Disclaimer: Just writing silly stories here. No claims of ownership. For the next few chapters, we explore humankind's single greatest fear: responsibility. The horror.
The night had barely begun when Roman felt someone disturb his coffin. After actually enjoying himself down in the catacombs last night, he'd hoped no one would come bothering him again for a long while; he'd imparted everything he'd witnessed to Cinder while they were leaving, including the strange exchanges between their Queen and the Snow Spirit. He'd sincerely hoped his part in the plot was done. The Vampire didn't mind doing his share of the work but, geez, hadn't he stuck his neck out enough?
Still, once he felt the lid being slid off, he opened his eyes, only slightly surprised to find Neo's mismatched set staring back at him. "Do you have any idea what time it is? I need my beauty sleep too, ya know."
The corners of her lips turned down just enough to emphasize her point.
"Oh, fine." He grumbled, pulling himself out of the aging casket. Honestly, there was a four poster bed on the floor above that he preferred, but he'd actually hoped to sleep in a bit to recover his strength, and that was always easier to accomplish in the complete darkness offered by the relic. "I don't suppose this is another of Cinder's little errands."
Neo just stared at him.
"Of course. I shouldn't even be surprised." Scrubbing a hand over his face and yawning wide enough to make his fangs ache, Roman retrieved his bowler and cane, motioning for the Silence to lead the way.
From the moment she opened her eyes, Blake was determined, quickly brushing off the impulse to laze around for an hour or two so she could get to work. Snatching up the parchment from the night before and the small bag Weiss had given her to carry the candy canes, she bounded down the stairs, ready to wake up half the town if necessary. As far as she was concerned, she was racing the clock, and she absolutely refused to be delayed in her return to Weiss, especially if it was because someone decided to sleep in; they'd made enough of a fuss about her absence that she felt more than a little justified in demanding their attention now.
However, at the bottom of the stairs sat Gambol Shroud, lashing its tail impatiently as she descended. It hardly ever visited her here, preferring the cemetery almost exclusively, but she was wise enough to stop and bow her head respectfully. It had to have a reason to deviate from its normal behavior, after all.
While the spectral cat would usually use whatever manner of communication was most vexing, purely out of a twisted sense of amusement, this time it seemed content to be straight forward, tilting its head as if awaiting a request.
"How did you- nevermind, would you be able to persuade the spiders to do me a favor?" She pulled out a separate parchment, kneeling down to place it in front of Gambol. The spiders were a tricky sort, when they chose to be difficult, but her predecessor was better suited to appealing to them about such things. That, and she had a full list of things she wanted to accomplish before daybreak, so any help being offered would be taken without a second thought.
The cat narrowed its eyes at the offering, walking over it and towards the far wall. With every step, the parchment fell to pieces too small to see, dissolving in front of Blake's eyes. It was one of the methods Gambol used to transport physical objects, so she was reasonably certain her predecessor had accepted the task, thankfully.
That meant she could turn her full attention to the other things on her list, bursting through the front door of her home at a slight jog. Out of all the monsters whose paths she crossed that night and the one before, none made mention of the black snowflake broach she wore, and she mentally added another thing to her list.
Melanie and Miltiades stared at the offerings on the bar's counter, eyes wide with wonder.
"I hope these will suffice." Blake did her best to keep the smugness out of her voice, absolutely certain her debt was paid in full. This was her first order of business for the night, seeing as the sooner she could secure a safe manner for Weiss to visit, the more time they could spend together overall. "Go ahead; try one."
It was the red clad twin who mustered up the courage first, picking up a candy cane and popping it into her mouth. She bit down a moment later, allowing the taste to settle on her tongue. With a pleased hum, she encouraged her sister to do the same.
"Definitely," the other said after taking one for herself. "This is perfect."
"Good."
"But it brings up something we meant to ask." Miltiades sauntered over to the cauldron, stirring it slowly while speaking over her shoulder. "The spell is simple enough but we'll need something to bind it to- a charm, if you will. Is there a specific one you'd like to use?"
The Black Cat's ears perked. "There is, now that you mention it. I'll bring it tomorrow."
As she left, she made a quick decision that trying to sweet talk Cecil into helping her find just where the damned thing had gotten to since the last she saw it would be prudent if she wanted it found at all. It would likely take more than one attempt for the blasted bat to listen to her, anyway, and her next task could wait just a while longer.
Adam curled his hands into fists, red eyes taking over Halloween Town from the top of his mansion. Everyone was waking up to embrace the night, many forced to rouse later than usual thanks to the impromptu celebration down in the catacombs the night before. Although no one expressly invited him, the Shade had attended all the same, lurking in the corners of the ceiling with a frown etched onto his face.
It was disgusting, disgraceful even- here he was, nearly a millennia into his role, and treated as laughing stock by the majority of town. The previous Black Cat hadn't liked him either, though he was inexperienced enough to think that it was simply the difference of years that separated them. When Blake took on the mantle, he thought things would change, and they did... but they just got worse for him.
Before, he was an afterthought- too short in the tooth to be respected outright. He was just scary back then. Now, he was terrifying, but that didn't come until later, and he expected his standing would rise with his ability to strike terror into mortals. After the first time he killed a mortal through sheer panic alone, one would think his place among Halloween Town would be secured.
He was meant to be the second, to be Blake's right hand, her closest confidant, her partner, but he was none of these. That much was evident the night before, as the Black Cat had eyes only for the Snow Spirit from another land. She didn't even notice he existed.
Just the thought made him sick.
Turning away from the town, Adam slid down the roof, floating to the ground and towards the cliff that over looked the Lake of Black Tears. In the past, the lake had never been so full, the churning waters a product of the horror he wrought every year. It didn't do him any good, though; despite the power he'd amassed, that... creature had walked through him like he was nothing more than vapor.
How dare she make mockery of him!
Lips pulling back into a snarl, he stepped off the cliff and fell, landing on the lake's surface, his boots never becoming wet despite blending into the darkness of the tears. A walk might soothe him for the time being- Cinder was being reticent as usual regarding her plan, leaving him precious few options- but every step just brought him further and further into his fury.
There was a time, when Blake was still learning how to be the Queen of Halloween, that the two of them worked well together. It was exactly the type of partnership that shouldexist between the Black Cat and the Shade. But somewhere along the line, she changed; his attempts to frighten mortals into an early grave brought frowns of disapproval instead of smiles of amusement, chastisement instead of encouragement, and it never let up. Year after year, he was held back from his full potential by Blake, a firm look all it took before he was forced to concede.
But if Cinder was right- if there was a way to scare the Black Cat, then he could gain the advantage. He could show her how their night of terror was supposed to be, and that thrice blasted Snow Spirit was going to help him do it.
The revenge would be almost as sweet as the victory.
Blake braced herself, reaching out to pound on the heavy wooden door. It wasn't apprehension causing her reluctance to knock but rather an impending sense that the conversation awaiting her would drag on forever, even my immortal estimations. The Mayor was typically to the point about many things but, whenever it came down to plans for their special night, neither side could refrain from examining each detail closely. There was also an aggravating secretive streak that was part of their character, one of the few threads tying the sides together to form the whole, and it never failed to frustrate her whenever a suggestion was met with a vague response. Perhaps half of her apathy with her role was spawned from the meetings that proceeded this one, an annual grind to a goal she became less and less convinced she wanted to meet.
This time, however, she had far more motivating her that a predestined place of power. As long as the crown was hers to bear, this was a thing she'd have to do, and when giving it up meant being unable to see Weiss again, the decision was far too easy to make.
That didn't mean she couldn't mentally complain about it, though.
The doors creaked open slowly, admitting her entrance to a long, dark hall with torches mounted on the walls. She could've pushed through them herself, honestly, but being polite would probably make everything go a great deal smoother, which could only be to her benefit. Each step inside the 'city hall' building near the center of town echoed into empty rooms on either side. Despite the abundance of space, only the Mayor had ever taken up residence within it, which was apt given their station. Fresh spider webs adorned every crease and corner and rats scurried underfoot, squeaking out their greetings to the Queen of Halloween.
Blake couldn't help but wince; the last time she'd met with the Mayor, Salem had come out to the cemetery to find her, as had become the new tradition. Her memory was too hazy to recall the last time she was actually inside the city hall to conduct their business.
The surprise that registered on Ozpin's face when she entered the room at the very end of the hall gave her a hint as to how much time had passed.
"Blake?" He quickly glanced outside, noting the moon had barely risen. "I hadn't expected to find you for a few more hours yet. Or, perhaps, the other way around." He gestured to the ripped, battered, and beaten chair in front of his desk, shuffling papers into various stacks for later perusal. "Please, sit. What can I do for you?"
"I had some ideas last night." She held up the parchment in her hand, relaxing into the seat with a small smile. "I thought you might like to have a look."
Ozpin's lips quirked into a smile as he accepted the offering, adjusting his glasses once before sitting back and pouring over her list. There wasn't much there but the basics, because she was fairly certain that going that far would require further explanation. When he tipped his head up, curiosity burning in brown eyes, amusement shot through her at being proven right thus far. She sat forward, bracing her elbows on her knees and clasping her hands in front of her.
It was going to be a long night.
They trudged through the dark forest for a while, Neo apparently following some path she'd already tread that was beyond his capacity to see. The Silence had spent the first part of their walk conveying- in gestures and looks- that she'd followed Blake and Weiss into the forest after they'd left the catacombs and found the very nexus he'd mentioned when this crazy plan was hatched; trying to get back to it, however, had them walking for far longer, apparently less able to pick the direct path than the Queen of Halloween. Then again, it was entirely possible the trees were intentionally blocking the route to discourage them, but eventually they gave way to the clearing.
"What is all this?" He raised a brow, looking at the different emblems with a hint of disdain in his features. So, Gambol wasn't messing with him all those centuries ago. That was probably comforting, in an odd way, but he quickly brushed it off. "Which one are we supposed to use?"
Neo pointed to the one that looked like a tree with a star at the top, too bright and colorful for him to do much aside from roll his eyes. It really shouldn't surprise him that Blake was attracted to the shiny one; personally, the bright red of the mortals' heart was far more enticing.
"Very well. We can let Cinder know-" He stopped, noting the look the Silence was shooting him. "You can't be serious." She pointed at the door and shrugged one shoulder. "I don't carethat it's right there; we were just supposed to tail them, and Blake's still here. Our part's done."
He turned to walk away but Roman could feel the sound of his own footsteps becoming fainter. Oh no, she wasn't-
Whipping around to growl out a warning, the Vampire was entirely unsurprised to find his voice gone as an unnatural silence descended upon the clearing.
Putting his hands up in surrender, he stomped back towards Neo, somewhat mollified by the sound of his boots impacting the solid earth returning. "You've made your point. Now, shall we?"
The moment she opened the door, Roman expected to have a few moments to look around and determine how the portal worked. He absolutely didn't expect for a bone chilling wind to blow, dragging the pair of them in, cane and all, as the portal closed up behind them.
Blake took a deep breath and let it out slowly, slumping back in the chair. They were hardly a third of the way through the list and the moon had already past its zenith, inching towards the western horizon slowly. Still, this was progress, and she tried to remind herself that there was a reason she was going through all this. Besides, it wasn't all bad; she did remember her younger years, when talking for hours about the minute details absolutely enthralled her. There were even a couple of times she felt herself smiling, excited to see the new ideas implemented the following year... but-
"Excellent." Ozpin nodded, scratching out another line on a blank parchment. "We can get started on the prototypes immediately- the Doctor will have a field day with the work- but we'll need to talk about them again during one of our follow-ups."
-but she was not a fan of the refining process. If there was anyone else she could give the job to, she would, and while that normally would be Adam, the Black Cat had learned by now that his input would lead all of Halloween Town down a road they didn't want to travel. It was a shame, really; it was the Shade's job to attend to these duties just as much as it was hers. It might be why she burned out so quickly in comparison to her predecessors, now that she thought on it.
"Blake?" He peered at her over the top of his glasses, a frown touching his features. "Are you alright?" She nodded, not wanting to seem apathetic now that they'd managed to make this much progress. Unfortunately, that didn't satisfy him. "I realize it may not be where you want to be right now, but this is quite necessary-"
"I'm fine," she said, offering him a grin. "I know we all have our responsibilities and I've neglected mine for too long." She shrugged. "I'm just not a fan of returning to the practice."
"Aren't we all?" Ozpin chuckled, leaning back in his own chair and turning so they could both admire the cloudless night. "We remember when the other Black Cats faced the same hurdle."
That piqued her interest- one, because it was a rare time indeed when the Mayor acknowledged their own dual nature, and two, because she didn't think anyone had been in Halloween Town so long as to remember the first of her kind- and she sat forward, brows furrowed. "But, they ruled for close to a millennia each."
"Some longer, some shorter, yes- however, they all came to a crossroads during their time bearing the crown." He sighed, standing up and allowing the dark mass that was Salem to take over, bones cracking softly as she gazed at the window's view. "We have been here, in one form or the other, for far too long. Our own time draws to a close." She glanced over her shoulder. "Not that we're intending on starting our slumber for a few more centuries at least, but we have a sense for these things."
"What did the others do?"
"No, it's not what they did, Blake; it's what they sought." Salem reached forward, tracing pristine white finger along the center pane prompted the window to swing wide open. "Those who found it, reigned longer. Those who didn't, fell short."
She waited for a moment, ears tilted forward before she slumped in defeat. "You're not going to tell me what it is, are you?"
"Would that I could, my dear." Salem turned, earrings swaying with the motion as a smile spread on her lips. No matter the emotion behind it, there was still a hint of viciousness in the expression. "But I'm confident all the same."
And there was that peculiar trait the two sides shared that made the whole infuriating, the last of desire to reveal what was so carefully hidden. For mortals, it could terrify, but it simply grated on Blake's nerves to no end, and she might've said as much were she not immediately distracted by the sound of wings. She looked up just in time to catch Cecil swooping in, dropping something in her lap. Much to her relief, it was the sapphire she'd found in the crypts centuries ago and was permitted to keep by the Mummy, still as polished as ever. It was probably cursed in some manner- she'd have to ask about getting that removed, first- but, when it caught the light, it reminded her of Weiss' eyes.
Placing the gem in her pocket, the Black Cat cleared her throat, holding out a hand for the bat to land in after he'd taken a few laps around the room. Ever since meeting the Snow Spirit, Cecil seemed much more tolerant of her than before, not even trying to nip or claw at her as he made himself comfortable on her shoulder. "Thank you for your vote of confidence, but we should probably get back to work."
"Actually, I think we shouldn't," the Mayor said, her form shifting back to Ozpin's in the blink of an eye, accompanied by a few more cracks before he smiled. "I have plenty to work with for the moment. We can reconvene later."
She raised a brow. "Are you sure?"
He waved her off, reclaiming his seat. "It usually takes me months to get half this much from you. Trust me; this has put us ahead of schedule by a considerable amount, and I will be sure to remind you when you're needed again."
"I appreciate it." Standing up slowly, so she didn't upset the bat, Blake gave a nod to the Mayor. "I'll check in tomorrow, though. Just to be safe."
Ozpin chuckled, pulling out a fresh sheet of parchment and setting it beside the one he'd already marked up. "As you wish. Make what you can of your evening."
Leaving the Mayor's study, the Black Cat couldn't help her quick pace as her mind raced through what she still needed. The gem would take the longest, of course, so dropping off that should come first, but there was still a matter of speaking to the spiders.
"Thank you, Cecil." She reached up, lightly running a claw down the bat's back. When he took off after her request, she'd assumed he was being difficult and resolved to try again before dawn. That he was so prompt in finding it was something of a surprise. "Although I suspect you had something to do with its disappearance in the first place."
She mentally noted that 'innocent' was not an expression bats could pull off very well, even with effort.
The tavern's walls creaked and groaned as the wind blew, its occupants in various states of consciousness. Mercury had curled up in the corner a while ago, content to doze the night away, while Emerald slumped in a nearby chair, head bobbing as she drifted between rest and wakefulness. The twins were fussing over their cauldron, still munching on their candy canes; they'd taken to using smaller bites, seeing as their stock was rather limited. Only Junior seemed to be going about the night with any sense of normalcy, tending to the casks of cured blood and grog the tavern kept on hand, all the dishes done save for those being used.
That was the scene Cinder happened upon when she entered the tavern, having spent the majority of her night recovering from the festivities of the one before. She could burn as bright as any inferno, but it always took a toll, and recovery was important if she wanted to remain at the head of their little gambit. However, when she swept her gaze around and didn't find the two she was looking for, she frowned.
"Where are Roman and Neo?"
The Butcher shrugged. "Beats me. Haven't seen 'em all night."
"We thought they were with you," one of the twins said, biting off another piece of the candy cane while the other continued. "Weren't they supposed to brief you on their scouting mission from yesterday?"
"They gave me a rundown last night, but, yes, we were supposed to go over everything in depth today." The Flame puffed out a breath, taking the chair beside Emerald as her mood soured. While time was on their side, she sorely hoped the two hadn't done something foolish and given them away. "From what they did tell me, our beloved Queen is more interested in this Snow Spirit than I initially thought."
"Interested?" The Mummy tilted her head, puzzling over the odd word choice. "Wasn't that obvious?"
A deep chuckle passed from her lips as she tilted her head back, surprising herself that she was even saying the words. "Actually, I meant 'interested' in a more... mortal capacity." She relished the strange looks she received for that phrasing, leaning forward so she could rest her elbows on the table. "It's come to my attention that Blake might have taken a liking to this stranger as a... partner, of sorts."
Comprehension failed to appear on anyone's faces, confused glances traded around the room. Honestly, she wasn't sure she believed such folly- an immortal being practicing the entirely mortal practice of affection? Ridiculous- but Roman had seemed coherent and adamant enough to warrant considering the idea.
"Does that change anything?" Emerald ventured after a spell of silence, looking concerned.
Cinder, better versed in the mortal realm and its oddities, could see where the Mummy was going with that train of thought, and it had occurred to her as well as she rested earlier that night in her home. For as long as Halloween Town had existed, the Black Cat had only ever worked with the Shade for anything of note, rarely combining power with any other creature to stalk the decaying streets. To insult one was to insult the other, and many of them had heard whispers of their predecessors being sent to the not-quite-dead over such crimes. That was the extent of their understanding of a 'partnership' of any sort between immortals and, while they were willing to risk pulling one over on a fellow monster, treading against the Snow Spirit might have more dire consequences.
Might.
"Nothing's changed," she said with a smile. "But if I'm honest-"
The door opened suddenly, and the entire room save for Mercury turned to look at the newcomer, more than a little surprised to see the very creature they'd been discussing stride into the room. She looked much sharper than she had in decades, golden eyes scanning until they fell on the Witches, and Junior automatically cowered behind the bar as she passed him. They could all recognize when the Black Cat was on a mission, and how ill advised it was to try and deter her.
"Melanie, Miltiades- I found the charm I want you to use." She reached into her pocket, careful not to upset the bat on her shoulder, and pulled out a small sapphire stone. "But there might be a complication."
The twins chewed on their candy for a moment more before a red gloved hand reached out and plucked the jewel from Blake's palm, turning it over for a closer inspection. "I see nothing wrong with using this. It's got a lovely curse on it, though."
"That's the complication; I need the curse removed."
"What?" Emerald immediately stood up, her chair scraping the floorboards as it shot back a few inches. The sound was enough to prompt the Werewolf to roll over, muttering to himself, but seemed to barely register to the Queen of Halloween. "But it's a perfectly good curse!"
Turning towards the annoyed Mummy, Blake narrowed her eyes for only a moment before relenting. "Can you tell me which curse it is?"
"I- well- of course." She grumbled, marching over to take a better look at the sapphire herself. After a few moments' of scrutiny, she took a step back, crossing her arms over her bound chest. "It's an illusion curse. Whoever possesses the jewel will be plagued by visions of horrible creatures chasing or leading them to their demise. That's a perfectly good curse. Why would you want to take that away?"
"Because I don't need it, for one," the Black Cat replied, examining the sapphire once more. "And it's meant as a present, for another."
"A... present?" Emerald looked over her shoulder, hoping the Witches would be able to explain, but they seemed just as confused. Not even the Flame seemed able to grasp the concept.
"It's... it's a Christmas Town custom." She smiled, not wickedly or with any malicious intent- just a smile. "It's for Weiss."
"Christmas Town?" Cinder perked up, leaning forward in interest. "Is that where she's from?"
"Yes- did I not mention that before?" Blake furrowed her brows, distracted by the question.
"And she wouldn't want something so expertly cursed?" Maybe her pride was showing just a bit, the Mummy glancing back to the jewel in question, but it was a perfectly valid question. Who would pass up a cursed gemstone?
She immediately regretted speaking so quickly as golden eyes shining with annoyance fell on her. Even if she wasn't actively trying, the Black Cat could be imposing whenever she so chose, and Emerald felt a shiver of fear wrack her frame as she took an involuntary step backwards. However, rather than cow her into submission, her cat ears flicked forward as she nodded her head thoughtfully.
"Now that you mention it, I think she would, but I don't want the curse interfering with the Malachites' spell." She handed the jewel over to the Witches before returning her gaze to the creature nearly cowering before her. "Would you be able to transfer the curse to something else?"
"Uh... yes?" It was within her power, of course, but she hadn't actually tried that in a few decades. "To what, though?"
Blake turned, walking over to the counter, eyes roving over the mugs and glasses kept behind the bar for ease of access. When her gaze lingered on one for a few moments, Junior hurriedly grabbed it, sliding it across the cracked bartop. She picked it up- an aged chalice, ebony with a deep blue infusing the glass like hellfire. Her lips quirked into a mischievous grin. "This."
The Mummy accepted the chosen glass carefully, still confused but unwilling to directly defy the Queen's request. "Of course."
"Excellent. Thank you, Emerald." Apparently pleased, she turned her attention to the Witches. "And the spell?"
"We'll let you know when it's ready," Melanie said quickly.
Her sister finished. "We'll need to ensure the curse is removed, first, but check back tomorrow."
"Of course." With a nod, Blake made to leave but stopped short upon spotting Mercury curled up in the corner. With a look around the room in warning, the Black Cat crept closer to her slumbering target, eyes glowing as her form shifted. Fangs gleamed in the low light as her lips pulled back in a snarl, claws lifting above her head and ready to strike as she towered over the Werewolf. She took a single deep breath before roaring loud enough to shake the whole tavern.
"Mercury!" He sprang away, tail tucking between his legs, reduced to nothing more than a whimpering pup with wide eyes trained on the terrifying creature above him. In a flash, Blake resumed her usual appearance, straightening out her jacket with a chuckle. The stifled noises from around the room confirmed she wasn't alone in her amusement. "It's a bit early in the night for a cat nap... don't you think?"
The Werewolf rolled his eyes and relaxed, rising to stand on his hind legs. "Very funny."
With an expression that clearly showed that she thought so, too, Blake made her exit from the tavern, the door closing behind her with a deafening thud. From his place behind the bar, Junior sighed.
"You still think this whole plan is a good idea?"
"Actually, if I had any reservations, you can consider them banished now." Cinder laughed, glancing at Mercury briefly before her gaze landed on the gemstone and chalice. If there was one thing that could be counted on within the boundaries of Halloween Town, it's that turnabout was fair play, and for the first time in history, there was a real chance at getting one over on the fearsome Black Cat. "It seems our Queen is finally in a mood to play, so we should indulge her. Hurry to fill her requests."
All that remained was to pull the pieces together.
The night was drawing to a close as she made the trek to see the spiders. They were usually easy to find but, for whatever reason, all but the very smallest ones had retreated deep into their hallow, near where the elders built their webs. It was only slightly annoying, honestly- there was still so much to do- but it was entirely worth it once she stepped into the cool, dark space they inhabited, thousands of them working together. The elders sat in a semi-circle around Gambol Shroud, who turned to look at Blake with disinterest and a vague sense of offense.
She couldn't help but roll her eyes. "No, now that you mention it, I hadn't considered you would actually do what I asked. You rarely have before."
The spectral cat narrowed its eyes at her accusingly, tail flicking in agitation.
"That's... true." The admission was soft, partly out of a reluctance to give it and partly because she was a tad surprised. It hadn't occurred to her that Gambol's willingness to lend assistance to the reigning Queen ebbed and flowed with that Queen's desire to fulfill her role. Perhaps, had she not treated her position with such distaste in the past century, they wouldn't have such a difficult arrangement. "Thank you. Seeing as I'm already here, how is it coming along?"
One of the elders moved forward, fangs longer than her arm twitching as it called out to the army of smaller spiders. In no time, one of the lesser creatures brought forth an oversized version of the request she'd imparted to her predecessor, the design much too larger to fit its intended purpose. However, she could tell this was just an example the larger spider had created so the smaller ones could have a three dimensional model to recreate at the proper size, and she nodded in approval while tracing the edges of the spider's carefully bound silk. It would take a little to remove the stickiness of the substance but that was an easy fix in comparison to the rest, and something she wouldn't attempt until after the sapphire was ready.
"This is perfect." She returned the silk to the smaller spider, bowing her head to the elder. "Thank you." There was a soft scuttling, the movement of thousands of fangs at once- a murmured response accepting her gratitude. "Gambol, will you let me know when it's ready?" Her predecessor nodded once before fading into light purple smoke that dissipated into nothingness, signifying its part in the conversation was over. Regardless, she smiled. "Thank you."
As she turned to head back to Halloween Town, Blake ran over her mental list again, crossing things off as she went. She still had to see Ozpin tomorrow and get a bit further down her list of ideas and find someone to help her out with the last few pieces needed for Weiss' present. The sapphire and silk were taken care of... all that really left were those she needed to set on their own tasks. She would need to seek them out immediately; while they weren't as pressing of concerns, the quicker she dealt with them, the faster she could return to Christmas Town.
As Blake emerged back on the path to Halloween Town, dawn broke in the East, spreading its pale light across the top of the dark forest. Her own home stood tall and dark over the other roofs, every sign of movement absent from the streets and skies except for a lone crow flying. Actually, a second look confirmed that it was the Crow drifting lazily overhead, the ancient bird reappearing for the first time in a few decades. Except for the nights they crossed into the mortal realm, he usually kept to himself.
"I wonder what he's doing away from his nest." She tilted her head, half tempted to find out, but set it aside for the moment. The night was already gone and she would need all the time available to her tomorrow. Perhaps, the next time Weiss returned to Christmas Town after a visit, she would search through the dark fores to find his nest and ask.
As she began walking back to her home, Cecil stirred, launching himself away from her and taking to the sky with nothing more than a squeak of farewell. He'd rested most of the night, having remained on her shoulder after delivering the gem, so it made sense that the bat would have plenty of energy to burn before retiring. At the very least, he didn't seem intent on attacking her, rising so high he became nothing more than a speck.
If he wanted to, he would find her again; until then, she would rest. There was still much to be done and while she couldn't, in good conscience, force the monsters of Halloween Town to lose sleep over her own past missteps, she could ensure she was up early enough to find them all when the moon rose.
Author's Notes: Due to my schedule, I haven't been able to really edit/acknowledge all the things I normally would. Now that things are calmed down some, I'm going to say that using "sunshine and rainbows" in lieu of a curse was a thing I'd always wanted to do but never knew I did until I wrote it. Also, this story was not supposed to be this long, crap. Thanks to everyone sticking with this; there will be updates on Wednesday and Friday, so long as something drastic doesn't throw me off.