Okay so at this point, I'm not sure what to put here. I wanna be detailed and keep you updated but I got nothing new in life. So yeah, I'm just gonna use the beginning to say hey everyone and welcome back into another thrilling chapter.
[The Pine Farm]
A young boy named Oscar Pine carried a pitchfork into the barn, which has loose bits of hay strung about the floor. He passed a sink with a mirror behind it, and something made him pause and take a closer look. He saw his own reflection and lifted a lock of his hair, as if expecting something different.
He leaned forward and examined the mirror more closely, "Hello?"
Just as Oscar is about to back away, a voice booms out, sending him crashing backward, "Hello! I'm Professor Ozpin!"
Oscar looks up at the sink and mirror from the floor of the barn, breathing heavily. From outside the barn, a woman's voice calls out, Oscar's Aunt, "Oscar? You be careful with those tools!"
[Yang]
Yang Xiao Long is surrounded by a thick fog, all around her are broken pieces of buildings and darkness. She looks around, confused, and lets out a small gasp when she looks down. She raises both of her arms and turns them, examining their presence, particularly her right arm. Seeing it back in place made her extremely uneasy.
Yang looks up from her arms to see Adam Taurus walking toward her. The red accents in his hair, mask and outfit have a surreal glow. Yang steps back defensively and discovers that she is suddenly wearing Ember Celica. Knowing she is armed, she starts blasting Adam five times. They do nothing to him but phase past him while he steadily continues walking closer.
Adam puts his right hand on the handle of his sheathed sword. Yang tried to attack him again, but her weapon is gone, as is her right arm. She stared for a moment in confusion and disbelief and then startles when Adam is abruptly directly before her. He grins at her and starts to unsheath Wilt from Blush.
Yang awakens with a gasp. She is in her room, lying on top of her bed. The robotic arm given to her by General Ironwood rests on her bedside table, out of the box. Yang looks at it for a moment before turning her face away hearing laughter coming from downstairs.
Yang heads downstairs to discover Professors Bartholomew Oobleck and Peter Port sitting at her kitchen table and laughing with her father, Taiyang Xiao Long, his old friend Sarge and her friend, Mercury. A big bowl of fruit at the center of the table, remained untouched as Sarge used the stove to make some hot links.
"And, and, and then, in comes Qrow, wearing a skirt! I was just a TA, I-I didn't know what to do, so I just... I just left the room to laugh!" Port laughed as he failed to notice Yang came to the kitchen door while the three laugh.
Taiyang added more to the story, "We told him it was a kilt! He'd never worn a uniform before, so he didn't know!"
"That is terrible! What is wrong with you!?" Professor Oobleck asked.
Taiyang defended his position, "Hey! The girls all said he had nice legs! I did that jerk a favor! Besides, that's not even the best part! See, then we-"
"Like what you see?" Port puts his right leg on the tabletop, cutting off Taiyang. The group laugh and Port loses his balance. He tries to save himself from falling, but ends up on the floor. There's even more laughter. Taiyang claps from mirth and Port joins in the hilarity from the floor. Yang giggles too, covering her mouth, but the three teachers, the soldier and his student become alerted to her presence. Oobleck stands while Port gets up off the floor.
"Oh, uh, Miss Xiao Long! Uh, please, join us."
Yang entered while Port laughs, a little bit embarrassed.
Oobleck also embarrassed, having his student see him in this light, "Oh, yes, yes, pull up a chair. Please, pull up a chair."
"I'm good." Yang turned the down before hoisting herself backward up onto the kitchen counter, beside where her father stands. Port and Oobleck sit back down.
Yang asked a question, "So, what are you doing here?"
"Despite popular belief, teachers do have a life outside the classroom." Oobleck explained.
Sarge carried on the conversation, "Professor Goodwitch is working 'round the clock to restore Beacon to its former glory! But, Mistral wasn't built in a day. And we all need rest from time to time."
"Now look, let's not worry about that right now. So, there we were, standing in the auditorium, looking at Qrow, wearing a skirt. Then Oz tells everyone, 'It's time to work on our landing strategy!'" Taiyang finished the story earning more laughs.
Oobleck glanced at his drink for a moment, "The Branwen twins have always been... interesting, to say the least."
"That sure didn't seem to stop young Tai." Port poked at Taiyang.
Taiyang didn't take too well to that, "Hey, come on, man, she's right here."
"Oh, please Tai. You can't just shut it down because ya don't wanna let Yang in on some pass stories." Sarge shot back as he readied the plate.
Taiyang took the plate away from him in a show of dominance, "You're one to talk, do Emerald and Mercury know about the big dog incident from back then. Also that's not the issue, Sarge! And besides, she's still a teenager!"
"'She' is also in the room, and can be directly spoken to. And I think I've been through enough to be considered an adult at this point." Yang spoke up.
Taiyang sighed as he tried to prepare himself for the conversation, "Adult or not, you've still got a long way to go before you're ready for the real world."
"Gee... he's right. What could we have possibly been through that would make us feel as though we should be considered adults... lemme think... I can't put my finger on it." Mercury rolled around in a circle. His hands tapping on his wheels earning some muffled chuckles from Sarge, Port and Oobleck. Laughters as Mercury fact-checked Taiyang.
Taiyang groaned and face palmed, "Are you really guilt tripping me?"
"What made you think that? I'm just coming over to get a cup." Mercury stated as he attempted to reach for a cup, from the top shelf.
Yang laughed at Mercury's joke but only for a minute before she rolled her eyes, "He's right, does every father figure have the same three condescending phrases?"
"Yeah! But we only use them when we mean it!" Taiyang raised his voice to his daughter.
Port and Oobleck look at each other as father and daughter argue, a touch uncomfortable. Oobleck takes a sip from his mug while Port pulls at his collar.
Yang rose her voice back, "Is that so?"
"As a matter of fact, it is so! If you honestly think that you're ready to go out there on your own, ha, well I guess you lost some brain cells along with that arm." Taiyang said with no regret.
Yang gasps and pulls back from her father's face while a stunned Port leans forward and Oobleck's mouth drops open and his glasses slip down. There's a comedic beat before the mug slips out of Oobleck's hand to safely land on the table. Sarge chose a wrong moment to take a bite as he began to choke, forcing Mercury to use all effort to stand on his healing legs and perform the heimlich. All three stare at Taiyang for a few seconds.
"You... jerk!" Yang playfully punched Taiyang, and the father and daughter laugh together.
Oobleck whispered to Yang while everyone heard it, "Are we finally talking about the Goliath in the room?"
Taiyang and Yang look at each other and then laugh. Relieved laughter comes from both Port and Oobleck. As Sarge patted Mercury on the back from recovering, "I knew you should be able to walk..." He started but stopped as Mercury used the counter to keep himself from falling, clearly he healed but not entirely. As Sarge caught him and eased him back down into his seat. Both faces hadn't smiled the whole night.
Port as well as everyone inside ignored the whatever both Sarge and Mercury were doing and carried on, "Oh, Miss Xiao L— Yang, if you don't mind me asking, why haven't you tried on the arm yet?"
"Oh, yes, yes! A piece of Atlas technology given out like that is rare indeed! Not to mention the effort it took to deliver it here. It seems a great many people want to see you returned to normal." Oobleck stated.
"I'm... scared." Yang answered as Taiyang takes a sideways step closer to Yang, watching and listening, "Everyone keeps talking about me getting back to normal. And I appreciate it, but... this is normal now. It's just taking me a while to get used to it."
"Well, normal is what you make of it." Taiyang replied.
Yang didn't take that very well, "What is that supposed to mean? Do you want me to just pretend like nothing happened? I lost a part of me. A piece of me is gone. And it's never coming back."
"You're right. It's not coming back. But that doesn't have to stop you from becoming who you wanna be. You're Yang Xiao Long, my sunny little dragon." Taiyang placed his hand on his daughter's shoulder, "You can do whatever you put your mind to. So whenever you're ready to stop moping, and get back out there, I'll be there for you."
"I... I..." Yang stuttered for her answer.
Port started to comfort Yang with his experience with the matter, "Fear is like any other emotion. It comes and goes. It's all in how you handle it. Why, even I find myself wrestling with that emotion from time to time."
Yang, out of respect, pretended to be unconvinced, "Really? You?"
Oobleck whispered the real answer, "He's afraid of mice."
Port pounded the table, "They bring only disease and famine!"
Yang laughs while Port rants about the creepiness of mice, while Taiyang watched his daughter.
"And don't even get me started on their tails! So hairless, and simply unnatural!"
Oobleck kept comforting his colleague, "Port, I assure you, you are safe. There's no mice here right now."
The scene transitions to Yang taking the last steps at the top of the stairs. She turns partially and lifts her hand to those below, "Goodnight!"
The arm on the bedside table is the first thing she sees when she walks into her room. She looks at it for a moment but then moved to the window when she hears the front door to the house open followed by the voices of the visitors and her Dad. She decided to stand out of side beside the window and listen.
"Thanks for having us over, Tai." Port thanked.
Taiyang smiled back at them, "Any time. You're always welcome."
"It may be a while before we return. There is still much work to be done at the school." Oobleck restated.
Port paused for a moment to start his question, "I hesitate to ask, but is there any word from young Miss Rose?"
Behind Taiyang, Yang moved into visibility at her bedroom window.
"Not yet."
"Have you thought about going after her? Trying to bring her home?"
Taiyang sighed, "I've got to... look after some things."
As Taiyang glanced toward her bedroom window, Yang moved out of sight again and squeezed her right upper arm, looking dejected.
[On The Drive Home Back To Sarge's Place]
Mercury and the old man sat in silence as they did nothing but stare at the road with the headlights guiding them. Mercury staring out the window and back at the road from time to time, while Sarge's eyes darted back and forth between driving and checking if Mercury was really fine. Growing a little uncomfortable with each silent second that passed by he switched off the meaningless radio and turned to him.
Clearing his throat Sarge started speaking, "So... how long have you been... walking?"
"Just two days ago." Mercury answered while avoiding eye contact, "I was able to stand on my own for over twenty seconds just a week before."
"That's good, that's good... It's a start." Sarge responded.
Mercury gave a terrible fake smile as he spoke back, "Yeah, maybe in a year or two I'll be able to walk... maybe run."
"Merc..."
"Ohhh... let's see that's about when Beacon and Vale should be rebuilt. Maybe I'll still be a Huntsman yet."
"Merc..."
"And hey, you can still win your stupid bet with Ironwood because that's all we are to you." Mercury gradually raised his voice until he was full on shouting.
This pushed Sarge to shout back, "MERCURY!" Sarge slammed on the brakes and got out of the car to get the cool night air to calm his heated mind. Pacing back and forth outside as Mercury stared at Sarge thinking he was right all along, "You really think that's the only reason I kept you around? Why I saved you from that abusive dirt bag?"
"That's the reason you told us! Besides I had everything handled, I didn't need saving from him." Mercury snapped back.
Sarge walked back to the truck to get in Mercury's face, "No... you needed saving from yourself."
"What are you talking about?" Mercury brushed off.
Sarge got back in and sat in the driver seat, "You know why Red is my family's primary color? Because as far back as the Great War my family has had blood on their name. I wear red because seeing me in anything that doesn't resemble that bathed on me is so unnerving that I get scared, lost and confused. Like I need to look for my next fight, my next battle, my next war. I saw you that night and saw a future me if you did this." His eyes stayed fixated on the wheel for the whole conversation, but his face really showed nothing but regret for following in his family's name.
Mercury actually understood Sarge as he leaned forward to hold his closest shoulder, just to add some comfort. Who would have guessed that these two different people would have been so close to each other.
"Sarge... I need you to help me get back out there. Please..." Mercury asked him for this favor.
Sarge sniffled back whatever tears were on their way out and turned back to Mercury, "...Right, when should we start?"
"Soon... we've both been through a lot for one night. Soon."
"Alright... good idea kiddo."
[To be Continued]
Alright so a couple questions were asked that I didn't go over last time. So let me take this time to address them.
Gabriel The Fallen Archangel said, "Seriously, at first I thought there would be four way between Blake, Weiss, Tex and Church. Now just think nothing about it."
Let's not rule anything out, I'm joking... it's not gonna happen. But trust me when that cat gets out the bag no one is safe from the drama.
Rexosuit asked, "Question: how was Emerald in a call when the CCT is down?"
I have 2 answers.
1: Sarge trained her in combat, handling mechanics, combat tactics, etc. etc. So she can easily establish connections even in terrible environments. So she knows a thing or two, especially if she planned accordingly and had a packed her bag with a long range communication device.
2: Because... Plot... Just kidding, I don't wanna use that as an answer for every little thing. I've put more thought into this.
Alright now that everything is covered let me just say, Churchisalive signing off for now.
