"Hey… Did any of you see where Mina went?" Blake asked, donning her casualwear that Saturday morning. "She's never up before me…"
Ruby shook her head, but Yang nodded, "Yeah... I got up at like six thirty for a drink or something, and I bumped into her on her way out… It was weird…" Yang broke off as she pulled on her shirt, "…She said something about meeting up with Velvet for something… didn't say what though…"
Blake furrowed her brow, "Velvet?"
"She didn't really explain, Yang stated, "She looked dead tired… but she insisted that she'd made plans…"
"Hmm…"
"Sounds to me like she's up to something," Weiss commented dryly.
Blake shook her head, though wasn't entirely confident, "She wouldn't hurt Velvet, I'm sure it's fine. I'll just ask her about it later…" she paused for a moment to eye the mini-fridge in the corner, "I just hope that she fed first…"
"She did," Yang nodded, "I saw her grab one as she headed out,"
"Well that's good…" Blake sighed with some relief, ""I'm going to go look for her alright? I'll see you all later okay?"
Velvet had been persuaded to inform Mina that she had originally been supposed to deliver the magazines boasting her picture to Cardin early the next morning, and so accordingly, Mina had decided that she would meet Mr. Winchester instead. To that end, Mina had forced herself to rise before dawn – a herculean effort, but Blake was worth it – to head for the gym where Velvet had been instructed to meet her tormentor. Mina wondered groggily as she bestirred herself in precisely what manner she ought to deal with this problem; she could not simply murder him, after all; her Dearest tended to frown upon that sort of thing, but the question thence remained: how would she deal with him?
The halls were dead and empty this early on a Saturday morning, and for good reason, at least Mina thought so; dragging oneself from peaceful slumber so early when it was not necessary seemed the height of foolishness. Nonetheless, this was for Blake, and she had a bargain to keep with Miss Scarletina, so she continued, albeit making a mental note to be thorough enough such that this would never be necessary again…
Arriving at the gym, Mina unceremoniously threw the doors open and extended her semblance to encompassed the room. Sure enough, over by the nearest boxing ring stood one large figure, presumably Cardin Winchester himself, and two others. All three of them turned back towards the door with a start, Cardin going so far as to reach for, if not quite so far as to draw, his weapon.
"Jeez Bunny-ears-, wait, CARFAX? What the Hell are you doing here?"
"Only three of you' Mina asked absently, ignoring Cardin's demand of her, but rather than press right away, she decided to see if they would squirm to deny the truth first; a good laugh would put her in a better mood, even at this unwholesomely early hour, "I would have thought team exercises would involve all four of you; though I suppose that you are to be congratulated for your dedication to your training,"
"Uh… Cardin..?"
"Shut up," The leader of Team CRDL silenced one of his cohorts; whether it was Dove Bronzewing or Sky Lark Mina couldn't tell, as she'd never heard either speak, "Yeah… Russell's laid up with a bad case of… somethin' or other…"
"Interesting," Mina responded with forced banality as she moved to the nearest pull-up bar, "Well then, do not let me stop you,"
There was a strained silence as she situated herself in an upside-down position on the bar and started doing a few reps to fill the time and get her blood flowing. All the while though, she maintained her focus on the three members of Team CRDL in attendance. It made sense, upon a little thought, that Mr. Thrush would not have participated; he was sweet, if not particularly clever or observant, and so it seemed his confession had been genuine, if ill-advised. As for the other members of Team CRDL… they would require some… correction…
"So Carfax…" Cardin spoke cautiously, "I haven't seen you here this early before…"
"I awoke early this morning,"
"And your first thought was gym shorts, sports bra, and… Are you doing crunches upside-down?" He asked dubiously.
"Yes,"
"Right…"
"Damn though… she's almost as hot as on the cover-,"
"Dammit! Shut up, Bronzewing!" Cardin barked, but the damage have been done.
Mina smiled as she returned to the resting position, now fully awake, "I presume you refer to this week's issue of the Vale Inquirer, Mr. Bronzewing? I am told that it features a very… interesting picture of me…"
The members of Team CRDL fell quiet again.
"I am also told…" Mina continued, bending herself upward again, "that this interesting picture is of a… less than modest nature?"
More silence.
"Truly the sort of thing to make a proper young lady blush…" She smiled more broadly as she relaxed again, "The sort of thing that could fuel certain… assumptions… about my personal character, yes?"
"Yeah… I've seen it," Cardin allowed, "It's a sleazy shot; wouldn't it be just awful if it got all 'round the school?"
Mina chuckled, grabbing the bar with both hands and dismounting the bar, "Yes; I imagine that my reputation would be somewhat sullied. What concerns me, however, is how such a turn of events could reflect upon my dear Blake, you understand?"
She could practically hear the smug look on Cardin's face as he finally responded, "Well then Carfax, I think we can do business-,"
"Business?" Mina laughed, "With what currency Mr. Winchester? I think that you will find Miss Scarletina to be less cooperative than you had hoped…"
"What?" He demanded, a combination of panic and anger coloring his voice.
"That reminds me…" Mina yawned; perhaps she was still a bit tired… "I would also be… appreciative if you gentlemen were to leave Miss Scarletina alone in future…"
"Look Carfax," Cardin scoffed, "You're pretty good, I'll give you that, but you're not in any position to-,"
"Tell me Mr. Winchester, how is your neck doing?"
Cardin's boast stopped cold, his free hand involuntarily moving to the subtle line under his chin, "A-are you threatening us?"
Mina's smile bore a fang, "Use your imagination Mr. Winchester. Clearly, you did not spend it on this little scheme; spreading 'embarrassing' pictures of me is hardly complex villainy,"
"Did she just call us stupid?" Sky Lark puzzled.
"I… I think she did…" Dove replied.
"If it is revenge that you are after…" Mina continued, "Mr. Winchester, I imagine that you are better suited to the direct approach…" she stepped into the nearest ring and beckoned Cardin to follow, "Well? Here I am; why don't you show your little friends how strong you are?"
Anyone else would have seen the expression on Cardin's face contort with rage, but all Mina needed to know that she'd hit her mark was the audible acceleration of the towering lout's heart rate.
"Alright Carfax…" He hefted his mace as he followed her in, "You're not gonna surprise me with that smoke this time…"
"Certainly not," Mina didn't reach for her stakes, but took a fighting stance nonetheless, "Mr. Lark and Mr. Bronzewing deserve this learning opportunity…"
"Right…" Cardin positioned himself opposite mina in the ring, "Just a nice, informative practice session…"
"My thoughts exactly, Mr. Winchester,"
Blake's first thought had been to check t
he library; it's where she would have gone to be alone – which she assumed to be Mina's motivation for slinking out before daybreak by herself. Halfway there though, it occurred to her that Mina wasn't the type to frequent libraries… seeing as she couldn't actually read…Thus, after smacking herself for the foolish assumption, Blake was left to take stock of the situation and her knowledge.
Mina woke up early this morning, and Mina NEVER wakes up early. Further, she left the dorm by herself, not bothering to announce her departure, and only explaining herself when asked by claiming to have plans with Velvet. But this early? Blake shook her head; it just didn't make sense. Not that she was object to Mina making friends with Velvet, heaven knew Velvet needed more friends, but Mina would never plan an outing for this early in the day, Perhaps she felt ill, I'll check the-, no, wait… that doesn't make sense either; she'd have just said as much if that were the case, and she would've woken me… What is she up to?
"M-miss Belladonna?"
Blake abruptly turned to see… Velvet? How did she not notice?
"Oh… uh good morning Velvet…" And not Mina… "What are you doing up this early?"
"I um… I left some things about that I… I need to take care of…"
It would've been very suspicious coming from anyone else, but Velvet was probably the most harmless soul Blake had ever seen. Still, Velvet's story, indeed her presence didn't jive with what Mina had told Yang…
"Hey… Have you seen Mina anywhere?"
Velvet tensed, "Um… Mina… N-no… I c-can't say that I have…"
A harmless soul and a terrible liar… Blake sighed, "She told us that she had plans with you; this wouldn't be a problem, but she's not exactly a morning person… I just want to make sure that she's not up to no good…"
"Oh… I-I see…"
"Velvet,"
"Y-yes?"
"Where is she?"
Mina pivoted around Cardin's left, yet again avoiding her much larger opponent's mace entirely, "Your problem, Mr. Winchester, is that you are too easy to read…" she chuckled as she positioned herself behind him, "And coming from one such as myself, well…"
Cardin wheeled around to face her, raising his weapon overhead, "Shut up!"
Mina was faster though, and was again behind him before the Mace was fully over his head, this time teasing out a length of wire to sling about Cardin's upraised wrists. Once she had him, Mina pivoted back, heaving as she went and capitalizing upon Cardin's own momentum as he raised his weapon high, intending to smash the place that she'd been standing an instant earlier, using it instead to topple him backward. The mace clattered out of Cardin's hands as he slammed to the ground. Mina wasted no time, quickly extending the length of wire to effectively bind Cardin's wrists before grabbing a fistful of his hair and forcing him to sit up with a yank while ensuring that his arms wound up behind his back, albeit not quite so delicately. Finally, she positioned herself behind him, taking a knee and stretching the length of cord over his shoulder and about his neck.
"Checkmate, Mr. Winchester,"
"Y-you're a fucking psycho-!"
"Were it only myself concerned, Mr. Winchester, I should have you say what you like of me, and indeed in private, you are welcome – encouraged even – to do so if it pleases you," Mina cut him off, pulling the wire tighter against his jugular, "In public however… my reputation is an object of some concern for my Dearest… and I cannot have that trouble her, can I?"
"W-what are you getting at?"
"I should think it self-evident, Mr. Winchester," She answered in a low voice, "You are going to abandon this little scheme of yours, and refrain from such in future, be they against myself, my friends, or lest we forget, Miss Scarletina. Frankly Mr. Winchester, if tormenting others amuses you, well, to each his own; go with my blessing, but do consider carefully against whom you invest your… efforts… Displease my Dearest Blake and well…" She paused, mulling over precisely how best to convey her point, "I do not consider myself to be a sadist, Mr. Winchester, but… Tell me something; have you ever been flayed? I am given to understand that it is excruciatingly painful…"
"G-get off of me you bi-!"
Mina pulled the wire ever so slightly tighter about her victim's neck, and noted with some satisfaction that his cohorts remained frozen where they stood, "Do we understand each other, Mr. Winchester?"
Cardin swallowed, "Y-yeah, fine, whatever! J-just let me go!"
"Good," She released her grip on the strand of razor wire and let it wind back into her gauntlet, stepping back as Cardin was released, "And I trust that you, Mr. Bronzewing and Mr. Lark, understand as well?"
"Y-yeah,"
"Don't hurt me…"
"Excellent…"
"Mina?"
Mina turned toward the entrance of the door of the gym with a start, "Dearest? I was not expecting to meet you here…"
"You were gone when I woke up, so I figured something was off," Blake answered with a distinctly reproachful tone.
"Ah…" Mina smiled, "You see Dearest, Mr. Winchester and I were simply-,"
Blake sighed, "Save it Mina, Velvet told me everything,"
Mina was silent.
Blake walked over, primarily addressing Cardin now, "I'd kick your ass for what you've been up to Cardin, but since Mina beat me to it," She didn't have to see it happen; he was still on the ground, "And I don't know what Mina threatened you with-,"
"I prefer to think of it as a preventative quid pro quo-,"
"I will deal with you later Mina…" Blake cut her off in turn, patience thinning; it was too early for this, "As I was saying, Cardin, whatever she threatened you with… I will double it if you ever pull something like this again. Perhaps you've noticed, but Mina has enough social problems as it is, and she doesn't need you adding to the list,"
"Fine!" Cardin said frantically, finally getting back to his feet, "Just keep her the hell away from me!"
Cardin hurriedly collected his mace before he, Dove, and Sky filed out. Cardin fumed as he went, but his teammates seemed relieved.
As they left, Mina threw her arms around Blake, "Dearest! You came to my rescue!"
Blake rolled her eyes, "You didn't need rescue, Mina, he did. We've talked about this: bodily harm is not appropriate conflict resolution, Mina,"
Mina pouted, "I did not actually hurt him…"
"Mina…"
"Fine…"
Blake sighed again, "What confuses me…" She shook her head, "Is why you did it? I mean, anyone else and it would be revenge, plain and simple, but this isn't the sort of thing you usually get angry over, and you even insisted to me that you didn't care-,"
"And I do not," Mina affirmed, "But you do…"
"I…" Blake stammered, "I thought we settled that issue… Yeah, it bothers me but… You're mine, right?"
Mina kissed her, "Of course. But then there is also…" she hugged Blake more tightly, "What would be said of you if those pictures of me were spread about the campus? I could not bear to think-,"
"Let them say what they like," Blake returned the hug just as tightly, "Yeah, you could do with some moderation from time to time, but that's my job. Whatever they say about you, or about me because of you, I won't love you any less, okay? Look at me,"
Mina obeyed, pulling back to meet Blake's eyes, "Yes?"
Blake surprised her with another kiss, "You're mine, remember? If that means a little trouble or a few weird looks now and then, that's fine, as long as I've got you. These little things can work themselves out, so just… stay with me and we can work through them together, alright,"
Mina nodded emphatically, "Always,"
Author's Note: Okay, so I hope you all enjoyed this litte bit of a revisit to morally flexible Mina; just a little reminder as to how important Blake is as her anchor... At any rate, the next chapter will be a bit more fluffy, so I hope you look forward to it. Until next time.