Chp. 25: The Grimm Reaper
City of Mistral
Downtown Mistral
May 20, 2020
Two days have gone by and within the shady parts of Mistral, Qrow, Alex, and Hayashi, walk down the streets among crowds of people. People still carry out their businesses as usual, both legally and illegally.
"You know if there's a good place to eat around her?" Alex asked.
"We can try that place," Qrow pointed to a nearby restaurant.
They looked at the restaurant and noticed a symbol of a spiderweb with a spider in it, etched on the wall.
"Sure, why not," Hayashi said. "And maybe gets some information there as well."
They walked inside and up to a bar and took a seat. Hayashi looked around and noticed that some of the customers are bearing the same tattoos similar to the symbol that was on the wall. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a woman sitting at a table with two bodyguards standing behind her.
The woman is a heavy-set middle-aged woman with light skin and short blonde hair kept in a bob haircut. She has a spider in its web tattooed on her left shoulder, a beauty mark under her right eye, lipstick on her upper lip and purple nail polish on her fingernails. The top of her dress is white and backless, with long sleeves and details, such as beads and straps, in purple. Below is a purple corset, and a long pleated skirt that is yellow on its top layer, purple in the middle one, and white in the lower layer. Her shoes are brown and decorated with a green ribbon. This is the gangster leader of the spider group, Lil' Miss Malachite.
Lil' Miss looks towards Hayashi who quickly looks away.
"So what do we do now?" Alex asked.
"We pay these people to give us an update on when Cinder will show up," Qrow said.
"Are you sure we can trust these people? They ain't exactly the most... trustful," Alex said.
"They're probably our only chance of getting an update on her arrival since most of the SDF are on other assignments," Hayashi said.
"Better get this over with then," Alex said.
The three men got up from their seats and walked up to Lil' Miss' table.
"That's far enough," Lil' Miss said.
Her two bodyguards walk up to Qrow, Alex, and Hayashi, blocking their way. Hayashi pulls out a wad of Lien and tosses it on the table.
"Okay," Lil' Miss said.
The bodyguards step back as Qrow takes a seat across from her as Hayashi and Alex stand behind them.
"I'm guessing you're Lil' Miss Malachite?" Qrow asked.
"I'm Lil' Miss Gon'-Skin-You-Alive if you ever take that tone with me again," Lil' Miss said as she took out her hand fan. "Now what do you want?"
"We are wanting an update on when any of these people will show up," Hayashi said as he puts a paper on the table.
Lil' Miss takes the paper and looks at it. On it were images of Cinder, Emerald, and Mercury along with a phone number. She sets the paper aside and looks back up at Hayashi.
"If you see any of these three, contact us by that number," Hayashi said.
"And what's in it for us?" Lil' Miss asked, closing her hand fan.
"There will be plenty more than that stack of Lien you'll get if you do so," Qrow answered.
"Hmmm... Give us a week, we'll find your travelers," Lil' Miss said.
Qrow got up from his seat and turned to Hayashi and Alex.
"Let's go," he said.
Qrow, Alex, and Hayashi all then leave. Once they've gone, Lil' Miss turns to the door behind her.
"Oh, girls?" she called.
The door opened and out came a pair of twin teenage girls.
The first twin on the left has short black bob style hair with a straight fringe and pale green eyes, highlighted by heavy red makeup. She wears a red strapless dress that is patterned with newspaper articles with the heading "A New York la pop art di Alborghetti". The dress has black and dark red lace layered tulle that hangs down more than the dress. She has an off center bow belt around her waist. She wears a pair of red thigh-high boots with black heels and soles alongside white lace-up detail. Twin silver chains run round from the back of the boots connecting to layer armor plating on the front of her boots. She wears lacy black stockings that peek out over the top of her boots accompanied by black garter straps that supposedly connect to her underwear. She sports a pair of black fingerless forearm length gloves with red lining around the tips of the fingers. Her gloves sport a newspaper design similar to her dress running from the backs of her hands to her forearms with a light brown frill trim peeking out of the ends. A pair of red and black claws that are long as her forearms sits over her gloves. Her accessories include a large long wing-like red feather and two short white feathers above her left ear and a short black fur shrug held by four beaded chains with a white gemstone in the center.
The second twin on the right has long black hair with a straight fringe that covers her eyebrows and pale green eyes, highlighted by heavy cyan makeup. She wears an off white, strapless dress that graduates to a cyan towards the skirt, it has a cyan layered feathery tulle that hangs longer than the dress and a small bow in the top center part of the dress. A pair of white thigh boots with red lace-up detailing. Blades are fitted to the rear of the boot seemingly connected to the heels. Twin silver chains run from the back of the boots connecting to a layer armored piece on the fronts of the boots. She wears cyan stockings under her boots with lace-trimmed tops that peek above the boots and garter straps that supposedly connect to her underwear. She sports a pair of white forearm length gloves with cyan lace detailing running from wrist to forearm accompanied by a silver vambrace on her left forearm. She has a white belt around her waist that has twin silver chains on the front alongside a cyan gemstone in the center whilst a pair of cyan feather-like wings extended from the back. Her accessories include a white flower-shaped hairpin above her left ear, a white feather scarf with two short red feathers surrounding a long cyan feather on the left side. She also sports a silver pauldron on her left shoulder. These are the twin daughters of Lil' Miss, Miltia and Melanie Malachite.
"What is it mother?" Melanie asked.
"I want you to do your mama a favor and find any of these three travelers" Lil Miss said, showing her twin daughters the paper. "And make sure you aren't followed."
"Whatever," Miltia said.
The twins then walked past their mother and left out the door.
"I'm so glad they came out of Vale to visit their lil' old mother," Lil Miss said.
Back with Qrow, Hayashi, and Alex, they all walked out of the busy streets.
"So I guess we wait for Miss Malachite to give us the heads up on when Cinder will show up?" Alex asked.
"Yep, so until then, we just listen to the bug I planted in Lionheart's office and wait for that cowardly lion to confess for helping Cinder's attack on Beacon," Hayashi said.
"Yeah, as much as I'd like to skin him alive or see him locked up, we can't just do that. Especially if we do that now," Qrow said.
"That'll not only draw unwanted attention from the other kingdoms, but it will also give Salem a reason to call her subordinates back, thus ruining the trap for them," Alex said.
"So until Cinder shows up, we wait," Hayashi said.
As Hayashi spoke, Qrow noticed someone walking into an alleyway. He saw an elderly woman with dark skin and long silver hair, which she wears in a single braid down her back. She is of small stature and appears to be hunched over. She wears a full-length dress in the traditional Tabasco style, consisting of a dark blue top with full sleeves and skirt consisting of alternating light and dark blue layers. In addition to her dress, she wears thick brown gloves and a heavy blue cloak trimmed at the edges with a pattern of white, hollow triangles on a light blue background. A similar white and blue trim is around the neck of the cloak. The cloak is secured to her shoulders with ornate white pauldrons. She has goggle-like prosthetic eyes. The prosthesis is dark gray with cyan colored lenses, each of which is equipped with a set of adjustable shutters capable of mimicking natural expressions. Four rectangular cyan lights create a partial ring on the outer bottom edge of the eyes, while a single cyan nodule on the top outer edge overlaps slightly with each lens. Two small antennae protrude vertically from the upper left side of the prosthesis. On the upper right is a port that allows for the attachment of a wireless receiver, allowing Maria to directly receive data from equipment. She carries a walking stick consisting of a natural wooden shaft terminating in a smooth, narrow section and metal foot with a purple band around its middle. Her walking stick is topped by an ornate blue skull connected by means of a thick metal band with a purple ring at its center. On the front of the connecting band is a large, blunt protrusion located directly below the skull's mouth. This was the retired Huntress known as the Grimm Reaper, Maria Calavera.
"Guys, look," Qrow said pointing at Maria.
Alex and Hayashi looked and then realized who that was.
"Was that Miss Calavera?" Hayashi asked.
"Yep. We need her to train Ruby to use her eyes," Alex said.
"Well, let's go then," Hayashi said.
The three men then followed Maria into the alleyway.
"Miss! Miss! Can we talk for a minute?" Alex called.
Maria turns around to face Qrow, Alex, and Hayashi.
"What is it? What do you want?" Maria asked.
"We need you to come with us," Hayashi said.
"Why? You're not trying to rob me are you?" Maria asked.
"No, but your presence is needed," Hayashi replied.
"Why is that?" Maria asked.
"The world needs the Grimm Reaper, one last time," Qrow said.
Maria's prosthetic eyes widened in surprise.
"May I ask how you figured out who I was?" she asked.
"If you come with us, we'll tell you everything," Alex said. "A lot of people wish to meet you."
"I've been nothing but a disappointment to the world after I've lost my eyes," Maria said. "What can I do?"
"I have a niece with silver eyes back at Haven Academy. Maybe you can teach her how to use them. That would be something you can do for the world now," Qrow said.
"I guess there is no getting out of this," Maria said. "Where do we go?"
Mistral Home
Meanwhile at a three story home, Team JNPR, Ruby and Jacob just got back from Haven Academy and are all working on their class assignments. Britney, Robert, and Junichi just arrived yesterday and informed the rest that Sienna Khan was successfully captured and is being sent to Menagerie. Britney and Robert joined their friends in their studies while Junichi was listening in on Professor Lionheart's conversations through radio, hoping to get a shred of proof to get permission from the counsel to receive an arrest warrant.
"When do you think Uncle Qrow and the boys would be back?" Ruby asked.
"Anytime now I would imagine," Britney answered.
The double doors opened and in came Alex, Hayashi, Qrow, and Maria. Everyone looked towards the elderly woman with a surprised look.
"You guys found Maria," Jacob said.
"Yep, we found her down in the city," Qrow said.
"Now who are these kids and why am I here?" Maria asked.
"Miss Calavera, what you are about to find out will be unbelievable, but it is all fact," Alex said.
"And what is that?" she asked.
"The unknown military, Britney, Robert, and I are from another world," Jacob said.
"Could you repeat that, young man?" Maria asked with a skeptical look.
"Please have a seat. This is going to take a while to explain," Junichi said.
Kuo Kuana, Menagerie
Belladonna Residence
Meanwhile at night in the Belladonna household and a few guards patrol the property after hearing about Ilia's attempted break in. Blake stands on the deck outside her father's office. She stared at her father's door as Kali approached her daughter, carrying a tray with a tea set on it.
"You know, you can always go in and say hi," Kali said.
"I don't want to bother him," Blake said.
"A father is never too busy for his daughter," Kali said.
Kali kisses her daughter on the cheek and hands her the tray. Blake accepts it.
"Here. You can speak with your father if you wish," her mother said.
"What about you?" Blake asked.
"Those friends you brought back with you love to run their mouths," Kali said. "Besides, I wanna hear more about the adventures of Team RWBY."
Kali walks away, as Blake hesitates for a moment before she slides open porch door and Blake steps inside closing the door behind her. Ghira's study consists of wooden walls and flooring, and bookshelves line nearly every wall. Ghira's desk is sectioned off from the main space of the room, on a marble floor two steps up from the rest of the room. On the wall behind the desk is a painting of the view of Kuo Kuana from the Belladonna home's front door, framed behind glass. On either side of the desk is a potted plant.
Hanging from the ceiling are potted plants with small, red flowers, and on either side of the room is a marbled green pillar. On the opposite wall from the desk is a wooden door. To the right of the door is a painting of an ocean with tropical hills silhouetted in the distance, all of which is mostly shades of red from a sunset.
The main area of the study has an oversized coffee table, around which is a smooth couch and two loveseats. Beneath this furniture set is a rug - dull green around the edges and a much lighter, paler green in the middle.
Ghira sat behind his desk, straightening some paper work as Blake then spoke.
"Uh, hey dad."
"Blake! Well, this is a pleasant surprise. Please, come sit," Ghira said.
Father and daughter both move to the oversized coffee table and lounge furniture, and Blake sets the tea set at the end where her father sits.
"Don't worry, I've got it. Sit down, sit down," Ghira said.
"I don't wanna keep you if you're-" Blake gets cut off by her father as he was pouring the tea.
"Nonsense, I've been cooped up in here all day."
Blake took the cup closest to her and sat down on the couch.
"Dad... I'm sorry," Blake said, lowering her head.
"What for?" her father asked as Blake set her cup on the table.
"I shouldn't have yelled at you and I shouldn't have left the White Fang sooner. I called you cowards," Blake said as a tear ran down her cheek. "I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry."
Ghira set his cup on the table and stood up from his chair. He sits beside her on the couch, putting his arm around her. He then turns her by the chin to look at him and then wiping a tear from her eye with his thumb.
"Blake, it's fine. We never held anything against you, and I never feared you would fail. The only thing I ever feared was that you would fall down the wrong path, and I am so proud to see you haven't," Ghira said.
Blake hugs her father who then hugged her in return.
Several minutes later, Blake stands out on the balcony, looking out at the city. She hears a voice that called to her.
"You need better security."
Blake turns and sees Ilia standing on the railing with her mask on.
"Ilia... come down here. I want to talk to you," Blake said.
Ilia jumps down onto the deck and walks up to Blake.
"Why? Why would you leave us, Blake? Why would you befriend the humans that killed our brothers and sisters?" Ilia asked.
"You know Adam's way of gaining equality is the wrong way to go. He only wants to make humanity suffer," Blake said. "And my friends were defending themselves. And even they themselves admitted the way they killed them was wrong."
"Blake..." Ilia tries to speak, but Blake interupts her.
"Corsac and Fennec blamed you. We confronted them last night, and they deny knowing anything and everything found on your Scroll. They talked about how disappointed they were to hear that you'd sided with Adam. But you and I both know they're guilty."
"You can't prove anything," Ilia said.
"That Scroll might not have been enough to lock them up, but it's enough to sway the Faunus here. When we go public tomorrow, they're not going to stand for any of it. And neither should you," Blake said.
Ilia removes her mask and has a solemn expression on her face.
"Your plan isn't gonna work, Blake. Please... just leave Menagerie before it's too late" Ilia begged.
"You know I can't do that," Blake said.
"I know," Ilia said in a saddened tone.
Blake grabs Ilia's hand and speaks.
"Ilia... I don't want to see you follow Adam's footsteps and become like him. You're better than this. I don't want to lose you. There is still a chance for you to get out now."
Ilia had ears in her eyes as a moment of silence passed. The chameleon Faunus tugged her hand away and dons her mask once again. She jumps off the balcony and disappears into the night. Blake sighs, taking on a saddened expression.
Mistral Home, Mistral
Back in Mistral, Maria sat on a chair with a stunned expression on her face as Team JNPR, Ruby, Jacob, Britney, Robert, Qrow, Hayashi, Alex, and Junichi were all surrounding her.
"So there is another world out there where our world is a TV show to them, this is Remnant's humanity's second chance of existing, and you all need me to teach this young girl to use her silver eyes?" Maria asked.
"That's pretty much right," Jaune said.
"And this world needs you back one last time," Pyrrha said.
"It's... comforting, seeing that your generation seems up to the task of inheriting this world. I'm just sorry I didn't do more to leave it in better shape," Maria said.
"Well now's your chance. You can teach me how to use my powers like you used yours," Ruby said.
Maria looked back at Ruby and a moment of silence had passed before she spoke.
"I suppose I could teach you a thing or two," Maria said.
"So you'll do it?" Nora asked.
"Sure, why not?" Maria said with a shrug.
"So I guess we got the old lady now," Robert said.
Maria smacks Robert on the head with her cane making him cry out in pain.
"I may be old, but I'm a lot smarter than you are," she said.
"Heh, whopped," Alex chuckled.
