The night is brightly illuminated by the shattered pieces of the moon hanging in the night sky like shattered glass. The temperature is not too cold, thus the city streets of Vale bustles with night life activity. Shopping malls brightly display the latest fashion trends in their windows, and the thumping beat of music can be heard from the various night clubs. In one of the many restaurants is a peculiar trio sitting at a table featuring a variety of dishes inspired by Mistral, Astral, and Vale cuisine.
The eyes of the patrons and workers alike are drawn to the beautiful blonde woman like flies to a candle. Even though the Huntresses of Vale are famously attractive, there was something about her that prevents them from averting their gaze. An almost otherworldly, natural charm. However, they all sigh to themselves at the sight of the little blonde girl sitting at that same table. Obviously, she's the child of the beauty and the ordinary looking man dressed in his strange purple robes.
"Flandre, I know you're excited about playing with the Scroll, but not at a dinner table," Flugel sighs.
Casually tossing a sushi roll into her mouth, she shrugs, "I can't help myself."
"Can you at least try to exercise some self control?"
"Okay," Flandre earnestly nods, then shakes her head after 2 seconds. "No good. I tried, but failed, Master. Oh, by the way, once- I mean, if this thing breaks, can you buy me another one?"
Flugel's eye twitches once, then he shakes his head, accepting the fact beforehand that Flandre will most definitely end up breaking her Scroll.
'I guess I'll just fix it with time magic whenever it breaks...'
He glances at Salem with an amused smile.
"It would appear that your renewed appearance has brought some unforeseen consequences," he chuckles.
Salem sets her fork down and wipes the corners of her mouth with practiced grace. Her brow furrows out of annoyance.
"... So it would seem."
She casts a sideways glance around the restaurant, and all the males within the building visibly flinch and turn their eyes away with pink cheeks.
"Even in this era, I have to deal with this?" She mutters.
"Objectively speaking, you have a rather attractive face and figure," Flugel comments as he bites down on a piece of bread. He taps a finger onto the table and an unknown symbol appears on the surface. Immediately, no more eyes are cast towards their table, and the waiters/waitresses navigate around their table like water streaming past a boulder in a river.
'A high level ward by simply tapping a finger...'
Salem lightly sighs, "I never thought I'd say this, but I'm beginning to prefer my previous appearance."
A large flat screen television mounted on the wall catches their attention, displaying a large column of water stretching up into the sky.
"The mysterious phenomena today at the middle of Lake Matsu leaves scientists from all over the world scratching their heads, unable to come up with a believable explanation for the event. Many wonder if this is an omen of sorts, while others believe it to have a natural cause, possibly from the gravity Dust islands floating above the lake. In this current moment in time, nobody knows for certain."
The patrons in the restaurant murmur amongst themselves, theorizing and wondering what could have caused such a an event.
"Won't this be a problem?" Salem quietly asks. "The Kingdoms will be thoroughly investigating the area for any clues."
"Even if they somehow find a way down to the bottom of the lake that is miles deep, they will find nothing," Flugel shrugs. "I highly doubt any current resident on Remnant is capable of bypassing my wards. In fact, it would be far more interesting if there was such an individual, to be honest with you."
He reaches into his robe sleeve and retrieves his Scroll. After fiddling with the screen for a moment, he sets the device aside.
"So how do these devices work, exactly?" He curiously asks.
"Through Beacon Tower," Salem responds. "That Tower is one of the four that make up the Cross Continental Transmit system, or more commonly referred to as the CCT system. It is one of mankind's greatest achievements in their usage of Dust and its various unique properties. However... this system is not without any flaws, the most glaring one being that if one of them goes down, then the entire system is rendered useless."
Flugel stares at Salem with a peculiar expression, then glances at the Tower.
"... What idiot designed this system? For something as crucial as global communication, redundancy is of paramount importance."
He resists the urge to palm his face.
Flandre snorts upon hearing Salem's explanation.
"So if I did this..."
She extends a hand towards Beacon Tower and clenches it into a fist.
Salem's eyes widen for a moment, but quickly realizes that when nothing happens, Flandre is only proving a point by going through the motions.
"Boom, then global communication comes to a halt?" Flandre finishes. "Master, these humans are hopeless."
Raising an eyebrow, Flugel teases, "What about Summer and Yang? You seem to approve of them well enough."
"... They're alright," she huffs.
"Just alright? Come on, just be truthful and admit that you're actually quite fond of them."
"Like I would give praise to these humans so easily. You know how easily their hearts can change, Master. Like I said, they're just alright."
She crosses her arms and lightly pouts.
'Not everyone can be like you, Master...'
Flugel sighs and reaches out to pat her head, to which she responds by leaning into his hand and purring.
'... What are you, a cat or a vampire?'
As he continues to stroke his familiar's hair, he tilts his head towards Salem.
"So what are your plans now? Still keen on manipulating mankind?"
She sets her fork down and gazes out the windows into the busy night streets of the city. Her eyes glimmer as she takes several moments to compose her thoughts.
"As you and Flandre have suggested, perhaps I will go on a journey. Considering that I do not have any particular destination in mind, I will be going wherever my feet take me. Right now... I have very little to look forward to, aside from Ozma's recovery."
Flugel gives her an encouraging smile.
"Perhaps that will change throughout your journey. You have locked yourself up in that castle for far too long, and viewing the world through only a lens is hardly experiencing it."
"What's so great about this Ozma guy anyways?" Flandre yawns as she leans against Flugel's arm. "If he's anything like Ozpin, then I think you're wasting valuable time."
"Ozma is nothing like him," Salem's voice slightly rises before she catches herself. "Excuse me... The Ozma I know is a pure soul who always put the world before himself. He would never resort to scheming or backhanded methods of any kind. He'd rather be in the front lines to face the danger, rather than have others do the work for him. A true hero. Nothing like the man known as Ozpin."
Her eyes narrow as she finishes, feeling a sense of disgust at how Ozma had been distorted.
"A hero you say?" Flugel muses. "I wonder if he was a heroic soul... That would make some sense, considering how his source remains intact despite melding with so many others."
"Heroic soul?" Salem asks.
Flandre cracks an eye open.
"If there is a looming threat or calamity, Od Laguna will try to resolve the imbalance. One of those ways is to birth a heroic soul, which can be summarized as an exceptionally strong and pure Source. Master met a few back in the day, but they're rare. An easy analogy would be that they are like an extreme immune response by Od Laguna."
Salem's eyes slowly widen as she processes the various implications of Flandre's explanation.
"Ozma was born because there was a calamity in the horizon?"
Flugel nods, "Assuming that Ozma truly is a heroic soul, then yes. They're not born randomly or on a whim as it is quite taxing on Od Laguna, and there can only ever be one at a given time. A Hero is not simply a title given by the masses, but a function of the world."
"But Ozma... he succumbed to illness... and passed," Salem mutters in a low voice with some doubt creeping in.
"Pfft, illness?" Flandre laughs. "A Hero dying from mere illness? That has to be one of the funniest jokes I've heard in a while!"
"Indeed," Flugel nods. "If Ozma was a heroic soul, he certainly would not die to something as mundane as illness or disease."
He narrows his eyes.
"Unless... There were some external forces at play."
Realization dawns upon her, and Salem tightly clenches her hands. Her eyes shimmer with silent, simmering rage.
"Those Brothers..." she hisses.
"They have much to answer for," Flugel says. "If only there was a way to see the complete past. That would answer several of my unanswered questions."
Flandre lazily eyes him.
"Then take a small peak into the Akashic Records."
Flugel shakes his head without hesitation.
"No thanks. The resulting splitting headache is killer, and the risk of unforeseen consequences is not something I want to chance. The most I am willing to do is peering through the Akashic Lens for general information, but nothing more than that."
"Then perhaps you should seek out the Relic of Knowledge first," Salem suggests. "It may contain the answers you seek."
Flugel rubs his chin.
"Haven Academy..."
The three of them continue to converse as they finish their meal. Afterwards, they stop in front of a luxurious hotel Flandre had picked out, and Salem bids them farewell to begin her journey by leaving Vale.
*** Hotel Room ***
Flandre hops onto the king sized bed and rolls around on the plush sheets.
She sighs out in satisfaction, "Quality of life sure has improved over the years, Master. I think I can get used to this city life. The only downside are having to deal with a larger number of ignorant humans."
"I'd rather not live off of money not legitimately earned," Flugel chuckles.
She scoffs and waves a hand dismissively.
"This is why you need me to balance you out. Such a stickler for the rules, even though they don't have to apply to you."
"Maybe I should set up a shop..." he muses. "That way, we'll have a legal source of income to use in our expenditures."
"Gah! Master, are you even listening to yourself? Rules are meant to be broken!" Flandre throws her arms up into the air. "I hate it when you voluntarily lower yourself like this. First with Summer, then with Salem, and now you're worrying about legally acquiring money when your magic can perfectly create it!"
"Just because I can break the rules without getting caught doesn't mean that I should abuse such a privilege," Flugel chuckles. "I only break them when necessary. You break them primarily because it's entertaining and convenient."
"Tch!"
"What are you so riled up about?" He smiles. "We're technically going to rob Haven Academy very soon. Aren't you excited?"
Flandre puffs her cheeks.
"Of course I'm excited, but you don't get it, Master. You break the rules only when it's to fulfill your duty. Why can't you be a little more selfish!"
Flugel pats her head and grins.
"You do more than enough of that to make up my share."
"So... if I hold back, you'll act accordingly to balance it out?" Flandre doubtfully asks.
"... I never said that."
"See? You're so hopeless," she sighs and curls into a fetal position.
Flugel merely smiles as he takes a seat by the window. He assumes a relaxed posture by propping an elbow up against the sill and resting his chin against the palm of his hand. His eyes calmly scans over the bustling night life in the streets below, as well as the shattered pieces of the moon illuminating the sky.
'Despite the lack of magic, they've found a way to live, survive, and find enjoyment in this world. Due to the constant threat of a common enemy, the Grimm, there is a delicate balance between the nations. Once they realize this status quo has shifted, I wonder how they will adapt?'
*** Morning ***
*Knock!* *Knock!*
Flugel lazily opens his eyes and opens his Scroll to check the time.
"... 8:00 AM"
Still groggy, he stumbles out of bed and his robe manifests around him as he walks towards the door. Yawning into a hand, he cracks the door open to be met by Ozpin and Glynda, patiently standing at the doorway. Flugel pauses mid-yawn and blinks. A brief moment of silence passes as the two parties stare at each other, then Ozpin opens his mouth to begin speaking.
"Good morni-"
*SLAM!*
Flugel swings the door shut and locks it. Without a word, he turns around and crawls back into bed.
"Who was that, Master?" Flandre mumbles while her eyes are closed.
"... Room service."
*Knock!* *Knock!* *Knock!* *Knock!*
"Mister Flugel? We'd like to speak with you for only just a moment."
*Knock!* *Knock!*
Flandre's eyes crack open and she frowns.
"... Is it okay if I blast them into outer space?"
Flugel sits up and scratches the back of his head. His unkempt hair sticks out at various directions.
"As tempting as that sounds, there is no need for that," he sighs. "Just how in the world did they figure out we're here of all places?"
Flandre stiffens and her eyes shift to the side.
"Ahah..." She nervously laughs.
Flugel pinches both of her cheeks and interrogates her.
"... Okay spit it out. What did you do this time?"
"I may have used our names when I checked us in?" She innocently whistles.
He lets go and palms his face.
"That must have triggered a flag in their system... Okay, with that mystery out of the way, we may as well get some breakfast now that we're up and awake."
Flandre sits up, rubbing her eyes.
"You're going to cook? No offense, Master, but your cooking is horrendous."
The corner of his eye twitches.
"You just don't like to eat your vegetables. That's why you're such a midget."
"Wha- That's not true!" She exclaims. "You know that vegetables have nothing with how I look right now! If I really wanted to I could-"
*Knock!* *Knock!* *Knock!*
Flandre stops mid-sentence and shoots a small glare towards the door.
"Stop interrupting me, you idiots!"
She extends an arm out and splays her fingers. Orbs of dark pink energy appears at each of her fingertips.
"Taboo: Cranberry-"
A palm smacks her across the back of her head, causing her to stumble forward and the orb of energy dissipates harmlessly.
"Are you trying to destroy this entire building?" Flugel scolds. "You and your temper sometimes..."
"But Master~ They interrupted my beauty sleep and I'm hungry! Besides, I had it completely under control, and was barely using 1%. They only would've been bruised up a little," She whines while clutching the back of her head.
"You just woke up. If you slipped up even a tiny bit..." Flugel sighs. "Come on, I know just the place to grab some food."
A flash of light envelops them as they disappear from the room.
*Knock!* *Knock!* *Knock!*
"... Mister Flugel?"
*** Patch ***
Summer cheerfully hums as she cooks up some eggs, bacon, sausages, and pancakes for breakfast. She breathes in the fresh morning air blowing through the open windows and lightly smiles at the sound of singing birds in the forest.
"A beautiful morning~" She sings.
Behind her at the dining table, Yang is drawing on a piece of paper using a variety of colorful crayons. Her tongue sticks out from the corner of her mouth as she concentrates on the final touches of her masterpiece for the day.
Outside through the kitchen window, Taiyang is sparring an invisible opponent as he goes through his combat stances and forms. His figure is a blur as he combos his imaginary enemy. It's a completely normal morning for their family.
A sudden burst of light fills the kitchen, and Summer yelps in surprise. But any feelings of anxiety or alarm almost instantly disappears when she senses the presence within the flash. Taiyang, however, abruptly stops his training and immediately sprints inside.
"Ohh~ That smells good~" A voice cheerfully says.
"Flan!"
A pair of tiny feet runs up to Flandre and hugs her leg. She looks down in surprise when Yang holds up her drawing depicting her family, alongside Flugel and Flandre with her multi-colored crystalline wings.
"I draw," Yang brightly smiles.
Flandre blinks and her eyes soften momentarily. Sighing to herself, she scoops up the little girl in her arms, much to her delight. Summer smiles at the interaction between the two, then laughs.
"I was not expecting to see you two again so soon. Please take a seat, you're just in time for breakfast."
"Summer! What's going on- Oh."
Taiyang skids to a stop at the dining room entrance.
"I apologize for suddenly dropping in like this," Flugel chuckles. "I would have notified you two beforehand, but I don't have either of your Scroll contact information."
"It's no problem at all," Summer waves her hands, then tilts her head. "Scroll? You have a Scroll?"
Flandre whips her out and flashes a victory sign with her fingers.
"We both have one! These things are pretty great!"
"... Those aren't exactly cheap. Not to mention those are the latest models," Taiyang comments. "How'd you get them? You... didn't steal them. Right?"
"Of course not," Flugel crosses his arms, looking mildly offended. "I paid for them. Technically."
"... Technically? What the heck is that supposed to mean?"
Clearing his throat, Flugel holds a finger out and like a candle, a dim light appears on his fingertip. Then, like a stream of water, stacks of Lien tumble out from the light and piles onto the top of the kitchen table.
Taiyang grabs one of the stacks and his eyes nearly bulge out from their sockets.
"T-This is..."
He quickly counts through the stack, and he hears the constant bell of a cashier register going off in the back of his head.
"This is... Just this one alone is worth at least half a month's worth of pay..."
"Mister Flugel!" Summer scolds and slaps the Lien out of Taiyang's hand. "This is illegal!"
"See, Flandre?" Flugel sighs. "This is why I want to open a legitimate business."
Flandre crosses her arms and declares, "It's only illegal if you get caught! Besides, there's nothing fake about this Lien you create."
Summer raises an eyebrow and picks one of the stacks up for closer inspection. With her other hand, she slaps Taiyang's hands that are slowly creeping towards the pile.
"The seals, serial numbers, and Dust imprints... They're all authentic," she mutters. "Even so, it's not right to just pop money into existence! Right, Taiyang?"
She asks her husband in a sickly sweet voice.
"... R-Right," he reluctantly nods. "B-But Summer, since these are already here, it couldn't hurt... Just a little bit couldn't hurt, right?"
When she narrows her eyes at him, he grabs his arm steadily reaching for the pile.
"Just a joke," he nervously chuckles.
When Flugel waves a hand and disintegrates the Lien, he stifles a cry.
"You can't tell us what to do," Flandre huffs and points a finger at Summer's nose. "What's the harm? Lien is Lien."
Summer sadly sighs, "What a shame, since I was just about to bake some cookies after breakfast. As well as some chocolate cake..."
Flandre's eyes widen and her head snaps to meet Flugel's eyes at near light speed.
"Master, what were you thinking making illegitimate money like that? I think you should follow my advice and make that business or whatever as soon as possible. It's the right thing to do," she quickly scolds while righteously nodding.
"..."
Flugel's eyes twitch while a vein threatens to burst on his forehead.
"Flan. Up, up."
Yang hugs Flandre's neck. Unable to say no, Flandre sighs and brings out one of her wings.
"Only because I'm in a good mood."
A slight humming sound emits from one of the crystalline prisms, and Yang gently lifts into the air who circles around her head while joyously laughing. Apparently, Flandre had made it so that Yang could navigate herself through the air as she pleases.
Summer claps her hands together.
"Why don't we enjoy some breakfast now. I want to hear all that's happened in the last day or so. According to the news, you two have been quite busy."
As they take their seats, Taiyang quirks an eyebrow at the guests.
"So what made you two suddenly drop by this morning?" He asks.
Flugel pinches his brow.
"We were staying in a hotel, but Flandre checked us in with our actual names..."
"You would've made the same mistake," Flandre defends herself.
"Like hell I would've," he counters.
"Ah... I see," Summer lightly laughs. "That must have informed Ozpin and Glynda. You should have seen their faces yesterday when you two suddenly left. I've never seen both of them so flustered and lost before, especially Ozpin. So, you two ran away from them and came here?"
"To deal with that, first thing in the morning... No thank you."
"Please don't say we ran," Flandre frowns. "That makes us sound weak."
"Er... Right... And what about her?" Summer slowly asks. "That's where you said you were going right? To meet... Salem?"
"Ah yes," Flugel nods. "We had quite the productive conversation with her."
Taiyang leans forward, both intrigued and slightly anxious.
"W-What was she like?"
Flugel stabs his fork into sausage and takes a bite.
'Mmm this tastes pretty good... '
"She shows promise? What do you think, Flandre?"
His familiar enthusiastically takes a bite of pancake offered to her by Yang.
Licking her lips clean of syrup, she answers, "She's luckier than that Ozpin boy, that's for sure. Compared to him, dealing with her ailment was simple."
"... Ailment?" Summer slowly asks. "Like... sickness? Salem was sick?"
"I have no idea what you mean by that, but I already know the answer is going to sound ridiculous," Taiyang mutters.
"It pertains to magic," Flugel calmly explains. "This information will be useful for Summer so I will try to explain this as simply as possible. Magic is fueled by Mana provided from the Source. The Source is the origin of oneself. You could call it the soul, or the root of the individual. Everyone has this, including you, Taiyang, and every sentient lifeform. In fact, what you all call Aura can be considered a derivation of Mana. As for Salem, her system was corrupted by impure Mana, so we went ahead and cleared that out for her."
"Aura and Mana are the same?" Summer gasps. "Does that mean Semblances are also... magic?"
"Consider Aura to be greatly weakened version of Mana. Therefore, whoever coined the term Semblance to describe abilities stemming from Aura did so aptly," Flugel chuckles. "A semblance of magic. How clever. Here's a small quiz. What is the defining feature of mankind? Can either of you tell me?"
"Selfish, ignorant, and stupid," Flandre recites.
"Not you, you biased little bat."
"Hmph!"
"The ability to adapt," Summer concludes after several seconds of thought. "Without this, we would have fallen to the Grimm long ago. Our cities and technologies wouldn't exist."
"Bingo," Flugel nods. "It is the defining trait that distinguishes man from the rest. Theoretically, because all living things have Aura, even animals should be able to use Semblances, but why is that not the case? That is because animals rely on other advantages such as strength, speed, or ambush. However, man is rather unique. Physically mediocre... Awkward anatomy... But the ability to adapt and create sets mankind apart."
"You made a small mistake in limited man's ability to adapt to Dust applications, such as weapons, cities, and technology. However, it goes far deeper. With the minuscule amount of Mana available to them, mankind instinctively evolved to utilize and mold this pathetic amount into specialized skills known as Semblances. This is the conclusion I have come to, given the current information I have. Is this not fascinating?"
"They're still weaklings," Flandre scoffs. "And even if they have their so called ingenuity and ability to adapt, their hearts are weak because they're only human."
"That may be the case," Flugel agrees with a light smile. "But that also means the exceptional ones shine that much brighter. Is this family in front of us not such an example?"
"Maybe... But even in other dimensions, my assessment remains accurate. Humans in general are weak, Master. So very weak and fragile."
"So after you got rid of Salem's impure Mana... what happened?" Summer asks with a tilted head. "Was that what made her evil?"
"Mana makes no distinction between good and evil," Flugel shakes his head. "Getting rid of the impure Mana simply means that the clarity of her mind has been restored, as well as relieving her from great pain. Consequentially, it also means that her control over the Grimm has been relinquished."
"W-What?..." Taiyang mutters. "Wait... so Salem could still be out there, plotting the destruction of mankind?"
"I suppose technically speaking, you'd be correct," Flugel nods.
"Then nothing's changed and we need to stop her!"
Summer puts a finger up to her chin in thought.
"Mister Flugel said that you're only technically correct, Tai. Which implies that she might not be planning to do so?"
Flandre smirks, "Smart girl."
"You also mentioned that her control over the Grimm is now gone?" Summer continues with her brows furrowed. "Then logically speaking... that must mean that the Grimm are somehow connected to Mana? Impure Mana to be specific."
"Well done," Flugel praises.
"Okay, assuming she's not planning the destruction of mankind," Taiyang mutters. "What's she up to then? Actually... where is she?"
Flugel takes a bite of scrambled eggs and points his fork in a particular direction.
"Somewhere in that direction," he mumbles between chews. "I've not the slightest clue to what specifically she is up to, but in a general sense, she is on a journey. Seeing and experiencing the world for herself."
"She's out in public..." Taiyang shivers.
Shrugging, Flugel retrieves his Scroll and lazily dials a number. After setting it to speaker mode, he lays the Scroll down onto the table as it rings. After several moments, it clicks, signifying the other party had picked up the call.
"Yes?" A soothing female voice answers.
Taiyang instinctively feels a sense of calm rushing over him when he hears the voice, but his body remains tense, realizing that the one speaking could only be one person.
"Good morning," Flugel greets. "Has everything gone smoothly for you since we parted ways last night? You had no issues departing the city?"
"Aside from the usual glances here and there, no, there were no problems," she sighs through the Scroll. "Why do you ask? Did something happen?"
"Hmm... this morning, Ozpin happened to visit our hotel room unannounced. He seems to be keeping a very close eye on who enters and leaves the city."
"I see... and did you tell him?"
"Actually," Flugel chuckles. "He's still waiting there outside of our suite room. Currently, I am having breakfast on Patch."
"Patch?" She curiously asks. "Ah... Summer Rose."
Summer jolts at the mention of her name.
"Would you care to join us? I'm sure Summer and her husband wouldn't mind the additional company," he suggests while casting an amused look towards the couple, who are making wide gestures of 'NO' or 'WHAT' at him.
"... As tempting as that sounds, I will have to decline."
"What a shame. The food is quite delicious. Perhaps next time?"
"Perhaps..." She sighs. "Will that be all, Sage Flugel?"
"Mmm, yes. Have a good day, and enjoy your journey."
"Goodbye, Sage and Flandre."
"Bye bye," Flandre lazily responds.
When the call ends, Flugel snaps his Scroll shut and leans back into his chair.
"Y-You... have Salem's Scroll number," Taiyang mutters, his mind feeling numb. "And you just tried to invite her for a meal..."
"She... sounded quite different from what I imagined," Summer softly comments, as she too, is rather shaken. Despite knowing how fantastical Flugel and Flandre are, hearing him converse so casually with someone who has been regarded as the enemy of humanity for ages over a Scroll was... a strange experience, to say the least.
"That column of water yesterday in the middle of Lake Matsu. What were you two doing there?"
"Just handling some chores," Flugel waves a hand. "Think of it as housekeeping."
'Chores...' Taiyang mentally sweats. 'The entire world is wondering if that thing was a sign from a deity or something, and you call it a chore...'
"Is there something important under Lake Matsu?" Summer asks.
Flugel nods, "Yes. But leaving all of this aside, how do your eyes feel?"
"My eyes?" She tilts her head. "Hmm... Honestly, they don't feel that much different from before, aside from the change in comfort. If I had to point something out, it would be when I was watching the news coverage of Lake Matsu yesterday. For some reason, I felt like something was resonating within me when I saw that, and I knew that it was definitely you two, if that makes sense."
"That is a good sign," Flugel responds. "You are adjusting quite well to your newfound eyes and are becoming increasingly more sensitive to Mana.
Taiyang's mouth twitches.
"It's been barely two days since you two have appeared, and it already feels like the world's turning upside down..."
Flandre smirks and glances at her master.
"Should we tell them, Master? I want to tell them."
When Flugel shrugs, Flandre's smirk morphs into a toothy smile.
"Master and I are going to rob the Huntsmen Academies."
"... What?"
"Um... could you elaborate please?" Summer asks. "You don't mean that literally, right?"
"The Relics," Flugel clarifies.
Summer and Taiyang glance at each other, then back at their guests.
"Seriously?" Taiyang nervously laughs.
"Stealing the Relics... Why?" Summer questions. "You two must have a very good reason."
"These objects have been the cause of many wars in the past. Though I do not know how powerful these objects truly are, they will not tempt me or Flandre."
"... Aren't you concerned that we will inform Ozpin of your intentions?" Taiyang asks with a serious expression.
Flandre shoots him a smile filled with undisguised anticipation.
"Please do," she encourages. "That would make it more fun for me. I curious to see what everyone's faces will look like as I trample over their worthless pride and strength."
The mixture of childlike innocence and lust for carnage causes Taiyang to break out into a cold sweat.
'There's seriously something wrong with her...'
Flugel's hand chops her head.
"Stop intentionally talking like that. You're freaking him out."
"Uwuuu..." She pouts. "Fine."
"So there you have it," Flugel says. "We will be confiscating the Relics. If you wish to tell Ozpin and the other Kingdoms, go right ahead as that is your right. It will not change our plans whatsoever."
"Please don't tease us like that," Summer shakes her head. "You saved my life, Mister Flugel, and I know that you have a benevolent heart. I will trust you."
Taiyang glances at his wife, then clutches at his hair.
"Ugh... Summer's always had an accurate reading on people... especially when it counts," he releases a deep sigh. "We won't tell anyone."
Flugel nods with a small smile.
"I do have one thing you two may be able to help me with."
"As long as it doesn't involve crazy magic and pissing off the Kingdoms, then sure," Taiyang responds.
"Do either one of you know the proper procedure in acquiring land and opening a shop in the city?"
When Taiyang glances at Summer, she coughs with pink cheeks.
"Actually... aside from becoming a Huntress, I've always been interested in opening a weapon shop," she says with bright eyes. "So... I kind of went overboard in studying business economics, practices, and infrastructure in my free time..."
"Excellent. If you could aid us with setting up a shop, it would be much appreciated. Of course, I will compensate you accordingly," Flugel chuckles.
"If you need money to stay somewhere, why don't you just stay here on Patch?" Summer offers. "We have more than enough rooms to accommodate you two."
"Thank you for the offer, but Vale is not the place we will be staying at permanently," he smiles.
Upon seeing the confused looks on Summer's and Taiyang's faces, Flandre speaks up to elaborate.
"He's the Sage of the Tower. Remember?"
Their eyes widen.
"You're going to rebuild your Tower? Where?"
Flugel flips his Scroll open and brings up a map of Remnant. Then he points a finger to a location.
"The Tower must reside at the center of the world. Currently, that spot is here."
Summer and Taiyang look back and forth between Flugel's fingertip and the map, just to make sure they're not imagining things.
"M-M-Menagerie?!" They both exclaim.