were supposedly a step above.
None had encountered one before, barring Salem herself. Thus, the question remained- why in the world did the concept of Silver-Eyed Maidens necessitate such careful planning? What was he missing?
"A quaint little village, is it not?" Salem mused aloud from within the Seer, her ethereal voice carrying some thicker emotion.
Arthur resisted the urge to scoff as he eyed the town, taking the implied request and walking towards the desolate ruins. It was nothing out of the ordinary, even for just this trip alone. Another in a long line of ruined towns once filled with fools who believed that their small community was sufficient in defending against the grimm.
He did not rightly understand why the Silver-Eyed Maiden had chosen this spot to assimilate the other half of the Fall Maiden powers, nor why the Seventh Rozen Maiden would theoretically chose this location either. The negative emotions from witnessing, let alone resting inside of, such a desolate area, would be more than enough to summon a veritable horde of grimm.
It was the reason why so many ruins remained standing, frozen in their moment of tragedy. Repairing or even scrapping such sites often caused more of a hassle than what was deemed acceptable to most. Why would the sheep send more of their kind for slaughter, when they can remain safe and secure within their pens? It had been such pseudo-pacifistic thinking that had prevented true advancement from occurring in Remnant and necessitated Arthur's departure from Atlas in the first place.
"Shiragiku, the Pale Village," Arthur read from a ruined sign, chuckling as he gazed at the soot-stained walls and broken buildings. "I must say, your grimm have quite the talent for destruction."
Salem chuckled alongside him. Months ago, the sound of her laughter alone would have been found only within some horrid fever dream, or layered amidst the screams of victims trapped within her dark tower. Instead, nowadays, it was but a simple gesture of amusement for his statement. Nothing more, nothing less.
"I do agree. But, enough of that for now. Let us investigate further into this… Pale Village."
"Right, of course."
Pushing further inwards, Arthur surveyed the surrounding desolate area for any signs of what had intrigued the dark Queen. Suffice to say, his interest was peaked in the ways of 'magic' and how they could be utilised in the future. Darling little Hinaichigo was one such wondrous creation, and Arthur had been fascinated with the intricacies of magic ever since he had first laid eyes upon the animated doll.
Perhaps, in a way, this was how his old rival once felt? Not that he cared about such things, of course.
"Hm. A lot of damage around this section," Arthur mused aloud, gesturing over to a small ruined building when Salem looked his way. "Have you noticed the lack of dust? A ruin like this should be almost completely overtaken by nature and rot at this point, yet this presents clear evidence that much of the area was unsettled recently."
"An acute observation," Salem commented, the Seer grimm shifting forwards and bobbing down to allow the Queen a closer view of the damage. "Little evidence of magical intent, however. Our Silver-Eyed Maiden was not the one to upset this area. Not directly, in the very least."
Arthur nodded along with Salem's words, taking them for what they were. She was, after all, the foremost expert on all things magical and thus the Maiden powers promptly fell under her area of expertise. The Silver-Eyed Maiden, as it would appear, also fell under the same category.
"This is all rather strange though, isn't it?"
"Hm, what do you mean?"
Arthur gestured around to the surrounding area. "You say that a Grimm Wyvern awakened around this area, but we have found no evidence of its destruction. No unending flames, nor any noticeable damage to the surrounding forest or walls beyond expected values. Should there not be signs of a significant battle?"
At first, Arthur had paid it no mind, content to learn more information about the ever-illusive Silver-Eyed Maiden that had captivated Salem's attention for the past several months rather than bother with investigating some broken failure of a village. However, as he continued to walk through the uninterrupted town, noticing only the slightest signs of movement instead of some grand Wyvern statue frozen in time, it had become increasingly apparent that something was amiss. Something that had to do with their Silver-Eyed Maiden and her Rozen Maiden doll.
"Indeed, Dr. Watts. I had begun to notice it as well. I am certain that the Grimm Wyvern was slain in this area, quite abruptly mind you, but there is no evidence of its death."
"Could they be cleaning up after their kills?" Arthur suggested, stroking his chin in thought. It was a rare trait for hunters and huntresses, who were trained to kill quickly and efficiently with little regard for the decaying bodies of grimm, but perhaps they had changed their mode of operation in response to the emergence of the Silver-Eyed powers.
As his studies had indicated, the decay rate of grimm could be accelerated immensely by severing multiple body parts of the creature during or after an encounter. Barely noticeable for the smaller grimm, but the increased volume of colossal grimm would make the accelerated decay far more significant. A useful tool if discretion was a requirement.
Naturally, the fool Ironwood had shot down his findings as a needless endeavour, the idea of covert operations carrying with it a certain stigma that the militaristic old oaf simply could not ignore.
"It is indeed possible," Salem agreed with a nod. "However, there should be evidence of the resultant fight. This particular grimm had been enraged at the time of its death. I am quite surprised that the surrounding forest is still standing, let alone flourishing."
Once again, Arthur furrowed his brow in deep thought. It was clear that he would be forced to remain within Shiragiku for some time in order to sort out this mess.
"Four-hundred lien. No more, no less."
Grumbling, Qrow reached into his wallet, pulling out the correct currency and handing them over to the clerk with a frown on his face as he grabbed his bag of groceries and high-tailed it out of there, ignoring the wary glances sent towards his giant fuck-off sword. Ever since the event over at Vale, the price of trade had gone to shit and everyone was trying to get their own cut, oftentimes by force. Buying even the bare essentials at a farmer's market was costing an arm and a leg, and worse was that people knew it.
Even now, hours after the banks had opened for trade today, there was still a massive queue. Many of the less reputable tellers, those known only to certain individuals of less-than-stellar disposition, possessed similar queues leading out the building and into the neighbouring street, which completely negated their relative subtlety. Everyone was struggling to access their funds, if they were even lucky enough to possess any in the first place.
Sure, he had an absolute ton of lien saved up over the years, thanks to some of the more daring pursuits in team STRQ paying out with hefty rewards once completed, but actually accessing the funds was a pain and a half. Whatever incident occurred at Vale had left the global communications network up and running, but actual transmissions were intermittent with no discernible method of reliably accessing the internet at any given moment. Oftentimes data would arrive corrupted, requiring considerable effort to clean before any functional information could be accessed.
Or, that was what the teller had explained to him, at the very least. Qrow had a tad bit more intel on his side of the fence as to what was actually causing all the hassle over the globe. Whatever fuckery had occurred up in Vale had, inexplicably, made it neigh-impossible for the global economy to function the way that it did before. He wasn't that much of a tech-savvy guy, none of his team had been, but it didn't take some elite Atlesian guru to discern that one of the Cross Continental Transmit towers, namely the one in Vale, had been affected by the collapse of Vale.
Could be a result of the White Fang invasion, the grimm being themselves and ruining anything half decent, Kirakishou's crystals jutting about the place and twisting the landscape, or just the result of a bunch of half-mad huntsmen and huntresses fighting to survive the chaos. Even a stray dust round in the right place of that blasted tower could have temporarily sent them all back to the pre-technological age. The fact that the tower was still functioning at all was nothing short of a miracle. And a concern.
Qrow had spoken to numerous refugees of the Vale incident, survivors fleeing as far away from the continent as possible, and many a voice had spoken of how the scene had looked nearing the end. Entire buildings had been overrun with crystal, strange structures birthed through the ground and towering above as the very sky twisted. As the corruption continued to spread, Qrow could easily infer that there was a good chance that not a single building had been able to survive.
So, why was the transmit tower in Vale still occasionally transmitting and receiving information?
'Bah. The whole world's gone to shit. This is just one more incident to add to a great big pile of fuck-ups.'
Worse still was that supposedly the old man, Oz himself, had bit the big one. Oum-knows how long it'd take for the man to reincarnate once again. Until then, Qrow was stuck on his own, carrying around a cane that had no doubt been through more shit than his lonesome self. Heh. What a thought that was. Shame the blasted thing couldn't drink. Would certainly make a better drinking partner than just about anyone in this broken town.
Qrow wove his way through the ass-end of some messed-up mountainous Mistralian city, Kuchinashi if he remembered the signs correctly, vegetables held protectively under his cloak as rain continued to bucket down and drench the world a horrid grey shade. He supposed the city itself wasn't half bad, if one ignored all the shady dealings going about, alongside all the civilians up to their wits end in debt and loss. The cracks and crevices carved into the mountainside had a certain artistic charm, probably. Lots of back alleys, most leading to clubs and establishments hosted by less than reputable patrons.
The place was a maze, really. A rainy, wet, miserable maze filled with poor sods looking to make it big before they got laid to rest and forgotten.
Made a great hideout for a great many different types of people. Qrow could understand why a sizeable amount of the White Fang had jumped ship with him as Sienna dropped him off some weeks ago. Deserters weren't treated that well in the White Fang, about as well as deserters deserved to be treated, but it was a heck of a lot better than the alternative in most cases. Wherever the heck Sienna's main encampment was nowadays, likely was going to be filled to the brim with twitchy faunus suffering from their failed stunt in Vale. The world was out for blood, looking for somebody to blame, and if it caught wind of the White Fang's involvement in Vale then it'd cause a mass panic that would put Vale's Vytal Festival to shame.
The government powers wouldn't even need to search for Sienna's base. They'd need only to follow the grimm. For once, it seemed those in charge were doing the smart thing and keeping the news of the White Fang's involvement a secret. Provided everyone kept their heads down, the confusion would subside and grimm attacks would lessen to a more manageable rate.
Unfortunately, the deserting White Fang had been as inclined to listen to Qrow's advice as they had been Sienna's warnings, scattering to the wind and going their own separate ways. No-doubt he'd be seeing a few of their faces in the news soon enough. Been a while since he's seen someone in the obituaries that he'd personally known. Served as a good warning about getting too close to others.
Thankfully, his faunus squeeze on the White Fang hadn't been among the deserters, or else Qrow felt there was a good chance that delving through the city's scum in search of a missing woman would become a major quest of his. No. Instead, she was safe aboard Sienna's stolen Atlesian transport.
Heh. Safe.
"...dn't you hear?" Qrow passed by a group of people, farmers by the looks of them, speaking up outside some dingy cafe. He slowed in his walk, listening in. Rumours and hearsay were some of the best pastimes of his in this quaint little shithole. "Supposedly, there's a bunch of newcomers in town. Been asking questions."
Qrow snorted to himself. Even the most scatterbrained conman or two-bit thief knew that blatantly asking questions in a new area was a good way to get your names and faces plastered about across town. Anonymity bred visibility if one was new to the art. Qrow was lucky to have been taught young, but it was clear that not all were as lucky as him.
Heh. Lucky. What a fucking joke.
"Yeah?" the other responded, an older man with a noticeable twang to his voice. "Fools. People who ask questions 'round these parts don't last too long. 'Specially at the moment."
"Hah, don't have to tell me twice," the two men chuckled at some inside joke. "But, I ain't too sure about these folk. Word around town is that they're the huntin' sort, if you get my drift. Armed to the teeth."
Qrow perked up, intrigued. Hunters or Huntresses, perhaps? Could be mercenaries, as well. Regardless of their particular slice of cake, well-armed figures asking questions was cause for concern. Though, not particularly much for his sake, as he'd given the run-around to all sorts of heavily armed jugheads in his heydays, but it was likely to stir up some figures that'd best wish to remain hidden.
He made his way past the two gents chatting by the cafe. It wasn't his business. If a bunch of fools armed with weapons wanted to play private detective then he sure as dust wasn't going to get in their way. The city would deal with them sure enough, same as it did for everyone that it didn't like. It was just the way the world worked.
"Rumour in the wind is that they're looking for Spider."
"Ummm… excuse me? Did you just say Spider?"
Qrow turned around, just in time for his eyes to discern a mop of familiar black-red hair in the distance, walking up the cafe patrons clad in a ruined cloak with her scythe all folded up on her hip and a ratty umbrella held tightly in her hands. What in the world was she doing here?
He quickly darted off into a nearby alleyway when he noticed her eyes scanning the horizon, looking around at the pedestrians walking the street.
'I'd recognise that voice anywhere. Ruby. What have you gotten yourself into?'
Ruby Rose. Daughter of Tai and Summer. He'd damn-near raised the girl on his lonesome for several years following Summer's death and Tai's descent. As time went by, despite his semblance, Qrow managed to stick around and even developed something of a fondness for the little squirt, thinking of her as his own blood in a way.
Damn it all. He loved the girl like a daughter. He was man enough to admit it. Squirt even looked like him.
However, ever since the Laplace fiasco where some demented sadist with a possession semblance stole his body and ran it across Remnant, slaughtering a great many innocents for its sick display, things had been different for the trainee huntress. At the top of the transmit tower in Vale that night, Qrow Branwen had bore witness to another side of Ruby Rose.
He'd seen, through his own eyes, the lengths that Summer's daughter had gone to defeat the 'Laplace' entity, as it rambled on about some 'Alice Game' and the girl that Ozpin had eventually requested him to locate and promptly eliminate, Kirakishou.
Laplace-no-ma had been entirely fixated on returning Kirakishou to this 'Alice Game', the details of which had explained later as some kind of blood sport between sisters, and its words had enraged Ruby into attacking Laplace. She was a fierce little sprite when she was pissed off, Qrow would give her that. Damn-near chopped his freaking head off on a variety of occasions during the fight.
He decided it was best to hold off the reunion for now, instead opting to listen in and try and figure out why in the world his niece was in town asking people about a notorious crime syndicate of all things. Heck, she'd been close with Kirakishou before the whole Vale incident. She might even have some understanding of what's happening over there.
"-know of 'em," he caught the tail end of the patron's reply, the gent seeming oddly informative for a person who was shit-talking mere moments before. "Everyone does. What's it to you?"
"We, um, I need to talk with them. It's really important. Can you please help me find them?"
Qrow scoffed to himself. His niece was many things, but she was as transparent as a damn glass window whenever she was trying to hide information. It was clear that she hadn't come alone, likely with her team-mates or even fellow survivors from Vale, and they were probably planning to use Spider to gather information.
What kind of information they were looking for was the question. People only went to an information broker as infamous as Spider when they were looking for the kind of information that most folk would pay good money to stay hidden. It certainly wasn't like she was going to get quality dirt on Spider from a bunch of random civvies just because she said-
"...Look for the spider symbols on the walls near West and 3rd. They'll show you the way. That's all we can tell you, now leave us alone."
'You've got to be kidding me.'
Qrow quickly assumed his bird form as Ruby darted in his direction, narrowly avoiding detection as the red-clad trainee huntress passed his hiding spot as she bid farewell to the two remarkably helpful cafe patrons and headed in the direction they had outlined. There was something going on here, and Qrow was going to get to the bottom of it. Ruby showing up in Kuchinashi looking for Spider was all kind of suspicious. What could she be looking for?
How'd she even hear about Spider in the first place? None of the greens at Beacon had looked the type to know about such things. And Spider certainly didn't make a habit of informing outsiders about itself.
He flew up to the rooftops in a flutter of wings, quickly assuming his human form after the aches from flying in the heavy rain grew too painful to handle. Carefully jumping from rooftop to rooftop, he remained on Ruby's tail, keeping a watchful eye of his niece as she weaved through the crowded rainy streets of the Mistralian town with nary an issue like the expert introvert he knew all too well. Her hood was up, which Qrow personally knew to be something of a nervous tic, signalling that she was uncomfortable.
...Or just avoiding the rain, considering it was bucketing down pretty hard right about now. But his instincts as a huntsman and a deadbeat uncle told him that it wasn't due to some annoyance with the weather, though she'd likely say the opposite were anyone to ask.
Ruby moved through the streets with swift strides, occasionally glancing around at the various stores and markets with a casual eye in what Qrow perceived as an effort to distance herself from her actions. Typical teenager behaviour, really. Distract and push forward, regardless of the consequences. Though he didn't need to be an uncle to know that. His years at Beacon had paid off in a multitude of ways, after all.
Eventually, his niece slowed in her paces, pulling out her scroll and rapidly typing out what Qrow could only assume was a quick message. After a few moments spent idly glancing around a small parkland, she looked back down at her scroll and moved towards a small building. A bakery, by the looks of it. Not one that Qrow knew personally. Two cloaked figures walked out towards a small undercover section of the walkway, one of them, the smaller of the two, carried a small plastic bag that was handed over to an ecstatic-looking Ruby.
'Supplies, I bet. Clearly something more than just bread, given Ruby's reaction. Means they knew what to get her. Friends from the Academy?'
Thankfully, Qrow was in a position to overhear their conversation without too much trouble. A scarce blessing, all things considered.
"Ah! Thank you thank you thank you!" Ruby gushed, cradling the bakery goods protectively. "Finally! No more rations! Ah! This is wonderful!"
An all-too-familiar, bone-chilling giggle was heard. One that Qrow had heard all throughout his life, whether it be during the better moments of his life, or relived through his darker thoughts. "You're welcome, my little owl. I know how much you missed proper food."
Summer Rose. She had been revived once again. Qrow had read the reports from Old Oz. One of the few times he'd bothered to do his paperwork had been to read about the brief revival of Summer Rose, one that had been reportedly cut short by Laplace-no-ma.
He had no memory of the event, thankfully. Or else he'd be drowning his sorrows something fierce. So, clearly, the possessor had used another body to do the deed.
Despite requesting to speak with her numerous times during her detainment at Beacon (and attempting to simply waltz in and chat), he'd been unable to get so much as a simple chat with the legendary revived huntress before her subsequent second death. As far as Qrow had learned, Ironwood had been keeping her doll body somewhere in Vale for 'study'. It would appear that Summer Rose's body had been retrieved and revived.
Which, in turn, would mark the smaller hooded figure as none other than-
"Please, enjoy the treat, my beloved rose. I am told it is quite delicious. A little treat before the main event, hm?"
Kirakishou.
They all seemed to be traveling together following the fall of Vale, despite Kirakishou's obvious involvement. Which implied that they were either complicit with the blonde's involvement, or, alternatively, compliant.
The idea of his sweet little niece being partially responsible for the destruction of an entire city was not something that Qrow thought he would ever have to consider. Ruby Rose is, or at least had been, a gentle soul trying to find her place in the world. Meeting and promptly falling for Kirakishou had changed the girl for the worst, to the point where Qrow was beginning to believe that Ruby very likely knew of Kirakishou's involvement and couldn't care less.
But, where did Summer Rose come in? And why were the three of them in some down-and-out Mistralian city seeking Spider of all organisations? If Ruby wasn't a part of some rabble of Vale survivors, but one of the perpetrators of the incident herself, what in world was their particular group looking for? What was of such importance? What piece of this puzzle was he missing?
My beloved rose.
It was so weird to hear Kirakishou call her that again. From what she could remember, it had been several months since the doll had called her by such a title, preferring to use either Ruby's own name or the title of 'Master'. It sent little tingles down her spine, a familiar sort of warmth that clashed violently against the colder rainy climate.
Her doll always knew exactly what to say in order to cause her to feel such strange feelings…
"R-Right," Ruby clutched the bag a little tighter around her body, feeling the warmth boldly colouring her cheeks despite the ever-present chill of the cold weather. "How did things go on your side?"
Here, Summer levelled a wry look in Kirakishou's direction, the small blonde doll blushing demurely and looking down at the ground. "As I knew would eventually happen, we had an incident with Kirakishou's N-Field," Summer explained as Ruby gasped in worry. "Suffice to stay, it would be best if we do not stay in Kuchinashi for any longer than strictly necessary."
Ruby grimaced. "Well, perhaps it's for the best. Besides, I kinda like traveling around with you both," she said, earning a light giggle from both dolls, which Ruby considered an improvement. She looked over at Kirakishou, "I, um, I know that you both don't really need to eat, but do you want to try some?"
In particular, she remembered a moment in time when Kirakishou had discovered that Ruby knew how to cook a few basic meals and had expressed a desire to sample her cooking. The look that the doll had sent her way that day had been… heated. While she didn't have the necessary materials to start cooking (nor the time considering Kirakishou's little accident at the behest of Cinder), eating some tasty treats together could be considered a step towards that sweet moment.
"Perhaps, one day," the little blonde Rozen Maiden politely declined, before a flicker of a smile curled on her lips. "I haven't forgotten that you know how to cook yourself, Ruby. I would very much enjoy tasting one of your meals."
...As it would appear, they both remembered that particular moment.
"U-Um! Right! But, um, changing the subject…" Ruby gracefully deflected with all the subtlety of an armour-piercing round ripping through a napkin, "I found out something about Spider! Apparently, they have symbols on the walls near West and 3rd. We can use them to find Spider itself."
"Good work, my little owl," Summer smiled warmly at her, pride shining in her silver eyes. She felt a little bad about immediately changing the subject, but if it would lead to her Mom smiling at her like that, she hoped that Kirakishou wouldn't mind. "I knew that people would be more willing to listen to you."
She puffed her cheeks in annoyance, recognising the tell-tale signs of a parent using her 'Rubyness' (Yang's words) for their own goals. It had been a staple of her life when growing up. Oum, even Yang did it at times, to get free sweets and the like.
Still, though, oddly enough she found herself smiling after a moment. How long had it been since that had been a thing for her, outside of with Yang and Dad?
"I-I guess…" she trailed off, shyly drawing circles with her boot at the conflicting emotions clashing about inside her. "But, we really should be going. If what you said about Spider is true, they don't sound like the type of people that we should just ignore. We should deal with them, quickly."
Kirakishou and Summer both nodded in turn with her statement, both dolls having access to the memories of Spider that Ruby had been referring to in the first place. They hadn't shared much information about their exact plan to deal with Spider in the first place, but she didn't particularly mind. A part of her, admittedly, was hoping that their discussion with Spider would lead to a brawl. She could feel her Silver Maiden powers churning beneath her veins, yearning to express themselves in some grand display.
...And Ruby was feeling particularly inclined to agree. What better group to test her abilities on than a bunch of criminals that nobody would miss? Besides, then they could just cause another 'accident' with Kirakishou and gain whatever information they needed through her N-Field.
"Of course, Ruby. Please, lead the way."
She smiled at Kirakishou, inwardly hoping that the doll could read her thoughts, and moved to depart. However, a quick flurry of mechanical movement drew her attention and she whirled back around to find Summer staring at the top of some distant building with her massive weapon clutched tightly and a snarl on her face.
"Mom?"
There was no initial reply from the doll that was her Mother, as Summer's eyes scanned the rooftops for some perceived threat. Ruby followed along and withdrew her own weapon, peering through the scope of Crescent Rose and finding nothing but empty rooftops barely visible in the rain. Oh! No, wait. There was a bird.
"...It's nothing, Mom. Just a bird. Let's go. Please?"
Eventually, Summer tore her narrowed-eyed gaze away from the vacant spot and collapsed Null Value back onto its resting place on her back. "Very well then, let us depart. Quickly."
Kirakishou watched the entire scene with a peculiar smile on her face, as her lone slit amber eye shined beautifully in the rain. Ruby coloured at the look on her doll, imagining going out and dancing in the rain with her beloved.
One day, when things are quiet and we aren't hunting criminals… perhaps, then, we can dance, and I'll cook food for us all. It'll be like the Vytal Festival Dance all over again, but better. That would be nice.
Moving through the streets of Kuchinashi wasn't nearly as difficult as Ruby had originally feared, the company of two dolls serving as ample reassurance for her troubled mind as it struggled to handle the bustling crowds filled with cutthroats and frenzied civilians, many of which had been negatively impacted as a direct result of her Rozen Maiden.
Were Ruby not cautious, Kirakishou's identity could be discovered and they may very well have to fight their way out of the town. And then, what would they do? Where would they go? Summer had stressed that this Mistral town was important, and, more-so, Kirakishou had agreed with her. Thus, Ruby was inclined to have faith in the two dolls having some sort of plan for the future, and had followed them without complaint. The only issue being that they were too well-known.
Were it not for the terrible weather forcing everyone to cover up, there would have been a good chance that the group would have been discovered on sight alone.
...Even if they were mostly criminals and bad people, Ruby really didn't want to have to fight them all. From her meagre understanding of the power of the Silver-Eyed Maiden thrumming through her veins, it didn't really understand the phrase 'restraint'. As a result, it had become her duty to teach it, even when her very instincts surged with a wave of protective anger over a bunch of meaningless rabble having the utter gall to hurt her beloved Rozen Maiden. They deserved-
Ruby shook her head and continued moving ahead of the group. Perhaps their discussion with Spider breaking out into a fight wouldn't be a good thing after all.
"Look over there," Summer's voice spoke up from behind her, the doll of her Mother pointing over Ruby's shoulder and off in the distance.
Following Summer's direction, Ruby could spot a small circular symbol resting on the edge of a piece of wooden support besides the entrance to a small corner street, it looked a bit out of place, but it was too far for her to discern properly. Moving closer alongside her group, she could see that the symbol depicted a small spider resting in a circular web.
"...Spider," Kirakishou answered for her, smiling placidly at the two Roses. "They have a beautiful symbol, do they not? Resting amidst webs of their own design, reaching out. Very fitting."
Ruby grimaced. "...Yeah, fitting…" she muttered, her thoughts on creepy crawlies only serving to remind her of a particular spider-infested ruin in another Mistral town. She couldn't believe that she'd done the deed with Kirakishou mere meters away from a whole slew of the things.
'Then again…' she paused, a thought coming to her. 'I remember Kirakishou's reading room had a lot of vines that looked kind of like a web… hm… perhaps they aren't that bad?'
"Your semblance is very impressive," the smaller doll complimented her Mother, to Summer's tight-lipped smile.
"Well, it has its uses," her Mother answered, before nodding forward. "Look, further ahead. It looks like we're expected."
Sure enough, Ruby could see that, further down the alley, there was a group of onlookers that seemed a little too interested in them. A few faunus and humans, with weapons of varying sorts. They all wore gear that revealed a tattoo on their left shoulder which bore a similar design to the symbol on the wall.
'Spider,' Ruby realised, hands slowly reaching for her weapon-
"Master, please," Kirakishou spoke up, reaching forward and grabbing Ruby's wrist before it could grasp her weapon. "They are guides. Messengers. They mean us no harm."
Pouting, Ruby nodded. "Well, okay, but you owe me, Kira."
The doll gave her a heartwarming smile, nodding softly. Then, she turned to Summer. "...Ne, Summer, it would be best if we were to follow them from a distance, yes? They seem like a flighty bunch…"
Summer took a glance at Ruby, before nodding. "Of course. Ruby, Kirakishou, please stand behind me and follow along from a distance. I'll lead for the moment."
She nodded along, fingers twitching to reach forward and grasp Kirakishou's hand as the doll let go of her wrist, before her training kicked in and she resisted the desire. It wouldn't be good to be caught holding hands were they to walk into an ambush. She'd need both hands for Crescent Rose, if the situation came down to it.
Although, she really hoped it didn't. She wasn't sure she'd be able to hold back her powers.
...Though it would be fun.
After a brief pause standing there in the rain and allowing the group of potential Spider members to gain some distance, Summer began slowly moving forwards, with Ruby and Kirakishou following alone. Ruby subtly glanced at her doll and wished that she could remain as calm as Kirakishou appeared, a soft smile present on her delicate face that shone with hidden intent. She was so strong.
Both Ruby and her newly awakened powers as a Silver-Eyed Maiden agreed that this particular facet of her partner was one that she enjoyed immensely. A strong force, capable of shifting the very world to her whims. What kind of threat did a mere group of cutthroats pose in comparison?
They were led through a down-and-out alleyway, the tail ends of several ruined shops passing them by- many of which appeared to have been run out of the neighbourhood long ago, having left only husks in their wake. Empty shells that weren't worth fighting for. Nobody would miss them, nobody would love them.
Spider had dominated this section of Kuchinashi, entirely. They had swallowed it whole, made it their own. Resting on webs of their own design, just as Kirakishou had said. For that, Ruby felt the strangest sense of respect for the group surfacing in her gut. It reminded her of a rudimentary form of Kirakishou's own ability with her N-Field. Complete territorial domination. Kind of impressive, in a morbid sort of way.
Inversely, she despised these people for emulating her beloved doll.
Summer abruptly stopped, as the group of thugs up ahead entered what looked to be a dingy bar of some kind. Ruby wrinkled her nose, a familiar smell assaulting her nose that her once-upon-a-time mind had previously associated with the shenanigans of her drunken uncle.
"We're here," Summer spoke, gesturing them forward. As they walked up the building, her Mother continued. "No armed guards out the front. Given the welcoming party at the start of the alleyway, they had us made a long time ago."
Ruby nodded along, feeling distinctly uncomfortable in the middle of an alleyway, darting up around the tall buildings and spotting several vantage points. How many eyes had been on them as they entered the alleyway? How many weapons had been trained on them?
"What do we do?" she asked.
Summer's reply was a simple, tight-lipped frown. "...Be ready for anything."
Steeling her gut, Ruby nodded and pushed forward, Kirakishou trailing in her wake. The two girls followed as Summer approached the entrance to the bar, the door opening before she arrived. Summer paused, grimaced, and entered. Ruby and Kirakishou quickly followed after.
The smell of ash and alcohol assaulted her nose immediately, as the heavy sound of chatter from a multitude of patrons flooded her ears. The bar was packed, people from all different walks of life clustered together in several groups all around the building, the same, all-too-familiar tattoo branded on their left shoulder.
Her instincts, -or was it her power?- could divine several sets of eyes snapping to glance at their group for a chaste moment, assessing, before resuming their activities. They seemed a suspicious lot, as Ruby could easily make out several conversations sounding far more stilted than they had before, sounding almost like a poor school play than honest dialogue.
Talking to hide their caution, presenting a facade while remaining on high alert.
"...Summer Rose, hmm?" a female voice called out from deeper into the bar, the crowd immediately silencing at the announcement. Hesitantly, they all stepped towards the voice, tracing the sound to a blonde-haired heavy-set older woman sitting in the far back, surrounded by armed guards. "Heard you were dead. But, then again, I've been hearing many conflicting stories these days."
"...Lil' Miss Malachite, I presume."
Ruby blinked. She was Lil' Miss Malachite? The one that Summer and Kirakishou had been looking for? Her eyes darted towards Kirakishou, to see what looked to be some degree of idle curiosity present on the doll's immaculate face, yet no sense of recognition. Clearly, they had known of Spider through the memories of Kirakishou's gathered seedlings, yet they didn't know what she looked like? Weird.
"You presume correctly," the now-revealed Lil' Miss Malachite confirmed with a wry sneer. "Now, you see, it's not any day that the supposed perpetrators behind the destruction of Vale waltz into my merry abode like they've got something to hide. I imagine there would be quite the story behind why you all chose that course of action, yes? I'd be positively inclined to hear about it if you would be so kind."
"...Information," Summer answered curtly. "You have some information and we would like to barter for it."
Lil' Miss Malachite leaned forward on the desk, raising a brow as she peered up at the three women. "You know, there's a might bunch that would pay quite the pretty lien for a bunch of walking myths and legends, such as yourselves…" several of the bar patrons jeered, standing up from their seats and reaching for their weapons. "What's to stop my associates here from capturing you lot and making millions, hmm?"
Summer merely chuckled. The sound alone was enough to make Ruby freeze in her tracks, her hand mere inches away from Crescent Rose.
"We have something of yours. Something that we all know is worth far more than anything you can get from the bounties in Atlas."
Lil' Miss Malachite hummed curiously, leaning back in her chair. "Oh? Do tell?"
In response, Summer merely looked over her shoulder towards Kirakishou. Ruby's eyes followed, watching as the small blonde doll stepped forward.
"...Considering you seem to have some knowledge as to what occurred in Vale," Summer spoke aloud, "you would also know that they were very few who made it out unscathed. Would you like to know what happened to those that remained inside?"
Before Ruby could so much as blink, Kirakishou abruptly lurched as a mass of teal crystal erupted out from her body, pale white vines and roses crawling through the mass of cracks as crystals shot up and grew up to the ceiling, completely covering the doll and growing beyond her. Weapons were drawn in an instant from dozens of fearful patrons-
"-Wait!" Lil' Miss Malachite shot up out of her desk, eyes wide as if she couldn't believe what she was seeing. She stepped forward, tentatively, and peered into the crystal. Ruby followed along. She could see…. people?
Two girls.
"Melanie and Militia Malachite," Summer spoke aloud. "They were working with Hei Xiong of the Xiong Family at the time of the destruction of Vale, and were promptly taken into Kirakishou's N-Field. Now, we can release them both, alive and well, if you are willing to cooperate."
A/N:
Boom! Another one!
Thank you all for the positive feedback on the last chapter. I'm glad everyone seemed to like it. Been loving reading the thoughts everyone has on the Rozen Maiden and how the Remnant branch of the Alice Game is progressing. Glad that I seemed to get the other doll's personalities correct, thank you 'ThanosofTitan' for that. Big shoutout to 'amerdism' for the massive review regarding Kirakishou, much of which features thoughts that are intrinsic to the story itself. I encourage you all to check it out. Thanks again to 'argorok', 'Cataquack Warrior', and 'SunlitOverdrive' for your continued support, as well as everybody else that has followed my story throughout its continued development. It's been a wonderful journey.
I'm eager to see what you all thought of this chapter, which introduces some characters and major developments into the current narrative. Arthur Watts using his brain, Salem listening to the people on her council, Qrow buying groceries, Ruby asking people about illusive criminal networks, Lil' Miss Malachite being reasonable. Whole world's gone nuts.
As usual, I shamelessly look forward to reading about what you all think about this chapter and am looking forward to publishing the next chapter. Until next time. Thank you all for your continued support, my friends. Go team!