Here's chapter 61, everyone.
Qrow shook his head, looking at the corpse he searched as best he could. "These guys had to have known people would think of tracking them down… This isn't gonna be an easier task than we thought." The scythe wielding huntsman remarked, taking a drink from his flask.
Summer sighed, doing her best to not look at the corpse. "So we defiled a corpse for nothing… Wonderful." She and Qrow were in an abandoned warehouse at the moment, with Summer sitting near one of the dirtied metal tables.
"I don't like it either, but you gotta be able to hear my sister out sometimes." Qrow suggested.
The blacksmith turned in her chair to face her old teammate. "I have, and I understand what we need to do." She assured him that she wouldn't argue. "Let's see what else we can do."
Qrow nodded, lifting the corpse over his shoulder. "I'll deal with this first. Nothing on him is useful besides maybe the outfit he wears." As he walked over to the exit, Summer took note of the clothes the Relentless member had.
An olive colored jacket with straps to hold daggers in, and on the back had a symbol of two swords, and the words Peace Keeper above them. Something the Relentless believed they were due to their views on Lazuria's kind. The deceased member also wore light brown tactical pants, again with dagger holders for quick and easy kills, and their combat style boots matched the color of their jacket. That specific member also had a single pin on the front of the jacket. The pin of a wolf head, showing what kind of animal he was tied to hunting down.
"Seeing those people in those outfits must terrify Lazuria… Raven was right, I need to set aside my concerns if we're going to help her escape this kind of life."
As she thought to herself, Summer remembered something that Qrow and Raven told her, so she ran outside to where Qrow had gone. The usually drunk huntsman stopped walking, still holding the corpse over his shoulder when he heard Summer. "Qrow, hold on."
"Hmm? What?" Qrow asked, laying the body down on the ground. "We really can't be wasting time with a body out in the open, Summer. Even with our jobs, this kind of stuff is frowned upon."
"That's my line." Summer joked. "And I wasn't trying to stop you. I was thinking, what if we set up an ambush? You know, for whenever the next time Lazuria is attacked."
Qrow raised an eyebrow. "If you're trying to keep her from killing anyone-."
"It's not because of that." Summer cut him off. "Look, obviously we found nothing to trace back to The Relentless with a dead man, so what if we take one in alive? That may be our best shot."
"Well then, I honestly wasn't expecting you of all people to imply interrogation." Qrow remarked. "You sure you're okay with that?"
Summer nodded. "Personally, I don't want to be the one to interrogate them, but I do get it. Lazuria needs us, and I'll continue doing what I can to help her. If not for her, then for snowflake."
"Still calling that kid snowflake, huh." Qrow said, picking the body back up as he began finding a place to bury it. "I'll handle the interrogation, if and when we can take one of those guys in, but look, I'm sorry."
"Don't be. You're not forcing me to do any of this, Qrow." Summer assured, walking over to the dirt ground near the warehouse. "This may be the best spot." While he was an enemy, Summer and Qrow still chose to bury the dead.
Qrow made sure to take the clothes from the body before burying it. "I'm glad you're here on this mission with us." He said to the blacksmith. "I don't think I could've handled dealing with my sister the whole time."
Summer chuckled a bit, finding a lighthearted moment in the craziness that she was now involved in. "Raven would say the same to me about you."
"Yeah, I'm sure she would." Qrow muttered, picking up the clothes that The Relentless member had. "Infiltration could work too, if that's an idea you think would work."
"How come you're asking me? Raven is the one best at infiltration in our team." The blacksmith reminded.
Qrow shrugged. "My sister isn't here right now, and I don't feel like giving her a call. So, I figured asking you would be the next best thing."
"Let's figure out where these people are first before we even think of infiltration tactics." Summer suggested, walking back into the warehouse with her old teammate. "Have you spoken to Tai about this yet?"
"No, and I probably won't. He'll bite my head off for asking you to get involved already." Qrow noted, dropping the clothes on one of the tables as he took a seat. "Besides, he's retired."
Summer sat next to the huntsman. "You know, saying he's retired is one of the reasons why he gets annoyed with you." She chuckled a bit. "Tai just doesn't take as many jobs ever since Ruby was born."
"Eh, I call that a retirement still." The old crow threw his legs up on the table as he took a drink from his flask again. "Stay at home dad, it can get you rusty."
In response, Summer scowled and crossed her arms. "If I recall, the last time you both sparred, he wiped the floor with you. And he's been on a mission all by himself a few weeks ago, since Ruby and Yang are in school now."
Qrow rolled his eyes. "And if I recall, I was drunk that day."
"You're drunk every day." Summer deadpanned.
As he was about to take another drink, he shrugged. "Point still made. Tai doesn't need to be involved here, but if you really want him to," He passed her his scroll. "You make the call. I was the one who got Raven in this, and she asked for you, so it's your turn if you want the band back together."
Summer playfully rolled her eyes and grabbed his scroll, finding it unlocked already so she dialed Tai's number. "We're gonna have to find someone to watch over Zwei."
"Or you can have Tai ask him to join along, since it would be his turn to ask next." Qrow joked.
"I mean, it wouldn't be the first mission we brought him along for." Summer reminded, hearing Tai's voice a moment later.
"Summer, hey. How's the mission going?" Her husband asked, with sounds of cooking food being heard in the background, with some barking included. "Zwei, wait a few more minutes. Ugh, this little guy is still impatient."
The blacksmith giggled a bit. "That's because we spoiled him way too much, but, um, I was actually hoping to talk to you about this mission we're on."
"Okay, well, lay it on me." Tai waited.
"That's the thing… We… Haven't told you everything about it." Summer started, knowing her husband wouldn't like hearing that she's kept some details from him.
The sound of cooking stopped and Summer frowned. "And what would that be?" His voice was more filled with concern than anything if Summer had to keep the mission details from him.
"For one, this has something to do with an entire group no one knows about. One that hunts down people." Summer sighed. "They're… Not the people we can toy around with, Tai. They're just as bad as Grimm."
With a few moments of taking in that information, Summer heard her husband walking somewhere since his boots were loud when he stepped around the wood floor. "A group of hunters… That aren't like us. Man, this is not something I'm happy with you keeping from me, but… I'll hear you out more on this."
"Thank you, Tai." Summer smiled, but grimaced as she had to explain the rest. "There's this woman. She's been hunted for a little over seventeen years at this point, and she ran into Raven one day. After that, she found a way to contact Qrow and requested help in dealing with these people."
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold on. Seventeen years? What? How can anyone be hunted for that long? It doesn't make sense." Tai noted.
"There's a lot to tell you about this, and I'm sorry for not letting you know sooner, but I was hoping… Maybe you'd like to tag along on this one." Summer explained, hoping her husband would be okay with it.
"You know I don't need to be asked, Summer." He took a breath. "Gonna just have to find a place for Zwei. You think the girls wouldn't mind if I send him over to Beacon?"
Summer grinned. "Oh, you know they would love that."
"Right, well, I'll get some things prepared. You can fill me in on the rest of the details later." Tai said.
"Before you do, I… This mission, is very important," Summer thought about Willow and Weiss at that moment. "So, we really need to make sure that we give it our all. Okay."
Hearing how his wife sounded, Tai spoke in a serious, yet gentle tone. "I understand. You know you can count on me, Summer."
"I know… I love you." Summer spoke softly.
"I love you too." Tai said in the same tone.
"We'll be in Atlas, so… Uh, you know, try not to think about heights when you're on the airship." Summer warned.
Qrow laughed in response, and Tai heard him. "Ugh, why did you have to say that with him around…"
Summer rubbed the back of her head and chuckled nervously. "Heh, well, uh, y'know, I just worry about you and your… Little fear of heights is all."
"Grown man still afraid of heights! Ha!" Qrow mocked, and Summer glared at him, while she heard her husband growling over the scroll.
"Remind me to punch him when I get there." Tai said to his wife.
"Will do." Summer replied, Qrow not hearing the context of what she was replying to. "Oh, and you'll have to send Zwei to Beacon when the girls get back from their mission. I'm sure Ruby or Yang told you about it by now."
"They did, and yeah, I'll wait to see when they get back before I head out." Tai assured. "Hear that, boy? You're gonna go see Ruby and Yang soon." Summer heard the corgi yipping happily in the background, making her smile.
"Maybe this time you try not sending him in a postal tube?" Summer suggested.
"I don't see the problem with it. Zwei likes it." Tai commented, earning a sigh and facepalm from his wife.
The day went on, and Team RWBY was able to take down a few more Grimm on the way down the long path. "What is that, twenty Grimm at this point? I feel like we can take on a lot more to be honest."
"Elementals are not to be toyed with, Miss Xiao Long." Glynda sternly reminded. "Just because you can handle a lot of Beowolves, does not mean you can match that with Elementals."
Yang rolled her eyes, not letting the blonde professor see that, since she was still annoyed with her for yelling at her sister. "Yeah, yeah."
Glynda found that response to be disrespectful. "Excuse me?"
"I was just saying I get it, okay." Yang replied, still walking forward, while Blake looked a little nervous for her. "I'm not an idiot about this stuff."
"No one said you were, Miss Xiao Long. I am just-." Before she could finish, Yang stopped and took a breath, turning to face her.
Her eyes looked serious, and she wasn't about to make jokes. "We're not kids, Ms. Goodwitch. I just know, and have faith in my team on how much more we can get done today."
Glynda had to remember that she was a shadowing huntress, so her personal feelings on the matter had to be dropped. "Very well."
Yang nodded, acknowledging the huntress as she turned back around and walked with her team. "Hey, you okay?" Blake whispered.
"Mhmm, just couldn't stay quiet." Yang assured. "Besides, if ice wolf can speak up, I can too." She grinned, showing Blake she was actually fine.
Weiss' wolf ears perked up. "I heard that, Xiao Long."
"Bleh." The blonde brawler stuck her tongue out at the white wolf, while Blake found it funny that she could go from being serious, to ridiculous in no time at all. It's one of the many reasons she enjoyed being around her.
Blake blushed when she thought about that, hoping no one would see. Luckily for her, Yang was paying too much attention on the back and forth she and Weiss were doing. "I swear, one of these days, I will bite you." The white wolf threatened.
"Uh, you kind of already did." Yang reminded. "Do you not remember when you were a little pu-." The blonde brawler yelped when Weiss growled at her and spun around. "Oh, uh, I mean… Please don't bite me?"
Weiss rolled her eyes, turning back around as she continued sniffing out any Grimm. "Just let me focus on this, you oaf." Since the team fought multiple Grimm in the area, Weiss was able to find new scents to track.
Ruby giggled, imagining her partner chasing her sister around to bite her. "Be careful, sis. I'm not gonna help you if you make Weiss angry with you."
Yang grumbled, finding that her sister would betray her if that happened. "Such a little traitor."
Glynda observed the team's interactions, remembering her old team. While not exactly like the first year team in front of her, she still missed what they had. Especially her partner, but there was no way going back to that, at least in her mind.
The one person she paid close attention to most was obviously the white wolf, but seeing her trying to track down Grimm was impressive. Mostly because she thought about Lazuria's idea of doing so years ago. "What am I doing… She's not Lazuria. I can't let this affect me."
"Ruby, eyes up." Weiss warned, a few Beowolves were hiding out over a hill to their left, so the white wolf growled and caught Myrtenaster with her teeth when Ruby tossed it to her.
Blake and Yang quickly looked over at the hill. The Beowolves knowing that the girls were aware of their presence, slowly ran over it, revealing themselves as they roared out, ready to fight them. The team charged at the Grimm, Glynda noting that it wouldn't be a difficult fight with Beowolves.
Glynda somehow managed to smile, watching them cut down the Beowolves with ease. Maybe it was seeing Weiss not taking any damage, or maybe she was starting to feel the way she used to feel after accepting what Lazuria could really do in her own wolf form.
Team STRQ is still fun to write, and while Yang can have fun on missions, it's shown here she's not an idiot, so I'm still trying to show she can have a fun time, while also having her be smart about what she says and does.
To the guest on chapter 60- Oh don't worry. This story isn't close to finished, and Weiss will be using her human form a lot more with what I have planned. So she will be able to fight outside of her wolf form for sure.
To JJ- Glynda and Lazuria were close friends, and I'd like to explore that more with possible flashbacks or one of them talking to someone about their past. Either way, you'll get to see their story in some way. And from Weiss' early concerns of Ruby being overly protective of her, she wasn't about to stay quiet with Glynda fussing over nothing too.
I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 61. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 62.