After a couple of miles it became apparent that they weren't going to be reaching civilisation any time soon.
As such York and Doyle both agreed to settle in a nearby cave for the night, after they'd gotten a fire going it was just a matter of passing time.
Fortunately, York was a people person, he'd made plenty of friends in freelancer before the project fell apart around him.
"So Doyle, what are you the general of?" York asked as an icebreaker.
"The federal army of Chorus." Doyle said after a moment. "Although I don't expect you've heard of them, we've been isolated from the galaxy at large for quite some time."
It was at this point that Dee appeared.
"My data banks register Chorus as an colony that many have described as 'far flung' however, no communications have been sent from the planet in a long time." Dee said.
"That's not surprising, we've been in a civil war for years until recently." Doyle explained with a shake of his head.
"Until recently?" York pressed for more information.
"Well recently there's been something of a truce, largely thanks to the efforts of the reds and blues."
A thought popped into York's head.
"Where they simtroopers or something?" York asked casually.
Doyle then snapped his fingers. "I've got it! I know where I've heard your name before, you were an operative for project freelancer weren't you?"
"That's not exactly public knowledge." York said. "And it's ex-operative these days."
"Of course, agent Washington mentioned as much when we discussed the subject." Doyle said as York's mouth hit the bottom of his helmet.
"You know Wash?"
"Of course, he was the leader of blue team and is one of my closest friends if I do say so myself." Doyle elaborated.
York gave a small chuckle at the thought of Wash leading a group of sims, the smile on his face then turned into a worried frown. Good lord, it had been a long time since he'd seen Wash.
"Is he... is he doing okay?"
"I hope so, fortunately Carolina is there to help him."
"Good, good..." York nodded absently until his brain caught up with what had been said.
"Hey Doyle, did you just say Carolina? As in agent Carolina?"
"Yes, she was also a freelancer I believe, she actually mentioned you're name a few times." Doyle shifted. "I'm assuming you knew each other?"
"You could say that." York said as his mind raced with the possibilities. In a flash York had Doyle pinned to the cave wall.
"You've seen Carolina? She's ALIVE? Has she talked about me much? Is she doing well? Why didn't she tell me that she was alive? What is she-"
"York, I would recommend releasing the general, analysis indicates that he is about to engage in vasovagal syncope."
York stopped to look at Delta.
"He is about to faint."
"Yes." Doyle confirmed weakly before he fainted.
"How long before he wakes up Dee?"
"Unknown."
York picked up Doyle and moved him into a more comfortable position before quietly cursing at his own hastiness and aggressive enthusiasm.
"Son of a bitch."
"And then Tucker was upset, so we decided to remake the entire movie." Church told Tex.
"So you, the rest of blue team and the reds all decided to act of the entirety of Reservoir Dogs." Tex snorted. "I wish I'd been there to see that train wreck."
"I'd argue, but yeah it was a train wreck." Church chuckled with what totally wasn't fondness.
"Sounds like you idiots were doing fine then, without me." Tex said.
"I mean sure it was uh mostly peaceful, but we did miss you." Church said with some actual sincerity in his voice.
After a moments silence, Tex spoke. "Church-"
But as Tex spoke, the door of the closet that they were chatting in flew open, and Blake entered clearly out of breath. The young Faunus then quickly closed and locked the door before noticing that Tex was also in the closet.
"Hey." Blake said awkwardly.
"Hey." Tex replied back. "You okay kid?"
"Fine, fine." Blake said somewhat absently as she caught her breath. "Why are you in a closet?"
"Privacy." Tex answered without missing a beat. And yeah that was true, Church suggested the closet himself so that they could talk without someone seeing Tex and thinking she was crazy.
"Oh."
"And what about you kid, what's got you running to hide in here like Donut?" Tex asked.
"You know I'd argue that wearing pink armour and spouting off innuendos every five seconds doesn't really count as hiding." Church put in his two cents.
But of course being unable to see him, Blake ignored Church's remarks. "It's nothing really, just... personal issues."
"Such as?" Tex pressed.
Blake sighed. "Well, I guess you'll just hear it latter anyway, it's my parents, their here in Beacon looking for me."
"They aren't abusive or anything are they?"
"No ,no, no." Blake denied. "I love them, their fantastic parents and people, it's just..." She sighed. "We had a massive argument last time we saw each other, more specifically I argued against them when they just wanted the best for me. I was just too blind to see it."
It was at this point that Church was hit by a feeling, a very strange parental feeling, which was pretty odd since he had no children.
Then he was hit by a flash of a memory, one of a girl that looked like Pyrrha only a lot older, she was crying after a fight with... someone. An incredibly rare event. Church, ThE aLPhA, wanted to help, but someone wouldn't let him.
The flash went away as quickly as it came and Church was left with a feeling of guilt that he really didn't like.
"Let me, talk to her." Church said to Tex.
"Church, that's a terrible idea." Tex whispered back while Blake started to monologue about all her failings and how 'it was probably for the best she never saw her parents again.'
"Hey, when have I ever had a bad idea?" Church asked rhetorically.
Tex then muted herself and doubled over with laughter, which was thankfully unnoticed by Blake.
After a few minutes she straightened up. "Yeah, I'm not even going to start on what's wrong with that statement."
"Anyway, I think I could help here." Church said. "It's like a feeling, like a memory that's not quite there."
Then to Church's eternal surprise, Tex left the robot body without another word.
Not one to miss an opportunity like this Church immediately possessed the robot body.
"Hey kid, shut up for a second would ya?"
Blake stopped talking and looked shocked. "Your voice-"
"Yeah, yeah, sounds different I know." Church waved away the concern.
"But that's not-"
"The point is, you need to see your parents."
"Weren't you listening to a word I said? I can't face them." Blake said.
"Why not? What's the worst thing that can happen?" Church countered.
"They might, we might..." Blake trailed off, looking like a depressed puppy, which was ironic considering she was part cat.
"Fight, argue and hear that they don't love you." Church finished for her. "Trust me kid, I know the feeling." Oh boy did he know that feeling, when he was a kid much the same had happened with me and my parents."
Church could remember it so clearly, at least he thinks he could, half formed memories that existed in his mind told him as much.
"You'll never amount to anything Leonard!" His father yelled, he ran away tears streaming down his face-
Church snapped out of that memory hard.
"What happened, with your parents?" Blake asked, her arms crossed as she did so.
"We had an argument, I ran away and never saw them again." Church said simply. "But it could be different for you."
"But how? I called them such terrible things."
"Look, I'm not saying you have to talk to them. I'm not, what I am saying is that you can." Church said. "I never got to see my parents again, to find out if things could have been better, you have that chance, and if I were you I'd take it."
They all stood there in silent contemplation before Blake nodded.
"Alright... I'll talk to them." Blake said quietly.
"Really? That's great!" Church said with the clap of his hands.
"Okay, I can do this." Blake told herself with resolve and as she left she said one last thing. "And... thanks."
As soon as Blake had left Church left the robot body, but to his surprise Tex didn't immediately go for it.
"Hey, Church what you said about your parents... do you really remember it that way?" Tex asked him quietly.
"Yeah, I mean those are some of my strongest memories, why?"
"No reason." Tex said with unusual softness in her voice as she returned to her body. "Come on, lets catch up with the others."
"Right behind you."
After all the things that happened to prove it, Weiss had known that her father was a pretty terrible father. But this... this just took the cake.
In her hands Weiss held a card.
It was a rather nice card all things considered, and the contents of the card were perfectly alright, if more than a tad clinical.
But that was precisely the problem, the damned card was the only word she'd gotten from her father, nothing else.
Sure Weiss wasn't thinking that he'd come done all the way from Atlas to visit her, but she'd been hoping for at least a call, Weiss had been in hospital for shoulder surgery.
But no, what she got was a stupid card.
And in all honesty, it was quite insulting.
Now normally Weiss wouldn't be feel quite so bitter about this, but unfortunately she was stuck watching a different scene in front of her.
"And I was so worried, I mean couldn't either of you called?"
"Again, we couldn't exactly call you to help in the middle of a battle, especially since you were half a continent away."
Weiss watched as Yang and Ruby talked with their dad, Taiyang she believed his name was, about the battle. And why was she being forced to watch this reunion? Because they had decided to do it in the hospital with Qrow, who Weiss now learned was Ruby's uncle, and Weiss had been there to thank the huntsmen for helping her team.
"Yeah, but still. I could have helped."
"Don't worry Ch- dad, we're fine." Ruby said reassuringly.
"Fine!? You and Yang were in hospital and Qrow's still here!" Taiyang frantically gestured as if to make a point.
"Technically I was on a different mission." Qrow pipped up.
"Yes, and for the record I would like to thank you for protecting my team." Weiss told him.
"Your welcome kid, its all apart of the job, besides I've had worse."
"Yeah, like that makes it better."
"Hey, remember that time in Vacuo when Summer dared me to try and ride that sandworm Grimm?" Qrow put forward.
Taiyang snorted in remembrance. "How could I forget with the amount of complaining you did after? And don't try to distract me, I have a point to be making and that point is-"
"That we're all fine and you worry to much?" Yang suggested.
Taiyang sighed. "Well, yeah I worry."
Weiss sighed, she wished that she had a father who worried about her more than profits.
"Don't worry dad, we're fine, we've got a good team." Ruby told him with a smile.
"Oh yeah, and does this team include a girlfriend?" Tai said with a teasing smile.
Ruby's face went as red as her name suggested.
"Daaaaddddd."
"Don't worry, I just want to meet her."
"Me too, once I'm outta here." Qrow pipped up.
"Well you'll have to wait, she's catching up with her family." Ruby said.
"What about for now we all just go for ice cream? You too, Weiss isn't it? Your free to come along."
Weiss shook her head. "I wouldn't mean to impose, I'm not even apart of their team."
"Yeah, but your a friend of Ruby and Yang's." He grinned conspiratorially. "That means you can give me the inside scoop."
"Yeah, come on Weiss it'll be fun." Ruby said.
After a moments hesitation Weiss gave her answer.
"Alright, lead on then."
Notes:
And that's the end of that chapter.
First off we have Doyle and York getting to know each other, and of course as soon as Doyle's back on his feet York will be getting the inside scoop on how Carolina and Wash have been doing.
Then a wee scene of Church giving Blake some advice which is influenced by my head cannon that the Director had a shitty childhood.
And then Taiyang makes his appearance, it will not be his last.
As always thanks everyone for reading and extra thanks to those that comment/review, you're all awesome.
Next time, Pyrrha gets some visitors as she recovers and Ozpin has a chat with Ruby. But till then, I'll catch ya'll on the flip flop.
Review replies:
ReaderWarrior: An interesting idea... I'll think about it.
Annonamous Elephant: Great to see you enjoyed it!