Chapter Ten

It was market day. That meant Oscar had a lot to do. It was also nowhere near the height of summer, but Ozpin was already feeling the effects of the heat. When they'd gotten home, Ozpin had stripped down to his suspenders and just sat down to cool off after how stifling the office was. Not that it was that cool, but Midsummer was still three weeks away. They weren't really going to get relief any time soon and it was only going to get worse. With Ozpin settled, Oscar headed up to the roof, since it was his turn watering and he had plans for the garden. After the requisitions that had happened last fall, it was a miracle that the building had survived the winter with prices going up after Mistral had lost Southpoint. Honestly, Oscar didn't know how the building had survived before he'd started working on the garden, having to go out and buy food during the winter.

The rooftop was for the various herbs and flowers that Ozpin and Dr. Polendina required. Oscar did his watering, then checked over each pot, pruning and repotting as needed. He'd had all winter for composting, and the soil he had was nutritious. With all the residents seeing the results of the compost, he was also getting more materials for it. He stirred the compost and added some water, and did one last quick walk around. There was more to do, but the rest could wait for a day that wasn't market day.

"Hey, kid!"

Oscar looked up as he was just stepping back into the stairs.

Qrow came over, crows on each shoulder, and one perching on an outstretched hand. "Today's market day."

"I know," Oscar said, taking another step down. "I'm heading out as soon as I check the vegetables."

Qrow nodded. "Take Yang with you."

"Er, what?"

Qrow's lips thinned. "She'll need help with her list. She… won't be able to carry all of it."

"Oh. Uh, okay?"

"Thanks, kid. And tell Oz to take it easy."

Oscar rolled his eyes. "Tell him yourself."

Qrow chuckled. "Busy with the aviary, pipsqueak."

"Fine, fine."

Oscar headed down and knocked on the Branwen door. The blond, Yang, answered. "What?" she growled.

"Oh, er, I'm heading to the market soon. Would you... like to come with me?"

"Brothers, are you kidding?"

She stormed out and to the base of the steps to the roof. "Uncle Qrow!" she shouted. "What do you think you're doing?"

Oscar blinked. "Um, I'll be in the backyard!" he called after her. He would need to check on the vegetables anyway.

The stairwell was unbearable, but Oscar rolled up his sleeves, waved to Nana Calavera, and headed to the fenced off space that Qrow had made over the winter at their landlady's request. Unlocking the gate, he went in and checked the vegetables with the same thoroughness he did up on the roof. Watering, stirring the compost, checking vegetable growth.

"Good afternoon," a voice behind him greeted.

Oscar looked up from the squash. "Oh, Penny, hello."

"Dad is wondering what is ready to harvest."

"The tomatoes are doing just fine. The strawberries are ready, so's the rhubarb and onions. I'd give the cucumbers and squash another two weeks."

"Then may I pick some?"

Oscar nodded. "Actually, if I harvest it, can you bring a bunch to Nana Calavera? She knows what to do."

Penny, blinked, confused, but brushed her sweaty hair out of her face. "Of course."

Good. Oscar went about harvesting. He deliberately left some behind, but he filled a basket that was set aside for this purpose. After all their food had been requisitioned, Oscar had talked with Nana Calavera, and she'd used Qrow's sober moments to great effect over the winter. There was now a false wall in the cellar, and Oscar was carefully stowing away anything he could so that the building at least had some food for the winter. It was one of the things he'd need to get from the market. He'd need sand so that the potatoes wouldn't go winter-soft.

As Penny brought in the small harvest, Oscar checked for pests or blight, pruning as needed. There was no denying the weather had been getting warmer and warmer, and they hadn't had a good rainstorm in a while.

He was just locking up the gate when he heard Yang behind him, sullen.

"So I guess I'm going with you," she growled.

Oscar turned, frowning. "I'm sorry," he said.

Violet eyes rolled. "It's fine," she said, wiping sweat from her chin. "Uncle Qrow pointed out that I can't exactly carry bags of stuff any more."

He gave a soft smile. "It's an adjustment. Ozpin told me that it took him a year to get accustomed to not really having his leg anymore."

"Told you... wait, you're not his son?" Yang looked over, more attentive.

Oscar gave a small, nervous laugh. "Uhm, yeah? He adopted me from an orphanage about three milles from here."

"Really?"

"Ahhh, yes?"

She chuckled softly. "No need to be so nervous. I'm not some monstrous Valean come to eat you, or whatever."

"Pssh. Ozpin's Valean. Whatever bias I'm supposed to have I've long since lived with a counterexample of."

"Fancy talk. You sure you're not related to the Professor?"

Oscar smiled. "I need to get my bags. Then we can get going."

Yang shrugged. "Sure thing."

Together they headed back upstairs and Oscar unlocked and headed in.

"The bags are on the table," Ozpin said, looking up from where he was cleaning laundry. "Oh, Miss Xiao Long. Welcome."

It said something about how bad Ozpin felt the heat that he didn't bother to put on a shirt over his suspenders and undershirt.

"Hey Professor," Yang greeted, looking around. "Huh. So a dump like this can actually look good."

"Dump?" Oscar asked, somewhat indignant. "Yeah, it's small, way smaller than the farm, but-"

Yang held up her hand. "Sorry. No offense intended. Just that upstairs with Uncle Qrow is…"

"Sparse?" Ozpin asked lightly, a twinkle in his eye.

"That's one way of putting it."

"Be patient," Ozpin said. "Qrow spent a long time only worrying about one thing. He's been paying off his debts and is doing far, far, better than he was even a season ago."

"Yeah, yeah," Yang said sullenly. "He mentioned seeing you about getting rid of my accent?"

"We can do that," Ozpin replied brightly. "Go to the market first, we can talk more later, preferably when it's cooler."

"By the brothers, yes," Yang agreed whole-heartedly, wiping more sweat from her face. "I swear, Mistral's up the Brother of Light's ass to be so hot."

Oscar snorted.

"Clearly, you've never been to Vacuo," his guardian said. "The heat is worse there, and there is no winter."

"Fye and filth."

Ozpin laughed.

Oscar, bags in hand, checked his lien, and slid most of it into a hidden pouch on his belt. "Come on," he said. "I'm ready to go."

"Yeah, yeah."

Together, they headed down the stairs and gave another wave to Nana Calavera.

"Hold on, you two!" the old landlady called.

"Sure thing," Oscar said. "What's up?"

"Just a moment." Then, from behind her, coming up from the cellar, was Penny.

"Oh!" the redhead said. "You are still here! Let me get my bags so that we may go to the market together."

Was everyone going to the market now? The morning would have been better because it would have been cooler!

"There," Nana Calavera said. "Now you two are all set." Oscar sighed.

Once Penny had her bags they all headed out.

"So, what do we all need?" Oscar asked. "I've been here the longest, I probably know where to go."

"Oh, that would be most helpful!" Penny smiled gratefully. "My father is searching for certain reactants in order to improve the efficacy of the medications he is producing. And since he is also getting many people seeking healing of smaller injuries, we need to restock on bandages, however our usual supplier has vastly increased prices. I am hoping for some linens that I can sew into proper bandages."

Yang shrugged. "The butcher is overcharging because I don't sound Mistralan and Uncle Qrow has been really busy up in the aviary. I just want to get a good cut of something for dinner tonight. We're also almost out of lye and we're running low on flour."

"And I'm looking for seeds and sand. There's also some herbs we need that are harder to grow. Orchids are good for improving sight, but I don't have the time to take care of them."

"Well, we have a list," Yang said. "Lead the way."

Oscar nodded. It was a half hour walk uphill, just over a mille, to the main market square, a large plaza paved with large smooth stones. It was clear that the market was still busy, but the heat of the afternoon was preventing it from being packed. Weaving through the groups of people, Oscar first went to the stand he was most familiar with.

"Hey, Arslan," he greeted. The woman at the stand was dark skinned, olive-eyed, and blond. She looked up from her ledger and smiled.

"Farm Boy," she greeted. "See you've got friends with you."

Oscar gave a soft huff of a laugh. "These are neighbors in my building. Penny and Yang."

"Salutations!"

"Hey."

Arslan raised her brow. "You have foreigners in your building?"

Oscar shrugged. "Penny's helping her dad, Dr. Polendina, and Yang's working with our crowmaster."

"O-ho! You finally have a crowmaster?"

Oscar nodded. Technically, Qrow wasn't actually done training the birds, but he did offer to send messages for half normal prices just to get training in for the crows.

"That must be a relief for your dad."

"Yeah, no more walking down the street in this weather."

"Oh come on, it's not that bad yet."

Oscar could only shrug. Most of the stands he dealt with knew that his guardian couldn't move much, but no one knew that Ozpin was Valean. "Backbreaker messed him up," was all he could say. "Now, do you have some seeds for autumn planting?"

Arslan laughed, low and throaty. "Farm boy…"

Oscar haggled for a bit and left with some artichoke seeds, along with broccoli, carrots, celery and spinach. He wasn't sure the soil was good enough for some of them, or if he even had the space, but he was going to do what he could with what he had.

Penny was looking between them, quiet but clearly confused.

"So, we need some medical reactants," Oscar said after handing over his lien. "Know anyone here who's affordable for people like us?"

Arslan laughed, running a hand through her damp blond hair. "I'd recommend Reese Chloris. I don't know if she really knows what she's selling, but she's always talking chemicals in a way I don't get. You know she tried to explain why I need pine needles mixed in with my strawberries' soil?"

"Because you're supposed to?" Oscar said bewildered. "Farmers discovered that a long time ago."

Arslan nodded. "She says it's because pine needles are acidic. I have no idea what she's talking about."

Penny, however, was nodding.

"We'll go see her then."

After giving directions, they were off again.

"Mr. Pine-"

"Please, Penny, call me Oscar."

"Oscar, I was very confused by that conversation."

"Oh?"

Penny paused, making the rest of them halt, as she looked down to her skirt. "Professor Ozpin is your guardian, not your father, yet you did not correct that person. Also, backbreaker does not change how a person reacts to temperature, but you blamed that on the Professor's difficulty with the heat. Is it not because he's from Vale and not built for the weather?"

"Seriously?" Yang asked, offering a hooded look. "Why would anyone admit they were from Vale right now? I can't hide it because of my accent. The professor can't hide how he looks, but if he's never been to the markets, it's easier to let people assume. That's not that hard to figure out."

"I do not understand. The people of Vale are not the problem for Mistral, the invading soldiers are. Soldiers are not the same as the citizens."

Oscar let out a soft sigh. "Penny, can you identify a Valean as a soldier or a day laborer just by how they look?"

"Yes," Penny said promptly. "A soldier is stiff to attention, formal, and carries themselves with honor. A day laborer lacks posture, and culture."

Yang and Oscar stared.

"You've only worked with Atlesean military, haven't you," Oscar said dryly.

"That is where all nurses and doctors start their training and practicum," Penny replied.

Yang sighed, hanging her head into her hand. "That's going to take more than one conversation to explain, and it's best not done here in the middle of the market." Looking up, she spoke very softly. "I did soldiering. That's not how it works. We'll talk later."

"Move along, no loitering!"

Oscar was shoved roughly from behind and he pitched forward. Yang reacted quickly, catching Oscar and he barely held onto his bags. He was grateful that the seeds were stuffed into his pockets.

"That was incredibly rude!" Penny voiced.

"No loitering, start moving!"

Oscar finally turned to see not one of the usual patrollers, but a military man bustling through and breaking up crowds to start going back to their business.

"Yeah, that's what I'd expect from Mistralan military," Yang said darkly and quietly. "Come on."

They headed to Reese Chloris's stand and everything Penny asked about went right over Oscar's head.

"Are you following any of this?" he whispered to Yang.

"I'm not even recognizing half the words," Yang whispered back.

Oscar and Yang waited for Penny to get through her excited talking and haggling and Oscar took a moment to glance around the stands. He was glad that he'd been able to cajole Ozpin to leaving early today for the market. It let Ozpin stay comparatively cooler in the apartment, there were still a few hours left for the market, and as much as Oscar cared a great deal for Ozpin, a little time apart was a good thing.

A pair of men were walking by, both talking in concern.

"... they've lowered the draft... It's eighteen now. The military will be taking our children before they've even finished apprenticing. How am I supposed to finish training them when they come back, if they even come back!"

"...I know... it takes a lot of time and money to train an apprentice… gone before they even finish to die in the war is a waste of money…"

Oscar frowned. At fifteen, soon to be sixteen this fall, he was worried. This was the sixth year of the war. If it kept going on, would he be drafted? Pulled from Ozpin to fight in the front lines…?

"... Valean forces made another hundred killes into the country this week…"

"...no way… too far to travel in a week…"

"...accuracy doesn't matter… too close…"

Oscar glanced at Yang. If she had been a part of the battle at Southpoint, would she have a better idea how far Valean forces were? Probably not. She'd been separated from them for two seasons now.

"Excellent!" Penny was clearly pleased. "I am grateful to have found you and glad for your pricing."

Reese pushed back her green hair. "You drive a hard bargain, Nurse Polendina."

Oscar stepped forward.

"Hey, Farm Boy."

Oscar blinked, then chuckled. "You're friends with Arslan, aren't you."

Reese smiled brightly. "Yup. Usually I'm sending customers to her. Good to know she sends them to me."

"Well then, I'm sure you have a friend who has what we're looking for."

"Oh, I'm sure."

Oscar paused, then smiled brightly. "Fabrics."

Resse stuttered for a moment. "Hmm, let me think… You could try Bolin Hori. I think Arslan gets the fabric for her sacks from him."

"Thanks. It's a start."

As they started walking, Oscar thought back to the apartment and what they had. Hmmm, did they have enough thread for mending? That might be a small purchase to make, and probably cheaper than going to the garment district… Maybe next time.

"They seem to know you here," Yang commented. "Everyone calls you Farm Boy."

Osar blushed. "I may have visited almost every stall when I first came here asking some questions that made it very obvious I was from a farm."

"Oh?" Penny asked, adjusting her bag to her shoulder. "What sort of questions make it obvious you are from a farm?"

"Ah… well…."

Yang gave a wide grin. "Spit it out, kid."

Scowling, Oscar crossed his arms. "You're only five years older than me."

"Well, that makes you a kid."

"What did you ask?" Penny asked eagerly.

Oscar rubbed the back of his head. "How far their farm was from the city, how recently things were picked, what was used in their compost, what was their watering schedule, how recently had they gone through for pests…"

"Geeze, no wonder," Yang offered. "I don't know how any of that relates to anything."

Penny was calculating. "Interesting. I had not thought such questions would be useful. I wonder how chemical processes-"

Oscar held up his hands. "Uh, Penny, I don't think the average farmer knows that kind of stuff."

"But, why not?"

Yang laughed. "Come on, linens for bandages, right?"

"Yes!"

Meeting Bolin had Penny asking more incredibly specific questions, this time about selvedge, weight, cotton, and weft and warp patterns that left Oscar and Yang lost.

"We probably want to check for some dried herbs," Oscar said, running through the list again in his head. "Sand, lye, flour, those barrels will have to be delivered, or we'll be carrying them. Meat would be the last thing to get so it won't go bad in this heat on the way back home."

"Works for me," Yang said. "It's good to be out. Normally people get all uppity when they see or talk to me. Usually when they talk to me."

Nodding, Oscar led the way through the market again. Buying dried herbs was uneventful, and Oscar was pleased to get some that he couldn't grow. Even Yang smelled something she insisted on getting because it smelled of home, while Penny bought large bunches for medicine. And it was the same for dried goods. Yang was able to get her lye and flour though she had Oscar do most of the talking. Oscar also got a fifty kigra sack of sand that he put in his bag and then had to adjust it to carry on his back. It was heavy. Deliveries would be made to the building that evening. If they'd had a wagon, they would have saved some lien on the delivery but…

"I believe that is almost everything," Penny said, checking her bag.

"Just need some cuts for tonight," Yang said. "Honestly, I miss turkey, but I don't think any exist here in all of Mistral."

"I've never heard of it," Oscar replied. "Sometimes we needed to slaughter a cow on the farm, and the steaks were good, especially the way Aunt Em did them. But we usually had goat."

Yang shrugged her shoulders. "Steak's been an acquired taste. So where's the butcher here?"

Oscar guided them around to one of the back edges of the market, where there were pens specifically for anyone selling livestock or meats.

"Ah! Farm boy! You usually don't come this way, how can I help you?"

"Hey, Nadir." Oscar looked to Yang.

She pressed her lips together and stepped forward. "What poultry do you have?"

Nadir's usual bright smile thinned. "Ah, Valean? You... speak... Mistralan... very... well," he said with extreme slowness. "We… have… goose… chicken… country hen…"

"Nadir, she's fluent," Oscar groused.

Yang gave a flat stare, flicking her sweaty ponytail over her shoulder. Then she took a deep breath and put on the most sunshine smile of falsity. "Oh! Good Mistralan man so kind to me! All want is bird to eat. Have you?" she exaggerated her accent, acting all bubbly and perky as she destroyed Mistralan. "Is that how you'd prefer I talk?" she continued. "I get it, I have an accent, but I can understand you. Just talk like you normally would."

Nadir shrugged, slicking back his hair. "Fine, Miss Sass. All prices are non negotiable." And as he listed the prices, Oscar gaped.

"That's not fair," he said. "You're doubling the prices. I bought a goose from you two weeks ago and that wasn't the price!"

"The war changes everything," Nadir said brightly.

"The war isn't anywhere close to here."

"The fact that it's even in Mistral is because of people like her," Nadir hissed. "She's probably-"

"Don't finish that sentence," Oscar scowled. "I can't believe it."

Penny was louder. Much louder. "So I am to understand that you are changing the prices for different people?" she almost shouted, drawing everyone's attention. "Is this Mistralan practice? To charge more to people you do not like?"

Yang just rolled her eyes. "This happens everywhere."

"But you are half Mistralan, are you not?" Penny continued loudly. "You belong here like anyone."

People were whispering and Oscar was not comfortable being so visible. "Look, I'll buy the goose," he grumbled. "Same price as last time."

"No," Nadir said. "I don't serve Valeans or their sympathizers."

Oscar was furious. Furious that Nadir who joked around and had fun was acting like this, furious that Yang had faced this so much that she just accepted it, furious that this was even a thing she had to deal with. With his blood boiling, he didn't recognize the hum in his blood.

"If you stay on this path," Oscar said heavily, "you will freeze. If you continue, more than just your heart will chill. Your friends will try to help you. They will thaw your heart. But if you don't learn, you will freeze again, and then no one can help you."

He took a breath to continue, but he realized that was his magic and he cut it off quickly, feeling all his energy drain from him. The heavy sack of sand dragged him down to the ground and he was gasping for breath, the heat suddenly completely unbearable.

"Oscar!" Yang rushed forward, going down to her knee. "You okay?" she looked him over, putting her single hand to his forehead.

He tried to wave her off. "I'm fine," he said thinly. "Wasn't expecting that…"

Penny took his bag of sand, effortlessly lifting it and Yang pulled Oscar up, looping his arm around her shoulder.

"Come on," Yang said. "Let's get you to some shade."

Oscar let himself be led to an overhang, where he gratefully lay down and put an elbow over his eyes. "Sorry," he mumbled. "Magic activated and I didn't realize it."

"Magic? Is that not just the strange mysticism of frauds?" Penny asked.

Oscar sighed.

"No, Penny, it's how soothsaying works," Yang said. "I'll get you some water, I'll be right back."

"I do not understand."

Peeking out from his elbow, Oscar looked to Penny. "Ask your dad about it. I'm sure he knows the science of it better, but everyone, everything has magic. A soothsayer can connect to that magic and read the patterns. We usually use a sand reader, because it's less stressful, but soothsayers of old didn't need devices to do a reading."

"So that was a prophecy?" Penny asked, taking his pulse and checking his temperature.

"No," Oscar replied. "I'm a sayer, not a maker." He bit back a groan, remembering the Grimm that Ozpin bore. Isolation and Misery written on the mask of the pointy beast. It was scary that someone would do that on purpose. Wishing such misfortune on someone. "People still need to make choices. I'm reading the patterns and predicting what choices will be made, but they aren't the only choices."

"Here," Yang jogged back, a handkerchief soaked in water and Oscar pulled back his arm to let Yang place it across his eyes and forehead.

"Ahhhhhhh, that's good."

"You're pale," Yang said. "You sure you're okay?"

"I will be." Brothers, he felt like he'd just done one of Ozpin's endurance exercises, where he did reading after reading after reading in quick succession as fast as possible in preparation for when days were especially busy.

Oscar wasn't sure how long he stayed there, but he was sort of aware that Yang and Penny were talking above him.

Eventually he sat up, pulling off the handkerchief and handing it back to Yang. "Thanks," he said.

"We are just glad that you are better," Penny said.

"We're done here," Yang said firmly. "We'll get you back home."

"What?" Oscar looked up. "No, you needed meat! The butcher we usually go to should still be open and is on the way-"

"No," Yang said firmly. "Our first priority is getting you back home. Whatever made your eyes glow, you need to see the Professor about that."

Penny looked to Yang. "His eyes did not glow."

"They did. That's enough for me to know he needs to go home. Come on."

Oscar eased his way up and reached for his bag.

"No you don't," Yang interrupted, handing him her almost empty bag. "I'll take that."

"But, that's a lot if kigra-"

Yang swung the loop of the bag up to her shoulder and then looped her abbreviated arm through as well, resting the straps across both shoulders.

"I agree," Penny nodded. "It is time for you to return home."

Oscar looked back and forth between the two of them and admitted defeat. He was still a kid compared to them. He had no chance. "Fine." Honestly, he was just fine on the way home. That small break in the shade had been just what he needed. He'd wanted to also check the used books merchant, see if there was anything about preserves. He knew what they did on the farm for the winter, but most of their crop went to markets. He wasn't sure how to preserve certain vegetables. He knew that his berries would need to be either preserves or jams or syrups, but he'd never learned how to do any of that.

Still. He had to admit. He was very done with the market at the moment.

Author's Notes: Shortest chapter of the fic, only one seen and 4000ish words. Next chapter is a biggie and this was the best place to break off.

But we take a small amount of time to get to know the residents of the building. Yang starts to sho off that she's no slouch, hefting heavy-arse bags and half carrying Oscar to shade. We also get to see through her, and to a lesser extent to Oscar and his Valean sympathies, that the war has done a thorough job villainizing anyone from Vale. We also get a snapshot of Atlesean viewpoints through Penny, who doesn't recognize yet that her viewpoint is the only viewpoint to hold. There are some fun dynamics here.

The random opening of magic is a little eeeeeeehhh, we wanted to emphasis that as an apprentice Oscar doesn't have everything under his hat yet and will have slip-ups but this doesn't read well as a stand alone scene in a stand alone chapter. We could have probably done without it. Ah well.

Next chapter: A general finally decides to see Oz himself.