"This is an intervention."
And with those words died Wash's hope that they could have a peaceful, quite night before the mission started the day after tomorrow.
He supposed that it was natural, from the moment he was bought into the world he barely had a quite moment, so why should it start now?
A short silence followed Yang's announcement as everyone waited to see how Ruby would react.
And after a moment or two, she came out of her stupor.
"What?" Ruby asked in disbelief.
"We are having an intervention." Pyrrha said from where she was seated. "After your... episode, we thought that now would be a good time to help you deal with your... issues."
"Issues." Ruby echoed back in a tone Wash had heard before.
Memories of a similar, but smaller, gathering happening the week after Ruby's fourteenth birthday came to Wash's mind causing him to cringe.
He really hoped that it wouldn't end up like that shitshow.
And he wasn't the only one that was reminded of those events.
Ruby whirled around to face Yang.
"I thought that we agreed you wouldn't try something like this again!" She yelled as she pointed an accusatory finger at her sister.
"Wait, you already tried to have an intervention?" Jaune cut in.
"Yeah, our dad and uncle tried to have one the week after Ruby's fourteenth birthday." Yang and Ruby both visibly cringed. "It did not go well."
"No kidding." Sarge grumbled. "I still have nightmares about those puppets they tried to use."
"But this time it will go well." Yang promised. "There'll be no puppets or rock bands. Just you, me and our closest friends."
"Puppets?" Ren questioned.
"It doesn't matter." Ruby said sharply. "None of this matters because I don't need an intervention, because I am absolutely fine."
Pyrrha shook her head. "No. No you're not."
"Ruby, we just spent three days watching you in a coma after you had a panic attack." Blake said. "That is by no ones definition fine."
"Come on Rubes, you can talk to us." Yang encouraged.
"I know that. But you guys don't need to worry about that, the whole screaming thing is over." Ruby claimed, which was a half truth at best.
While that exact situation was likely never to come up again, Wash knew from experience that Ruby herself would be suffering nightmares about the memories for years, as well as suffering an occasional panic attack.
Still, at least Ruby would have her team, which was more than he ever got. (Sure he had the Councillor, but that was like having salt to rub in the wound.)
"It's not just about that. It's also about the other things, like talking to people who aren't there." Yang said, causing Ruby to freeze and Wash and Sarge to curse.
"I, uh don't know what your talking about." Ruby denied weakly.
Nora chimed in. "Oh you know those times where you talk to the walls and stuff. I've seen you do it at lunch, in class, in the halls, on the roof." Nora listed them off on her fingers. "Basically everywhere."
"Wait, how did we not notice her?" Wash asked Sarge who just shrugged.
"I did, but I just didn't want to just give away information to a blue like that."
His following noise of irritation was cut off by Ruby's declaration of sanity.
"I am not crazy!"
"No one said you were!" Yang held up her hands.
"Yeah! We only implied it!" Nora claimed.
"Not helping Nora." Ren sighed.
"You know I can help." Weiss claimed. "Due to my connections I could get you an appointment with any one of Remnants top therapists and psychiatrists-"
"No." Ruby cut off Weiss's offer. "I know you mean well, but I don't need to see any of those because I am perfectly fine and not crazy."
"I agree." Penny spoke up. "Ruby is perfectly sane."
Yang rolled her eyes. "What, can you see people too?"
Penny seemingly didn't get the sarcasm. "Of course not, but I can hear them."
Spit takes were abound.
"Hear them?" Blake questioned.
"Yep!"
They all waited for Penny to continue with some form of explanation, but she never gave one, prompting Pyrrha to speak up.
"Could you... elaborate on this?" Pyrrha asked politely.
"Of course!" Penny said. "Ruby can see four soldiers from an alternate universe, all of whom have died, and they appear as ghost like entities with no real influence on the rest of the world. There are four in total, Caboose, Sarge, Agent Washington and Church. They are all very nice and I had a positively lovely talk with mister Caboose the other day about friendship which was absolutely sensational."
And with that exposition dump out of the way, everyone conducting the intervention looked at Ruby, seeking conformation of what Penny had just told them.
Ruby in turn looked at Wash and Sarge.
Mutually they both nodded and gave there consent.
It was only right that Ruby's team and friends got to know the truth.
"It's true." Ruby nodded gravely. "All of it."
Moments passed as everyone digested the news, and wash could see on each persons face as they all decided what they believed.
"No. I don't buy it." Weiss shook her head. "The whole thing sounds absolutely ridiculous."
"I think it makes sense." Nora disagreed.
"I have to agree with Weiss." Blake said, obviously conflicted.
From there on out they divided into two camps, those who believed Ruby (consisting of Pyrrha, Nora, Penny and Ruby herself) and those that didn't believe Ruby. The second groups was made up of everyone else with the notable exception of Yang who only sat down and was muttering something to herself.
From there the two groups began arguing loudly.
And of course it was at this point Church and Caboose came back.
"What the hell happened here?" Church asked as soon as he saw the arguing masses.
"There having an intervention for Ruby." Wash informed him dryly.
"Wait, an intervention? The kid isn't on drugs or drinking or anything?"
Wash shook his head. "No. Not that type of intervention. They think Ruby's schizophrenic because they've seen her talking to us. That combined with the breakdown means that they're trying to get Ruby to seek counselling."
"And now's your time to shine blue." Sarge said. "All you have to do is that possessing people thing you like doing to prove we're real and everything will be fine."
Church coughed awkwardly. "Right... about that... I kinda sorta can't do that right now."
"Why the hell not!" Sarge demanded.
"Well, ever sense I separated Wash and Ruby I've been really exhausted." Church explained. "Simply put, I don't have the strength to take over anyone at the minute, in a few days sure, but not right now."
"Well that's just great." Wash said sarcastically. "Now what are we supposed to do? wait?"
"Yes." Said Caboose to the shock of the other three.
"What do you mean 'yes', are you pulling our leg caboose?" Sarge asked.
"Of course not, if we wait then Church won't be tired and we can go on fun adventures." Caboose explained.
"Fun adventures?" Wash muttered before the solution practically slapped him in the face.
He turned to Ruby. "I have an idea." He told her, dragging her out of the argument.
"What is it?" She asked.
"Right now Church is in no fit state to possess people, but if you can convince them to continue this after the mission then Church should be able to possess them and convince everyone that we're real." Wash explained the plan.
Ruby thought it over for a moment before nodding. "Right."
"EXCUSE ME, EVERYONE COULD I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION PLEASE?" Ruby yelled from the top of her lungs, getting the argument to stop and snapping Yang out of her deep thinking.
"I have a way to prove that they're real." Ruby announced. "But there's a catch... It can only be done after we've all come back from our missions."
"That seems a bit..." Weiss trailed off as she struggled to find the right word.
"I know." Ruby cut in softly. "I know, but that's the truth and I'd like you to please trust me and drop it for now." Ruby sighed. "And i promise the second we're back I'll prove it to you all."
There was a scary, silent moment before almost all at once they mutually nodded.
"Okay then Ruby, we'll trust you." Blake said reassuringly. "I trust you."
"Do you know who I am?" Chief Belladonna questioned him, probing what he did and didn't know.
"You are Ghira Belladonna, chief of Menagerie, and founder of the terrorist organisation known as the White Fang." Locus listed off, keeping his hand near the hilt of the great key should the situation go south.
"You seem remarkably well informed for someone who has only just arrive in this world." Ghira said causally.
"You know that I am from another world?" Locus asked surprised, but not letting it show in his voice.
"That was only a guess, one based on your equipment that matches nothing on record." Ghira nodded. "I must thank you for confirming it."
Locus nodded back. "Your welcome." He said before lifting up the scroll with the data on it.
"This... scroll contains information on energy anomalies scattered around the world, the oldest three date back three years ago and the latest dates back to my arrival." Locus stated, looking carefully for a reaction. "This suggests that each of the energy bursts coincide with an arrival from my universe."
"Yes. That is why I arranged this meeting."
"To find out why?"
"To find out if you and these others are a threat."
Locus nodded. They very well could be, if people like Felix ended up in this world, then terrible things would happen.
"Do you know what I am?" He asked rhetorically. "I'm a monster."
Ghira tensed. "Then why tell me?"
"Because I seek change, to redeem myself." Locus told him. "I am not the only monster from my world, there are others both lesser and greater than me. But there are also heroes."
"Which is why I would like to make you an offer." Ghira said.
"What did you have in mind?"
"I will return your equipment to you, and provide you with supplies and intelligence, in return you will hunt these people from your world and let me know if they are heroes or monsters." Ghira put his offer on the table.
Accepting his offer was one of the easiest things he'd ever done.
"Alright, I can see that an alliance with you would be mutually beneficially, but there is just one thing." Locus said.
"And that is?"
"Tell your men to stand down." He commanded.
Ghira chuckled and made a hand gesture, causing various Faunus to exit the shadows, each fully armed.
"How did you know?" He asked.
"Only a fool would try to negotiate with me alone." Locus said. "You do not strike me as a fool."
"Your right, I am not a fool, now lets talk details."
After some minor weather issues that took the bullheads out of service for a day, they had finally arrived.
Standing in Beacons courtyard, watching as various students rushed around preparing for their first ever missions as huntsmen and huntresses, Qrow turned his head to talk to Tex.
"Come on, let's go see Oz."
Notes:
And that's the end of that chapter.
I hope that everyone enjoyed this chapter which sees the end of what could be considered act 2. From here on out it will be act 3 where everything will be going to 11.
Let me also say that I had a lot of fun writing Locus, and that the intervention was a real bitch to write. But still, I'm quite happy with how it turned out.
As always I'd like to thank everyone for reading and extra thanks to those that comment/review, you guys and gals make my day.
Next time Qrow and Tex have a meeting with Oz and the teams choose their missions. But till then I'll catch ya'll on the flip flop.
Review replies:
ReaderWarrior: Always good to hear from you, and to answer your question our Blues and Red function much like how Church does in the show, only without the ability to possess people (only Church himself can do that).
Brain.H.H: Well, I wonder what you were expecting, and I hope that you enjoy this chapter.
Annonamous Elephant: Thanks, and again no need to worry about rushing the writing, i never post unless I'm happy with the end product. And thank you for your kind words.
Guest (1): Thanks dude, hope you enjoy this then!