"Okay, even for me, this is kind of getting old."
Cinder Aryle blew out a breath and collapsed flat on her back beside a woman of long, flaming red hair and brown eyes.
Kari Silvers spared her a glance, a little smile as they lay on the rooftops. "It is, isn't it?"
An airship came flying in. The side door opened up, revealing a familiar figure.
Cinder jumped up and snatched up her blades - and Kari did the same, putting hers across her chest, arm held out.
"Oh man, what a relief, I tell yah, to find you whole and healthy up here - and not, yah know, a scattered mess of guts and limbs." Roman Torchwick leaned out of the airship casually, and offered his hand to Kari.
Kari took it, allowing herself to be lifted up inside.
Cinder stood, swords in hands.
"Hey, what's with psycho sally there?" Roman addressed Kari in a stage whisper. "She gonna be a problem for us? If that's going to be the case, we could just leave her right here."
Kari was stone-faced once more. "No. Cinder: please get in. We'll set you down at Beacon before we leave."
"And just where are you even going?" Cinder spoke casually, nodding and climbing into the airship.
"Nowhere you need to know," Kari said simply.
"Well, if you say so..." Cinder let it go, sighing. She was just...too tired, and...couldn't she trust this woman? A woman she knew.
She wasn't the only one.
Cinder sat back in her seat, staring up into the cockpit. A familiar, petite figure - even from an angle, behind and slightly to the side. Different hair, different outfit, for sure, but it was...
"Onyx?"
The girl twisted around, frowning at her. She shook her head and straightened.
"Onyx was with you?" Cinder growled at Kari, rising. "What was it, a way to keep tabs on me? Was it all lies, was it just-"
"Yes." Kari had the grace to look ashamed, at least for a brief moment. "If it helps, Neopolitan enjoyed her time with you - and it was her who pushed to convince me not to send you to Salem. She made the choice to stop seeing you, because it was the more correct choice than to keep the subterfuge up."
"The correct choice would have been to come clean to me!" Cinder snarled. "I thought- I thought I actually did something good, I thought I actually...but it was just a trick! Of course, it was - of course I fucking failed it all! But you made me think I hadn't!"
"I'm sorry."
"Drop me off at Beacon; don't say another word to me until we're there."
Kari nodded, turning her head away, her face an impassive mask once more...
That was the last time Cinder would see Kari - for the next three years of her life.
"Cinder: it's time."
Cinder startled awake as the airship swerved and dipped sharply. She glanced at Pyrrha, giving her a smile. She stretched, standing up in the cargo bay. She checked herself over - bow and arrows, check, swords, check. Payed a glance around at her team. Check.
The pilot's voice came floating back to them. "Huntsmen team, prepare for rapid deployment."
"Don't worry - we're prepared," Cinder said absently, moving to open the side door.
Cinder eyed the train as it sped through the woods below, the lights along its exterior lighting up the night, casting off a nice blue glow onto the trees it passed.
"Remember-" Pyrrha began, laying hand on her arm.
"Civilian rescue, no playing around this time," Cinder cut across, nodding seriously. "I know."
"Good." Pyrrha said simply, nodding back.
I won't fail a single hostage, Cinder thought firmly. This was their second mission in the month now since graduating Beacon, and Cinder was going to do it perfect - unlike their first, major team mission of three weeks ago!
"That is a looong drop onto a moving target," Emerald remarked, stepping back from the edge. "Who wants to jump first?"
"I- I have experience with this," Blake murmured, her cat ears flattening on her head as her cheeks went pink. "I should probably be the one to make the first-"
Cinder launched herself out of the airship with a burst of Aura out of her heels.
"Yeah, you pressed the 'I'm better than you at something' button - shouldn't have done that, Blake..." Emerald's voice carried on the wind above Cinder, distant with every second more.
Cinder flipped and twirled through the air, until the last possible second where she clicked her heels, and the Dust woven into her high heeled shoes lit up; powerful flames burst from the soles of her shoes, slowing her descent until the actual heels clacked down on metal. Only a little bend of her knees on landing, and she was perfectly fine (of course). She straightened, stalking along the top of the train, her jet black gown billowing in the winds.
She knelt down on the train, pressing her palms to the metal; it glowed bright orange in the night, bubbling and bending, until she melted all the way through, forming a person sized hole in it.
Cinder dropped down inside the train, taking her bow off her back as she glanced up and down the car.
From all the passengers, there were yells and staring, gestures and wariness. Pointing.
"Everyone, please - relax; I'm a huntress!" Cinder stood slowly, reaching for her scroll and tapping at it, showing it off as she strode for one end of the train car. "Can anyone tell me where the hijackers were last spotted?" she asked, clear and calm as she could. Patient as she could be - she wasn't Pyrrha, no matter what.
A few people were actually helpful enough to point past her, toward the front of the train.
"Okay, then." Cinder gave a nod, turning on a heel and yanking open the door to the gangway compartment. She stepped in and opened the door into the next car, shutting it firm behind her. She moved on quickly through the next few cars - remembered to stop a few times, here and there, to ask if people were uninjured. She didn't see any, and nobody told her they were. So that was great.
Cinder passed through the middle of the train, finally closer to the front end of it.
She opened the next door ahead, and immediately spotted several people milling about with rifles in hands.
Cinder notched several arrows of Ice Dust in an instant, letting them loose in a tight spread; they struck the hijacker's weapons, freezing them over instantly, crawling up their arms to reach their shoulders. She blitzed down the train car with her Aura, and opened with a high kick to one man's face, sending him back into the wall of the train with a loud crash - his head hit hard, knocking him out cold. She whirled, roundhouse kicking a woman and sending her to the floor - she kicked her across the face before turning to the third enemy. Cinder seized the man's face in her hand and spun him around, ramming him into the wall. His nose broke with a loud crack, and he fell to the floor, unconscious as the other two.
Down and done in less than five seconds.
Cinder melted their weapons and held them up in a bundle, staring at them. She strode over to the nearest window and hurled them out into the wind, satisfied with herself.
Not a single injury, not even a chance to fire their weapons.
Still...it was best to be sure.
"Is everyone okay in here?" she spoke clearly.
She received relieving affirmatives; so Cinder resumed her progress through the train.
Her teammates caught up with her soon enough, and together they moved on to complete their mission.
A mission that had to be completed perfectly.
Kari Silvers, Neopolitan, and Roman Torchwick strode through the city of Mistral's streets at base of the mountain, dirty and crowded.
The clouds rumbled above, dark and foretelling of a storm. Anima was often stormy, Kari remembered.
Kari glanced at Roman, pausing in the street. "There?" she questioned, nodding her head discretely.
Roman considered her - considered where she was looking. He put a hand to his hat, pulling a face. "Ehhh...you know, I told you it's been a good decade since I was last over here - I can't be too sure about this one...But I'm confident that I maybe vaguely remember her mentioning something about seeing someone do the kinds of magic voodoo you can do. At the time, I dismissed it as crazy talk - of course - but looking back on it now? Who knows?"
"Let's see, then," Kari decided. She turned and strode up to the door, giving a hard, solid knock.
A woman answered the door, mid forties, with dark hair in a side ponytail. She took Kari in immediately - then, her gaze went to Roman, and then Neo. Back to Roman. Her expression hardened, and she stepped out the door and promptly slapped Roman across the face.
"Hey!" Roman exclaimed, hand going to his cheek. "Are you seriously still upset about-"
"Yes!" the woman cut him off furiously. "You slimy piece of-"
"I don't have time for whatever this is," Kari interjected, stepping forward, keeping her face impassive despite the flareup of amusement in her chest. "I'm looking for a woman you encountered around ten years ago."
"Alright...anything more descriptive?" the woman responded, huffing.
"You told Roman about her, once," Kari went on. "You told him that she caused a lightning storm without anything on her - no weapons, no Dust, not even clothing. You came across her several miles out from Mistral, near an old farmhouse. She had brown hair, freckles - dark skin. You thought she looked early twenties, though, possibly even a few years younger."
"That sounds like the one I met, yes." The woman laughed, shook her head. "I still don't know what I really saw that day. She must have had something on her...something I didn't see."
"Perhaps," Kari said simply, nodding. "Did you ever find anything out about her? A name, where she came from? Where she was going?"
"I only saw her for a couple of minutes. We didn't sit and talk - we barely said five words to each other before she went ballistic. She was scared, flighty. I couldn't get much of anything out of her besides yes and no."
"There's nothing more that you can tell us?" Kari said patiently.
The woman shook her head again. "Sorry."
"Thank you; you've been very helpful," Kari spoke. She gave another nod, then turned and set off down the street again.
"Oooh, bad luck; looks like this one's a dead end - sorry, dearie," Roman spoke, entirely sympathetic. "But no worries; I know some other people in this part of the world who might be able to help us out. You've waited three years for this, I'm not going to give up so easily - not for you."
"Touching," Kari said, smiling slightly.
"Eh, I have my moments - few and far between as they are..." Roman murmured, twisting his hands on hilt of his cane. "Just follow my lead, and we might actually get somewhere..."
Roman strode out ahead, leading the way.
The trio approached the entrance to a large wooden building. The monster of a woman at the door uncrossed heavily muscled arms and reached for a weapon on her back. It was a jet black, massive chainsaw, with Dust infused inside the chain. Every other tooth itself of the blade was tipped with Dust crystals.
The woman swung the mighty weapon for Roman immediately; Kari flashed out her twelve foot long blade and caught it, clashing sparks, holding the mighty weapon back with a single, powerful arm of her own.
Kari gave Roman a sidelong look, exasperation leaking into her features despite best efforts. "I thought you knew people here."
Roman threw his hands up, pulling an offended face. "Hey, I said I knew people - and I do! I'm just not exactly on the best terms with most of 'em," he added, with a hapless grin. "What can I say? I was stupid and young back then, when I came over here for some work..."
Neo rolled her eyes and mimicked Roman in tossing her small hands in the air, then she pulled a blade from her umbrella and aimed it up at the intimidating woman.
It was all Kari could do not to follow Neo and actually, outright roll her own eyes as well. If no one was even going to take the time to speak with them, then this search was going to be very, very difficult - and aggravating.
Kari met the woman's eyes, using her Semblance and twirling her lengthy blade, sending the oversized chainsaw high into the air and out of her grasp. Then, she placed her long blade across the woman's neck, resting it on her shoulder. "We're looking for a woman who-"
"I don't care - get lost," the woman said firmly, despite the blade to her neck. Her eyes settled on Roman, harsh and cold. "And take that little shitbird with you."
"Come on," Roman exclaimed, holding his hands together at her in pleading. "It's been a decade - give or take a year or two - you can't let it go? Hell of a long time to hold a grudge, I tell you...You realize that definitely isn't the healthiest thing to go-"
"Leave - or I yell to my friends in there." The woman jerked her head over a shoulder, indicating the entrance. "And then you'll all have trouble out here."
Kari almost glared at Roman. She fought her twitching face, then pulled her blade away. "I had no intentions of inconveniencing you - we're not here for trouble. My apologies." She turned on a heel and strode away quickly.
How many more dead ends are we going to run across because of you, Roman? It's ridiculous!
Kari's blade sliced through the woman's neck in an instant, her body collapsing to the ground before her with an audible thud.
"Hey, sweetheart, did you ever get around to talkin' to Bleue about...annnnd never mind!"
Roman let out a great sigh as he strode into the room, cane clasped at his side, taking in the scene. He swept his hat off his head and gave a little bow to the corpse. "Ahh, Bleue, may she rest in pieces," he added, shaking his head and replacing his hat. He held his cane before himself, turning his gaze to Kari. "You know - Kari, sweetie - this is the third one this month that you've just gone and..." He gestured pointedly at the floor, sharply brought his hand across his throat. "I hate to say it, but you might be having a little too much fun lately; if you keep this up, I'll have more dead people filling out my ranks than living people; it's getting a little too smelly to stand here in this safehouse! And, you know, people sort of need to be alive to do their jobs around here for me - and for you with this whole search of yours. Also, I don't know if you've noticed, but we only brought a limited supply with us to Anima! Which is slowly dwindling here. So, this...could I just ask you to show a little more restraint? Please? You're being seriously counterproductive. Aw, look what you've gone and done: you made me say please!" he concluded, annoyance flaring on his face.
Kari turned to him, her blade held loose at her side. Her free hand uncurled from the fist it had been. "This is the third one this month, because this is the third one this month that I discovered had sexually abused a child."
Roman blinked at her. He nodded, twisting his expression into solemnity and seriousness. "Ah...perfectly valid reasoning - poor little thing out there, hope they're doing a lot better in life these days - but, here's my reasoning: You're kind of killing off all my employees! Some of which happen to be very useful in terms of the business! Essential, even!"
Kari gazed at him. "Now you have the opportunity to find new ones - ones I expect to be vetted more thoroughly before hiring. Is that a hard concept for you? To have even the slightest bit of standards?"
Roman sighed, nodding. "Alright, alright - yeesh. If it'll make you happy, I'll be a bit more choosy with who I...choose. Happy?"
Kari folded her blade into itself with an absent button press, striding up to Roman. She gazed into his eyes, then she smiled. "Yes. Thank you." She strode past him, leaving the room.
"Eh, no problem...except for this mess you've left me to clean up - that's a bit of one," Roman muttered in her wake, exasperated. "Who's the boss around here again, I ask you?"
Kari glanced over a shoulder, her smile growing. "Do you really want my answer?"
"No, no I do not - thank you, sweetheart!" Roman exclaimed, throwing up his hands. "Rhetorical question! Go on now, find something else to do with yourself for the evening!"
Kari laughed, and strode out the door.
Cinder walked through her Vale apartment, stretching and yawning in her undergarments.
She swiped a hand over her sweaty head, fanned her face, and pulled her black eyepatch into place. She walked into the kitchen, grabbing up a glass and filling it with water.
She leaned forward over the sink, running her fingers over the blue bell-shaped flowers in the small pot on the window sill. She carefully poured a small amount of water into the soil, eyeing it critically. That should do it for you, Crocus perralchicum...now what about the Habranthus?
Cinder wandered into the living room, over to the television stand. She peered at the tall-stemmed yellow flower in a large vase. She gave it a bit of water, then a bit more. She nodded to herself, and moved on to the red and black flowers with double layered petals in the window. She gave them a keen examination, then rotated the large pot a few degrees to the left - to better catch the morning's still-rising sun.
Smiling to herself, she sat down on the couch and drank the remainder of her glass.
Huntresses need water, too, she thought with absent amusement.
She set the glass down on the little table, exchanging it for her scroll (left out overnight).
Cinder sat back, slumping down on the cushions and tapping away at the device randomly.
A message from Yang - thanking her for the fun time last night (a race and a dance).
"You're up early again. Are you excited about our vacation?"
Cinder set her scroll down, smiling at Pyrrha, who had just entered the room. "And you're up early for once," she replied, playful. She paused. "Excited isn't really the right word..."
"Then what is?" Pyrrha asked, sitting with her - giving her a kiss and taking her hand.
Cinder shrugged - gave Pyrrha's hand a firm squeeze. "All I know is I just want to get there already. We do deserve a vacation," she added in agreement. "We're still taking the bike over with us, aren't we?"
"Of course," Pyrrha nodded, with a small grin. "Don't worry: we won't leave your precious Midnight behind. It will be nice to not have to rely on public transport, either - I hear it can be very hit or miss over there."
"Okay - great! Just making sure," Cinder said quickly, flashing a grin of her own.
Pyrrha laughed, patting her hand. "This is the hundredth time in the past two days that you've 'just been making sure.'"
"A-and...you're sure your m-mother won't mind it? She won't think I'm- some kind of- lunatic, or degenerate, or-"
"She doesn't think that about you now!" Pyrrha said firmly, shaking her head. "I promise you; she's going to love you - you might look like the sort of girl she wouldn't want me hanging around, but I know that past appearances you're a wonderful person! You're sweet, and kind, and compassionate...when you want to be."
Cinder slumped further down in her seat. "I wish I could be as confident as you about that..."
"I wish I knew how to truly get this through to you," Pyrrha countered. She sighed. "I suppose the only way will be to get there, and for you to meet her for yourself."
"I guess," Cinder agreed, murmuring the words and looking away. Anxiety not felt in years was twisting her up inside again - except, of course, she had little to actually twist up in her stomach these days, didn't she?
Returning to Anima, to Mistral for first time in ten years...going to Argus for the first time - meeting Pyrrha's mother for the first time...
It was all really, really twisty.
"Ahem, woah woah woah, sweetheart, let's not go straight to that here!"
Roman swiftly slid between Kari and the man with the insignia on his chest, grasping her hand and pulling her blade away. "Let's just have some fun - remember fun? The whole reason we came into this hive of scum and villainy this evening?"
"I'm not getting drunk," Kari ground out.
"You sure?" Roman's hand came up from behind his back, and he seized her free hand and pressed a bottle to her palm. A flick of a thumb and a flare of Aura, and the lid popped off. "Eh? Ehhh...? Let's solve that little problem of yours - live a little! Looky there, Neo's already on it! Why don't you get in on it too, huh, sweetie?"
Kari considered him. She considered the man she was holding at blade's sharp side. She grasped the bottle, bringing it to her lips. She tossed back her head, hair spilling out of her face, and began to drain it with sheer abandon. She very much had no idea why she was even doing this - entertaining him on it. She had only drank a few times before in her life, and she had only gotten properly drunk once. If she remembered it correctly, she hadn't liked it, had she? Or, was it that she had liked it too much? Memories of Wyn, of Iris and Iolanthe were so distant, these days...a blur she wished could become so much more clear in her mind...
Roman reared his head back, blinking at her. His face went through multiple different expressions - shock, amusement, and then...admiration. And then worry, as she didn't let up. "Alright, alright - you want to be puking your guts out in a minute here? Ease up, sweetheart!" He grabbed her wrist again, pulling away the bottle. It spilled down her front. He held the bottle up, sloshing it around. "Haha...you...you just downed over half of it in one take...wow..."
Kari pulled her blade from the man's neck, swishing it down at her side. She snagged the bottle from Roman and threw her head back again, trying to drink the rest. He lunged at her, taking it back; then he took a swig of it himself, before he tossed it over a shoulder.
"That's it, there we go - sorry for the trouble," Roman addressed the man with a quick look of sincerity. "We'll be over here now." He grabbed at Kari and pulled her several feet away across the tavern. "Never knew you had that in you..." he murmured, staring at her. A grin formed on his face. He shrugged, giving his cane a twirl. "Damn am I happy to know you do now, though! Let's get you to a table - we'll have a nice meal, play some cards! We deserve a nice night out, don't we?"
Kari's lips curved into a frown. That taste burned down her throat. "Not me."
"What're you talking about? Of course you! The hard work you've been putting in the past few years! Not just with our personal little quest for the divine lamp to go on our nightstand, but for allll the things you've done for my organization lately! Let me tell you, you've been a real, real big help to me!" Roman patted her on the back, hooked his arm in hers, and led her to a dark corner of the tavern.
Roman helped her sit down in the booth, then he threw himself in beside her, crossed his legs and lounged back, cane across his lap. An arm over the back of the seat, behind her head. "Ahhh...it's not a bad place, you know - next to some of the other places I've been to. Compared to them? This is high class living, right here..."
Kari smiled, leaning her head back, incidentally resting it on his arm. "I've seen worse, as well."
"There you go, then! Let's enjoy ourselves here."
Roman clicked his fingers at the waiters until one came over. Flourished a hand, gesturing to Kari. "Hello there - you mind getting my sweetie here one of each of the finest dishes you've got on your menu?"
The waiter looked at him. Looked at Kari. "Sure thing...Just let me write that all down..."
"Great! Really appreciate this. Just bring whatever's ready out first for her, would yah? She's a hungry lady."
The waiter departed.
"Do you even have enough lien to pay for everything?" Kari questioned.
"For you? Ah, don't worry about it...You deserve it - you do! Don't say you don't!"
Kari shook her head, but chose not to argue. She was feeling floaty and flushed, now. She didn't feel much desire to do more than sit here. Like this...so casual, so comfortable...
Ten minutes later and she suddenly threw herself forward, banging her head on the table and burying her face in her arms, tears bursting in her eyes and spilling forth. Great sobs wracked her body.
"Woah! Hey now, what's with all...all of this?" Roman exclaimed, shifting in his seat with discomfort. He stroked at her back, gave a few pats. "Come on now, talk to me - what's going on in that head of yours? I hardly ever know, to tell yah the truth!"
"R-right back at you," Kari sobbed, slamming her forehead on the table twice over. "I'm still having difficulties with figuring out whether or not you're lying to me constantly, or if even half of what you say is genuine!"
"Oh my god, you're one of those drunks," Roman said, straight-faced. "W-well, damn is this gonna be interesting...Makes perfect sense, though, don't it? With how you're always keepin' yourself as wound up and blank as a statue...But, holy shit, if that's your default, and this is your drunk state..." He took a glance around, gave her a few more pats. "This place is not gonna survive the night."
Kari's head came up, and she gave a single, squeak of a giggle. She rolled her neck and threw herself back in her seat. She turned to look at him. "Hey, that's your whole entire credo!"
"That it is, dearie, that it is...Gotta say, not sure if it's going to work out tonight. Either you're going to lop my head off for real this time, ooor..."
"Or what?" Kari questioned, intense, pressing her face into his.
"Oooor...nothing I can say without gettin' my head lopped off," Roman finished cautiously. He leaned away from her, bringing up his hands and grinning at her. "How about we get off the subject, alright?"
"How about we stay on the subject?" Kari insisted, pressing closer, her face twisting.
"Oh man, decisions, decisions...Do I wanna die tonight, or do I not?" Roman murmured, turning away. "It's like you said: I choose life - every time! It's a matter of- whoa!"
Kari smacked her hand down on his leg and tackled him out of the booth, right onto the floor.
"Okay, what the-!" Roman exclaimed, pushing her off.
Kari triggered her Semblance, pinning Roman with a body shrouded in blue energy. She grinned down at him, grasping his wrists tight.
"You are remarkably more terrifying when you're drunk off your gorgeous ass, you know that?" Roman blinked up at her, laughing nervously. "Think I'd prefer the whole blade-to-my-neck routine over...whatever the hell this is. That, that's kinda become our thing, yah know? I'm used to it. Not used to this..."
"I know you don't mean that!" Kari said, hushed. "Because you're also all about fun - remember? We're just having fun..." She widened her grin, tossing her head, long scarlet hair spilling down one side. "So let's have fun!"
"Not my idea of fun, dear...You've got two seconds to let me up, or I'm gonna have to get a little forceful here myself. And you won't like that, let me tell yah."
Kari swung herself up, springing to her feet. She stumbled backwards, banging into the table and falling over onto it as she twisted around with a cry. "Fuck."
"Oh boy..." Roman sighed, brushing himself off as he stood. "This- this is gonna be my night now..." He stalked over to her and seized her arm, righting her. Holding her. "Listen here, you: You're gonna sit, and you're gonna just not...do...anything ever. You hear me-"
Laughing, Kari activated her Semblance and darted out of his grasp, half way across the bar in a single second.
Roman whirled, then snatched up his cane and followed after her. He snagged her shoulder with the cane's handle, yanking her back. "Where are you even going? See, this is what I meant about not knowin' what you've got going on in there! Scares the hell out of me, every time..."
Kari turned, grasping his cane and flashing a very flushed smile. She gave a small tug. "Give me this."
"Whyyyy?" Roman drew the word out, raising an eyebrow.
"So I can have some fun! Everyone in here are either criminals, or associated with criminals, isn't that right?" Kari spoke on. "That guy whose head I wanted to make roll is a dirty fucking trafficker - I recognized the gang symbol! I know what they do; I've killed plenty of them before!"
"Spot on, yeah," Roman admitted, no hesitation. "All kind of deals and business partnerships are made and struck here. It's even a bit of a headquarters for-"
Kari ripped the cane from his grasp, blitzing away with her Semblance again. She stalked up to the nearest patron at the bar counter, poking a large man in the back of the head with the end of Roman's cane. "Hey, hey you! Be honest with me: does that tattoo on your neck mean you're a part of a very large, powerful gang in these parts?"
The man stood, turning slowly. "Yes, yes it does. And you just made the mistake of messing with-"
Kari brought her arm back, and smacked the man across the face with the cane. Aura erupted on impact, and the large man was sent sprawling on the floor. She stood over him, and then she burst into laughter, tossing her arms up and spinning the cane. She fumbled with it, holding it flipped around the wrong way, and accidentally pressed a button. The handle went flying forward across the bar, a long cord stretching out. The hilt struck someone in the face; they dropped their drink, shattering it.
"Okay, that's it - you're done!" Roman shouted, rushing forward with a grimace. "Give it back, come on-"
"No way: this is so fun!" Kari exclaimed, twisting away and twirling the cord around her arm. She looped it around the other arm, then twirled it around her waist. "Why would you hide this feature from me?! Haha!" She danced and spun, the cane flying out, knocking drinks off the counter and banging against chairs. She untangled herself and stumbled against the counter, taking a breath. She inspected the cane, pressing the button again. The handle came flying back into place. She tossed the cane up and caught it - barely. She snatched up a bottle from the counter and began to guzzle it.
Roman grabbed her shoulder, tearing his cane out of her grasp. He took the bottle, set it down again. "Listen to me now, I'm serious here: you don't just go and beat down a member of the-"
The large man rose from the floor, and with a yell, he threw himself at Kari.
"-because you cause things like that to happen!" Roman finished hurriedly, backing away.
Kari took a single step back, using her Semblance to retreat a dozen feet in an instant. She waved her arms at the criminal, stuck out her tongue. Her eyes rippled with dark blue flames; a jet of wind blew from her palm, sending the large man flying backwards. Her fun no longer interrupted, she twirled the cane and grasped the hilt properly, aiming the end of it out in front of herself. "Hey, hey, Roman - how do you use the gun function?"
Roman slapped a hand to his face. "You seriously think I'm just gonna tell you that while you're in this state?"
"I'll figure it out on my own anyway!" Kari argued loudly, running her hands over the cane. "Button, button, button...where is the button...?"
"Oh for the love of- fine! It's just below your left pinky - no, right there! Got it? Press it. Go wild! Why not?"
Kari squeezed the trigger, and a burning Dust round blasted out of the end, shooting for the criminal as he got to his feet again. It struck him in the chest, sending him flying back across the bar for a second time.
"Woohoo!" she cried out, jumping up and down. "I see why you enjoy using this thing on all your minions-"
"Dedicated workers," Roman cut in, scowling.
"Minions!" Kari refuted gleefully, sticking out her tongue.
"But, yeah, oh man does it cheer me up on a bad day," Roman conceded, with a little chuckle.
Kari stole up another bottle and drank it half way, then hurled it at the nearest wall. She darted across the bar with her Semblance and slammed the cane into a woman's face. She twirled and batted a man in the ribs, toppling him over in his chair. Then she was right back at her previous position, as if she'd never moved. "Hah! What do you scumbags think about that? You all have no idea just how lucky you are that I'm in a very good mood, or else I would be decapitating you all instead of bludgeoning you! I hate scumbags and thugs!"
"Says the biggest scumbag currently in the room," Roman murmured, though with a certain trace of fondness - and admiration.
Kari turned, jabbing the cane at its owner. "This is all your fault! You invited me, and now you've rubbed off on me!"
"I damn well have, that's clear as day, ain't it..."
"Yep!" Kari blitzed him, tossing his cane at him and throwing her arms around his neck. "You can have it back now - I had my fun."
"Did yah? Kinda seems like you want more."
"Where's my weapon?"
"I had Neo sneak it off of you - we don't need this to become a murder scene."
"Neo?! Where is she?!" Kari looked around frantically. "I need my weapon, I made it myself - I use it to kill every last criminal I see! Except you and Neo," she added quickly. "You two are just great. It's been nice having partners again; I almost forgot what that even felt like..."
"Wonderful...really flattered...You're not getting it back until we're outta here. So let's get outta here. Pronto - woah!"
Kari swept Roman up in her arms and raced out of the tavern in seconds, skidding onto the dirt street and slamming into a stall.
"Okay, rule number one with drunk you: No Semblance-ing while you're wasted!" Roman shouted, getting to his feet and righting his hat.
Kari used her Semblance again, snatching the hat off his head and placing it on hers. She strode down the street, twirling and laughing. She struck a pose, tipped the hat clumsily and bowed. "I'm the most charming, handsome, quick-witted guy in Mistral right now! Guess who I am?!"
"Me?" Roman replied flatly, stalking forward and snatching his hat back. "Again, flattered - but cut it out. Good god, I'm gonna have to either drug the hell out of you every time you get a bottle, or find a good, solid room to lock you up in till you pass out on your own..."
"No!" Kari darted forward, pushing her face in his, twisted with rage and panic. "If you ever do that to me, I'll kill you with my own two hands! No one puts me in a box, are we clear?!"
Neo appeared in a flash of light, shoving Kari over with a single hand to the shoulder. Kari fell, hitting the ground hard on her side. Neo sighed, putting hand on hip and pointing her umbrella down at Kari, her eyes narrowing.
"Yeah, every bit as terrifying as I thought she'd be," Roman said to himself. "Thank you Neo, excellent timing. Let's get her back before she burns down the whole damn town...or starts a gang war between a dozen different factions. Not that that wouldn't be fun, in my opinion as much as hers - drunk hers - but we so do not need that kinda heat right now, you know what I'm saying?"
Neo nodded enthusiastically.
"Yeah, you know what I'm saying," Roman said, relieved. He bent down to pull Kari to her feet; she staggered against him, burying her face in his chest. "You...you are just- a complete animal when you've had a few bottles, you know that? And I don't use that word for humans - it's reserved for dirty faunus filth. But you? You're damn special, sweetheart."
"Why, thank you!"
"Wasn't a compliment, dear...Come on, walk with me - I'm not carrying you."
"Carry me." Kari instantly dropped to the ground. "Now!"
"Annnd this is the kinda shit that's kept me well clear of ever gettin' married to any woman," Roman said, exasperated. He hauled her up and held her by her arms, shaking her. "Stay up, would you? I'm not playing now. Okay? Playtime's over."
"We barely got started..." Kari whined.
"If that's your idea of just starting...Yeah, we are definitely leaving immediately. Look, if I have to drag you, I will. I'd rather avoid the unfortunate implications of the act that a lot of people will conjure up in their minds about me, but what can yah do?"
"Oh no, I wouldn't want to ruin your image - not for me!" Kari straightened, stumbling aside, then back the other way. She clung to his arm, leaning on his shoulder. "Take me back - I'm so very sorry! I enjoy helping you, I like my new job - I like my position in your organization! Don't fire me!"
"Oh, don't start crying again!" Roman snapped. "We're moving, just keep it together, would you?"
"Where's my weapon?" Kari asked, as Roman hauled her through the streets.
"I already told you, Neo has it. And, no, don't ask about getting it back again. You won't."
Kari cried. "I could just go and take it from her, but I wouldn't want to hurt her. She's so small and adorable, in all honesty...Did you notice that she always copies your outfits?"
"Nope - not in many years have I ever once noticed she copies my outfits," Roman said, sarcastic. "You're the most observant woman on the planet for picking up on that connection..."
Kari burst into laughter. "You're hilarious - I love that about you! I haven't had this much fun in years! Not since..."
"Since what? If it's something you're gonna start bawling over again, don't tell me!" Roman added swiftly.
Kari bit her lip to stop it from wobbling. "All my f-friends are dead!" she wailed. "My partner, my son - I named him...oh, fuck, what did I name him?!"
"Pretty sure you told me his name was Cobalt..." Roman said quietly, shaking his head.
"Thank you!" Kari burst out, pouring all her gratitude into her voice. "Thank you, thank you...I am the worst mother on the planet - I can't even remember the name on my own child! I know that I only had a week with him before she took him from me, but that should be even more of a reason not to forget...How could I forget?!"
"Come on, I said no crying! Let's talk about something else! Anything else!" Roman tugged at his collar, uncomfortable. "And, look, you don't want to go yelling all this personal stuff out to the streets! Not these streets. There's always gonna be someone out there listening, waiting to take advantage of it. Maybe not tomorrow, or even a year from now - but there's going to be somebody."
"Is that why you constantly change your own life story on me?" Kari asked. "To keep people from knowing the truth?"
"The smartest thing you can do in life is to keep what's yours close to your chest - and never let anyone else in on it," Roman answered.
"What if I wanted to-"
"We're not talking about me," Roman said firmly. "Let's talk about something else."
"I love you - can we discuss that?"
"Yeah, I know, I'm a real ladykiller - you're far from the first to tell me that, sweetie," Roman brushed off as they reached their Mistral safehouse.
Kari twirled them around and slammed him against the wall of their safehouse. "Y-you don't even care? I thought you weren't heartless!"
"Just because I'm not heartless doesn't mean I'm a romantic! Yeesh! All that lovey dovey, gooey, spendin' your whole life together, a nice little house crap...never been an ideal life image in my mind."
"You would think that if any woman on this planet was good enough for you - could keep up with you - it would be me, wouldn't it?"
"Yeah, you're good, but you're-"
"What? Do you think I'm ugly?"
"Fuck no, you're a total babe."
"Then what is the problem?!"
"The problem...is none of your business, okay?" Roman shoved back at her, stalking off for the door. "Suffice it to say: take all those romantic little ideas in your head and shove them all out your ears!"
"I can't - I'm a romantic!" Kari yelled, tearful as she stumbled after him.
"Really? Never could have guessed!" Roman responded, striding into the building. "Neo - put her in the rec room, and don't let her hurt herself...or anybody else, as hilarious as that would be to witness again." He hefted his cane and stalked down a dirty hallway, slamming a door shut behind him.
"Are you gay?!" Kari screamed after him, staggering toward the hallway. Neo appeared in front of her in a flash of pink light, her expression torn between amusement and annoyance. She rolled her eyes and gave Kari a light little push in the chest, sending her falling backwards.
Silence as Kari sprawled, and Neo stood over her.
The door far down the hall creaked open. A single eye framed by ginger hair was visible. "Neo, if she ever asks a question about me like that again, you have my full permission to give her a good smack!" The door snapped shut again.
Neo pulled Kari to her feet and dragged her through a side door, into the spacious rec room. The dozen or so goons immediately cleared out, giving Kari and Neo the widest berth possible. Neo pulled Kari over to a dusty couch, pushing her down onto it; then she threw herself down beside Kari, hands in her lap, legs crossed.
"Fine!" Kari yelled in utter delayed reaction, sitting up and falling over onto Neo. She gazed up at the woman, grinning at her. "Maybe he isn't, but you could be...couldn't you? Cutie little patootie...with an absolutely cutie little patootie..."
Neo gaped down at her, her cheeks tinged. Then she shoved her off and jumped to her feet, stalking away.
"What happened to fun?! Neither of you are fun!" Kari yelled to the building in general. "Fucking liars! I hate both of you! Being a criminal is boring - you're boring! And by the way, I think your hat looks ridiculous!"
"Okay, that's it - you've officially crossed a line! You do not insult the hat!" Roman yelled. His footsteps came pounding up the hall, and he burst into the large room, irritation on his face. He stalked over to Kari and thrust his cane down at her, the tip resting under her chin.
Kari cocked her head, then dipped her chin and licked the tip of the cane. She fell back with shrieks of mirth and a huge grin. "You should do that more often - that was so hot, you realize that?!"
Roman blinked at her, his jaw dropped. He growled low, then he sighed. He spun around and left her again. He threw up his hands and descended into incoherent mutterings, stomping back down the hall. A loud door slam topped it off.
"I love you!" Kari called after him. "For some reason! Maybe being a criminal has changed my own tastes in people!"
A long silence. Then - Probably!" Roman's voice floated back to her. "I tend to have that effect on people, alright!"
"Is that your Semblance?!"
"Since you're drunk off your pretty little ass, I'm gonna let you in on a secret only Neo knows: I haven't unlocked mine yet!"
Kari rolled onto her stomach, kicking her feet and resting her chin on her arms. "That's terrible..." she cooed to no one in particular. "I wonder if we couldn't fix that...?"
"Not likely!" Roman's voice came again.
Kari paused. "Is your Semblance super hearing?"
"Would you stop screaming your lungs out at me and just- I just told you- go to sleep already, would you?! I think I like regular you more than drunk you - drunk you is just too goddamn much for one guy to handle!"
Kari huffed, closing her eyes and turning her head aside, resting her cheek on the carpet.
Then she puked all over it.
"I'm not screaming..."
"Yes you are - be quiet, I'm telling you!"
Kari rolled over onto her side, and she started to cry again.
"Oh for the love - is she crying again?! Neo, take care of her for me would you!"
Neo gave a big sigh, then dropped down next to Kari and started patting at her and stroking her hair, an intense frown on her face as she did.
"I just want someone I can love again - I miss loving someone, and I miss being loved..." Kari sobbed. She blinked through blurry vision at Neo. "Please, help me make Roman fall in love with me..."
Neo froze, hand in Kari's hair. Then she fell back on the floor, clutching her sides in silent, overwhelming laughter.
Kari laughed, too. Then she went back to crying.
Neo smacked her, rolled her eyes, then abandoned her and stalked out of the room entirely.
After a while, Kari rose up and staggered her way out into the hall, blade hilt in hand (she wondered when Neo had even given it back to her? Or had she stolen it back?). She fell sideways into the wall - "Fuck." - pushed herself back the other way. Two goons who had been coming out a door on her right suddenly scrambled back through it, slamming it shut behind themselves. She heard the little lock click.
Kari tripped on her feet and sprawled out in the hall. She lay there a minute before getting up again. She focused as best she could on the door that those goons had locked her out of. Squinted at it. An idea came to her, floating on a hazy mind. She smiled and drove her fist into the door, blowing it open with her Aura. She crossed through the doorway, extending her sword to full length.
The goons inside all retreated to the far side of the room, yelling and aiming weapons.
"I'm really sorry, boss, please don't kill me! Kill Kerry instead!" a man yelled, terrified.
"Hey boss, remember me? Kerry! I did you that big favor the other week with the papers! If you're going to kill anyone, you should kill Basil! Fuck Basil, right?!" another shouted frantically.
Kari swept blurry, dizzy vision around the room, from one thug to the next. She took some more stumbling steps forward.
"No, no, no - oh god, oh god, oh god!"
"Y-yeah, fuck Basil!" a woman shouted. "He was a part of the big ring op three years ago - the one the cops busted up back in Vale! That one! That was him! He was one of the ones who got away clean!"
"W-what?!" Basil whirled on her, wide eyed. "Screw you Dahlia! That's not even true!"
"So?! I want to live, fuckface!"
"I want to live too!" Basil yelled. "Fuckface!"
"Well I want to live more!"
"Everyone shut up!" Kari shouted, her eyes lighting up with dark blue flames. "All of you...all of you...I'm not here to kill anybody. Understand?" she went on softly.
"B-Barely, but thank god, yes," Kerry said swiftly, stuttering. "W-what are you here for, then, boss?"
"I need..." Kari began, as clear as she could be. "all of you...to choose someone to be my lover. They need to be sweet...funny...romantic...and a few other words."
Silence. Stares.
"Kerry will do it!" Basil yelled out. "He volunteers!"
"Fuck you, man! Boss, Basil would love to help you out here! He volunteers!"
"If it means you won't kill me, I'll do it!" Dahlia shouted.
"You're not even into women!" Kerry countered her.
"Hey, if I get to live, I'll be into whatever the hell the boss lady wants!" Dahlia retorted. "She could string me up and pour hot wax all over my ass and I'd be thrilled!"
"That doesn't even sound that bad," Basil remarked.
"Man, what the fuck are you into?!" Kerry exclaimed, staring.
"Don't kinkshame me, dick!" Basil snapped. "We're in Mistral, not Atlas!"
Kari eyed them blearily. "Everybody, be quiet and sit down, please! We're going to hold...tryouts. Whoever impresses me the most gets to be my new boyfriend or girlfriend for the next...week...month. The next month!"
They scrambled to obey.
Kari was happy with herself; she needed this.
