Big Issues
AN: Sorry about getting this out later than I hoped but things in life have been a bit hectic lately. I'll still try to maintain a weekly update schedule but you can expect the next chapter next weekend. Mostly due to the fact that I rarely start a new chapter until after I post the latest. Oh well, this is a shorter and more light hearted chapter.
Haven
Team RNNJR and Qrow landed in Mistral and were brought into the hospital immediately. Qrow was rushed to an emergency room where he was treated for the scorpion venom in his system, the damages the venom caused, and the wounds that he'd taken since then. The rest weren't as seriously hurt but were still given a full examination and treatment, especially once it was known that they had fought the Nuckelavee and won. Those who raised doubts were shown the footage from the airships as they approached Kuroyuri and witnessed the final attacks on the beast.
That had led to the team being hailed as heroes and swarmed by some of the patients and staff who all had family that had been killed or forced to flee from the Nuckelavee over the years. That also meant that the team opted to bunker up in their shared room to avoid their newfound fans.
Thanks to Mistral having some of the most advanced medical technology outside of Atlas, Qrow was moved to a less sterile room in a few days. He still had to take things easy for a while, especially to let the damage to his organs heal. At least his room was next door to RNNJR so Ruby didn't have to go far to check up on him herself.
One thing she hoped for, besides her uncle's speedy recovery, was that the tear stains on the letter she wrote wouldn't be too obvious and it made it home fast.
"Hey kiddo." Qrow greets her from his bed. The medications made him sleep more than he ever thought he could normally but it helped that the bed was comfy. On the other hand, he could feel the sobriety hitting him hard. It was odd not to have alcohol in his system after drinking for most of his life but the hospital refused to let him have anything more than a swab before a needle.
"How are you feeling Uncle Qrow?" Ruby sat in a plush chair next to his bed so she could alternate between the view of the Mistral landscape and her family.
"Heh, better than the past few days. That's for sure." He pulled the covers back to look at his legs. The left was normal and was covered by the provided pants. The right leg had the majority of the cloth cut off to be like shorts so there was easy access to cleaning the wound.
He had seen what was under the bandages and it wasn't pretty. Guaranteed to leave a nasty scar after the surgery required cutting out dead tissue around the injection site. He was just lucky that his aura helped to mitigate the worst of the damage and his surprisingly high tolerance to the venom.
But the doctors had closed him up the best they could and they were confident that he wouldn't need grafts unless something similar happened to his leg again. That being said, they recommended that he stay off his feet for the next week and take things slow for the rest of the month… The doctors knew how stubborn Huntsmen and Huntresses are.
"That's good. I sent a letter to Dad and Yang today to let them know what happened."
"Really? We can't just keep this our little secret?" He teases as he gestures to his leg.
"They will notice you limping when we get home."
"Hmm, yeah. Good point." Qrow conceded as he swung his legs off the bed. "Now if you don't mind, I gotta pee."
Ruby was quick to stand and help him up before they hobbled to the small bathroom and let him take care of business on his own.
It had been nearly a week since they had arrived yet none of them had gone to Haven yet, too busy stuck in the hospital for the injuries. With any luck, Ruby would take Qrow to see Professor Lionheart over the weekend so they could accomplish part of their mission.
The door opens to show Jaune poking his head inside. "Everything alright?"
"Yeah, we're good." Like Jaune and the rest of the team, Ruby wasn't wearing her usual clothes but was now in a robe provided by the hospital. A glance at the clock behind Jaune revealed that it was a shift change so now Jaune had the fun of helping Qrow from the bathroom back to bed.
Back in their shared room, Ruby flopped onto her bed and waited for the rest of her to stop jiggling. Pyrrha barely glanced up from the book she was reading by the window and Nora didn't give her the attention as she was focused on mending her clothes. At least they had been washed before that.
"How long until dinner is ready?" The youngest girl asks out of habit.
"The staff will be bringing our meals in an hour." Ren answered from a corner where he meditated with his fathers knife on his lap.
"Ugh… I'm hungry."
"That's not going to accelerate time or the staff."
"Ugh, I can't wait to get out of here."
"Yeah, well… the last time we saw you in a hospital, you slept for nearly a week." Nora adds as she finishes a stitch. "Time flies when you aren't paying attention to it."
"But there's nothing to really do!" Ruby whines as she flails her limbs briefly before letting them drop back to the bed and her tummy wobbles for a few seconds.
"You could read." Pyrrha suggests.
"Already read the few magazines here that interest me… three times."
"Weapon maintenance?" Ren asks.
"Stripped Crescent Rose, cleaned, inspected, reassembled, and lubricated. Need to make a few pieces that are wearing out."
"Clothes?" Nora holds up her own, having moved onto her pink skirt.
"Got them washed."
"What about repairs?"
"I uh… can't sew." Ruby rolls her head away. "All I wind up doing is stabbing my fingers and making it worse."
"Didn't Yang teach you?" Ren asks.
"Trust me, she's not much better. When we get home I should show you the teddy bear she made me, it's her best job yet."
That raised a lot of questions about her home life but the sisters did tend towards more durable clothes that were functional and a sense of style.
"Umm… I can at least show you until dinner is here." Nora offers as she pats the bed next to her that was clear of her supplies.
"Fine, so long as I don't get a needle in my finger." Ruby groans as she rolls off the bed and plops down next to Nora.
That lasted for a second as her eyes went wide and filled with tears. "EEEP!" She immediately jumps up and dances in a circle while holding her rear in both hands. "Ow! Ow! Ow! Needle!"
"Oh! That's where that one went." Nora replies casually with a smile. "Thanks for finding it Ruby!" She says as she reaches out and plucks the sliver of steel from the bouncing bottom in front of her.
The young reaper dropped face down across her bed after that. "I hate needles." Her words were muffled by the sheets and mattress.
-—-
Raven was uncomfortable.
She had just watched as the camp was dismantled and packed onto their wagons, taking the majority of her life with the bandits as they set out to find a new place to lay low until her return.
She also had to deal with the distrusting looks from the younger generation around her including her former captive. Though the looks from her daughter hurt, the others she could deal with.
But she was now stripped of Omen, the weapon secured to the higher than expected ceiling of the jeep like the other weapons. She was crammed in between Anya and Talon in the back seat, the latter girl wasn't exactly small despite her height. And she had to watch as her daughter drove her motorcycle away from her constantly.
The last part wasn't true since Denko was driving and following the blonde woman.
But before they had started their trip, Raven had learned that the blondes were dating. It didn't help that aside from hair and eye color… and weight, Yang was almost a mirror image of herself. Add that to Denko resembling Taiyang enough that it could be argued that they were father and son.
The sight reminded Raven of days long past, roughly twenty years ago, when she had let herself open up and started being with her blonde friend as more than just a teammate. The days when she found herself relaxing in his arms and could feel safe. There was a pang of jealousy and longing but she did her best to push that down as she had so many times before over the nearly two decades she had been back with the tribe.
"Is it always going to be so cramped in here?" She couldn't help but to ask aloud.
Denko glanced in the mirror to look back at his girlfriend's mother. "Depends on who's back there with you."
Raven looked at her options, Denko is taller than Talon but has broad shoulders, as well as putting them both in the uncomfortable position when it comes to Yang. And Weiss, the girl had been her captive and even from the back seat she could see how much space the girl's hips took up, filling her seat and pressing against the central console and the door.
"I see. And how long until we get to Mistral?" She crosses her arms as she relents to her seating options.
Denko checks the holographic map. "Looks like we could be there in three days if the weather stays nice and we don't have too many stops." A Beowolf pack sprints out of the treeline at the vehicles, prompting the driver to hit a button on the console and Raven watches as an automated turret rises up from the rear bumper and locks onto the Grimm. Another press of a button led to the turret opening fire and removing the beasts from Remnant in seconds.
"You have that thing back there?" Raven was surprised, as was Weiss. Denko casually deactivates the turret to make it retract back to where it normally hides as the jeep never slowed down for a moment.
"The Scarab has a lot more than just the shell and a big gun. Maybe you'll see more before we get to Mistral." Anya explains.
"How about some music?" Talon offers and connects her scroll.
It didn't take long for the sounds of an accordion to come through the speakers, soon followed by a man singing in an odd but false accent.
"What am I listening to?" Raven asks no one in particular.
"You should-a taste my lasagna!
Ay, you no like-a lasagna
That's okay too
How about-a calzone?"
It didn't take long for the bandit to realize that the song was all about food… and the more foods it listed made her stomach and tastebuds feel angry at her for staying away from the meals. Not that the food from the forests and whatever they stole were bad but few things beat a fresh, hot, hearty meal.
"Would you like some-a zucchini
Or-a my homemade linguine, it's hard to beat
Have-a more fettuccine.
Ay, you getting too skinny, you gotta to eat."
"Is this really what you listen to these days?"
"Never trust a skinny chef!" Talon replies to the bandit happily.
"Have-a more ravioli
You-a get roly poly, a-nice and-a big
Like you cousin Luigi."
The song ended soon after but the damage had been done, Raven was hungry.
When they finally stopped for the night, the fire to keep them warm and cook over was hot and bright and the music had stopped. Raven had no idea how many songs there were about food.
"M-M-M-M-M-M-M-
My, my, my, yi, yi, woo!
M-M-M-My Bologna
M-M-M-My Bologna
M-M-M-My Bologna
M-M-M-My Bologna!"
Yang and Talon were having a good laugh at repeating some of them from memory with Anya and Denko doing their best to drum as accurately to the songs as possible. Weiss simply shook her head at the antics with a smile.
"C'mon Ice Queen! Don't you like our singing?" Yang throws an arm over the heiress's shoulders.
"Hmph, I think you need some lessons before you can really call that singing."
"Really? Care to show us what you got?" The blonde shakes her a bit.
Weiss narrowed her eyes to give her friend a slight glare, though the expectant smile never wavered. "Fine, I'll show you something." Weiss grumbles as she withdraws her scroll and looks into a saved file. With a satisfied smile, she sets the device on the log so everyone could see the screen as a video plays.
It didn't take long for everyone's jaws to drop as the video showed Weiss singing in a bar with the Happy Huntresses playing the instruments behind her, especially with the change of tune in 'This Life is Mine' and the crowd going wild.
"Damn Weiss! You're really rocking it!" Yang congratulates.
"You go girl!" Talon cheers.
"Who would have thought the princess would be singing in a bar?" Anya jokes.
"Funny that I called you a songbird before, you really live up to that." Raven received a couple stares for the compliment. "What?"
"Just kinda unexpected from you." Denko says, not sure how much he should really say to his girlfriend's mother.
"Just because I'm not a particularly law-abiding citizen, that doesn't mean I don't have manners or that I'm tasteless. Plus the digs at her daddy are just icing on the cake." Raven defends herself with her arms crossed… before realizing what she had ended it with. 'Damn it! I blame those damn food songs!'
The grins from the other five made it clear that they caught on as well, much to her chagrin.
The sleeping situation was a bit difficult to figure out due to the limited space in the Scarab and they weren't going to sleep exposed to the strong possibility of rain that night. Bumblebee was kept safe on its rack on the back before the armored dome was activated While there was space around the vehicles to lay on the ground, Raven made that option unneeded when she transformed into her much smaller corvid form and settled on the dashboard.
"Um… are you good there for the night?" Yang had to ask her mother, if out of curiosity more than anything else. The blackbird perks her head up and nods. "Well… okay then. Goodnight everyone." The blonde lays down to cuddle, unaware or not caring that there were two pairs of eyes on them.
Weiss and Raven glanced at each other before shrugging and making themselves comfortable. Within minutes, the rain was pounding on the shell.
"Unless you want mud all over you, I guess you're staying in here tomorrow." Denko smirks.
"Like you're going to complain about that."
"Not unless you sit on my lap too long." That earned him a jab to the shoulder.
—-
Preparations for the grand opening of the school and activation of the Tower were underway and nearly finished. The biggest worry was if there was going to be enough food available, even if almost every household was bringing something to add to the selection.
The only ones to vocalize any complaints were the guards who were assigned elsewhere, though they had started with volunteers to not attend the party and decided the rest by lottery. Yet while all of the Menagerie Guard on duty were required to wear their full uniforms, including armor and to be fully armed, and those not on duty that night opted to do the same in solidarity and in celebration, none of them questioned why to be so.
"How is everything looking, dear?" Kali steps up to her daughter as she sets down a covered tray full of cold food.
Blake looks around to see the many Faunus and a few humans working together to set up the tables for eating along the outer walls and the food tables by the main entrance of the school itself. That left the central yard open for mingling and dancing and the doors to the first hall were open to allow for tours.
The celebration would be starting soon and the school was already starting to feel cramped thanks to nearly everyone from Kuo Kuana coming up the mountain who could, even a few from the other villages came. But there was one person in particular that caught Blake's eyes.
Sun had gotten new clothes with her help, a pair of high top sneakers similar to his old ones but with more ankle support , his jeans had been traded out for dark blue pants that flare out at the knees before ending with tight cuffs on his upper calves. He no longer used the bandages around his legs, opting for a set of shin guards. What was interesting was that the pants had a yellow swirl on the outer parts of the legs, looking much like his tail when curled.
The pants tightened around his waist but still kept his old white belt to ensure they stayed up with his old silver chain now hanging from the belt loops in the back.
He now wears a tight black shirt that conforms to his body and has a collar that exposes his upper chest. Over that, he wears a white sleeveless haori that was only decorated on his back by a large deep purple circle with his golden monkey symbol set inside. That hid the simple leather harness that carried Ryuji Jingu Bang on his back.
On his arms, he kept the bracers from before, though he'd painted them black to match the shin guards and wore yellow fingerless gloves under them that covered his lower arms. His gold necklace also stayed on.
The young man was greeting some of the guests that had arrived, among them some of the Guard who would be mingling during the ceremony.
Likewise, Blake had changed her looks a bit, keeping her tall boots that she had arrived with and her pants were similar, but lacking the belt she had before, counting on the strong elastic waistband and a thin black sash to keep them up. She had returned to the shorter white jacket she had gotten before, the one that only came down to her ribs with gold edging. The sleeves extended to her wrists with a cuff with a gold line for decoration around them while her collar rose to hide her neck except for the front was open.
The jacket is open in front to reveal her new top. The new shirt is short, barely covering any of her stomach and leaving a fair portion of her chest to view. It is black with white edging but very secure. Shehad taken to wearing a harness under her coat that only had loops for her arms and a strap across her back with a magnetic plate to hold Gambol Shroud. The biggest decoration she had added was the large golden circle on her back with the Belladonna family emblem in the center.
"Things are looking good, Mom."
"Are you talking about the party or Sun? He is looking good with that new look."
"I can mean both."
"Right. Still, feel free to eat as much as you like." Kali pokes Blake in her soft middle. "You need to relax while you can. Besides, your father is going to speak soon and you better grab your man so we can all be up there together."
"Okay, I'll be there soon. Just stop poking me."
"Ah, but you used to love that when you were a chubby little kitten."
"Mom!" The use of Shadow helped the younger cat get away from her teasing mother faster and she soon found Sun talking to a couple other guys who had helped with the construction efforts. "Hey Sun."
"Blake! What's up?" Sun was always happy to see his girlfriend.
"Mom wants us up on the stage when Dad gives his speech." She jabs a thumb over her shoulder to where a podium was set up on the steps by the main entrance.
"Ugh, do we have to? I'm getting hungry."
"Getting in the spotlight isn't my idea of fun either." Blake shrugs. "But we're pretty free to do whatever after that." She adds with a small smile.
"Alright, let's go." Sun concedes as he sees Ghira standing with Kali and Sienna with Itazura nearby playing with her scroll.
Five minutes later, the sun was getting lower in the sky and the walls were casting long shadows across the courtyard and Ghira taps on the microphone to get everyone's attention. Kali and Sienna stood on his right and left, respectively, with Sun and Blake taking position next to Kali and a human, the lead engineer for the CCT project, stood next to Sienna and Itazura.
"Welcome everyone!" Ghira's deep voice cut through the remaining chatter and drew attention to him. "I am glad that so many of you could make it here tonight for the grand reveal of our greatest gifts since Menagerie was granted to us." He paused and could see that the older generations having mixed emotions about that; he knew their frustrations well as it was a gift to make the Faunus be quiet and get out of the way of the humans.
"Never did we think that we would have a Cross Continental Transmit Tower built on our soil so soon, yet here we are, standing at the foot of our own. A sign of recognition from the other Kingdoms that we are worthy of being called equal. The right that we have fought for so long has finally paid off and we will begin to reap the benefits tonight.
The Menagerie Tower sits within this Huntsman Academy as a form of protection against those who may wish it harm. An Academy that many of you have noticed that it remains without a name of its own yet. But it will have its name revealed to you all soon." He pauses to look up at the sky to see how dark it was becoming, not that it would really be an issue for the Faunus thanks to their night vision and the lights that illuminated the courtyard. Sunset would be any second and the stars were starting to be seen.
"As you all have noticed, we could not have done all of this alone, at least not so quickly. This is due to supplies and personnel coming from Vale, Vacuo, Mistral, and Atlas. Both Faunus and Humans alike have built this monument to solidarity. So, it is best that we congratulate everyone who has helped with the construction!"
Immediately, the entire yard was filled with clapping and a few whistles, many standing up to cheer for the next minute, the various workers from the other Kingdoms bowing and waving.
"Thank you all! Thank you all for everything you all done to help us get so far. And now we can get on with naming this school. Many of you have submitted suggestions for the name but we have settled on just one after lengthy debate. And so, we formally introduce you all to Sirius Academy!" That received another round of loud applause, complete with someone shouting that they had chosen the name.
"Yes, the same star that is named Sirius has been adopted as our school's moniker. We should always strive to rise above what tries to hold us down, which is why the stars are so enticing because they are so high that height has become meaningless to them. Sirius is also part of the constellation of Canis Major, the Great Dog. Just as our canine pets are often our greatest companions because of their loyalty, dogs also represent many of the qualities that we strive for, they nurture, care, protect, and will be gentle or fierce when the time calls for them to do so.
And so, we feel that it is best that the school is meant to train the next generation of our protectors from Grimm and other harsh realities of life to have a constant reminder to always strive for higher achievements in loyalty, justice, kindness, and the strength to protect others."
—-
Any Grimm on the other side of the mountain flinched at the wave of positivity that swept through the island. As much as it was in their nature to remove that positivity from the world, they were also repulsed by it. For now they'd retreat to a safer distance to allow the good moods to settle down.
—-
"And now, let us join the world with our Tower as well so we may communicate freely with the world and beyond that, our tower will reestablish communications worldwide!" Ghira announces and Itazura inputs a code into her scroll.
Seconds later, the tower lit up, from the various windows of the communication rooms and smaller offices to the office at the top, signifying that it was online. The low thrum of power was briefly heard and felt as the actual long-range communications equipment powered up. Soon, everyone was starting to pull out their own scrolls as they received messages and increased service signals. The odd collection of mismatched alert tones was quickly overwhelmed by more cheers, some of the guests already testing the systems by sending messages to family or friends in other Kingdoms.
Ghira waited for things to settle down again before continuing. "Now, as you all may know, we do not have a full staff as of yet to begin classes nor do we have more than a handful of potential students. We will take what we can get for now and do our best to find more faculty and students from all walks of life so we may all rise to the stars together! Now, let's celebrate our success!"
—-
The cheers this time could be heard all the way down to the port where a pair of Guards were standing on the pier.
"Damn, sounds like they are having fun."
"Really? I thought you didn't want to be up there? Sounds like you want to be now."
"I dunno, big parties aren't my thing but my aunt made my favorite dessert to bring up there."
"Did she know you weren't on party duty tonight?"
"No." He hung his head in shame.
"Hey, she's your aunt, she'll understand that you can't control your assignments. Besides, she could always make more for you." She pats him on the back.
"Thanks. Um… want to see how much is left over when our shift is done?"
"Really? I guess you know that I'm always up for good food."
"Good evening, isn't it?" A voice asks from behind them and the pair turn around to see the Albain brothers walking their way.
"Yes sir! Nothing to report so far, it's been a quiet night here at the port."
"Ah, good. I hear that the fireworks show will be most interesting tonight." Fennec casually comments.
"It should be something else entirely." Corsac adds as the brothers walk past the Guards.
The armored pair looked up at the mountain peak that was well lit thanks to the school and tower upon it. "Yeah, and it's great that our comms are working better than ever. Maybe you should text your aunt real quick to save you some of her pudding."
"We don't think that will be necessary." The brothers say from just behind the Guards, Cyclone and Inferno stabbing their way under the armor of both before either Guard could act.
"Thank you for your service, officers." Corsac leaves them with one last remark as the pair drop to the floor and the brothers make their way back towards the land.
Fennec was already holding his own scroll up to his ear. "You may begin."
—-
"This party is great!" Sun grins as he and Blake danced to the music. The two of them had been going strong for the past ten minutes on the dance floor, their moves making the other dancers give them a wide space to move.
"A lot like another dance we were at!" Blake felt a lot like she did that night back at Beacon; letting all of her normal concerns be swept aside for the now and focus on the young man in front of her. The one person that she found that she could truly open up with and show all of her scars and insecurities and he'd simply help her because he cares.
It may have been odd that they were armed but they are at a Huntsman academy so it was rather fitting. There would be many more people who would be carrying weapons at all times, with Sirius likely to adopt that tradition from Shade.
"Are you hungry?" Sun felt her stomach grumble as they pressed close for a slower song.
Blake blushed at being called out, hoping that it could be claimed as exertion. "Maybe."
"I guess we could take a break for food." He didn't bring up that they had eaten a plate full of food apiece before they had started dancing, he'd be a hypocrite since he felt that was only a light snack. Once the song ended they loaded up their plates from the available spread.
"Ha! Look at mom go." Blake points with her fork at her mother being swung around by her husband.
"What? You wanna try that with me?" Sun asks as he wiggles his eyebrows at her.
"That won't go too well. It'll probably end with both of us on the floor or hitting someone." Blake dismisses the idea, not needing to tell him that she still outweighs him by a fair margin despite how much she had lost.
"Is that supposed to be a good or bad thing?"
"Maybe we can try in private sometime." She glances away with a blush, enjoying that he had the same reaction.
She found it rather endearing that while he would flirt with her without any problems, he still waited for her to make the first moves if anything of intimacy was going to happen. Just because they had a few nights of extreme intimacy didn't curb him from following her lead in that matter. And it was rather fun to turn the tables on him at times, sneaking up on him to give him a teasing pinch or the like.
"Back on the topic of bumping someone, I think you may have made Billy hit puberty early." The monkey recalls one of their dances and a young teen goat Faunus wandered too close and was accidentally rammed by Blake's rear, sending the boy into the lap of a human girl around his age.
The kids' parents were there to witness the entire incident and could only laugh at the teens. Though both of them ran off, Blake swore she saw them talking in a corner. But with Sun bringing it up again, the cat could only blush and cover her eyes.
"Please tell me you're joking."
"Ehh… only a little." Sun grinned as Blake refused to say anything, though that may have been due to the mouthful of fish she had. That was followed by a few more plates; just because they had both lost weight didn't mean that their appetites had waned, they just didn't indulge as much so they could keep their weights at a more manageable level- Sun being the better of the two but Blake had plateaued.
Still, they were here to have fun and seeing Itazura stumbling after being spun too much by the girl she was dancing with was certainly amusing. The bright colored lights, streamers, balloons and other festive decorations combined with the clear night sky and light breeze for the summer night made for the perfect time to celebrate.
Tonight, it seemed that nothing could ruin things and as the fireworks began overhead a few ears began twitching from sounds that didn't seem to come from the brilliant entertainment overhead.
Curious, Sun pokes his head over the academy wall to look down the mountain and what he sees sends chills down his spine. "Everyone! Party's over!"
"Sun, what's going on?" Kali was nearby to ask as most of the guests paused to hear him out.
"The town is under attack! We need to get down there!" The monkey shouts his explanation.
Ghira runs out the gate to look for himself. "Damn it!"
"Ghira! I'm not getting any response from my men at the port!" The captain yells as he tries his scroll.
"Alright! Anyone who's ready to fight will come with me down to the village and take them down. Everyone else will stay here where it's safe. Lock the gates behind us." The large panther orders and the people began to separate between fighters and the rest.
Then Ghira caught Kali by the shoulder as she lined up with the fighters. "Kali, I know you want to fight but we need you here with them. They will listen to you and you know the defense systems."
"I thought we were in this together." Her ears folded back as she glared up at her husband.
"We are, that's why I trust you to keep the people of Menagerie safe." He ignored the marching behind him of the Guards being led by his daughter and her boyfriend in favor of having this moment with his wife.
They stared at each other for a few moments before Kali relented. "Fine, but you better be walking back home when this is over."
"I'll do my best." He gratefully took the kiss she gave him before they parted and hurried after the troops, hearing the heavy gates slamming shut and the locks clicking in place. Then there was the slight hum of the Hard-Light barrier that encased the entirety of Sirius Academy in a bubble of protection.
—-
"Cheeseburger in paradise
Medium-rare with mustard'd be nice
Heaven on Earth with an onion slice
I'm just a cheeseburger in paradise
I like mine with lettuce and tomato
Heinz 57 and french fried potatoes
Big kosher pickle and a cold draft beer
Well, good Brothers almighty which way do I steer
For my
Cheeseburger in paradise
Making the best of every virtue and vice
Worth every damn bit of sacrifice
To get a cheeseburger in paradise
Get me a cheeseburger in paradise
I'm just a cheeseburger in paradise"
Raven sat in the back of the Scarab as Talon drove through the rain, the bird doing its best to drown out the music she played but lacked the ability to cover her own ears.
Unfortunately for her, Yang seemed to take a bit of pleasure at the discomfort she was in.
So many songs about food made her stomach ache to try the entire 'menu'. Not that the others were immune to the hunger that was induced but they had been able to eat the meals recently while Raven had been having her tribe scrounging for food in the forests and looting from caravans.
Then the bird became human. "Do you have any other music we could listen to?!"
"When it's your turn to drive, you can pick the music." Anya states flatly as she did something on her scroll. Next to her, Yang was squeezed in the middle of the seat with Denko by the other window, apparently using the time to cuddle as they napped.
"And when do you plan to let her drive?" Weiss looks back with a smirk.
"When I feel I can trust her. Besides, I'm not even sure that she knows how to drive."
"So…never?"
"Probably."
"Just so you know, I can drive cars and trucks just fine." Raven defends herself with a huff. "It's… just been a long time since I've had to."
"Whatever, Raven. You're still not driving." Talon calls back. "Hey sis, wake them up so we can take a break and switch."
"What about me? Can't I drive?" Weiss asks from the passenger seat.
The Vacuoan girl glances at the Atlesian. "Have you ever driven a car before?"
"Well… um, no?"
"Then no, we don't have time to teach you, we're trying to get to Mistral ASAP."
The lunch break was rather uneventful besides all six of them taking their time doing some stretches and simply moving around while there was a break in the rain, though Raven was denied being able to take Omen with her.
Then came the next leg of the drive and Yang was in the driver's seat and Denko in the passenger seat. And Yang had one last tease at her mother as they continued the long ride.
"I love rocky road
So won't you go and buy half a gallon, baby
I love rocky road
So have another triple scoop with me
Ow!"
"Really Yang?!" Raven asks from the trunk and the others sing the song together when the blonde replays it.
"Don't worry, the faster we get to Mistral the faster we can get some real food!" And with that said, Yang presses on the gas pedal a little bit harder.
—-
Qrow finally felt well enough to move on his own and the doctors cleared him to leave, especially since he was only going up to Haven Academy and going to use a provided Huntsman house for a while and he would be back for a checkup in a week.
But that allowed the man to take his niece and her friends for a quick tour of Mistral, starting with a ride on one of the large elevators that were used to move people and supplies up and down the mountainsides efficiently. And with space to build at a premium, it cut down on the need for roads so more homes and businesses could be built, some right into the cliffs.
"Mistral is a place of many wonders and a great place to get just about whatever you may be looking for, though the legality of obtaining that can be subject of debate. The lower levels are full of less reputable types; gangs, smugglers, and the like. But the higher you go, the richer the people tend to be." The veteran Huntsman explains as they walk through a small tunnel that served as a road from one lift to another.
"And we're going to the top!" Nora yells, her voice echoing in the tunnel and the volume making everyone else flinch.
"She's a real Live Wire, isn't she?" Qrow leans over to ask Ren quietly.
The ninja watched as his best friend in the world ran ahead towards the light with Ruby. "That she is." He smiles.
"Well, good luck with her, I think you got a good thing going. My only advice is to not rush it." Qrow smirks as he watches the young man blush but not refute anything. Seconds later, they emerged onto the platform where they could see much of the capital city of Mistral.
The lush trees and flowers that grew wherever a home or business wasn't, the several waterfalls of varying heights, the many tiled roofs that created a kaleidoscope of colors and patterns as they descended into the valley, the ornate palace on one mountaintop and Haven sitting on another.
It truly is a breathtaking sight and the fact that they still had higher to go meant that they still couldn't see everything.
"Not bad, huh kids?" Qrow laughs, having been to Mistral too many times to be taken away by the view but still found it relaxing to see.
For most of the team, the sight wasn't exactly something they'd write about. Pyrrha had been to the Kingdom capital several times in her Regional Championship career. Jaune's family had regularly taken trips across Anima, stopping in Mistral a few times over the years. Ren and Nora had been here before when they were younger but they were more focused on surviving or training, though they were taking the time to really see the city now.
Qrow smirked at seeing the pairs relax and lean towards each other until their shoulders touched. Then there was Ruby…
"Oh my gosh! This is amazing!" The girl was bouncing around the platform with her scroll out and taking pictures, getting a few panoramic photos, selfies, and a few of her friends and Uncle.
"Haha, alright, Half-pint, settle down. We're still going up so save your energy."
"Right, we're going to see Professor Lionheart!"
"Yeah, I got a few questions of my own too, so let's keep moving." Qrow hits the lever and the platform lifts them even higher up the mountain.
AN: I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, things are going to be heating up next time. Until then, reviews are welcome!
Music used
Lasagna- Weird Al
I Love Rocky Road- Weird Al
My Bologna- Weird Al
Cheeseburger in Paradise - Jimmy Buffet