Well, this is my longest chapter to date, and was honestly going to be even longer. Ended up cutting out the end and will be editing and transplanting it at the start of next chapter so ya'll aren't reading 30+ pages.
Sorry if the ending's a bit abrupt, but that's why.
Weiss stared straight ahead as they rode along, jaw clenched and brooding.
After their revelation last night and her subsequent discussion with Raven over their findings she'd been left furious and dejected.
Raven had known exactly what they'd suspected: the Grimm incursions were merely a distraction. The woman had even gone so far as to propose the Church knew as well and in a roundabout way had informed Weiss and her company of that fact.
Initially it made absolutely no sense for four young women to be sent alone to seek out the culprits behind the attacks. It still made no sense unless one stopped to consider the facts. The Church knew or at least suspected that the Grimm were only a distraction. In turn the ones behind all of this - Merlot, if their assumptions were correct, had to know the Church knew. Like a morbid game of chess, the two sides were making moves while also forced to compensate for their opponent's. The Church couldn't kill Merlot, remove their enemy's king as it were, without leaving thousands of civilians and dozens of settlements unprotected.
Conversely, Merlot couldn't perform whatever scheme he had without devoting large amounts of time and energy to keeping the Church at bay. Any large troop movements and he'd know they were moving against him. Weiss wasn't sure how he would unless he'd somehow developed spells to see through Grimm.
Maybe some kind of augurs? Perhaps he had people working with him, acting as messengers and alerting him of any enemies approaching?
Whatever the case it was evident a smaller force was needed. The Church and the Commandery would be preoccupied protecting the kingdom itself which necessitated the use of a smaller, indiscrete force.
Weiss bit the inside of her cheek until she tasted blood, sighing and clenching her reins harder. More seasoned, capable Hunters could have been sent in their stead. Veterans, or even some of their instructors from Vale. Logically she understood they might be needed elsewhere, and a powerful, experienced Hunter could defend a settlement single handedly.
She understood the logic. That didn't mean she liked it.
The truth of the matter was they were expendable. Newly realized Hunters with little claim to the world. No families of their own, no sway in public matters, simply soldiers to be thrown at the enemy. It was callous, yes, but then that was how war worked. And make no mistake, Weiss realized, but this was indeed a war.
So much for the Church preventing those.
Weiss glanced back at Ruby and Yang's horse, smiling half-heartedly at the two women riding in stride just a few yards behind her. They bickered playfully about nothing of import, pushing and prodding at one another while laughing. It was heartening to see even if she knew it was a front. They were all smiles and cheer since they had left that morning and yet Weiss just knew it wasn't sincere.
Beyond them still, covered by her scarf and cloak, Blake kept to the back of their procession, head down as it had been since setting out. The Meera hadn't spoken much since that morning, sharing her news of the White Fang with them over a flavorless bowl of oats.
The White Fang was looking to take advantage of a kingdom in turmoil. Profiteering off the suffering of others made Weiss simultaneously livid and sick to her stomach. Fitting for such a revolting organization. As the universe seemed so keen on reminding them however that was only the beginning of their woes today, and this brought Weiss back to her original point: they were in this alone.
Raven had understood this intimately. Perhaps much earlier than any of them had realized. With near three dozen in her ranks the woman had a sizable force in her command, civilians notwithstanding. There was no way to move without drawing Merlot's attention with such a gathering of people. Not with constant attacks acting as veritable beacons, like a hunter's tripwire tipping off a deer's presence, or a snare trapping an unsuspecting rabbit in its clutches.
And so, with all the elegance and compassion of an executioner and his axe Raven sent them on their way. She refused to risk her people by bringing them towards Plockton so soon, not until she was certain the town and its new inhabitants had been reclaimed and dealt with.
And if we fail, I imagine she'll swoop in and finish the job, just as the Church intends to do. For the first time Weiss felt genuine disdain for her superiors. Rationally it made sense: use your infantry, or in this case newly made Hunters, to weaken the enemy, then send your stronger forces in to finish the job. Ozpin never would have allowed for this. The nobility must have a hand in this plan, or the crown. What point would there be in training us for years only to throw us away as fodder?
Weiss loathed her superiors but not the ones Raven perhaps hoped she might.
That loathing proved to be just the fuel she needed to embark on their suicide mission. While the Branwen tribe contented itself with setting up camp elsewhere she, Ruby, Yang, and Blake would set out and fight a more experienced Magi, countless Grimm, and gods knew what else all to reclaim a kingdom from the throes of chaos.
All the determination in the world couldn't prevent the fatigue that travel brought on. By the time the sun had reached its zenith and summer's heat had come to bear its full force they were forced to make camp themselves. A small creek that ran perpendicular to the road made for an ideal resting place as any, and after navigating their horses down the slopes to the water's edge they set them free to drink and graze as they pleased.
Weiss knelt by the water's edge and cupped crystalline water in her palms, splashing her face and gasping at the coldness. After washing away what sweat and grime, she could she drank until sated, then emptied her now warm canteen and filled it anew. Pausing briefly to examine herself on the water's surface she smiled bitterly, wiping bangs longer than she'd typically keep from her eyes and plucking a leaf from the collar of her tunic. She had bags beneath her eyes, and those bags had bags themselves. Her back and legs ached as she stood, creaking in protest from enduring constant travel, and as she hooked her canteen on her belt again, she grimaced feeling her soft trousers brush abrasively against chafed thighs.
"I don't know how much more of this I can take…"
Ruby looked up from her handiwork, flicking sinew from her fingers and setting her knife aside. "It's not that bad, Weiss. We're making progress, right…?"
Weiss wrinkled her nose, both from discontent and at feeling pebbles biting into her already sore backside as she sat. She considered removing her cloak and folding it beneath herself for cushioning, deciding against it after realizing it would likely double as her blanket tonight. "Progress, yes, but at this rate we'll be shambling zombies by the time we reach Plockton."
"Could always take a dip, Weissy," Yang suggested with a cheeky smile. Weiss narrowed her eyes and the Dimuran snickered, taking Ruby's trimmed steak and handing her another, skewering the meat and hanging it over their fire. "Or not. Cleaning up a bit might cheer you up though!"
"I hardly think the water is deep enough to bathe in," Weiss grumbled. Not to mention the stream bed was filled with rocks, hardly pleasant to sit on, and far, far too cold for her liking. Once we return to Vale, I'm drawing a warm bath and never leaving.
If they returned to Vale.
Lacking the knowledge on how to prepare meats Weiss waited for Blake to return, arms full of a bundle of edible herbs and plants. While busying herself with tearing plants into edible pieces Weiss watched Blake check the fire, then go to the stream to fill their clay pot - the one kindness Raven had granted them, with water, setting it by the flames to heat.
"I'm so glad you know how to cook!" Ruby handed off her last steak and smiled broadly, shaking her hands clean before looking for somewhere to wipe them off. Yang shook her head vehemently and Weiss backed off slightly. "Imagine if we were stuck eating grass…" the brunette whined, grimacing as she rose to wash her hands in the stream.
"I'm not a chef, and I only know some basic recipes." Blake lowered her head and smiled bashfully. "I'm glad to help though. It's the least I can do."
A turnaround from her usual distant behavior and thank the gods for that; hordes of Grimm awaited them around every bend, the powers that be had sent them to their demise, and their enemy was a man of unknown power and ill repute. They had enough problems without being at each other's throats.
Granted that wasn't because they had no problems with one another. Weiss tore another spearmint leaf into shreds and set them aside, using a strip of cloth as a makeshift bowl. Her nostrils and mouth were filled with the scent of mint and she wiped her hands on her already soiled trousers to try and rid herself of the overbearing flavor.
Blake and Yang were still adhering to Raven's absurd claims, even when Yang herself wanted nothing to do with the woman. Weiss could almost handle their acceptance easier than Ruby's. Her partner, either by trying to mediate or being uncertain, seemed to flip-flop and was incapable of picking a side. The fact that she wasn't standing with the Church, with their own people, was telling enough.
Her own group truly believed the Church to be the enemy, or at least to be deceiving everyone. The selfsame organization who had brought the kingdoms from the brink of destruction, fought tirelessly to defeat Grimm, and had the power and means to exert control without subterfuge.
After their third discussion on the matter that morning had ended in shouts between her and Yang, they decided to drop the matter entirely for the time being.
"Here…" Weiss handed the cloth to Blake, wrinkling her nose at the clashing scents. Spearmint, ginger, something lemony, and others she neither knew nor could identify. The Meera nodded wordlessly and dumped it all into the simmering pot of water, using the dagger Weiss had used to stir everything in.
"We should consider where we might want to spend the night. Ideally somewhere Grimm won't be prevalent," Weiss said as she rose to her feet, striding to the water to wash. "Any suggestions?"
Ruby's hand shot up first. "We could tie ourselves to big branches and sleep off the ground? Uncle Qrow taught me how to do that, it could work well."
"What happens if we're attacked though?" Blake questioned. "Wouldn't that leave us vulnerable?"
Yang chuckled as Ruby darted away from her slimy, meat-lathered hand. "I can't promise I'll catch you if you fall, Ruby. I'm going to say no to that one."
Weiss shook water droplets from her hand and resorted to using her cloak as a towel. It wasn't like the garment was all that clean now anyways. "Alternatives?"
"Preferably somewhere with higher elevation so we can see Grimm approaching." Blake stopped stirring and sniffed at her creation, making a soft 'hm' before handing Yang the cloth from before and teaching her how to hold it. "We can take shifts on watch."
"What about nearby towns?" Yang suggested, squeaking when Blake poured steaming water over the cloth. "Hey, warn me next time!"
"I thought you weren't bothered by heat…?"
"I'm not, but I could get soaked! Then I'd have nothing to wear." The blonde paused before snickering and wiggling her eyebrows at Blake. "Unless that's your plan, kitty cat?"
Ruby gagged and Yang yelped as Blake threw water at her face. The Dimuran growled, and despite Weiss' shouts to settle Blake jumped to her feet and ran as Yang gave chase, have filled pot of water sloshing messily in her hands. Weiss groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose. I don't know what is worse: them arguing incessantly or them acting like children.
Not that acting like children was inherently bad. Weiss raised an eyebrow while Yang narrowly avoided being splashed, smiling despite herself while Ruby broke into a fit of giggles.
Considering what they were up against perhaps acting a bit foolishly was just what they needed to keep their sanity.
"Weiss." Ruby's singsong call caught her attention, but it was the slimy, wriggling fingers in her face that made Weiss back away.
"Don't you dare…"
"I'm the meat monster! I'm going to get you!"
Weiss nearly tripped on stones, turning and running away as Ruby chased, laughing shrilly in pursuit. She hid behind one of the bridge's support beams, circling around it and screaming, playfully, when Ruby narrowly missed. "Wash your hands, you boob!"
"Let me use your cloak!"
"Ruby, I swear I'll freeze you solid!"
The brunette called her bluff and laughed, coming dangerously close to catching Weiss until her coordination kicked in. Lack thereof really, as with a startled gasp and comical pinwheel Ruby crashed into the stream, landing on her hind end. The silver-eyed girl cried out and jumped back to her feet, hands clean and trousers thoroughly drenched.
"Cold! Cold cold cold!"
Their levity could be forced, and yet as Weiss watched Ruby hover precariously over the fire to dry herself, and Blake and Yang return, the former stewing in silence, hair drenched, and the latter beaming proudly, she found it welcome all the same.
Their meal of seared venison and boiled vegetables was as simple as could be. Filling, and although Weiss could have done without the mint her stomach hardly cared for the clashing of flavors. Neither did the sisters, and as any self-respecting cook might Blake kept any dissatisfaction with her creation to herself.
Throughout their meal they chatted amicably among themselves. It was reminiscent of their time in Beacon - Weiss and Ruby's, and Weiss found herself yearning to see their friends again. How were Ren and Nora doing? Were they back in Vale yet? What of Pyrrha and Jaune? Had he finally realized the redhead's pursuit of him? Unlikely. The heavens would have to open up for such a miracle and even then, that might not be enough.
The lighthearted banter wasn't without strain. More than once Weiss caught her own tone as clipped and strained, and no one's smiles tended to last longer than a few seconds. Without saying as much they made a concerted effort to lift one another's spirits.
And somehow even with their possible impending demise looming they did just that. With their stomachs filled and the fire snuffed out they gathered their sparse camp together and mounted up once again. Weiss dug through her bag and retrieved her map, something pilfered from the keep's excessive stores courtesy of Blake, turning her horse and holding it across her lap for everyone to see.
"This appears to be the road we're on now and judging by our bearing we're perhaps two days removed from Plockton, assuming we keep a steady pace." Weiss traced the main road with her finger, pausing at a labeled settlement. 'Ambrose', the name read, barely registering on the map. "As Yang suggested earlier finding somewhere to stay wouldn't be a bad idea. This town is likely abandoned but we should still hopefully find supplies there."
"And a roof over our heads, if we're lucky," Blake added to collective nods.
"Not that it doesn't sound like a good idea," Ruby paused, frowning as she wrung her cloak nervously. "But, isn't it kind of mean to use someone else's house? Or take their things?"
"There's a good chance that those people won't even return home, Rubes. And if they do then it'll be because we made it safe. If we've gotta borrow a few things so they can go back to their town I'm sure they won't mind."
Weiss mouthed her thanks to Yang before offering Ruby a reassuring smile. "Think of it this way: we're on official Church business. If we need supplies from anyone then the Church will reimburse them later."
Not only did Ruby seem unconvinced but so too were Blake and Yang skeptical, the latter openly so. The Dimuran scoffed but stopped short of saying anything, knowing full well any disparaging remarks would only get Weiss arguing again. Instead she smiled, shrugging and swinging one leg idly. "Nothing to do but get going. We'll have to really haul ass if we wanna make it there before nightfall."
"Yang, no swearing!"
"What? Ass isn't even a swear! It's a body part!"
"Yaaaaang," Ruby warned, mustering as much firmness as her squeaky voice could muster.
"Quit while you're ahead," Blake sighed, lips tugging up in the slightest of smiles. "If you lose your money now to her swear jar, we'll have nothing left for supplies."
"Wouldn't it still be our money anyways?"
Weiss rolled her map up and tucked it back in her bag, slinging it over her shoulder and turning her horse back down the road. "We can worry about finances once we reach Ambrose. Let's focus on getting there first, okay?"
Her horse marched ahead at her behest and soon the others followed suit, four sets of hooves setting an arrhythmic beat to their march. With the sun hanging high above and an open road disappearing into an endless blue expanse on the horizon Weiss drew a breath, sitting up a bit taller and putting on a smile.
Expecting to find anything or anyone in a town so deep in the Grimm's territory was foolish, naive even. A little naivete had done wonders for their spirits thus far however, what was a little more?
"Hey, do you think they'll have cookies there?" Ruby asked, eyes widening as she nearly drooled. "It's been ages since I had any…"
There was a limit to naivete and expecting cookies in a Grimm ravaged countryside might be pushing it.
But hells, why not dream? It certainly beat the reality they were marching into.
/+/+/+/+/+/
Grimm hounded them like overeager flies to a piece of rancid meat. By sheer virtue of only encountering lesser variants did they refrain from using magic, much to Weiss' chagrin. A single spell would have eliminated the hordes that assaulted them in an instant.
"A single spell would only bring stronger Grimm down on our heads," Blake warned time and time again.
Whether out of reluctance to hear the Meera's thinly veiled warning again or a desire to appease what Weiss dubbed her companions' paranoia she never cast a single spell. While the horses grew fitful as Grimm drew closer, they remained unharmed, thankfully, and contrary to what they'd expect as the day wore on and night settled Grimm became less prevalent.
The slight chill to the air that nipped at her exposed skin was an unpleasant reminder that Fall was on its way. Thin cloaks designed for warmer Valean summer provided some relief for the sun's derision, yet little from the moon's sapping chill.
We could light some torches, I suppose, but then we risk drawing Grimm's attention. Weiss strained her eyes to stare through the darkness, casting wary glances off the sides of the road, where the ground rose and fell like waves on a shoreline. The road itself had been carved into roving hills with little care for the surrounding environment and it showed. While the path was level, mostly, the terrain surrounding it was precarious, and with little but the occasional, shoddy wooden fence to protect them from sudden drop-offs there had been points in their late-night sojourn that were irritatingly slow.
What would it take to expand the carriage services that worked in and around Vale City? Weiss was weary of traveling for so long without any respite, tired of her loins and back aching. Worse still was knowing she'd likely only be worse if they hadn't been provided horses for travel; only Ruby and her magic could keep pace with a full-speed equestrian. Hells, Ruby could overtake one with ease if she really wanted to.
All she'd need to do was carry the three of them on her back.
After a brief snack for themselves and their steeds they found where the road and land leveled out and became one. Off in the distance, obscured by trees and yet more obstinate hills an orange glow filled the sky.
A fire? Was the forest burning? Weiss consulted her map and her heart sank. With no visible landmarks and no idea of the area itself it was difficult to say where they were exactly, yet if she was reading the map correctly, they had arrived.
"Is that Ambrose…?" Yang wondered aloud as her horse trot up alongside Weiss'. Ruby leaned against her sister's back and gasped.
"What if the town's on fire?! We should go help!"
"There's likely no one left in town still," Blake muttered, voice a bit sluggish from fatigue. The Meera sighed, lifting her arms and audibly popping her back with a grunt. "Considering how many Grimm are likely around."
"Maybe we can put it out? Even a half-burned down would be safer to sleep in than the wide-open outdoors."
"And how exactly are we meant to extinguish fires? You three insist we don't use magic," Weiss quipped. "Unless you intend to use our canteens, which I hate to tell you, don't have nearly enough water to - Hey!"
The sisters' horse whinnied and began to trot towards the glow as Ruby dug her heels into its sides. Yang glanced back and shrugged, waving as they turned off the main road and headed into the narrower side path.
"We don't have a way to combat a burning town!" Weiss heard her voice echo back at her as neither Ruby nor Yang answered. Beside her Blake snorted. What did they hope to accomplish here exactly? Already annoyed by her aches and pains she turned her horse and followed the siblings. "This is a colossal waste of time."
"Probably," Blake acquiesced, smirking. "But at least it's something different than mindless riding. And Yang's right: even a shell of a town would be safer to rest."
Perhaps, so long as they didn't mind encroaching flames engulfing whichever building, they took up refuge in.
The road to Ambrose was narrower than the main road, enough so that before long Weiss and Blake were forced to travel side by side. Trees and brush meticulously cut back to clear the way formed walls of growth to their right, and though Weiss couldn't see it the gentle trickling of water to her left spoke of a stream. The horse's thud against wooden planks as they crossed over one small bridge, then another, supported as much. At least they might have a means of getting more water for the fires.
Except they might not need it at all.
Weiss didn't have much experience with forest fires, and less still with extinguishing a burning town. What she did know was that a fire of such large scale would be causing heat to spill out and warm the very air as though you stood before a great furnace. Yet the night's air remained chilled even as the brilliance of the light increased.
As the road widened again and the land cleared itself to give way to farmland Weiss and Blake finally caught up with the sisters.
"Well then…" Weiss muttered in awe.
Knowing nothing of Ambrose she wasn't terribly stunned to find walls rising up out of the ground, combinations of brick, stone, and mortar sealing off the settlement. What she was shocked to find, as their horses slowly approached the gatehouse, was that the walls were in fact occupied, and not by Grimm.
Several soldiers prowled the walls with bows in hand, silhouettes that stood out thanks to the flames within the town. That none seemed alarmed by the fires was reassuring: Ambrose wasn't burning to the ground at least.
Weiss' arrival, however, caused plenty of cause for concern.
Two armed men outside the gates called for them to halt, pikes raised. Torches above their heads caught their barbute helms, faces obscured in shadows. Their horses came to a collective halt and Weiss' ears caught the faint sound of bow strings being drawn taut. Blake hissed beside her, easing her cloak open and resting a hand on one of her daggers.
"Easy," Weiss cautioned with a whisper, easing Blake's hand off her weapon. Looking at those upon the wall, six in all, bows drawn and arrows notched, she slowly dismounted her horse. Making certain to keep her hands up she approached, stopping again when the pikemen held their weapons mere inches from her face.
"J-Just stay where you are!"
"I assure you we mean no harm. You have no reason to fear us."
"S-Sure, because plenty of folk be travelin' in the dark these days." The pikeman to her left inched his weapon closer and Weiss was forced to step back. "How do we know you're clean, huh?! You one of 'em?"
"One of what?" Weiss asked, trying to not react to the sharp blade hovering before her eyes. She reached for her collar and paused when the men jumped, smiling nervously. "I just want to show you my mark…"
It must have been difficult to see in the light but once the soldiers noticed it they visibly relaxed. One's shoulders slumped and he let out a long sigh while the other, the more tightly wound of the two, lowered his weapon but kept it ready.
"Hunters…? Does that mean the Grimm are dealt with?"
"Er… Not exactly?" One of the men cursed and Weiss finally lowered her hands. "We're working on it however. We just need somewhere to rest for the evening, please."
The two guards shuffled away and spoke between themselves. At least the bowmen above finally relaxed, and Weiss released a breath she had been holding. It was a lot less stressful when you weren't expecting the bite of an arrow at any moment. After a brief huddle one of the guards came back and nodded, clutching his weapon close to his chest.
"Okay. We can't promise we'll have any buildings left but you're welcome to come in. Have a chat with the Hunters inside, they can help you figure out where you're needed." The man paused before shuffling in his armor and adding. "Er… Assumin' you're here to help?"
While hardly opposed to the idea Weiss was a little preoccupied. "You said there are more Hunters here? As in inside the walls?"
"Yes? You mean you four didn't know?"
Weiss glanced back at Ruby and the others, then drew her rapier and frowned at the guards. "Please open the gates and let us inside. There should be no Hunters here besides us." Not unless they had been here before the outbreaks began. The two men held their weapons at the ready again and Weiss kept hers in hand, never lifting it as she stared at the pair.
The White Fang would be making moves to try and capitalize on the chaos. Were either of these men, or the archers for that matter, members of the organization? Their armor made it impossible to tell. Blake didn't recognize anyone but then it was unlikely she'd know every member either. Could they be working with Merlot then? What if the man was here?
A warm hand grabbed her shoulder and made Weiss squeak indignantly. Her cheeks flushed when Yang laughed at her expense, casually brushing the shorter girl aside and approaching the armed guards. She maintained an air of calm even as they held the weapons and aimed them at her chest.
Which appeared fine for Yang as she leaned forward, cocking her head and smiling. That looked to be where she wanted them focusing anyways.
"Relax, guys. We're all on the same side here, right? We've just had a long day is all. We're awfully sore from riding…" The Dimuran sighed, putting a hand on her back and making a show of things, grunting as she popped it. "And we're exhausted. It would be great if we had some strong guards around while we slept. Give us a chance to recover."
"Wh-what are you trying to do, s-seduce us…?"
"Stay back, siren!"
Yang snorted. "Siren? That's a new one. And nah, I was just striking up conversation is all!" She sighed, putting her hands on her hips and cocking one. "Come on, guys. Put the toothpicks away and relax. You too, Weissy."
"Yang, we don't know if -" Weiss' complaints became muffled when Yang clamped a hand over her mouth.
"Don't mind her either! She's usually crabby anyways, and all the riding's not doing her any favors."
"I am not! Release me this - Mmmmph!"
Yang bat her eyelashes at the men while dragging Weiss back. A coquettish swish of her hips made them exchange puzzled glances, while Ruby gagged and Blake rolled her eyes. Whatever Yang was trying to do didn't appear to be working whatsoever. Weiss flailed her arms, then dug the heel of her boot into Yang's foot, stomping again when the Dimuran didn't even react. Was she too daft to notice her foot being crushed?!
The guards turned when the gates to the town swung open with a resounding creak and shudder. Then a single woman emerged from within, a bow slung across her shoulders and arms draped over it. She strutted towards them without a care and let out a low whistle, eyeing up Yang and Weiss. "Huh, no one told me our guests were cute."
Weiss pried Yang's hand from her mouth and she jabbed the blonde in the gut with her elbow, narrowing her eyes as Yang grinned on uncaring. "Hey yourself. Guessin' you're the one who'll let us in?"
Beneath the brim of the girl's cap her dark eyes twinkled mischievously. "That depends if we can trust you. I overheard you say you're from the Church, but I… Don't…"
Something caught the woman's attention and she went silent. Slowly, deliberately, she turned her head and glanced back into the town, mouthing inaudibly to someone beyond the gates.
Blake cursed and Ruby yelped in surprise a second later. Weiss whirled around and saw an orange-haired man in a dark cloak perched on the back of Blake's horse, blade held to her throat. Weiss again went for her weapon and grit her teeth as magical bindings grabbed her wrists. Their horses cried in protest and Ruby had begun to climb from her horse until more bright blue leashes caught her arms and legs, dragging her to her knees and pinning her in place.
"Hey, what are you doing?!" Yang shouted, storming towards the Hunter. Her hands almost reached until bindings caught her arms. The Dimuran snapped one, cursing as another grabbed her, then another. One lashed around her neck and she was pulled off her feet, sprawled across the dirt and on her back. "Let go of us! We're not the enemy here!"
The woman held her hands out and let her bow fall to her feet, fingertips glowing blue. The pikemen shuffled awkwardly behind her and followed as she came closer. "No? You do know who you've got there with you, right?"
"B-Blake? She's with us!" Ruby protested.
"She attempted to kill Arthur Braun, the residing noble and patron of Galloway." The orange haired boy's voice was soft, certainly softer than the blade held to Blake's neck. "She's a criminal."
"Which, by association, makes you three just as guilty for working with her."
Weiss pulled against her restraints as the woman continued towards Blake. "Wait!" She swallowed uncertainly. "Check her neck, or mine. We're all Hunters. Blake was…" Pardoned? Forgiven? Turned into a sacrificial lamb? All true but none would help their situation much. "Blake was conscripted. Ruby and I are tasked with addressing the Grimm outbreak," she explained desperately. "Yang is with us. She's a friend."
"Check her neck if you don't believe us!" Ruby insisted. "She has a mark, just like you two!"
The woman frowned, turning to her partner before nodding. Weiss held her breath as his free hand pulled Blake's scarf back, staring for a moment before looking at his companion with a straight face. "Uh, Coco? I can't see her."
The woman laughed. "Oh, right. My bad, Fox. Just keep her there, will ya?" She stood on her toes and pulled Blake's scarf off completely, raising an eyebrow before whistling. "It's authentic alright. Guards, what about the other two?"
"The Y-Ydran already showed us hers, ma'am," one of the men stammered.
"And the other?"
Ruby's mark was laid bare as well, and while Yang hadn't one to show they didn't check for one either. Weiss didn't miss how Coco kept glancing at the Dimuran however, and neither did Yang.
"Like what you see?" Yang joked, pulling against her restraints halfheartedly. "Let me go and I promise you'll get a much closer look."
"Can we not threaten the people with a knife to my neck?" Blake asked, half whined.
"Yes, let's not antagonize our comrades-in-arms," Weiss added, glancing at Coco. "Because that's what we all are here: allies. We all work for the Church and we're all trying to make this right. So please, undo your spell and let us inside."
Coco entertained the request for a moment, then took a moment longer to stare at Yang again. When Weiss began to worry a fight might actually break out, she stumbled forward, the cold tendrils that had bound her vanishing in an instant. Ruby yelped and fell forward, mumbling as she dusted herself off, and Yang coughed, sitting up and nursing her throat.
Fox landed at Coco's side and stared up at Blake, or judging by his vacant, white eyes, tried to stare. "I'm not sure why they'd pardon you…"
"Same reason they let a blind man become a Hunter," the Meera snapped, rubbing her neck and checking her hand for blood before frowning at the pair. "The Church isn't exactly the brightest."
"Easy there, missy," Coco tutted, strolling past Weiss and Yang to collect her bow. "Just because you're technically one of us now doesn't mean we forget what you did. You'd better be on your best behavior."
Well that was just their luck wasn't it? Weiss collected her rapier and fastened it again to her belt. Yang dusted herself off, grinning at Weiss and flashing a thumbs up. As if you almost didn't make things worse, she grumbled to herself. You're lucky they didn't shoot you down for attacking Coco.
"Get your horses together girls. And mind the mess," Coco half-joked as she sauntered towards the gates with her bow hung dangling over her shoulder. "It's a bit stinky inside."
Out of curiosity Weiss sniffed at the air and came away with nothing. Blake's face looked pinched, although she wasn't sure if that was because of some scent or their 'warm' welcome. Taking her horse's reins in hand she led her animal through first, pausing as the gates were pushed wider to allow her friends through.
A large bonfire roared just inside the gates, several soldiers and civilians stood around it. A dark mound inside the flaring fires burned away and now that a wall no longer separated them Weiss could finally catch wind, literally, of what Coco had warned about.
Weiss retched and clamped a hand over her mouth, closing her eyes while they began to water. It smelled like burning hair and flesh, and the scent was so sickening, so heavy that she might as well have been slapped in the face by it. Suddenly the strips of cloth she'd noticed many people using to cover their faces made sense.
"What… What is this…?" Ruby's nasally voice asked, both hands clamped over her mouth and nose.
Coco didn't need to answer. Weiss watched as two weary looking men approached the flame, a person-sized lump bound in cloth between them. With a hefty throw the wrapped figure landed in the flames, greedily being devoured by the intense heat as fine green fabrics turned black in an instant. Skin began to sizzle, and pop and the disturbing odors intensified as the wind lifted them.
They were burning corpses. Realizing the mound inside the flames were all bodies Weiss felt faint, stumbling back and catching herself on her horse. There had to be a dozen or so inside, and a smaller mound outside the flames meant more. Her eyes watered and the burning bile in her throat choked her as it went back down, shuddering involuntarily.
Coco turned to the group with a somber smile, heavy bags beneath her eyes visible now that the raging inferno cast enough light on her. "Welcome to Ambrose, kids," she joked mirthlessly. "Come on, let's get you four settled."
On second thought maybe sleeping outdoors wasn't such a bad idea.
Weiss averted her gaze and dragged her horse along with one hand, the other never leaving her mouth. Beyond the walls distant howls echoed and she turned, watching the guards atop the walls shift but refrain from firing.
Given the choice between Grimm on the outside or the pyre within Weiss wasn't sure which she'd prefer.
/+/+/+/+/+/+/
"So… That's it?"
"More or less, yes." Weiss relaxed in her seat, pausing to watch an overworked barmaid hurry to a table of guards, tray in hand. No ale as Coco had pointed out, just clean water. Ambrose had run out of 'the good stuff' some time ago. "I realize it might not make the most sense…"
Coco chuckled. "Nah. You'd be surprised at the stuff I'll believe, kid. Especially after these last few days."
"You believe us then?" Ruby asked eagerly.
"Wouldn't be the first time the Church conscripted Hunters. First time they did so with a murderer though, far as I know," the archer mused, glancing meaningfully at Blake.
"In my defense they're attempted. I never did actually kill anyone."
"Enemy generals only 'attempt' to kill each other, but that's fine since they only 'attempted' to." Fox smiled at Blake and tilted his head. "Want to try that logic again?"
Blake didn't, and Weiss felt a bit of tension unwind itself when neither Coco nor Fox pressed them for more.
What they shared with the pair had been only a sliver of the truth. Weiss, Blake, and Yang had met in Holbrook, then were sent on High Commander Rainart's behest to Plockton. They met with Ruby at Fort Morris, and after ensuring the safety of refugees there - and traveling with said refugees until parting ways, they had come here to rest at Ambrose.
It was as much the truth as Ambrose was proving to be a peaceful rest, but it was enough to satisfy Coco's questions. She and Fox regarded them skeptically still but given no one had a blade to their throat anymore Weiss counted that as a win.
"Well, it's good to know that there are other Hunters out here with us. Fox and I were beginning to wonder what the hell the Church was doing."
Yang opened her mouth to speak and yelped instead when Weiss kicked her leg.
They'd agreed to let Weiss talk if only to keep them from accidentally stumbling into a mess by revealing too much. Maybe it was unfair to think Yang's first words since settling would out them. Her sheepish grin and nervous chuckle said it wasn't completely unfounded.
"From our understanding its to avoid alerting the dastards behind this. If the Church mobilized a force too large then they might be tipped off," Weiss explained. "Rather than risk that they opted to send us."
"As a token force," Fox observed, raising an eyebrow when the four of them stared at the blind man, and Weiss wondered how someone without sight seemed to know it. "It's obvious, isn't it? You four are either new or not really trained for this. You've been sent to try and fix things without really expecting to."
"Which probably means we'd be up next if you failed," Coco mused, without bitterness or animosity Weiss and company felt. The woman regarded that eventuality with the concern that one might being told their favorite food stall had run out of their favorite dish.
Weiss pursed her lips and traced the grains on the table. She didn't know if she was envious of Coco's nonchalance or dubious about the sincerity of it.
The Church was well within their right to dispatch who they pleased. That didn't mean Weiss had to like her assignment.
Nothing kills the mood quite like considering one's own potential death. While their table fell into silence those around them carried on with hushed conversation. Guards gathered to eat and drink, complaining about overlong shifts while cursing about various pains and stiffness. The three barmaids of the inn were in a perpetual hustle, faces red and hair messy as they rushed to serve their overabundance of customers.
At this point maybe 'customers' was a bit generous. Weiss and her friends were paying for everything they got - it was the right thing to do, and Coco and Fox did the same. Besides that most people ate and drank for free.
The inn had been turned into something of a shelter since everything had began in Ambrose. Weiss turned and watched the innkeeper himself, a wizened Kanin with half of one ear, rush to and fro with a tray trying to help his staff, and wondered, not for the first time what had pushed the town to this point.
"Sickness, in a manner of speaking," Coco said. When pressed further she paused, glanced at Fox, then sighed and pushed herself from the table. "Come with us. And uh… Apologies in advance if you've got a weak stomach."
Well that was endearing. Weiss took one last sip of her water and stood, following Coco with the others. Where standing room had become a commodity inside the two-story inn they moved in a single file, pushing and excusing themselves to weave through the crowds. Weiss expected to go upstairs to the rooms to find a quiet place to talk. Instead they moved into the kitchens, past cooks whose clothing clung to them with sweat, and into a storage room just beyond the heated space.
Inside the dim room a storm door sat closed, sealed by a single bar slipped through its handles. Coco pulled it free while Fox ushered them inside, locking the door behind them.
"I'm gonna make something clear, so listen up. What you guys are about to see isn't something anyone knows about yet. We called in a favor to the Church and we're keeping things quiet until we know what the hell's going on."
"The kingdom's gone to shit," Fox lamented. "Figured that was obvious?"
Coco ignored her partner's comment and pulled open one of the doors with an unpleasant creak. Musty air rose up from within and the faint flicker of torchlight below beckoned to them. "Do your best to ignore the smell. It was like that when we got here, if it helps." She laughed. "Probably best that they ran out of liquor in that case, eh?"
The smell alone was enough to make Weiss want to keep out of the basement. The ghostly groaning that seemed to echo throughout the empty room below wasn't helping matters either. Yang moved first, lips pulled into a tight smile and hands balled into fists. Ruby wasn't far behind and clung to the back of Yang's shirt, nose wrinkled in disgust.
Weiss paused at the top of the stairs and grimaced. The scent had become worse, a combination of mold and rot that made her partially filled stomach roil. Blake gagged, still feet behind her, and the Meera drew her scarf tighter around her nose and mouth.
"Hurry up," Coco urged them impatiently, putting a hand on Weiss' back and sending her down before following behind her. "I don't want the whole inn smelling like shit."
Bit late for that, albeit that might have more to do with the building being packed by stressed and overworked guards and townsfolk.
The basement opened up and turned into a wine cellar, or the remains of one. Barrels once set upon racks now stood haphazardly stacked along the wall, many cracked open and now empty. The racks themselves had been lined up side by side and bound with thick twine, forming a cage. Weiss was about to question what purpose it served until the same groan from before made her shudder and draw back. Someone was in pain, quite a bit of it, sounding like they were on the edge of delirium.
Or death.
Wordlessly Coco motioned for them to follow and found an opening between racks, taking them into a space more putrid and dismal still. Here, in the center of the enclosed space a woman laid out on the table, bound to it by leather straps. A tall, broad-shouldered man loomed over her with his back to them, bloodied gloves hanging from his belt.
"Proctor Peach? We have company."
The tall man turned curiously, raising an eyebrow at the ensemble. "Oh, oh my! I thought I'd heard someone coming!" He most certainly did not sound like a middle-aged woman.
Pink hair bobbed excitedly as a woman near half the man's height bound around the table with too much vigor given her bloody smock. Despite the bags beneath her eyes she smiled. "Weiss? Ruby? What are you doing here?"
After remembering she had a mouth to answer that question with, and a voice, Weiss shook her head and frowned. "Professor Peach! Why… We could ask you the same thing!"
Thumbelina Peach sighed. "They aren't. But when I received a letter from a nice young man asking for help, I could hardly say no. Officially, I'm not here." She winked. "Unofficially, I'm trying to sort out this mess."
"Any change in their condition?" Coco asked as she brushed past the rest. "Yatsuhashi, by the way," she added, slapping the obnoxiously tall man on the arm. "Yatsu, the kids."
"A pleasure to meet you. I wish it were under better circumstances, though."
"You're, like… Really, really tall," Ruby muttered in awe.
"Wait, he is?!" Fox gasped, holding a hand to his face before whining. "Coco, I think I'm blind!"
The archer groaned and rolled her eyes. "Not now, Fox. Have a fake crisis later. Right now, any progress, professor?"
Peach frowned, removing bloodied gloves and setting them on a barrel. "I'm afraid not. The patient barely responds to my magic, or any of the medicines I've made."
"Patient…?"
Yatsuhashi moved aside and gestured to the woman on the table. Dirty matted hair clung to her face and fanned out beneath her head. Wounds galore littered her body, or so Weiss assumed. The bloody sheet covering her from the chest down hardly bespoke a picture of health.
"You're… Torturing her?" Blake's voice was more puzzled than offended.
"'Studying' has a far nicer connotation to it, but you're not entirely wrong." Well that was sobering. Peach frowned at the woman and grabbed the top of the sheet, drawing it down. "What we're doing is trying to figure out what's driving people mad."
With just barely enough clothing left to keep the woman modest their 'patient' groaned again, eyelids fluttering but never opening. Sickly pale, clammy skin mixed with blood and caused a viscous pooling of liquids beneath her, some congealing into disgusting clumps.
Off-putting as the sight was Weiss found her eyes stuck on the woman's frail form. The entirety of the right side of her body, from her fingertips to her shoulder, down her abdomen and her leg, was littered in black, pulsing veins. While barely perceptible a fine black mist oozed off her body, too thinly spread to coalesce or create a cloud. That didn't keep Yang from stepping back and catching her breath.
"Recently we found miasma in the crops, and according to reports other towns had encountered the same thing." Peach moved to the head of the table, extending a hand over the woman's face. A gentle green glow flashed, and the woman's groaning ceased, although her restless twitching continued. "Right around the same time Grimm began to appear en masse. It appears the panic resulting from the miasma outbreak is what brought so many Grimm into the region."
"While that all makes wonderful sense it's this illness that has me stumped. In all my years working as a healer for the Church I have never, not once, encountered a sickness quite like this."
Weiss licked her quickly drying lips and stepped closer to the table. The woman twitched and her head turned slightly, facing her before rolling back. Her arm tensed, fingers clenching and unclenching before coming to rest. "What are the symptoms, exactly…?"
"Batshit crazy," Coco scoffed, sitting down on an overturned barrel and slouching forward. She removed her cap and fanned the air in front of her face with a scowl. "Those marks appear and then people just go nuts. Start attacking each other, other people. And that's hardly the worst of it."
"They change. They become something not quite… Natural." Yatsuhashi's brow furrowed as he looked down at the restrained woman. "It sounds insane, but they almost become Grimm, in a sense. Feral, without any sense of purpose beyond a wild killing intent."
Their cage clattered and Yang left in a hurry, covering her mouth while trembling. Ruby excused herself and followed her sister, their hasty footsteps ferrying them upstairs.
"Couldn't take the stink," Fox mused. With a shake of his head he rubbed one of his forearms, and for the first time Weiss realized it was bandaged. "At first it was one or two, and then more and more started going mad. They were trying to kill the villagers, and more than once we woke up with a few banging on our doors."
"People seem to have grown ill before going mad," Peach added. "Feverish, with shakes, sweating, reports of pain and nausea. Then a sense of dread, and finally the frenzy begins. These are of course only symptoms we've observed. No one has had the wherewithal to actually self-report, so these are guesses at best."
Weiss knew someone who could tell the healer everything she might want to know and more. Unfortunately, that person had just left, and she doubted anything on Remnant could convince Yang to come back.
Could miasma do that to people? She knew it could make them horribly, terribly ill. The class of magic was so atrociously effective at killing swathes of people that the Church outright banned its use beyond study, and even then, only a select few individuals could practice with it.
Individuals like Merlot.
"I'm guessing you figured out by now what that pyre was for." Coco hung her head and exhaled, running a hand through her hair. "We're supposed to be protecting people, that's a Hunter's job. Instead we're being forced to kill them and burn the bodies in hopes this madness doesn't spread." She looked up at Weiss and Blake with a bitter smile. "You sure picked the worst place in Vale to visit."
Quelling her stomach's desire to spill itself Weiss moved closer to the table, holding her breath before clasping a hand over her mouth and nose. The air was thick with the smell of iron, and though the woman had hardly begun to decay the smell of rotting flesh was unmistakable and overbearing. "Does she have a mark on her back…?"
"A mark, dear?"
"A symbol of sorts. Maybe it's not on her back, maybe on her neck? Somewhere out of sight." Weiss shuddered. "Have you noticed anything like that?"
"I can't say we have, although…" Peach glanced at Yatsuhashi as she grabbed her bloodied gloves. "We left the woman mostly decent, so I suppose there might be something in places we haven't looked." Yatsuhashi shifted uncomfortably but put his gloves back on as well. Following Peach's lead, he grabbed the woman's arm and leg, lifting her with all the gentleness a man his size could.
Clothing was cut away and the woman's bare shoulders tensed. All eyes fixed on her back, on the spot square between her shoulder blades.
Nothing was there.
Puzzled and not the least bit disappointed Weiss stepped back, frowning and dropping her hand. All the signs were there though. Frenzy, no regard for friend or foe, the veins. Everything suggested a condition not dissimilar to Yang's own, so why wasn't there a mark?
"There's one last place we haven't looked, but if it's all the same, I'd like to wait and check," Peach said while Yatsuhashi set the woman back down. He redid her bindings and pulled the blanket back up. "What made you think that there might be a mark?"
For a second Weiss feared she'd just completely exposed themselves. Poor wording given the woman's state of undress but nonetheless apt. Peach didn't regard her with anything besides curiosity however and neither Coco, Yatsuashu, nor Fox looked any more suspicious than before.
"We encountered something similar before." Again, half-truths and a little withholding of information. "The person we found had a mark on their back. Same symptoms."
Though faring markedly better, Weiss couldn't help but notice. Why was that? What difference did the mark make? Did that allow Yang to exert some measure of control, or did it act as a seal like she had suggested? Suffice to say the condition was the same, of that Weiss had no doubt. Yet where Yang appeared to be a 'final product' of sorts the people here by comparison were cheap copies. Incomplete.
"Whatever you know, dear, it would be of great help to us." Peach smiled gently despite the macabre setting. The patient groaned again, and she took a moment to soothe her suffering, for whatever good that might do. For all we know her healing is making the condition worse.
While performing mental gymnastics and trying to decide what to divulge Coco reached out and grabbed her shoulder, squeezing it firmly. "Weiss, if we can do something about this, or if you know anything at all, please," she begged wistfully. "We're getting really tired of killing civilians here."
Outing Yang and revealing her condition wasn't an option. Besides, the Church already knew about Yang's being here, didn't they? Hazel had known anyways, and Weiss would assume discussion had taken place between the crown and the Church concerning Yang's status. That Peach hadn't seemed fussed about the Dimuran's presence despite undoubtedly knowing who she was had suggested as much.
Weiss glanced at the near naked woman and bit the inside of her cheek. She wouldn't say anything about Yang if it could be helped. Dubious as she might be, she wasn't about to turn the blonde in for experimentation. Luckily there was someone else she could throw under the carriage.
"Merlot." Just uttering the name brought a sharp curse out of Peach while Coco and Yatsuhashi exchanged worried looks. Weiss swallowed, nervous but glad that the man's name seemed more than enough. "He appears to be connected to all of this. That's only a working theory of course, but…"
"Of course, it makes sense now!" Yatsuhashi jumped slightly at Peach's outburst, and the pink-haired woman began to pace, almost rubbing her face with her bloodied glove before thinking better of it. "Jacobis Merlot, for those who don't know. He was a researcher with the Church for nigh on forty summers. Damn good one too," she recounted, ceasing her pacing and frowning deeply. "He was chased out and branded rogue some years ago however for performing unethical research. Something to do with miasma, I think."
Weiss knew that, naturally. This absolutely wasn't her first time hearing about any of it, not at all. In a sad sense it was comforting. Not comforting to know a man with more than twice her lifetime's worth of research was plotting this, no, but comforting to know their hunches had been proven founded.
Thankfully Peach didn't question how they had come across the man's name or why they might know him. Much too engrossed in Weiss' disclosure she took to her patient again, studying her intently for… Well Weiss didn't know what, she wasn't a healer.
"Yatsuhashi, I'll need your help for a bit longer, dear. Coco, Fox? If you two could bring anyone else who's exhibiting symptoms to us, I think I might know a way to cure this."
What ought to be exciting news looked to deflate the pair immeasurably. While Fox slumped against the racks Coco let out a shuddering sigh and ran her hand down her face. "You mean, all this time, we could have cured these people…?"
"What's done is done, child. You did what you needed to in order to protect innocent people. It's unfortunate," Peach began, pausing when the older Hunters all shot her an angry look. "It's unfortunate that we didn't realize sooner, but we can still save others. Do not blame yourselves. If anyone here is at fault it's me for not realizing it sooner."
"You aren't the one who put your blade in their chests," Fox muttered.
"Or shot them like they were some wild animal," Coco added.
Yatsuhashi remained silent, though his pained expression said enough.
"I'm the senior Magi here, and one who should recognize the signs of miasma poisoning. The fault lies with me, and me alone. Regardless of who is at fault," Peach continued while examining the woman's eyes. "There is work to be done. We can hate ourselves later, for now please… Do what you can. There are still those we can yet save, and if we make a breakthrough here then healers can be dispatched to other towns." She smiled sadly. "We'll win this yet, children. Have faith."
Faith. How many of those afflicted had faith up until they went rampant? Weiss found little comfort despite the potentially momentous breakthrough. They hadn't had to kill anyone in all their travels, only Grimm. She couldn't imagine what it was like. And to learn that those you killed could have possibly been saved?
Coco and Fox didn't say a word as they lead her and Blake upstairs again. After sealing the door again and leaving the storage room behind them the pair excused themselves, pushing through the crowd and heading towards the exits.
Weiss certainly didn't envy them. If anything she wondered how they might come out of this not hating themselves. Even now they had to think they had made a terrible mistake. She knew she would in their position. Back in the dreary environment that was the overstuffed inn Weiss felt no desire to return to their seats, and certainly no desire to go out and face the pyre or the despondent citizens again. At the stairs she spot Ruby waving for them, with Yang higher up the staircase. Blake grabbed her arm and pulled her towards others, taking the steps two at a time.
Most rooms had been stripped bare, doors left open as nothing remained to steal. A few were occupied by people sleeping on cots, bed rolls, or the floor itself. Finding a vacant room for themselves Ruby ushered them inside, closing the door and using her scythe to prop it closed.
In the center of the room Yang waited for them, arms crossed and foot tapping impatiently. She'd regained some of her color from before but still looked stressed, face sheen with sweat and jaw clenched.
"Girls, we gotta talk."
"What about exactly?" Weiss asked, exasperated. "The greatest crisis the kingdom has seen in decades, Merlot, the Church and this conspiracy of yours?" Coiling herself up with tension she threw her hands up and groaned. "Or do you have another yet undisclosed disaster to share with us? Because we could certainly use another!"
Devoid of her usual smile and visibly straining Yang nodded slowly. "The Church. We can't not talk about it, Weissy, and we gotta figure out what we're doing from here. Now's a good a time as any."
"Well I don't want to talk about it!" Weiss snapped. "The only thing I want right now is to give that man Merlot a piece of my mind!" Or better yet a piece of her rapier, or a good spell or two.
"Weiss. The Church clearly knew what was going on. If we figured it out, if Raven figured it out, then surely they did too." Blake moved closer to Yang and frowned. "You can't ignore that. They're withholding things from us. Unless you think we're more competent than Ozpin?"
She didn't believe that in the slightest. Ozpin must have had his reasons for not telling them everything though. Maybe he knew they would figure it out. Maybe it had been a need to know basis.
Maybe the Church legitimately didn't know.
As unlikely as it sounded Weiss couldn't deny that possibility, and yet acknowledging that meant the Church was incompetent at best, and just ignorant at worst. If what Peach had said was true then Merlot was a monster of their own making. They'd have kept tabs on him. They had to know.
Ruby took Weiss' hand in her own and smiled reassuringly before addressing her sister and Blake. "Look. Maybe we don't know what's going on right now, and maybe we don't know who's right or wrong. But what I do know is that the four of us are in this together. Right now we're all we have to rely on, and we can't do that if we're arguing. I doubt the Church is trying to trick us," she said, then added with an apologetic smile. "But we're obviously being kept in the dark too, Weiss. We should figure this out instead of yelling at each other."
Weiss wasn't happy about it but Ruby spoke the truth. Maliciously or not the Church hadn't told them everything, but neither had it, or Ozpin, not given them a chance to figure things out on their own. Given the Archbishop's penchant for vague lessons Weiss wouldn't put it past the man to expect them to learn it all themselves.
They could sit here all day and debate whether the Church was hiding something. They could doubt each other and tell the other they were wrong until they were blue in the face. They each had their own ideas of the Church and none of them lined up, not entirely. That was fine.
What they did know was Merlot was behind this. Merlot. Not the Church, not the White Fang, and as deplorable as the woman had been, not Raven. The crisis had a face now and they had a chance to do something about it. Only if they could quit fighting each other.
"I shall… Try to see things from your perspectives," Weiss acquiesced, smiling when Yang finally seemed to relax. "But I ask that you don't blindly bash the Church either. We can discuss this, and our plans, without insulting one another's beliefs."
"Even if those are false?" Blake asked, then grunted and rubbed her side, narrowing her eyes at Yang.
"Play nice, kitty. We're all friends here."
"Pretty sure that's racist and speak for yourself. I tolerate you at best."
Yang chuckled. "Aw, I tolerate you too, Blakey. Now come on, let's spin us a yarn."
"Yang, please…"
"What? Aw come on, don't glare at me, Blake! I was just kitten around."
Unanimous groans. Ruby released Weiss' hand and stomped her foot. "Yang, this is serious!"
"So am I! Besides, some good jokes are just what we need to lighten the mood and get us working together."
"Good jokes, perhaps," Weiss sighed. "Yours are anything but."
Yang gasped and clutched her chest. "Weiss, that was cold! I'd even say… Weiss cold."
Ruby shook her fists before whining. "I changed my mind! First order of business: we make Yang stop telling jokes! All in favor?"
Three hands shot up. Yang gawked, then crossed her arms again but grinned unabashedly. "Look at that, you're all agreeing on something! Told you my jokes were just what we needed."
See ya'll next time. Love each other, be good, and have a wonderful rest of your week!