The remaining ride to Mistral was quiet. The kids enjoyed being able to play on deck. Some were running around, others were playing cards and one was sitting and reading and often joined Yang with fishing for dinner. Qrow did his best to avoid Winter, choosing to fly ahead a day early to gather the faunus families and summon them to the dock.
Winter did her best to spend as much time as she could with Weiss. Winter enjoyed resting on deck with her sister, talking about the friends she made below deck and how she handled seasickness and interesting dreams she had. Winter shared some of her stories as well, though she left a couple out for the sake of her pride.
They had spent a lot of time discussing what they would like to do and found that they had largely no idea. Winter insisted than Weiss go to school, to which Weiss agreed, but beyond that they were not sure. Unfortunately there wasn't much more time to think and Winter felt her nerves skyrocket as they reached port in Mistral. She helped gather the Mistralian faunus children to go to the mainland while the rest stayed on the ship with the Doc and the girls. Weiss stayed behind to help Ruby and Yang with the remaining faunus children, all of whom she had grown surprisingly attached to.
Winter and Weiss gathered their valuable belongings, barring a few sentimental pieces, to sell at the market. Weiss decided to keep her tiara-esque barrette as it was not terribly valuable and it was useful for keeping the hair out of her face. Winter kept a necklace with her grandfather's family symbol on it, the original Schnee family crest from before her father's take over. She gathered the other valuables and held them in a satchel. She then helped Tai load the dust onto a cart to take into town and gather the children whose families live in this part of Anima.
Qrow met them at the dock to collect the children. Winter helped load them up and comfort them, getting them excited to see their families again. The pair avoided each other's gaze as best they could, but Winter couldn't help but blush every time he caught her eye. She forced herself to remain stoic, upright and unwavering under Qrow's glances. Once he left she then joined Tai in the front of the dust cart.
"So we should probably get you to the pawn shop first so that you can get some money from that stuff. That way you can get yourself some real clothes, preferably some clothing that does not belong to Qrow." Tai smirked. Winter frowned.
"What's a pawn shop?" she asked. Tai chuckled.
"That's right, you didn't get out much did you. You're going to have one hell of a day." Tai urged the mule forward.
"I'm not sure if I like the sound of that…" Winter sighed. Tai patted her hand and smiled.
"Trust me, you'll be fine. Just stick with me and you'll be fine. Really the markets are quite the experience, especially the first time. There's clothing vendors, food vendors, produce, smithies, candy," he pointed to the back of the cart and winked, "and now Dust. You'll love it!"
Winter was skeptical but calmer. She remained on high alert but she was still shocked by the sight as they entered the town. Gorgeous mountains full of houses stood before her. A flowing waterfall was visible in the distance along with gorgeous structures with an unfamiliar architecture. There were stalls lining the roads and lights strung up between stalls. Winter saw all types of stands like the ones described by Tai and so many more. There was at least half a mile of stalls.
Tai passed most of the stalls and into the edges of town where there were some more permanent structures. One building had a sign outside that read PAWN and Tai stopped in front of it.
"I have to stay here with the cart to make sure that no one takes our stuff so you'll have to do this alone. It's pretty easy, just tell him that you have something to sell. Just remember to drive a hard bargain, don't take no for an answer, assert yourself and stick to your guns." Tai smiled.
Winter couldn't help but wonder if this was the advice he gave to the girls whenever they had any issues. His speech was well rehearsed but not entirely helpful, but she couldn't deny that she felt a confidence boost just from hearing it. She marched into the pawn shop, hundreds of years of Schnee history in hand and walked into the pawn shop.
"Hello, shopkeeper. I demand a trade. What will you give me for these valuable items." Winter asserted herself. The shopkeeper looked annoyed but wordlessly looked at the pile. He shrugged until a symbol caught his eye. He gasped and looked more closely at the items.
Winter walked out happily with a pouch full of lien. It was nowhere near what the jewels were actually worth but it was enough for some food, new clothes and a few nights' stay at an affordable inn. Tai raised his hand for a high five and Winter did her best to comply, though she may have struck a little too hard. He drove them back towards the markets and towards the stalls.
"So, since I'm about to sell some slightly illegal contraband with your real name all over it, you probably shouldn't be there when I do it. I'm going to drop you off at that stall there, when you're done I want you to meet me by the donut stall. It's blue and white and smells like heaven, you can't miss it. That ok?"
Winter nodded. Tai stopped the cart and she got out and did as she was told. He pointed in the direction of their meeting place then headed off towards some stalls further down the line. Winter looked at the stalls around her to see what they had to offer. She decided first to try some kind of food. She tried the noodle stall but they were unfortunately sold out, so she decided to try some dumplings.
She felt guilty eating such a large helping but she didn't know when the next time she would have such wonderful food would be. While Yang was an excellent cook, there is only so much one can do with fish, dry goods, a stovetop and magical fire powers. Winter herself would need to brush up on her cooking skills soon enough once she and Weiss settled. They were still a bit too close to Argus for Winter's liking but there was still time. They were going all the way to Menagerie after all.
Winter next stopped at a clothing stall. She took her time looking around until she found a simple blue and silver shirt. It was similar to her current one, but much more feminine and her favorite color. There was a short navy vest with pockets that went with it and a pair of sturdy boots. She also found some trousers that would fit her better. She spoke with the shopkeep and once they settled on a price she was on her way, clothes tucked neatly into a paper package.
The last stall that Winter allowed herself to linger near with the Smithy's shop. She was always able to appreciate the art, but now it held just a little more meaning. She looked at the range of weapons, admiring their craftsmanship. One piece in particular stood out. It was a strong but slender rapier with an intricate handle that had a hidden compartment. She asked the smith for a price but sadly she couldn't warrant such an expense. Maybe once they were more firmly on their feet but in the meantime, she needed to save what little she had for their future.
Winter headed towards the donut stall. She had been worried about not being able to find it but as soon as she caught a waft of the scent she knew she had to follow. Taiyang stood, waiting for her with a large box in his hand. He handed her a folded napkin and smiled. Winter had had donuts before, but Mistralian donuts were like nothing she had seen before. They were just lumps of sweet dough rolled in sugar, still warm from the oil. It was one of the best things that Winter had tasted.
Tai led her away toward the cart and loaded up the donuts, leaving a folded one on the seat for a certain bird. Tai then led Winter back to the markets.
"I need your help getting everything we need before the stalls close and the guards change."
Winter's nerves spiked but she didn't show it. She followed Tai closely and together they managed to get everything they needed before the sun started to set. They headed back to the cart with a mountain of bags, some warm food and packages and a small pouch of lien. They were loading up the cart when suddenly they heard a caw. Qrow appeared in front of them and shoved everything in the back of the cart before locking it up tight.
"We gotta go, NOW!" He shouted and Winter heard the familiar clanging of Atleasian soldiers approaching.
She jumped onto the cart and Tai took the reins. Qrow transformed and hid in the cart. Tai urged the mule to head on as fast as they could. Winter turned just in time to see a merchant pointing in their direction followed by two Atleasian knights. A knot formed in her stomach and she held onto the cart for dear life. Tai managed to gain enough of a headstart and he shouted for Qrow to prep the ship for impact.
Qrow flew off and Winter braced herself, unsure of what Tai had meant. The harbor was almost in view but she knew the soldiers were still giving chase. She saw the boat was ready and prepared to dismount quickly. Tai shook his head and guided the cart up the ramp, vaulting onto the ship. He gave the order and the gang plank was raised and the ship began to move just as the soldiers emerged from the treeline.
Winter could hardly breath. That was the craziest thing that she had ever been a part of and these people had kidnapped her just a few days ago. She turned and hugged Taiyang tightly. She looked around then panicked momentarily.
"Looking for someone?" Qrow asked, dropping from the ropes. Winter breathed a sigh of relief.
"What, don't I get a hug too? You don't want anyone to start thinking that you're playing favorites now would we?" Qrow teased and Winter smacked him on the chest, but he could see the relief in her eyes
"Winter! Are you okay?" Weiss ran out and hugged her big sister. Winter refused to let go of her sister, clinging to her for dear life. Yang and Ruby ran out and hugged their father and uncle in a similar manner. Everyone took a moment to breath and calm down. The adrenaline surge had everyone wound very tightly and Tai decided that there was only one way to fix it.
"I brought take out!" He cheered and began passing out containers to each person on board.
They were small but smelled incredible. Winter sat down beside Weiss and the pair ate together and discussed their day. Winter was excited for this new habit to form. She enjoyed spending time with her sister, though it still felt like something was missing.
"Weiss! Can I sit with you guys too?" Ruby asked, plopping down before she got an answer.
Ruby was soon joined by Yang, Tai and even Qrow and the group chatted amicably while eating their dinner, telling wild stories of the day's events. Winter smiled. She was certainly not an expert but she knew that family comes in all shapes and sizes. Sometimes a family is a mother and father and sisters and brothers, or sometimes two mothers or two fathers. A family could even be a woman and her younger sister. But as she sat here, on a rickety ship surrounded by people who staged a kidnapping eating Mistralian donuts and noodles next to a mule, that sometimes the best family could be a woman and her sister, a pair of magical girls, a dorky dad and a dusty old birdman.