Chapter Title: A Fated Meeting, Part 2
DISCLAIMER : I DO NOT OWN RWBY.
CREDIT GOES TO (RWBYGOD) MONTY OUM AND ROOSTERTEETH.
OC TEAM COVE BELONGS TO TehUnoman.
I CLAIM OWNERSHIP OF THE OTHER ORIGINAL IDEAS AND/OR CHARACTERS.
An uneasy tension hung in the air as the half-dragon Eclipse tried her best to stay as far as possible from the tiger Sirocca. The latter was seated in the front of the cart, holding the reins and guiding the oxen, while the former was perched on the back end of the cart, facing the other way. Coronox stretched himself out on the cart, reclining against the low walls with his silver glasses completely covering his eyes, while Onyx and Viktor were seated facing each other, directly behind Myst and Sirocca.
"Surely there is a way thou canst get along...?" Myst shifted her gaze between the two Faunus, who pointedly ignored each other.
"You had best leave them be, for now." Coronox idly called from his spot, not bothering to turn to face the flaxen haired girl. "Dragons and tigers have been mortal enemies since the dawn of time, and probably will be until the end of time itself. It's amusing how they have that innate hatred against each other, and at the same time share a common link with Man."
Myst blinked a few times, trying to process the information before she gave up and gently sighed as she rubbed her forehead, "Perhaps I shalt refrain from asking what..."
At the same time, Sirocca and Eclipse turned, arm outstretched with a finger pointing at the other. "SHE started it!"
Immediately after the stereo declaration, both Faunus stared daggers into each other, before facing the other way again.
The flaxen haired girl sighed deeply, throwing her arms up in an expression of defeat. "Oh, Lord Monty above... Grant me strength not to throttle myself now..."
Everyone remained in silence, each with his or her own thoughts. The monotony was only broken by the sound of birds chirping overhead, the rustling of leaves around them, the oxen's hooves clopping along the dirt road, the squeaking of the cart's axles, and the grating of iron against iron as the cart plodded along.
Before long, Sirocca started tapping rhythmically on the seat in front. Myst started humming an upbeat tune, matching Sirocca's timing.
"Excuse me, but where exactly are we going?" Onyx's tone held a hint of annoyance as she voiced her question while looking up, apparently tracking something.
"Eh, we're going to the Order's Great Cathedral, since that's where the council meets, then report the mission progress there. We'll stop for rest at one of the border towns, from there it's only a day's ride away." Sirocca replied, angling her head so only part of her face was visible to the rest of the cart's passengers.
Eclipse huffed from her perch. "Why not head directly to the cathedral, then? It seems like a waste of time to me, passing through a border outpost before heading straight to our destination."
Sirocca clucked her tongue before speaking. "Well, excuse me miss hotshot, but it jus' happens this is the most direct path to the Great Cathedral. We'll need the rest since that one day ride I told ya earlier is one whole day of hard ridin'. Now, if ya wanna go and commit suicide by exhaustion, be my guest."
Eclipse started to turn around, almost forgetting that the silver-spectacled man was directly behind her. She visibly restrained herself from biting out a snarky comeback, and settled for a civil reply instead. "Well, what about flying? I have that advantage."
"Nay, 'tis too risky." Myst answered. "If thou hath noticed, there art only few birds, and most do not dare venture high up in the skies."
"I did notice that. What gives?" Onyx asked this time, eyes still on the canopy of trees.
"I'm pretty sure y'all have noticed. This hunk of land we call home is surrounded by active volcanoes." Sirocca started tapping on her seat again, facing the road. "Those darned lava blasters cause unstable air currents, making mid to high altitude flight unpredictable. If its low enough you can use what the flight guys call a 'wind tunnel' or somethin'..."
Coronox remained quiet all throughout the exchange, Viktor glancing at the two Faunus before sighing. "How much longer before we get there?"
"Mmm... I'd say fifteen, twenty minutes. Unless y'all wanna take a break and eat." Sirocca pointed to a rather large bag by Onyx's leg.
"We're here," Sirocca announced as the oxen crested a hill, almost half an hour after the group took a small meal break.
Below them was a small settlement, activity easily detectable from their vantage point. The village was nicely nestled between rolling hills, bordered on the north by the granite mountain where the Order's forges were built, on the east and north-east by a clear blue lake, and the forest on the rest.
The tiger Faunus grabbed Myst's hands, shoved the reins, and grinned as she leapt off the cart. "Go ahead, I'll catch up with y'all in a bit," Sirocca said as the flaxen-haired girl gave her a questioning glance.
The cart slowly gained distance away from the tiger girl. "What's up with her?" Viktor gestured to the Sirocca, who was starting to do stretches and seemed to be warming up before leaping to the bushes.
Myst narrowed her eyes slightly at the encampment below them, before slightly smiling. "I believe she shalt be making a grand entrance."
"Pff, don't tell me. I have an idea what she'll do." Eclipse huffed out. "I bet she'll let us go first, wait until someone asks where she is, then come in running."
Onyx grins, turning her head sideways slightly. "You're on. Fifty lien says anything else but what you described."
Eclipse snorted again, as Viktor glanced at Coronox and shook his head slowly. "Fine."
As the cart made its way, activity in the settlement gathered towards the gates, its occupants curious about the newcomers. A heavily-muscled bull Faunus, holding a wicked-looking halberd, held his hand up and blocked their path. "Halt!"
As soon as the oxen stopped, he lowered his hand and approached, stopping near Myst but just enough to be able to hear without both of them raising their voices. "State your name and business."
"I am Mystra Ventego, daughter of the High Archivist and High Archdeacon Boreas Ventego, and I am also the High Acolyte of the Sacred Order of the Six Wards. I ask for naught but temporary shelter for me and my companions," Myst motioned to the four inside the cart. "We shalt be headed for the Great Cathedral tomorrow."
While the bull Faunus guard made his way to the back of the cart, Myst slid off of her seat and summoned Windforge, gently setting it on the ground. "My friend and partner, the Poison Wind, Sirocca Feanor, shalt be delayed slightly; pray, grant her passage as well."
"Huh, you say Sirocca? So you're the unlucky girl she was assigned to," the bull Faunus scratched his chin as he quickly looked each one over. Nothing that stood out, apart from one of the passengers having red skin, but that might just be sunburn. None of his business why that girl had red skin, as far as he's concerned. "Most everyone here don't have a good memory of her, that prankster... But we heard recently she's done better."
He made his way back to Myst, and held his hand out. "Everything looks alright, but we need one more thing. Your passport, please."
Myst blinked. "Passport?"
"Yeah, passport."
"I... Do not believe I have it with me. Why would thou need my passport? We art not in a port town..." Myst's brows slightly drew together.
"Even so, I'll still..." He trailed off as something caught his attention. Myst noticed this and turned as well.
The sight that met them made Myst facepalm, Eclipse groan, and Onyx smirk.
Sirocca was trudging towards them, something rather large slung across her shoulders, while both hands held fresh fish, some still flapping. She grinned when she got closer, her wet hair and clothing confirming that she had just caught the fish, and the large thing on her back to be a wild boar. "Hey, what'd I miss?"
"Never thought I'd see you here again, you cat." The guard relaxed his pose, lowering his hand and facing the approaching dripping tiger.
"Huh? Whaddya mean see me again... Wait, Hoofy?"
"Hoofy?" Myst, Onyx and Viktor turned to the Faunus guard. "Thou... Thy name... Art thou christened by that name?"
"Confound it." The bull Faunus shook his head. "No, but only this cat here dared call me that. My name's-"
"Alastor. Alastor Lighthoof," Sirocca finished for him, making the guard sigh deeply and throw up his hands in defeat.
"Well, that's the Sirocca I know. Anyway, I don't wanna stay in the middle of the road like this. Passports please, all of you." Alastor held his hand up again.
Sirocca raised an eyebrow, lifting the fish and taking a small one, starting to munch on it. "What for? We're not in a port area." Myst only nodded to the tiger girl's words.
"That's true, but your friend here said you're headed to the Great Cathedral. We always require documents for everyone who enters, no exceptions." Alastor rubbed his forefinger and thumb together, hand still held out towards Myst.
The flaxen haired girl sighed. "I honestly did not expect this, but if Father did not advise me of this then it means this rule is fairly new." She pulled out her Scroll from her pack on the cart, and made a call.
"Good morrow, daughter. How art thou?" Boreas' voice sounded through the device.
"I am well, Father. I am now at one of the border towns, and I shalt need my travel documents post-haste. I did not anticipate that I shalt be asked for them." Myst turned towards the two Faunus, who were both watching her idly. "How much time shalt I need to wait before they can arrive?"
"That won't be necessary," Alastor's held a hand up. "I can immediately identify the voice of the Lord High Archivist, Boreas Ventego. Apart from His Eminence's family and the Argentum clan heads, no one else knows how to contact him directly. That alone proves you're who you say you are."
"Oh good. Let's get a move on then, I'd like to take a shower and eat in peace." Sirocca shouldered past the bull Faunus, fish still in her mouth, while Myst apologetically shook her head.
As soon as the cart moved again, Onyx tapped Eclipse's shoulder with a wide grin on her face. "You lost the bet, so pay up."
The group made their way through the main road, very few people giving them no more than a cursory glance before going their own way.
The settlement was just like any other rural town one would expect: packed dirt roads, houses made of light to medium materials, a very noisy marketplace, and lots of people walking while carrying loads.
However, one thing struck Coronox's group as odd. "I... Don't seem to find any discord between human and Faunus here," Onyx observed quietly, stating what the other three were also witnessing.
While it was common to see men working together, it was uncommon to see human and Faunus men working side by side, without discrimination. A short distance away from them, several human and Faunus males with their shirts off were transporting sacks of grain from a cart into what seemed to be a warehouse, while a few were taking refreshments provided by some Faunus women. At the other side of the road, a middle-aged human female was guiding two youths, one human and the other Faunus, into setting a wooden signboard that spanned the entire shop front. The Faunus boy was getting it slightly askew, but no one heard any derogatory or insulting comments; all they heard were gentle, guiding words that one could expect from their own kind. There was also the Faunus parent and child who they passed earlier who were buying bread, and a human girl was attending to them at the counter.
The group was forced to stop at an intersection as several cattle were led across the road by several human and Faunus cattle-herds, making some lively jokes and small-talk. At around the same time that Myst and the rest stopped, a group of children - again, both human and Faunus - started running towards Sirocca and Myst. The tiger girl had already stowed her catch in the cart, near the food bag.
"Aye, and 'tis because both races have equally suffered," Myst quietly replied as several of the younger children flocked to the tiger girl. Some were trying to clamber up to Sirocca's shoulders, while a few decided to content themselves with hugging the tiger girl's legs. Peals of laughter rose up as some of the children lost their grip and slid back down to the ground, while she held two of them under each arm. "All the people here live and work in the same way as each other."
"Mystra Ventego... At long last, ye finally decided to grace us again with yer presence."
Everyone turned to see a female goat Faunus, a fiddle slung on her shoulder and the bow strapped to her hip. She was smiling broadly at the group, one hand on her waist. Myst broke into a wide grin and gave a small laugh of surprise, running to the Faunus and hugging her. "Bard Mistress Rinney! 'Tis been a long time!"
"Indeed, indeed it has... Ye are taller than me now, whilst it has only been a year since ye left." The goat girl broke free from the embrace and held Myst at arm's length, looking her over with an equally bright smile of her own to match the human girl's. "And I also heard ye are the High Acolyte now! 'Tis joyous news indeed for the Argentum clan and guild!"
The Faunus girl noticed the four people standing a respectable distance behind. "Oh, and who might these fine people be?"
"They art Huntsmen and Huntresses from Beacon, Rinney." Myst moved between them and introduced each one. "Viktor Azrael, Onyx Forsaw, Eclipse Concubus, and Coronox Kardas. Everyone, meet one of my closest friends, and my mentor in music: Rinney Argentum, eldest child of the Argentum clan and its current Bard Mistress."
Onyx and Viktor raised their eyebrows, while Eclipse looked the goat Faunus over. The dragon Faunus shook her head, gesturing to the guild hall nearby as she spoke. "Sorry, but you don't seem to be any older than me... I can't quite picture a young girl like you heading a guild."
Rinney merely chuckled, and shook her head. "Aye, 'tis what most people say at first glance... And I really cae not blame ye, for 'twas only a temporary solution." She then turned her head sideways slightly, narrowing her eyes as soon as she saw the horns on the red-skinned Faunus. "Ye got that yoke on yer head..."
Eclipse's hands flew up to her head. "What? Is there something on my horns?"
Rinney snapped her fingers. "Ah, tha's right, horns... Are ye... Are ye of dragon descent?"
Eclipse sighed, relieved that there was nothing on her head. "Yes, I am. Does that mat-?"
"Splendid!" Rinney cut in, interrupting the other Faunus and skipping closer, grabbing her hand. 'Tis perfect! Simply perfect! I shalt dedicate my next performance for ye. Right then, Myst, I shalt leave ye to look after our guests, do ye hear?"
Without waiting for a reply, the goat Faunus skipped off, leaving a chuckling Myst and a confused Eclipse. "What did she mean?"
"Oh, so y'all met the hornhead bard," Sirocca called from the side, two children cackling under her arms while another two were holding onto her shoulders. "She prolly said she's gonna play somethin' again. That's why the people here love 'er, she knows how to make a guest feel properly treated an' she herself provides the entertainment." She gently set the children down, patting their heads with a smile, before they ran off.
"It sounds like you know a lot about the people here," Viktor commented, idly glancing around.
"Eh, why won't I? Mud-Eater an' I used to play here all the time, back when we were kids. The boarding school we were sent to is just a short way off." Sirocca stretched her arms up, watching the goat Faunus girl make her way through the crowds. "I'm gonna go get some food, I'm still a bit hungry after all that weightlifting. I don't wanna hog all that fish to myself, y'all gotta sample the goods this place's gotta offer."
With that, Sirocca took off, kicking up a small dust cloud. "Ah, Sirocca, when shalt thou change..." Myst shook her head once again. "Anyway, let us get ourselves settled in. We have plenty of time to rest today. The inn is this way."
"Oi, hornhead! Wait up!"
Rinney stopped walking and moved to the side, making way for passersby, a slow grin coming to her face.
There was only one person in Remnant who dared called her that, and not get pummeled in the streets for disrespect to the Argentum guild leader. "I thought I told ye to stay clear of the market, ya li'l rascal?"
"Oi, who said I can't come here to legally buy food, ya horny li'l-"
"One more word and I'll smack me fiddle to yer face!"
"Oh yeah?" Sirocca smirked, leaning down and forward.
"Ya!" Rinney lunged forward, butting heads with the taller tiger Faunus.
Several tense moments passed, the passersby pausing and giving the two a wide berth. Sirocca and Rinney glared at each other squarely, until the tiger girl broke out to a grin. "Damn, ya still got it, haven't ya?"
Rinney replied with a grin of her own, one hand moving up to pull the taller tiger girl closer. "Aye, and ye still haven't lost that sharp tongue o'yours, ye equally horny cat!"
The tiger girl quickly wrapped her arm around the goat Faunus' head, burying the shorter girl's face to her ample bosom. "Oi, keep it down, ya greenhorn! Ya still got that knack of sayin' the wrong thing at the wrong time, dammit..."
"Mmf mf mmf mmf mf mmmmf mf mmmf."
"Wha? Speak up, ya li'l greenhorn! I can't understand anything yer sa - hyaaah!" Sirocca almost squealed as Rinney grabbed the tiger girl's equally ample rump, causing her to let go of the goat Faunus' head.
"I said, 'and yer tits are still as huge as ever', ya buxom lass!" Rinney grinned with a hint of mischievousness.
Sirocca only put her hands on her waist, snorting before answering. "Heh, if you'd seen the team in Beacon that we met, you'd see my tits are nothing compared to that blonde's."
"Ooh, blonde and buxom, that's me dad's kinda lass," Rinney winked. "How's about her fightin'? Ya know the Argentum clan's not gonna accept someone who ain't got a stout heart."
Sirocca grinned, raising her arms up and behind her head, interlacing her fingers. "I dunno yet, but as far as I can tell she's got a mean punch. I actually wanna spar against 'er, y'know?"
"Nice. Oh, and those people with ye?"
The tiger girl sighed deeply. "That's another thing. Ya heard of the alchemy labs yet?" When the shorter girl shook her head, Sirocca continued. "See, there were reports that Grimm were overrunnin' the place. When we got there, everyone was wiped out, and the place was trashed."
"That's bad," Rinney whistled. "So what happened?"
"So, Mud-Eater an' I got there to wipe the ground with Grimm arse, and for a good while it looked like we were. Until we both realized there was just way too many of 'em. Mud-Eater called on the Vortex, but it wasn't enough. Those four saved our asses, big time."
The goat Faunus was silent for a few minutes. "That's enough for now, ya gotta rest. Meet later?"
"Fine by me." Sirocca shrugged with a slight smirk.
"Right, meet both of ye later, then?"
Sirocca had only gone a few steps when she suddenly stopped. "Oi, hornhead!"
"Ya, horny cat?"
"I'm gonna bet ya you can't poke fun at the hatchling."
Rinney raised an eyebrow. "Who, the dragonborn?"
"There's no other hatchling here, isn't there?"
The goat Faunus thought for a few minutes. "Er, none I can think of. Last snake Faunus passed away a year ago, bless his soul, when dad got injured."
"Right then. Five hundred lien says you can't."
Rinney's eye sparked with an evil gleam. "And fifteen hundred says I can, with an audience. Tonight."
"Heh. You're on."
They received word late in the afternoon that the Argentum guild was going to hold a celebration, and the entire town was invited.
Everyone who came was not disappointed: the stadium was nothing short of grandiose, and the Argentum music guild was locally known for its top-class performers and the range of their musical skill. Rinney herself took part in the presentations, impressing the audience as she let her deft fingers fly on her fiddle, the bow gracefully sliding across; at the same time, she would balance on tiptoe and extend her other leg high up, or smoothly glide across the stage with both feet still keeping contact with the surface. She would also go down on both knees, lean backwards until she was almost lying down flat, then slowly, effortlessly stand back up again.
Each performer switched out with the next one almost immediately after their set, making for a nearly non-stop performance accentuated only by reverberating applause in between each act.
The clapping thundered again as Rinney walked to center stage, her fiddle held loosely on one hand while the other rose up in a gesture to stop. The applause slowly quieted down until she deemed it quiet enough to speak. "Citizens, friends, and honored guests. I welcome ye all to the Argentum guild, and tonight we have multiple reasons to celebrate." Rinney's hand closed into a loose fist, then extended her pinky finger as she counted off. "First, 'tis the birthdays of two of our noble citizens' children, that of our blacksmith's and of our thatcher." The arm moved down, pointing near the front where the two said men were seated with their families; both stood up, the birthday celebrants in their respective fathers' arms, amidst applause.
"Second, today marks the first century of the Argentum clan's foundin'; in a few more years, the guild will mark its first hundred years, and I intend to make several key announcements then. But, that can wait."
"Third, we have a special guest in attendance today: the Sacred Order's High Acolyte, daughter of the Grey Tempest, my first tutee, and my close friend. Everyone, a round of applause for Mystra Ventego!"
Myst sheepishly stood up as applause again thundered. She quickly sat herself down not five seconds afterward, clearly uncomfortable with the sudden announcement.
"And finally, we also have another distinguished guest in attendance. But first, a short story." Everyone settled in as the goat Faunus grinned. "Me ancestors have oft told tales, and sang songs about adventures with great and noble creatures of legends. They have penned hundreds of songs about these powerful creatures." Her voice dropped a bit, and everyone started leaning forwards slightly. "Tales of these majestic beings flyin', breathin' fire, and their roar that shatters the heart and courage of even the stoutest warriors in battle, reducin' them to mere babes."
A child in front suddenly stood up, and raised his hand. "You're talking about dragons, miss Rinney!"
"Aye, little one, ye be correct," Rinney nodded sagely. "'Tis naught but dragons I speak of, and 'tis dragons that my forebears wrote and sang about. People liked - nay, people loved - hearin' about them, and the stories of courage and heroism involvin' them." She then gestured towards the east, her voice rising in intensity again. "In olden times, bards and minstrels also sang of the dragons of the east, who were opposite of their western cousins: the dragons of eastern lore were wise, generous, and stout of heart. They looked out for men who were worthy of their guidance, yet they could also be cruel, and lay waste to a kingdom in a day, if they so wished. They also commanded power o'er the other elements, not just fire. They held reign on wind, water, earth... Some ancient legends even say of some dragons who hold power so immense that they could shatter the world, if they but wished it."
Rinney waited a few moments. The audience was still enraptured; her lips slightly curled in a smile. "Ye must all be thinking now: what could I be speakin' of about dragons?" The general populace nodded in assent, and she threw her arms wide. "Then brace yerselves, good men, women and children! For tonight, not only shall we hear about dragons, but we shall also be graced with the powerful voice of a dragoness!"
A roaring applause met the goat Faunus' words. Rinney looked towards Sirocca and Myst, the former looking pale while the latter was gently chuckling. "Now, now, brethren. Allow me to introduce to ye the dragoness of whom I speak." She threw her arms forward, pointing directly at Eclipse. "Please welcome, a woman born of dragon blood, a goddess in her own right: Eclipse Concubus!"
Applause thundered even louder than before, with the audience in attendance standing up as they clapped their hands. Eclipse stood up slowly, intending to just wave to the people, but the children started to pull her forward towards the stage.
Rinney was smiling widely as the half-dragon Faunus was led to the front, the goat Faunus grasping both of Eclipse's hands. "Oh, 'tis goin' to be really good, miss Eclipse! Especially when ye sing!"
"S-sing?" The red skinned Faunus visibly paled. "B-but I don't know how to sing!"
"Then just follow the tone I play. Surely ye can do that?"
"Yes, but... I don't know any songs! I don't even have any idea what to sing about!"
"Oh, brother... Then make up words as you go along, no one will be the wiser." Rinney gave Eclipse's shoulders a friendly pat. "I'll give ye a wee bit of advice: keep calm and don't let yer panties go into a knot."
"What's that supposed to mean?!" Eclipse felt a vein throb in her temples.
"Exactly as I said," Rinney winked. "Keep calm, make up words as ye go, and feel the song run in your veins before ye let yer voice be heard."
Eclipse felt like her heart would drop to her feet. "Come on, you can't do this to me," she pleaded, resisting the urge to look for any Dust crystal and crush it in her hands.
Rinney turned slightly, a thoughtful look on her face. "Ah, don't be such a stick in the mud, lass! Ye're behavin' worse than me on 'those' days. I'll take care of things."
The goat Faunus turned to the audience, spreading her arms. "Listen, good people! Unfortunately, miss Eclipse isn't ready to sing yet." A collective groan sounded, along with an audible sigh of relief from the half-dragon behind her. "So, we'll be takin' a twenty-minute break to eat! Just be sure to come back to yer seat in time, or we'll start without ye!"
Eclipse's face clearly showed her dismay mixed with surprise. "You've got to be kidding me."
"Aye, I'm not," the goat Faunus took one of the half-dragon's hands and led her backstage. "I have the perfect song for ye; we'll only need a few minutes to learn that."
Eclipse shot Rinney a skeptical look, making the latter smile reassuringly as she rummaged through a drawer near the stage curtains. "Aye, I know that look. I'll take care of ye out there. I've never made a blunder onstage and I certainly won't make you the first. Here, put this on," Rinney handed the half-dragon Faunus a jeweled choker with a deep black stone center.
"What's this? Jewelry?"
"No, just stage props. Those are made of fake glass, but they glint prettily in the light. It gives ya a bit of stage presence, besides it looks good on ya, don'tcha agree?"
Eclipse eyed the 'jewel' skeptically. "I suppose so."
Rinney grinned again, shoving a piece of paper in the red-skinned woman's hands. "Put that on later, jus' before we head out. You need to mem'rize the words first."
Less than twenty minutes later, Rinney stepped back out with her fiddle slung behind her and a lute in her hands, while Eclipse was still hanging back a bit. It was a different thing to face others with less-than-honorable intent, but to sing for them... That was something else entirely.
She felt someone walking briskly behind them. Eclipse tensed, ready to spring to action, until she realized it was only a stage hand who brought two high stools for them. He left the stage as soon as he placed them on the middle of the stage, with Rinney taking one and gesturing to Eclipse to take the other.
Rinney immediately started plucking the lute's strings, coaxing Eclipse to start with a gentle smile.
Our hero, our hero, claims a warrior's heart...
Eclipse started out softly, her voice barely audible even with the high power microphones already mounted on the stage. Rinney thanked her lucky stars she decided to place a small button mic on the choker she had the dragoness wear.
... I tell you, I tell you, the dragonborn comes.
The goat faunus maintained the slow tempo, letting Eclipse get used to it. Aye, she'll make a good singer, if she'll keep at it... Rinney smiled inwardly to herself, almost completely convinced she had found a singing gem in the rough. Too bad she already had a team, otherwise Rinney would have had the guild take care of her admission and training.
With a voice wielding power of the ancient Nord art...
The red skinned Faunus felt... Odd, but in a good way. Here she was, a self-confessed bathroom-only concert queen, now singing without the nervousness she felt mere minutes ago.
... Believe, believe, the Dragonborn comes.
If she thought about it, the song Rinney picked seemed to be meant for her. It was a ridiculous notion, but one that felt just so fitting, right now.
It's an end to the evil, of all Skyrim's foes...
Viktor glanced to Coronox, who was facing forwards impassively. It came as a surprise to him that Eclipse actually had some singing talent. Something else to tease her about later, Viktor decided.
... Beware, beware, the Dragonborn comes.
Coronox inwardly grinned, yet his face was still a stoic mask as far as the world can see. Yet another tidbit of information I can probably use later. He started to see now why Reaper was targeting her... And it piqued his interest to see what else she and her Order can do.
For once, he decided this job actually had some merit to it.
For the darkness has passed, and the legend yet grows...
The audience sat still, enraptured by the duet onstage. Even the children were wide-eyed and slack-jawed at the vocal showcase in front of them - and normally they wouldn't care whatever was going on.
... You'll know, you'll know the Dragonborn's come.
For several notes, Eclipse remained silent, her eyes wordlessly asking the goat Faunus what to do next.
A glance from Rinney told the half-dragon all she needed to know. She repeated the same lyrics Eclipse sang earlier, although the dragoness only belatedly realized that the young guild mistress' voice had somehow perfectly copied - and improved on - her voice.
Rinney glanced at her again, and this time Eclipse read her eyes' silent message as to be a signal to sing together. Normally, Eclipse was averse to singing, let alone to sing together with another person, but right now it didn't matter to her; she was honestly enjoying it, although there was no damn way she'd admit that to Coronox.
Dovahkiin, dovahkiin,
naal ok zin los vahriin
Onyx's jaw slowly hinged open. At first she couldn't believe Eclipse could actually sing, but seeing and hearing the red-skinned woman figuratively go toe-to-toe with a professional singer like Rinney made her rethink that opinion. The two Faunus' duet onstage further cemented that.
wah dein vokul mahfaeraak ahst vaal!
Sirocca paled further, if at all possible. The more that she saw and heard the goat Faunus perform with the hatchling, the more that the tiger girl realized she had lost the bet. Aw damn... That's fifteen hundred damn lien... How the hell am I gonna pay that now? I don't get my money until next week! She chanced a glance to the flaxen haired girl seated to her right; would she spare the money just until Sirocca can pay her next week?
ahrk fin norok paal graan
fod nust hon zindro zaan
Myst somehow wished she was on stage with Rinney and Eclipse, the musician in her getting drawn in. But she also acknowledged that Rinney intended to showcase the half-dragon's raw talent, and what better way to do it than a simple duet?
dovahkiin, fah hin kogaan mu draal!
For a few seconds, Eclipse idly wondered: if she didn't have the life she currently had, would she have had pursued a singing career? This certainly didn't seem half bad; and couple it with her unique ability, she could become a one-woman song and lights show.
As Rinney and Eclipse draw out the last chords, the audience erupts into a standing ovation.
At around the same time, Sirocca's hearing catches an almost-silent movement near her. Turning her head, she spotted Coronox stealthily moving towards the back. Oh hell, you ain't leavin' my sights.
As silently as she could, the tiger girl stalked the silver-spectacled man out into the forest. So far he hadn't shown any weird behavior; for all she knew, he was only going to take a piss, but she didn't want to leave anything to chance. Especially if she had no way to know if the said person was friend or foe.
Sirocca clearly saw him step to the side, a tree trunk effectively blocking Coronox from her line of sight. No Coronox reappeared after five, ten seconds; this made the tiger girl worry. "What the f...?"
Discarding stealth, the tiger girl bounded to where the spectacled man disappeared from her sight. Beyond the tree trunk, there was nothing else that could hide Coronox. Where the hell is he?
Sirocca immediately went on high alert mode, tensing up and sharpening her senses, turning this way and that every few seconds. He could be anywhere, ready to spring an ambush. Still, even with enhanced senses bestowed by her Faunus heritage, the tiger girl could not get even a hint of her quarry.
It slowly dawned on Sirocca that Coronox managed to give her the slip. In frustration, the tiger girl let out a disgruntled roar before slashing her claws on a nearby tree, then retracing her steps back to the coliseum.
Something made Sirocca stop and twitch her ears, after a few minutes. She may be upset, but she could have sworn she heard a very faint female voice. But then again, it might just be her imagination playing tricks on her again.
First Person POV: Coronox Kardas
Seems to be a pretty slow day today. No matter, it may be slow to everyone else - hell, Viktor, Onyx, Yang, and Pyrrha ran off to Vale earlier - but not me. I always expect there to be another job to complete, or a mission from one of the professors here at Beacon to be assigned to. For Ozpin to call me to his office could mean something, but what it is, that's the uncertainty.
I hate being left in the dark about important missions.
My Aura remains contained through my mind - whenever it flares, it creates the sense of total hopelessness among those that witness its power, so it remains useful when strolling through the hallways of this Academy. Who can complain when a sea of people part for your passage?
But as I walk through the halls today, it's empty. Though I love the feeling of emptiness, it's not natural for it to be empty on a Sunday; students would normally be hanging around or within the halls, gossiping, flirting, and all the trivial personal activities that I have total apathy for.
This emptiness, though, makes me uneasy. Like I'm being watched by someone.
Stopping at an intersection, I let my Aura flood outward into the hallways, to see if it can pick up something. I close my eyes to view the world in its sight, and notice an anomaly in the hallway on my right. Focusing the energy around it, it seemed as though someone was invisible.
I only know two people who can do that, I think. And one of them has a natural ability for it. My Aura soon told me that there was a device strapped to his belt, over his left back pocket. "Found you," I say, allowing the Caliber-Swords to appear in my hands. Sliding my left foot back, I turned to my right, raising the bladed pistols to eye level, and opened fire at the invisible man.
I heard a sword being unsheathed, and my bullets were knocked down by the blade. The person started running, trying to close the distance between the two of us. Lowering the gun in my right hand, I let it spill black Dust onto the floor from its barrel, spun around, and cut the tile with the gun in my left hand. The sudden force activated the powdered crystal, and a black Dust arc sped down the hallway, forcing the man to jump out of the energy blade's path. Taking advantage of his momentary distraction, I created a glyph that propelled me forward, and planted both guns into his chest.
"Game over," I said darkly.
Though I couldn't see his face, I could tell he was pondering his options carefully. After a few seconds, he drops his sword, and deactivates the cloaking device, revealing a man all too familiar to me.
"Red Reaper. What brings you here to Beacon?" I ask, making my guns vanish.
"Let's just say that... Someone is to die here," he replies, his cold voice matching my own.
"Oh? And who is the target?"
"Can't tell you," he says, shaking his head slightly. "But she does have importance in the world. More so than the Schnees do."
"You know how much I hate being left in the dark, bullhead," I retort, crossing my arms over my chest in annoyance.
"Of course I do, horse-shit. That's why I can't say what it is at the moment," Reaper replied, slightly smiling.
"Damn. How long have you been tailing him?" I ask inquisitively.
"It's a her, for your information, and it's been about five months now," he replies.
"Aah, that makes sense. It's not Blake, is it?"
"No, but she'll be the next one soon…I hope," he says, muttering the last part.
"Alright, then; have fun with your job," I said, turning around. "If you can, cause some havoc in her hometown, force her out of safety." I whisper this to the Reaper.
"I didn't think of that before; I'll see what I can do." He vanished a few seconds later.
Alright, enough of this detour, I tell myself. Time to get to work.
All in all, it was about another minute and a half to get to Ozpin's office. Waving slightly to Glynda, I knocked on his door, and opened it after hearing the proverbial 'Come in' acknowledgment. Honestly, that will become a very annoying peeve of mine; I'm more used to smashing doors in without warning, scaring the living shit out of the witnesses. But, I digress.
I will say, however, smashing in his door would be a very harsh sin against the beauty of his office. Directly behind him was a panel of windows overlooking the academy grounds; in the distance, one could see the Emerald Forest's canopy. Good times were found in that forest, and I've never felt more at peace when killing Grimm. To my right was a small personal library, probably with books taken from the academy library to prevent some education from getting released to the students. To the left was a trophy case of the bone-plates of slain Grimm, ranging from the tusks of a Boarbatusk, to the skull-plate of a Nevermore. A book was standing upright in the bottom-right of the case, with the title 'Mementos' on the cover. Though I wonder what could be inside, I have a more important job to do.
"So, what brings you here, Mr. Kardas?" Ozpin asks innocently.
"Cut the crap, old man; you know why I'm here," I snap back at him.
His face hardened as I walked over to his desk, and he pulled out a file from a drawer he opened. Once he held it out, I took the file, and opened it, with information pertaining to-
"... A protection job? Ozpin, what is this I'm holding?" I ask the headmaster.
"It's in regard to a high-profile target-Ms. Ventego is the name-being in danger from all sides. She holds great power, yet she doesn't seem to realize it. Power like that could be taken with force," he replied as I flipped through the papers. "She recently came to visit Beacon, but I was informed she had to leave on short notice."
"Who's targeting her?"
"Ranging from the gangbangers of Vale to the expert assassins, that's whom we're dealing with, Mr. Kardas," Ozpin said.
Something clicked in my head, and I had a good idea as to who Reaper was after.
"What's the time range?" I ask.
"Until the threats are gone, the time range is undefined. Also, she must not be alerted to your presence unless you deem it necessary. Which reminds me, your team is involved in the job as well," he kindly replies.
"Is there anything else you have that I should know about?"
"Yes; her friend and partner, Ms. Feanor, is highly protective of Ms. Ventego, and could see you and your team as a threat; proceed around her with caution. Also, are you familiar with someone known as the Red Reaper, by any chance?" he states.
Oh crap. "If you're talking about anyone other than Ms. Rose, then no," I replied.
He pauses for a moment, before nodding slightly. "Very well then, I hope you can complete this job with ease. Good luck to you and your team, Mr. Kardas."
"Of course, sir," I said, turning around and walking out the door.
That particular day still reverberates in my head constantly; even now, as my team and I watch poor Eclipse stutter in shock as to her being told to sing for the audience. To be honest, the only people I know of that can sing are Weiss and an anonymous man going by the acronym L.V.M. In any case, it might be hysterical watching my teammate stumble in embarrassment today; might get this uneasy feeling off of my back.
"Sir, what are we to do should we return to Beacon?" Viktor asks.
"We set up biometric detectors surrounding the perimeter of the academy," I reply quickly. "It should be able to discern the normal personnel from those not on records."
"And those that are able to jump in from above?" Onyx fires back.
"Pressure plates underneath the earth; a paratrooper lands at a certain speed and emits a shockwave when he or she lands," I answer. "It will also set off the alarms as a precaution." (Except for those that are already registered in the archives.)
Silent speech has yet to fail me.
Viktor's eyes widened slightly at what I 'whispered.' "Fine, but who's going to be the response team?" he asked.
"I'm betting it's our own team, plus the other first-year teams as well," Onyx replies, to which I nod. "Well, I got absolutely no money out of that bet."
"Oi, you three, would you keep it down?" a random man from behind the three of us harshly whispers.
My Aura slightly flooding outward shut him up quickly.
Right before the song ended, a bright flash of red obscures my vision for a millisecond, and my right hand twitched. That only meant one thing; a friend was in town. I silently got up with the rest of the crowd that began a standing ovation, and proceeded towards the forest, where she'll be patiently waiting for my arrival. A pair of eyes followed my back, but I paid no heed to it; I needed to know who was trying to contact me via Sigil Transmission, and pray to Monty that it's not who I think it is.
Minutes later…
As I calmly strolled through these woodlands, the pair of eyes that were trained on my back once I left the impromptu concert was still there. Getting behind a tree and allowing my Aura to envelop my body, I became one with the shadows, and fooled the poor soul hunting me down. My eyes narrowed as I saw the form of Sirocca enter my field of vision.
'Damn it, why is she tailing me?' I ponder. Remembering our first meeting, I smirk in a bragging way. 'At least she can't sniff me out.'
The smirk remains as I see Sirocca nearly give herself whiplash trying to find me. It turns into a smile when she throws her arms in the air and yells in defeat; spinning on her heels, she storms out of the forest in frustration. Waiting for a few more seconds, I release the hold I have on the shadows, and become visible again.
"When you get the chance, can you teach Reaper how to do that?" said a woman's voice; one that I really didn't want to hear.
"No, Vermillia, he does not deserve it," I groan in annoyance. Looking up, I found her to be in a tree. "Anyways, why are you here?"
"Oh, you know, I just happened to be in town for a snack and all, and wanted to say hello," she said nonchalantly.
"Knowing you, it's a lot more than hello-thanks for the partial honesty, FYI," I replied.
"You're right," Vermillia said, her voice turning seductive. She hopped down, and started walking towards me, sashaying her hips in the process. Stopping just a few inches away from myself, she hooks her right leg around my left, and presses herself onto me. "I've missed you, you know?"
Using the air, I pushed her back with one hand. "I didn't," I coldly stated.
Vermillia placed her hands over her chest and mocked pain. "That hurts, you know? And here I thought we had something."
"Shut it, blood-sucker; there was nothing between us," I spat.
"I swear, Shadow, it's like you're a sadist or something," she replies, "'cause it hurts a lot more now, thanks to that comment."
There were two mistakes she made right there: One, no one has the right to call me by that name in any instance-the exception is a lone reaper of ice.
And two, I never restrained my Aura once Sirocca left.
It rose up, nearly touching the canopy, and then shot forward-turning into a clawed hand-into Vermillia. Her eyes widened, and could do nothing to stop the shadow-like hand from grabbing her and smashing her into the tree behind her. Said tree shattered from the force of impact, with wooden shards embedding themselves into Vermillia's back.
The giant hand then proceeded to smash her into the ground a couple of times, before bringing her around into another tree behind me, and finally it stopped with it hanging Vermillia in the air, slowly crushing her in its grip.
"You know how much I hate being called that, Orvos," I said darkly.
The titan-esque grip it was exerting on the body of Vermillia became a lot tighter, with her groaning in pain. This continued for ten more seconds, before…
"ALRIGHT! ALRIGHT, I YIELD! JUST PUT ME DOWN!" she yelled in agony.
I nod curtly, and the hand merely vanishes, dropping Vermillia ungracefully onto the forest floor. Watching her cough up some blood, I rein my Aura in to prevent any more damage being done - but not before bringing out my Caliber Swords as a precaution.
"Now that playtime is over, why the hell are you here, really?" I ask.
Another bout of coughing took over her while brushing away the dust on her clothes. "The real reason as to why I'm here is mainly a message from Reaper," Vermillia said after gaining her composure once again. "He's asking for the date of when you'll be leaving for Beacon; he wants to test out your theory you gave him earlier."
"Is that it, or was there something else?"
"No, except for one other thing; how did you find out about his target?" she asks.
I keep walking until I reach one of the empty hallways-which I'm now thankful for-and pull out my scroll. Remembering my old habit, I type in a number and wait for him to answer. A cold voice emits from the speaker; "What is it?"
"Hello, Reaper," I say, matching the ice. "Does your target, by any chance, happen to be someone called... Mystra Ventego?"
Sanguis' Scribbles:
Rinney is supposed to have something like an Irish or a Welsh accent... 'Tis just so hard to get that effectively shown in writing...
Also, yet another milestone reached - 8257 words, not yet counting Scribbles and pre-chapter stuff.
Wow. That's what I get for working with an awesome beta. That's also why you get nothing but TehAwesomeness when you work with TehOne, TehOnly, TehUnoman.
Minor challenge: who do you think Rinney Argentum is patterned after? If you've been paying attention to the various clues hidden within this chapter (except the duet with Eclipse), you'll identify her in a snap. Winner gets a shoutout and a cameo appearance in the next chapter (or their OC, if they have one).