Chapter 20: Mysteries and Mayhem
When she opened her eyes, she found herself in a strange, almost topsy-turvy room; and Nick wasn't there. She looked around for a moment, and then realized where she was: back in the treehouse, laying on the mattress on her side. Stuffed bear clutched to her chest, she sat up, and became aware of the presence of another. She held the bear close as she looked upon the other with her.
Sitting at the table, shimmering blue iridescence, was the Winter Maiden; the winter spectre. "You!" Yang said, leaping to her feet. The Maiden sat staring out the window; no reaction. Yang walked up to her. "Who did I meet hare as a kid? Who built this treehouse? What is this place, where are we? I want answers!" The Maiden looked up to her with cold, empty eyes and asked, "Why do you consult the dead, Yang Xiao Long? I can't answer your questions. The one who can answer you is alive and outside right now." And she disappeared right before her eyes.
Something wasn't right, Nick could feel it. His eyes shot open. Yang slept peacefully in his lap. He looked into her serene face. Wow, He thought, the golden-haired beut... He slipped his arms under her, and picked her up as he got out of the chair. She stirred, and snuggled closer to him. He carried her over and gently laid her on the bed. He brushed a lock of her hair from her face and took in the moment. Alright, he thought as he turned from her with a sigh, what in hellfire is goin' on?
He brushed aside a part of the curtain, looking into the lot. There, leering over Bumblebee, were two figures. Nick grunted, great, two goobers. He opened the window and jumped through, landing silently in a crouch. Even at a distance, he could hear their conversation, and he stayed in the shadows. "Alright," one said, his greasy voice accompanied by a greasy sneer, "We almost got the tank drained. Slash the tires." Nick was about to act, when the other man there objected, "uh, do we need to slash the tires? We got the tires, can't we just go?" The greasy guy turned to him. "Brick, do my ears deceive me? We wanna not have them follow us, stupid." Sleazeball, Nick thought, and he silently approached from behind.
Brick headed for the front tire, reaching into a pocket… then another. His eyes widened, not because he forgot his switchblade, but because he saw Nick emerge from the shadows like a ghost. "Hey fellas," Nick said, standing like a colossus, "that's not very nice." The sleazeball jumped around, and only saw: One mere man, I can take him easy. "Alright," he said with a sinister chuckle, "gimme your wallet and run, or I hurt you." A smirk curled on his unshaven face. "No," was all Nick said.
The smile quickly faded from his face. "Brick, cut him!" Brick, apparently seen as the muscle of the two, whipped out a stiletto switchblade from his leather jacket's pocket. Nick turned to Brick as he charged. Brick tried to stab, but Nick grabbed his wrist with his left hand, slammed his other palm into Brick's face, and swung his right foot into the back of the head as Brick passed. Brick fell sprawled out on the pavement. Nick turned to the sleazeball, who simply grumbled, "Do you know who I am?" Nick replied, "Not really." The sleazeball, who was dressed like Brick in jeans and leather jacket, flipped out a butterfly knife, "My name is Axel."
"Well," Nick said, "That's a fitting name." Axel turned and jabbed his knife into the front tire. Nick's face hardened, "My friend is not gonna like that." "Yeah?" Axel said, flipping the butterfly knife around, "What are you gonna do 'bout it?" Nick gave him a stony look, and stepped back into the shadows. "What," Axel said, "you think you're some kinda Try Hard hero?" Nick's voice echoed from all around, "I'm no hero, and neither are you, Axel Grease." Axel stiffened, unnerved and unable to tell where Nick's voice was coming from, turning around with his knife held out. How does he know my Name? He thought. Suddenly, Nick appeared at Axel's left. He whipped around and jabbed his knife. Nick caught his wrist and held it. Axel squirmed in Nick's steel grip. "You will not get the dust you tried to steal," Nick said, and he looked at the butterfly knife, "and I'm confiscating this." He plucked the knife from his limp hand, putting it in his shirt pocket. Axel tried to punch Nick in the ribs, but Nick twisted Axel's wrist; and with his other hand, slammed Axel's throat shut.
Axel fell to his knees, choking and coughing, clutching his throat with his free hand. Nick bent over, taking out the confiscated knife, and said, "I'll let you go with your life. Take your… friend, and scram." Brick, having been recovering consciousness the whole time, staggered to his feet. "Give me my knife you a–" Axel rasped, but Nick silenced him with a flick of the blade on his cheek; a trickle of blood ran down. "Get lost," Nick said, letting go of Axel.
He moved between Bumblebee and the Bumblers, as Axel scrambled back.
Axel got to his feet, and charged. Nick dropped, raising his right leg in an uppercut kick to Axel's gut. Axel crumpled into a heap, and Brick looked on in astonishment. Nick stood up and elaborately flipped the butterfly knife closed; He looked over at Brick. Brick bolted. Axel looked on, and back at Nick. "I'll be back," Axel said as he stumbled away, "And I'll be bringin' muh friends!" Axel turned tail and ran. Nick watched him go for a moment. When he was out of sight, Nick turned around and assessed Yang's bike.
The front tire was flat. But easily fixable, Nick thought, now how did they drain the tank? He saw the fuel can, and leading out, a line ran into the fuel tank. Well, at least they didn't cut the fuel line, but I should check… he got on his back and crawled beneath Bumblebee.
He poured over the engine, using expertise he gained long ago. Well, he thought as he got back out, pour the dust back in, and patch the tire; shouldn't take long. He hefted the fuel can and started pouring.
Yang awoke in a daze; there was a light metallic clinking piercing the air. She looked around, "Huh?" why am I in the bed? I thought we were on… did we…? She checked herself. She was laying on top of the bed, a little disheveled, but still wearing her clothes. She breathed a gravelly sigh as a wave of disappointment washed over her. The clinking stopped, but she didn't notice. Ugh! She thought, he probably set me here just to pee or something…
"G'morning," Nick's voice called from the chair. She raised her head and looked over at him. "Hey you," she said, attempting to get up, "What's the big idea, dropping me on the bed without coming with?!" "Funny things happen in bed," Nick replied, starting to flip around something; it made a light clinking noise. "Besides, I had to take care of something." She looked down at what he was flipping and spinning. It was a purple-and-green handled knife… with two handles? Seriously? "Since when did you have a butterfly knife?!" Nick simply replied, "Not long. I confiscated it quite recently."
Nick flipped it closed and slipped it into a pocket. Before Yang could say anything, he confessed, "Yang, there's something on my mind, something I should tell you; and I'm not proud of it. General Ironwood wanted me for an expedition; and I brought you and my perceived relationship with you, up. I said, effectively, that I wasn't going anywhere without you. I meant differently, but the general thought otherwise, and reluctantly consented to have you along." He lowered his eyes in shame. "I should've just kept my mouth shut," Yang caught him saying under his breath.
"Hey," she said as she leapt out of bed, "Who cares if you did? Besides, a trip sounds fun." He looked into her lavender eyes and said, "Yang, I don't think Ruby's goin'." She looked on as that statement impacted her. "Um," she said, trying to piece together her thoughts, "what's on this trip? Where's it to?" He sighed, "To a place that cannot be found; but I know where it is. We're going to find a lost little Maiden there." He got up, and walked around the bed, away from her. She slowly approached as he said, "I know you want to stay with your sister, Yang; and I will always support you."
She wrapped her arms around him and said, "Hey, I'm sure she'll be fine: Weiss is with her anyway, what could happen?" Nick could detect a hint of trepidation in her voice, and he winced. "Yang, we don't have to go; I'll stay with you and always back you up." She squeezed him and said, "Now what's that worth if there isn't an adventure? I'm a girl of action; A life where the next day is uncertain sounds fun, It's what I want." He brought his hand up and caressed her bare wrist, where we're goin', you'll get a helluva lot more than just that, Yang. She turned to the window at the morning light, forlorn as the thought of Blake interrupted her thoughts; Nick turned with her, unaware of her emotions.
The ship was a good day underway. Blake sighed as she stood on the starboard balcony of the cargo vessel, ignoring the few passengers that walked by. I hope she got my message, she thought as she looked toward Vale, Maybe Nick will help train her- "So," a familiar voice interrupted her thoughts, "What's a girl like you doin' on a boat like this?" she whipped around in Shock, surprise and astonishment on her face. "Sun! What?!"
Hours prior…
"You sure got guts kid," Qrow said as he and Jaune walked through the halls. "I, um," Jaune said, "Yeah, I didn't want to stand up to him; I know he's a general and all, but if he's gonna bring her back –if there's even a possibility of that– then my friends should be there to help." Qrow looked back at the boy. "You don't have to tell me twice. You got potential, kid, hopefully you know how to use it."
Qrow looked out the window at a quiet nighttime mantle. So peaceful, he thought, almost like a sleeping Ursa. A flash of light caught his eye, and he looked and saw a familiar motorcycle rev off into Mantle. Well, I hope she knows what she's doing, he thought. Jaune saw it too.
"Hey, is that Yang?" Qrow grunted, and Jaune asked, "Why is she going into mantle?" "She's goin' to fetch someone," Qrow replied, "A friend." And this just might be what they need to be more than friends. Jaune nodded his head, but it took him a moment to understand what he said.
A/N: Have I been coming off a bit whiny lately? I'm sorry, let me start fresh. I really like reading your reviews, and I like replying to them.
However, not getting reviews leaves me... feeling alone... and anxious about my work. without you, I can't truly know if it's good or not.
...It leaves me worried
I'm sorry for the inconvenience.
