Disclaimer: Almost back to the fluff.
Although surprised by the visit, Cecil had swooped down to warn Blake that the spiders hadn't finished their creation quite yet, saving her the trip out to their hallow until later. Unfortunately, that meant that the most prudent course of action was to deal with either the Mayor or with Adam next, neither of which she was looking forward to in the slightest. Actually, she was at least somewhat compelled to see Ozpin, seeing as that was the determining factor in whether or not Weiss was satisfied that she'd done her duties before their next meeting, but she most likely wouldn't have the energy to deal with the Shade if that was her second stop. On the other hand, listening to Ozpin drone on about details and minutia would provide her ample time to calm down, Blake opted to deal with the Shade first.
His home, as imposing as it might seem, was truly about half its impressive size in practicality, the majority of the floorboards missing and rendering many rooms utterly useless. Well, aside from tricking lesser guests, of course. There was no front door to speak of, the entryway an arch of rotting wood and spider webs that threatened to crumble but never did. The Black Cat strode through the arch and into the foyer, neatly stepping around the missing floorboards and proceeding deeper into the darkened manor, unsurprised when no torches sparked to life in greeting. Adam always preferred his darkness so she could hardly count herself as shocked when she reached the pitch black ballroom without so much as a flicker of moonlight to guide her path. In her early decades, when Adam was as much her companion on their special night as he was her teacher, they would sit here and talk all night, planning out their next year or sharing tales about those long past. While the Black Cats always kept extensive records of the mortal lore surrounding each monster of Halloween Town, the Shades typically remained ignorant of the defined rules, instead blending in and filling every crack and void that remained. Listening to Adam embellish the stories with his own details had entranced her once, long ago, but now the darkness had lost its magic, the wonder she once felt now reserved for hills and houses blanketed in white.
"Adam." Her voice was swallowed by the room, no echo to greet her as the mansion moaned in response, the wind outside creating a draft. She wasn't so foolish as to believe for even a second that it was anything other than the Shade trying to make a dramatic entrance but she didn't bother acknowledging the attempt beyond an eye roll. "Do you honestly think I'll fall for that?"
"Considering I don't think I know you at all, it was worth a try." The Shade's voice reverberated from all around her, barely concealed anger making him sound more like an injured animal than a proud creature of darkness. "Why are you here?"
"Because your moping is exhausting," she said, flicking her ears to follow his nearly silent footsteps, just a whisper tugging at the edges of her senses. "This has to stop."
Finally, he materialized from the darkness, bright red eyes glinting maliciously as he sneered. "Oh this has to stop? What's the matter? Is my displeasure suddenly a concern for you?"
Blake frowned, refusing to back down even as the Shade paced in front of her, seeking any sort of weakness. This was the part that she hated about dealing with her counterpart ever since he'd become more violent; it didn't matter what she did or said, he would start the confrontation and do everything in his power to break her control. Adam couldn't touch her as long as she didn't fear him or chose not to respect his presence, something she'd learned a century ago, but that didn't stop him from trying to coerce her into playing his little game.
"You have no reason to be displeased-"
"That creature walked through me, Blake!" He shot forward, looming over her as the darkness pressed in all around. "If you were half the Black Cat you used to be-"
"That's enough." She growled out, pushing him back through sheer force of will. While her form didn't shift, the Queen of Halloween's presence enlarged, forcing his to shrink until she towered over him. Her ears laid back, merging with her hair as she took a single step forward, threatening to do far more than simply walk through the Shade, her own eyes shining like spun gold. "I don't want to put you in your place, Adam, but you're leaving me no other choice."
"My place is beside you, Blake!" The Shade roared, trying valiantly to withstand the sheer weight of her gaze. "But you've given that honor to that worthless-"
The Black Cat lashed out then, claws hardly scraping the thin column of his neck as he quickly reeled away. That was the unfortunate part of their dynamic from his perspective; so long as she didn't fear him- as well she shouldn't- the Shade couldn't interact with her the way she could him. Even if the attack was more of a metaphorical threat than anything else, the way he slunk away, circling just outside of range while those red eyes smoldered with fury, ensured she'd gotten her point across. It might take more extreme measures to banish Adam, relegating him to the mournful existence of not-quite-death against his will, but she wasn't ready to take that step quite yet.
For all his foolish anger, somewhere beneath it all was the Shade who'd taught her much about the mortal realm and her own abilities. She still held out some hope he would come to his senses, even if that wore thinner with each passing year.
"I told you once to show Weiss the proper respect." Her fangs roughened her words, her form shifting towards bestial without her conscious thought. No monster of Halloween Town understood the concept of 'threat' the way mortals did, but such blatant disregard for her previous commands couldn't be tolerated, no matter the Shade's station. "I won't abide repeating myself again, Adam."
For all his posturing, he could do little more than glower at her in response, unable to directly defy her but unwilling to submit all the same. They'd had fights like this many times before, usually over the fates of mortals, and there was never a way to reach a true resolution. However, this was different; she could take steps to ensure Adam didn't cross the boundaries she set when they ventured into the mortal plane but, within the bounds of Halloween Town, she wasn't willing to take the chance, especially with the Snow Spirit involved.
"I'm not telling you to like her, or even asking for it," she said, a snarl marring her features. "But you will behave yourself from here on out."
"Or else what?" His snarl might've been intimidating, once, or at least enticed her to be a bit softer with her words.
But that time had passed. "You know well 'what'."
The darkness around her rolled and rebelled as the Shade fought the impulse to argue back, sharp teeth biting into his tongue. He didn't want to listen- she'd expected as much- but he was compelled to at least attempt it.
It was all she could hope to accomplish for the time being. With any luck, when Ozpin revealed the preliminary plans for next year, it would soothe his concerns that she might be allowing their purpose to suffer from distraction. Aside from his extreme methods, the Shade was just as worried as the Mayor regarding her growing disinterest over recent centuries and often sought her out just as Ozpin and Salem did to cajole her into returning to her role with more vigor. Even if he never came to accept Weiss' presence in Halloween Town for her sake, maybe he could at least take comfort from being given new material to weave horror among the Humans.
Blake turned away, satisfied she'd made her point and ready to confront the next obstacle in her path. She made it to the foyer before Adam deigned to acknowledge her departure.
"We used to be partners in this, you know." His voice was like the coarsest wool scratching against her ears, an annoyance that pricked at her irritation. "That's how it's supposed to be."
"All things change, Adam," she replied, stepping around the missing floorboards without looking. "And you are the one who taught me that."
The mansion creaked and groaned as she left, expressing its master's displeasure where he couldn't, but it was simply the truth. It was the Shade who wanted to change the course of Halloween Town from delivering terror to exacting a higher toll on the mortals; for all that remained the same through the centuries, even the immortal beings who inhabited their plane had the capacity to grow or wither at their own discretion.
If it was their time to grow, she wanted to control the direction, as much for the sake of the mortals as for her own peace of mind. That much, at least, she could count on Gambol Shroud to support her in, even if her predecessor was incapable of providing it beyond being helpful.
With a sour tint to her mood, she never noticed the forms high overhead, or where they landed.
Roman was nearly fully healed when they finally reached the end of the tunnel, though his relief at the lack of anguish suffusing his being fell away sharply at the dead end that awaited them. They'd walked for hours, the Vampire constantly fighting down the dread sparked by every wayward shift his companion made and a resolve not to imagine the turmoil she must be going through as well. Being stripped of one's self- a power not even the Black Cats possessed, he was fairly sure- spoke of a terror even the denizens of Halloween Town rarely visited upon their targets.
Still, the painful realization that salvation may or may not await them on the other side of the snow wall blocking them was almost as bad.
"Was this the plan all along? Toy with us before killing us?" Admittedly, it was a ploy he'd used countless times before, stalking mortals through the dead of night to heighten their fright before going in for the final scare. Of course, his attempts were never meant to be lethal by Human standards, but it was difficult to imagine the Snow Spirit going through all this trouble just to let them go. Perhaps it was his pleading for their visit to remain a secret that prompted such a trick; after all, Blake might not take so kindly to the exertion of such power over the wayward monsters.
But if she never learned of it from those involved, who would be the wiser?
Out of an alien sense of helplessness, he pounded a fist against the dead end, shoulders slumping in defeat. Weiss seemed borderline furious with them the last time they exited the confines of her mysterious snow constructs; doing so now almost ensured some sort of retribution.
"Will this torture never end?"
"Okay, so he is always this dramatic."
Snapping his head up, the Vampire peered around him, searching for the source of the Snow Spirit's voice and finding nothing. However, when he turned his attention back to the dead end, it fell away, revealing Weiss standing on just the other side. The long shadow she cast indicated the sun was preparing to set, a burnt orange laying across the pristine white that reminded him, quite ironically, of the Flame.
"You're letting us out?" He narrowed his eyes, bracing himself for one final feat of unspeakable power from the woman, ready to face it and accept the prize of home. He doubted Blake would befriend, much less take a liking to, someone who wouldn't at least honor their word... for the most part, anyway.
"Of course I am; I just wanted to ensure you didn't get injured again." With a wave of her hand, snow rose up and provided a wall, obscuring the fading rays of sunlight. "And, I'm a bit concerned, honestly. How are you going to make it to Halloween Town?" Though lacking the anger from before, there was still a severe set to the Snow Spirit's features, as if she was keeping herself in check but only just. "I'm afraid your plea to keep this from Blake will be all for naught if she must save you from falling to an early demise."
"Well, dear, that part, I have covered." He smirked, tapping a finger against his cap. "Our beloved Queen isn't the only one capable of changing forms."
A pale eyebrow rose. "If that's the case, you didn't utilize that alternate form when arriving here because...?"
Roman frowned, a touch defensive about his less than stellar entry into the new plane. "I was a bit busy bursting into flames and being terrified, thank you for that lovely reminder."
"You're welcome." The flash of a smile over pale lips was almost enough to draw a scowl from him, if it wasn't for the still precarious position he and Neo were still in, so he settled for smoothing out his lapels to distract himself. "But on that note, I want to make something clear."
"And that would be?"
"I won't lie for the two of you," she said, crossing her arms over her chest and leveling a cold gaze at the both of them. "As long as Blake doesn't ask, I'll make no mention of today's events, but also I won't deceive her to protect you. Personally, I think you both should address this little misadventure with her so no one else falls victim to their own curiosity, but I can't very well make you." She narrowed her eyes. "Though I can heavily suggest it."
Tipping his hat towards her, the Vampire bowed his head. Regardless if he meant the words, a concession was in order to keep the peace and expedite their departure. "And we will heavily consider it."
"I suppose that's the best I can hope for," Weiss replied, frowning as a harsh wind kicked up and created a howling through the trees overhead that sprinkled over her deathly pale form. "I won't delay you any further. You'll probably return to Halloween Town just before sunrise."
Frankly, Roman didn't care how accurate that estimation was overall; literally anything would be better than remaining in the Snow Spirit's domain. Aside from that, at least the sun that beat down on his home wasn't as unforgiving as this one and would only lightly zap his strength rather than steal it outright. His gaze remained trained on the woman as she turned, walking over to the tree with a black cat painted on it, much like the one he'd spied in the portal nexus before being drug through the door Neo opened. How he missed the proximity of his own salvation was beyond him, though it was likely the newly stoked fear running through his system as the wind intensified. Whatever had caused Weiss' mood to shift was drawing closer, if the crease between her brows was any indication.
"Both of you should go." She muttered as her form began to blur once more, a thousand pinpricks of white powder catching on the wind and spiraling up even as the portal back to Halloween Town swung open.
The Vampire didn't waste a second, sprinting forward with a second set of footsteps hot on his heels. He could feel the strong pull of home directing him into the welcoming darkness, the shadows leaping up to meet him as he left the strange white world behind.
Just as suddenly as last time, he was falling through the sky, except instead of the blazing light and horrifying expanse of white, Roman found the blissfully familiar shadows and crags that blanketed Halloween Town. Broken rooftops, twisting roads, the lake and cemetery and Hellsgate- all sights so beautiful, he couldn't help but feel a keen sense of relief as his strength surged. With little effort, his form shifted, shrinking down until it was that of a bat. Unlike the grey and black ones residing in the caves below, the Vampire's fur was orange as his hair, though his eyes reverted to a blood red that usually terrified mortals. However, the last thing on his mind was scaring anyone, instead using his newly formed wings to slow his descent until he could circle around and look for Neo, who was floating down behind him. He had half a mind to be relieved until a shadow passed over him, prompting the vampire to flap his way back to his cohort, the irrational terror that the Snow Spirit had followed them was more livid than she'd let on gripping tight.
Neo, however, managed to gain some manner of composure lifting an arm to point at the creature drifting through the sky, apparently unconcerned with what the two of them were doing there in the first place, and he resisted the urge to lend his irritation voice. It wouldn't do him any good- the Crow hardly listened to anyone as it was, and the Raven was even more apathetic than that- but it might soothe his nerves, still frazzled from such a narrow escape.
What had drawn Weiss' attention at the last second? What horror had they missed by mere moments?
He didn't want to know, Roman resolved, allowing his frantic flapping to slow as the two glided down to safety among the darkened streets. Right now, the only things on his mind were ensuring neither of them suffered lasting damage from their brief foray and ensuring this was the last they'd deal with the whole mess.
Her meeting with the Mayor was blessedly brief- apparently, Ozpin wasn't joking about their previous discussion putting him ahead of schedule- but Blake could still feel the irritation itching just beneath her skin. Reverting back to her usual form took an amount of control she didn't want to exhibit at present, still furious over Adam's absolute refusal to give the Snow Spirit the proper respect. Regardless of their disagreements in the past, she would think even he could understand that Weiss was special, different, and deserved to be treated as such. Perhaps she was a fool; the Shade was always too shortsighted with his ideas, never seeing anything to its logical conclusion.
With a growl, the Black Cat turned down the next street, heading back to find Ruby and see how her request was coming along. She didn't doubt the Reaper would produce something expertly crafted; it was just that the moon was going to set soon, meaning she'd either have to return to Christmas Town without the planned gift or postpone for another night, neither of which she wanted to do. The last thing she wanted was to cause her companion to worry, though she was nearly certain Weiss would be understanding about the whole thing. Still, it was the point of the matter, and maybe she hoped the wonder of Christmas Town and peace she always felt with the Snow Spirit by her side would-
"Blake!" Ears perking, she turned her head in time to see Ruby coming up the road to meet her, ever present scythe poking out over one shoulder as she used her hands to carry something.
Seeing the woman's beaming smile, the Black Cat couldn't help but return the expression with a small grin of her own. "I was just coming to see you."
"For this, right?" Once a few feet from the Queen of Halloween, Ruby held up the object in her hands, obviously proud of her efforts. "You should've known going to Yang for something like this wouldn't work out."
"Uh..." Blake blinked, staring down at the exquisitely crafted 'box' being given to her, though she couldn't help but realize she may have worded her request poorly. Instead of the box Weiss used for her gift- or something similar- the Reaper had constructed ... a coffin. A small one, to be sure, but a coffin none the less. "Is that bone?"
"Sure is!" She laughed, opening it up to display the hollowed out interior. "Took a bit to find ones big enough, but the Grimm were willing to part with a few.
To be perfectly honest, the Black Cat thought it was beautiful- full sized, it would be the kind of resting place that would spark envy from nearly every creature in Halloween Town- but she remembered Weiss' comments, small though they were, that highlighted the differences between their tastes. A coffin shaped present might be too 'morbid' for the Snow Spirit... but it was quite striking and she was loathe to put the Reaper's talents to waste.
"Thank you, Ruby." She accepted the coffin with a smile, marveling for a moment at the smooth finish.
With that strange child-like quality the Reaper possessed, she cocked her head to the side in innocent curiosity, brushing her bangs from her eyes. "Is this for Weiss?" Blake nodded, feeling she was owed at least the truth. "I hope she likes it."
"I do, too," she replied, excitement surging through her and replacing the frustration from earlier. Perhaps she could go ahead with her plan to visit Christmas Town tomorrow night after all; even if it wasn't normal for herself or, really, anyone in Halloween Town, some part of her wanted to see what Weiss' plane looked like during the day. Even if it glittered brightly at night, what she'd seen during the daylight hours last time was interesting in a different way. Before she could think too much more on it, she caught the sound of a bat's wings and turned, seeking their source. "Good evening, Cecil."
"Oh wow, what's that?" Silver eyes lit up in excitement as he swooped low, depositing the spider's handiwork in Queen's open palm before landing on her shoulder. "Is that for Weiss, too?"
"It is. Here, hold this." Passing the box back to its creator, Blake dug out the sapphire from her pocket and set in the middle of the spider silk. Much like the black snowflake served its purpose in Christmas Town, she wanted to give the Snow Spirit something that would signify to everyone in Halloween Town that she was to be treated with the utmost respect. The spiders had done just that, weaving their gorgeous white silk into the shape of a prowling cat, the tail arcing up to form a necklace. With the sapphire set in the middle, it would also serve a more practical purpose- aside from Adam, none would dare cross Weiss now, so that was for the symbolism more than anything else. With the gem, though, it would allow the Snow Spirit to teleport to a much safer location rather than risk injury trying to traverse the planes alone. "There."
The Reaper leaned forward, inspecting the creation with wonder. "That's really cool!" Then she paused, tilting her head. "I wonder if we could do the same thing ourselves. Like, use the Witches' spells to make ourselves scarier, or something."
"Now that's a thought," she said, mentally noting it was one she hadn't considered before. "I'll mention it to Ozpin the next time we talk."
"I really hope she likes it!" Ruby helpfully opened the box, allowing the newly minted necklace to be deposited within before shutting the lid. "Need anything else?"
Well, she needed some sort of paper to wrap the thing in, but that was a task she could attend to herself. "No, but thank you for everything, really."
With Weiss' gift in hand, the Black Cat turned towards home, reaching up to scratch Cecil between the ears as a reward for all his assistance. There were some minor things she still wanted to attend to, but they could wait until later. She'd need her rest now if she wanted to rise early enough to make the journey out to the portal before sunset.
In all honesty, Roman was perfectly at ease with retreating to the safety of his coffin for some well deserved rest, not coming out for at least three days, and avoiding their former co-conspirators entirely every day after that. The Flame was stubborn and proud, never one to back down from a challenge, and he doubted any warning he could provide would be enough to dissuade her from her chosen course. Neo, on the other hand, insisted they at least try warning the others about the potential horrors waiting to befall them if the Snow Spirit became suitably enraged. Despite understanding the desire to warn them- and perhaps even thwart whatever misguided plan they'd concocted in the duo's absence- the Vampire had a strong suspicion that confronting Cinder before they were fully recovered could only lead to more trouble than either could possibly handle.
In the end, he was right.
"See, I said as much from the start." Junior emphasized his point with a glare over his shoulder while rearranging the brews lining the middle shelf behind the bar. "Nothing good will come of this, mark my words."
"Consider them marked, dear Butcher, but listen to what other gems they've brought us before discounting the bounty." The woman's lips were curled in that sinister smile, the one that spoke of gears beyond imagining turning, burning eyes analyzing every detail, turning them over and over until all that remained was the very heart of the matter and a pile of ash. "We've never seen even a hint of such might and magic from the Snow Spirit as of yet. Surely she would exert the strength here, were it available to her."
"With Blake constantly at her side, she has no need of it," Roman said, waving off that hungry look with one hand. "And even if she experiences the same loss of power that we did, she isn't scared about it. That alone should speak to what she can do, even in Halloween Town."
"Just because you were shaking in your boots doesn't mean the rest of us are so weak." The Werewolf snidely commented, a smug look on his muzzle.
Even his friend seemed skeptical, the wrappings covering her face not hiding the derision. "One would think someone of your experience wouldn't be reduced to a fresh fanged biter over a little freefall."
Narrowing his eyes, the Vampire looked around the room, acknowledging that he would need to resort to full disclosure to make his point clear. He'd hoped to withhold this detail to save Neo's pride but even she realized they wouldn't be heard out until it was revealed.
"Have you ever heard her speak?" He nodded a head towards the Silence, calmly walking over to the nearest chair and plopping down in it, resting his elbows on his knees as he scanned the room. Interlacing his fingers at the clear disbelief he could see directed at him, Roman rested his forehead against his clasped hands and sighed. "I have. We both have."
Immediately, Emerald and Mercury burst out laughing, the Mummy shaking her head. "That's impossible!"
"She's the Silence, Roman, she... can't..."
The laughing stopped as the two obviously caught the look Neo was sporting, which the Vampire could glimpse out of the corner of his eye. Even if her form of communication within the bounds of Halloween Town was more subtle- and right- there was no missing the dead seriousness with which she nodded, confirming his claim, no hiding the terror shining in her eyes.
"Whatever power that place or that woman has is not worth crossing," he said, closing his eyes and willing them to believe him. "We should just forget the whole thing now and save ourselves the trouble."
For a time, no one moved or spoke, nothing but a limp wind blowing that caused the tavern to creak and groan. It was almost as if those not-quite-there were in agreement, warning against anything so foolish as invoking the ire of both the Black Cat and the Snow Spirit.
"This... calls for a change of plans, yes." Cinder admitted at length, tapping one red painted nail against the table's top. "But I don't believe this precludes-"
"Count us out." The Vampire stood, snatching up his cane and heading towards the door. "If you absolutely must continue with this ridiculous plan, we won't have any part of it. We're done."
"I don't think so." He could suddenly see his own shadow thrown against the door, a building inferno behind him casting a flickering light that threatened to deteriorate his weakened state even further. The Flame might not possess the strength or ability to banish him outright, but she certainly could make his continued existence absolute hell in the most literal sense. "I'll not have you spoiling our fun just because you got cold feet."
As a matter of fact, his feet were still cold- just like the rest of him now that he thought about it- but the heat licking at his back was just as intense, driving away the fear he felt previously as a new one settled in his chest. Roman was old enough to recognize a contest of wills when he saw it; unfortunately, despite his greater age, the Snow Spirit's world had drained him significantly of his strength, and he found himself unable to turn around.
A mortal would consider it being petrified by fear. To him, it was merely conceding ground. "If you truly wish to do this, we won't stop you and we won't tip off Blake... but you don't understand what we saw-"
"And I have no need to," she said, the fire wreathing her frame expanding, threatening to actually burn the wood surrounding them if her control loosened just that much more. "But your part in this isn't over. Is it?"
The Vampire turned his head, looking over his shoulder at Cinder. She was fury embodied, the sort that would grip mortals and turn them to monsters against their will.
And he had no choice. "No." The metaphorical noose he felt slip around his neck the week prior now felt like a literal one, the knot tight against his skin. "But someone won't survive this."
If he didn't play his cards just right, it would be him.
The Flame, her form returning to normal, merely smirked at his affirmation. "We shall see."
Author's Note: And now back to your regularly scheduled shenanigans.