Here's chapter 27, everyone.
"Um… I don't think we're the best at interior decorating." Weiss remarked as the four girls looked at the beds, now even more messy than they were before. "How did this even happen?"
Yang rubbed the back of her yellow mane. "Well, I mean my bed isn't as close to the wall now." She said, looking at how her bed was more in the middle, but was facing the wrong direction.
"We could, and don't be afraid to agree with me, make them bunk beds!" Ruby suggested with a cheer.
"Bunk beds?" Weiss raised an eyebrow. "Ruby, we don't have the tools for that."
Ruby pulled out some rope and books from the drawer. "Balancers! See, they can so work." She saw the looks on her team's faces. Weiss looked concerned, Blake looked unimpressed and Yang gave her sister a questioning look. "What?"
"That is incredibly dangerous, you dolt." Weiss explained.
Blake looked at the books in Ruby's hands and glared. "And those are MY books, Ruby."
"Uh… I was just gonna borrow them?" Ruby chuckled nervously.
Yang wrapped an arm around her partner. "Well, it does sound like the only way we'll have more room in here, and it shouldn't be too hard. We fight monsters for a living after all."
"This is completely different from fighting monsters, you oaf." Weiss reminded.
"Hey, I'm just trying to get to sleep already. And if we need to move the beds around a bit, then let's just get it done." Yang reasoned.
Weiss grumbled at the thought of having such dangerous bunk beds. "Fine."
It seemed like an hour had gone by, but when they had finally finished up, the bunk beds were set up in the way Weiss expected them to be. "Well, it could be worse." Yang commented.
"It could be much better." Weiss responded, sighing at the work they had done, looking at the ropes that held up Ruby's bed over hers. "Why did I agree to take the bottom bunk again?"
"Because you're thoughtful of Ruby?" Yang guessed, earning a glare.
"That thing might fall on me one day…" Weiss expressed her concern.
Ruby wrapped an arm around her partner. "Well we can still switch if you want. I really don't mind, Weiss."
"No, it's… It's fine, Ruby." Weiss assured. "Still, one of these days we really need to speak with Ozpin instead to just have someone set these up for us."
Blake spoke up next, trying to keep some semblance of non tension between her and Weiss. "I don't think he'd allow that to be honest."
Weiss sighed in response. "Ugh, let's just get some sleep, please."
Ruby released her arm around Weiss and jumped up in the air, happy their first 'team activity' was completed. "Right! Time to change into our pajamas. Leader's orders." She crossed her arms proudly.
"Um, we were already doing that, Ruby." Weiss said as she was already changing.
"Oh…" Ruby looked disappointed.
Yang chuckled as she tossed her jacket on her bed. "Sheesh, sis. I didn't think you'd try pulling the leader card this soon."
"W-What? No I was just trying to show you guys that I can be a good leader and how we can get things done as a team together is all." Ruby defended.
"You know you don't have to do that with such a thing as changing into our pajamas, Ruby." Weiss said as she began slipping her nightgown on. "Yang, could I use your brush?"
The blonde grabbed it from her drawer and tossed it to her white haired friend. "Don't worry about handing it back to me. Just leave it on the table if anything." She said while changing into her black shorts and orange shirt.
Weiss nodded and walked over to the mirror to brush her hair, while she saw Blake looking at her in the reflection of the mirror. She let out a quiet sigh and chose not to pay attention to her.
"Well, I'm all tuckered out." Ruby yawned, doing her best to climb up on her bed, while Weiss grimaced when she saw it swaying a bit. "Have a goodnight, team!" She threw her blanket over her, not seeing how nervous Weiss was.
"Ugh. Sleeping under a death trap. Wonderful." Weiss continued to brush her hair, not looking forward to the anxiety of trying to sleep that night.
Raven groaned as she slowly opened her eyes, feeling her head was laid against a soft surface. "Ugh, my head…" She reached her hand to the back of her head to check for any bleeding. "Where the hell am I?" The huntress sat up and looked around, seeing the metal walls surrounding her.
With a gasp, the huntress instantly was to her feet, reaching for her blade, but finding it not to be there. "You won't find it where you last kept it." A voice said, making Raven spin around and her eyes widened.
Her small form was illuminated by the moonlight. The woman stood tall like years of hard work hadn't worn her down, except that couldn't be said for her clothes.
Around her neck was a white scarf that was torn and frayed at the ends. Her bobbed hair was barely locked underneath the light fabric. The scar that was just above her lip was just as distinctive as the pale blue eyes that pierced the calm night.
Her black sweater was like a dress that silhouetted into the night sky. Since it was lightweight, there were more layers underneath to keep her warm.
The leggings had been stretched from overuse, and her thin black boots had seen better days. There were splotches of brown and damp spots from trekking in the snow.
"And who might you be?" The huntress kept her guard up, even without a weapon, she was still a capable fighter.
"That's my question to you." The white haired woman asked, not showing any worry to how guarded Raven was being. "You follow me in the snow and expect me to answer questions first?"
Raven took a few moments, taking in what this woman said to her as she blinked a few times. "You're the wolf…" A nod. "Why the hell did you attack me when I told you I wasn't here to fight you?" Raven gave the woman a glare.
"Liars." The mystery woman said, getting a sigh from Raven. "Up and trusting anyone can get you killed."
"Honestly… I agree with you." Raven replied, knowing that she herself did in fact follow that ideology. "Still, I have zero reason to bring harm to you besides defending myself."
"That remains to be seen." The white haired woman spoke, walking over to the spot Raven was laying on before as she leaned down to pick up the small blanket. "Tell me why you followed me."
Raven knew that she would be interrogated, but she would accept the questions as the woman the way she was couldn't hurt her as much as she could as a wolf. "Because I've seen you years ago, in Atlas."
The woman was surprised. "When?"
"I don't remember exactly how many years ago, but all I can say is seeing a giant wolf turning into a woman was one of the more… Confusing things to see that day." Raven explained as she crossed her arms, looking for her blade.
"What reason would you need to follow someone like me then? So what? I can transform. Why do you care?" The woman questioned, not caring how rude she sounded.
"Answers. That's all. Though, thinking about it, you believed I would attack you on sight, so clearly there are others who would." Raven remarked.
"You would assume correct." The woman said, closing her eyes for a moment as she let out a breath, the cold air showing. "The marked."
Raven was unclear on what she meant. "The marked?"
"My name is Lazuria." The white haired woman suddenly said, surprising Raven as she had no reason to trust her. "And the marked are those who have been traced. Hunted."
"You're not making any sense here." Raven responded in an annoyed tone.
Lazuria sighed as she dropped a fire dust crystal on the ground near some wood left on the cave floor and made it go off, letting off some heat in the cave. "What do you think I am?"
"Couldn't tell you. You're a mystery for years… But if I had to take a wild guess, I'd say you're a fairy tale." Lazuria actually chuckled at that.
"Yes, to some I would be." Lazuria moved the blanket she had on the floor and sat on it. "Something that should stay in a book is what those who hunt me refer to me as."
Raven looked over at the cave entrance, sighing a bit. "Look, whatever you're dealing with, I don't really see what I can do. So tell me why you even dragged me in here when you could've left me for dead."
"I may be a wolf, but I am no animal." Lazuria stated as she moved her hands close to the fire for its warmth. "And knowing who you are, and who you know… I can say I'm glad I didn't leave you for dead."
"My scroll…" Raven cursed under hear breath at how she let someone figure her out via her scroll.
"Mhmm." Lazuria reached into her pocket and tossed it over to the huntress. "Passwords are very easy to break through."
"Ugh, okay, well you know me, but exactly who do I know that makes you glad I ain't dead?" Raven questioned.
Lazuria smiled at the fire, thinking about the person Raven knows. "Willow."
Raven was surprised that it was Willow of all people. Not a huntress or a huntsman, but Willow Schnee. "And what is your connection with Willow Schnee?"
"Nothing you have to worry about." Lazuria said, getting up and walking over to the cave entrance.
"You say you wouldn't trust anyone so easily, yet you've not only told me your name, but you've shown your back to me." Raven stated.
Lazuria looked over her shoulder, the bags under her eyes evident. "Willow Schnee. You know her enough to have her on your contacts list." She turned her attention back outside, taking in the snow of the land. "How do you know her?"
Raven walked over, standing next to the woman as she looked forward as well. "I believe I asked you first."
"You did, and I have no reason to tell you that, so do you wish to give me the same answer?" Lazuria asked, choosing not to let the huntress get her answer.
"A friend, if you could say that." Raven remarked. "The idiot tends to stick her nose in my business… But for good intentions I suppose."
Lazuria didn't like what Raven called her old friend. "You would do well to respect her."
"And you would do well to not show how connected you are with her when you said I shouldn't need to know." Raven countered.
"Hmm." Lazuria said as she kept her eyes trained on the land. "You last contacted her a week ago. May I ask-."
"She's not too far, at least I assume so since I'm not one hundred percent sure where you've taken me yet." Raven answered before the woman could finish her sentence. "I've been training her."
Lazuria's eyes widened at that and she turned to face the huntress. "T-Training her? What for?"
Her concern was evident, and Raven sighed. "She isn't that great with aura, so in turn she can barely use her semblance. I've been helping her learn how to not fall over after casting a single glyph."
Still concerned for her old friend, Lazuria continued. "Why would she need to learn that stuff… Are there people after-?"
"Relax. She's just taking precautions. You never know who can target the Schnee family and I offered to train her. She accepted." Raven left out the other parts. "Willow is in a cabin that I believe isn't too far from here if where you knocked me out isn't far."
"It… Isn't." Lazuria covered her face with a wolf mask. "Come. I'll show you where I hid your weapon, and then you can leave."
Raven grabbed her shoulder, keeping her from running off. "Hold the hell on. You knock me out, bring me to some cave, tell me you know Willow and now you're ordering me to leave? Yeah, no, answers. One being, what is the marked?"
Lazuria growled, making Raven pull her hand away. "The marked are hunted. You don't have a clue what that's like, so shut up and leave when I give you your weapon back."
"And Willow?" Raven crossed her arms, Lazuria stopping in her tracks as she lowered her head. "You clearly have a connection with her that seems pretty damn important. So talk."
"She… Is a friend… No, a sister who is an angel. Willow gave me something I could continue living on for." Lazuria explained, leaving out many important details.
"And what would that be?" Raven questioned.
"Hope." Lazuria said, moving out of the cave entrance.
Raven sighed and lowered her arms as she followed the white haired woman. "Why can't Summer ever deal with these kind of problems…"
Willow sniffled a bit, sneezing as she got out of bed and looked out of the cabin window, noticing that Raven still wasn't back yet. "Where is she?" She looked at her scroll and sighed, seeing the five missed calls from her husband, and one missed call from her son. "I must've instinctively left it on vibrate…"
It was late enough to excuse herself from contacting them, but she did take note of the one text she received from her son.
Mother, I'd like to inform you that father and I will have to postpone our return to Atlas, as it seems a few more deals have been attained. I expect to hear from you soon, since father has continued to express his discomfort with you ignoring his calls.
The way her son wrote the message out made Willow frown, so she set her scroll on the bed and rubbed her arm. "I wish I had left with them… I could've… I should've." Willow felt her tears falling, thinking about all the times Summer told her to leave Jacques. "Why didn't I listen?" More tears fell, as the only true reason she ever gave herself was keeping her family from falling apart, but to her, that very fear was beginning to become reality.
She wiped her eyes, not wanting to cry any further. Willow took a seat on one of the chairs, looking at the fireplace that seemed to comfort her in the times she felt the most stressed.
"Winter, Weiss, Whitley… I love you three so very much, and I wish I hadn't let your father hurt you."
While Whitley was the one most affected by Jacques' influence, he still did cause the entire family pain, from belittling Winter's choice in profession, and even taking her heiress status away, but also how he ignored Weiss for most of her life.
Willow bit her lip, hating the man she called her husband with a burning passion.
And Raven got to meet the white wolf. We'll see what comes of that later on, but for now, everyone has their own issues to deal with.
Also wanna thank TotoTail for helping on the clothes and overall look for Lazuria on this chapter.
To JJ- More team building, kinda. And more feelings being developed. I am a slow burn kind of person for most of my stuff, so yeah, it'll be a bit longer, but I have stuff planned. And yeah, I felt a little sparring match would be fun for those two, and to help them know each other more by actually spending time together.
I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 27. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 28.