Chapter 8: Escape
"Well, we're certainly in a predicament." Neo thought to herself, as she knelt behind some crates. She used the darkness of the nearby tent to mask herself. She had been trained for silent assassinations, so moving around the camp undetected had been rather easy for her. She kept her eyes narrowed, eyeing the movements of all the bandits around her, making sure she memorized their routines.
She hadn't been expecting Raven to just kidnap her friend. She had been expecting her to be rough, to raise her price on information and be done with it. But seeing Levi in a cage really really annoyed her. She wasn't raised as a racist but seeing a friend treated like a petty animal lit a fire inside her that made her blood boil. She needed to get him out of there, and fast.
"How is it that we always end up in situations like this? First, it was meeting at the bar, the bandits that attacked us in Sanus, the Goliath near Konoha, and now this? Certainly, you'd think we'd be ready for bandits. Are the bandits of Vacuo just idiots, or are we just soft?" she thought, as she slipped past another tent. She came to a stop, kneeling down behind a barrel, clutching her knife tightly in her grasp.
It was a simple switchblade, with a bit of lightning dust infused into the blade. You had to refill it from the bottom and thankfully, the owner had topped it off before leaving it behind. She waited for the bandit to leave, eyeing the large tent on the other side of the camp. Raven's tent, the one where her weapon was likely being kept. That is if Vernal hadn't kept it for herself.
"Alright, step one. Get our weapons back, step two, get Levi and that bitchy heiress out of their cage. Step three, escape this shithole of a camp, step four, and the most important one, find a place to stab the bitchy heiress and get rid of her body. She'll be the first of Little Red's close friends to get 86'd. It'll feel good to finally get a bit of revenge on her." she thought, a sneer forming on her face. She darted through the shadows, taking note of the large hole that had been boarded up near the back of the camp. Certainly, that would make an excellent escape.
xxx
Levi's ears twitched as he heard the bandits laughing and celebrating. Though the cage he was in was far from the center of the camp, he could hear everything. The bandits were toasting to a successful haul, it seemed as if they were already talking about what they would do with their share of the ransom money as well as the money they would get for selling him. To say he was disgusted was an understatement, but he didn't really care at the moment. The only thing he cared about was getting out of this camp alive.
He heard Weiss groan a bit, placing a hand over her stomach. It was clear she was hungry, he could hear her stomach from where he stood. Another blessing his heightened hearing had given him, he mused. He reached into his pocket, pulling out some mints he usually kept with him, just in case he had a craving for sugar. He had one left, but he'd rather she have it than he. He'd be fine, it wasn't the first time he'd be going hungry. He looked up briefly, his ears flattening themselves against his head.
"Aw, isn't that sweet, giving your final mint to the hungry girl? My how noble of you." Aria said, holding back a laugh. "I gotta admit, this is a new low for you. This is the daughter of the asshole who enslaved our people, why are you even bothering to help her? Just let her die of hunger, she deserves it."
"Here, it isn't much but it's better than nothing," Levi said, handing the mint to Weiss, who looked up at him with surprise. "My mom used to leave me mints for when I got hungry in class, it fools your stomach into thinking it's being fed. It won't last long but it should help for a little bit. No one deserves to go hungry."
He looked up at Aria, giving her a death glare. "No one."
"I don't want it," she mumbled, looking away from him. "I don't deserve your kindness."
"Huh? Where is this coming from?" the young man asked, cocking his head to the side.
"Just eat the damn candy yourself, Levi. You need it more than she does!" Aria said, only to be ignored by the young man.
"Because I don't deserve it. I was a terrible person, against your kind. My father did so many bad things to the faunus, and I was complacent in it. I even parroted his behavior and condoned it. It wasn't until Blake ran off that I realized what an asshole I was being." Weiss said, hugging her legs closer to herself. "This is my own form of punishment."
"Weiss, stop acting like an idiot and take the candy." the faunus said, holding it out to her. "I can hear your stomach grumbling, you know. It's a curse gifted to me by my heritage."
"It's alright, you need it more than I do."
"She doesn't want the mint, Levi. She's basically telling you to survive and let her starve. I mean, after everything the Schnees did to the faunus, this is the least she deserves. After all, her family cages us. Put collars on us. ENSLAVED us. And here you are helping her?" the wolf faunus said, shaking her head. "You are such a fool, Levi."
"Will you shut the fuck up?" he snapped, glaring at the corner of the cage. Weiss blinked a few times in confusion, following his gaze, only to see nothing. She sat up a bit, causing him to look back at her. He cleared his throat kneeling down next to her. "I'm getting tired of their celebration."
"R-right," she said softly. She sighed, reaching for the mint in his palm, looking it over for a moment. "Are you sure I can have this?"
"I wouldn't be offering it to you if I wasn't," he said, giving her a smile. She untwisted the wrapper, popping the sweet into her mouth. "Now then, we need to figure out what to do. Neo hasn't made a move yet, and the bandits are all in the center. If we can figure out how to get out of here and get our weapons, we can make our daring escape."
"How do you suggest we do that? Even if we did leave, it won't be long until someone comes to check on us." the white-haired girl said, making him frown.
"Yeah, that's the bad news. It's likely that they'll be a watch, meaning we'll have two goons on us for most of the night. I dunno about you but I didn't like how that black-haired asshat kept looking at you." Levi said, glancing at the other end of the cage. "If I could, I would have stabbed him in the guts."
"Don't worry about it," she said, rubbing her arm as she bowed her head. "I'm used to older men giving me lecherous gazes. Comes with the territory of being a Schnee."
"Heh, I gotta admit, she's pretty damn cute. I wouldn't mind buying her myself, making her strip down to her underwear and forcing her to mine dust like my grandparents did." Aria said, breaking into laughter when Levi glared at her.
"Sorry, you have to deal with that. Regardless of that, people should give you the respect you deserve," he said, sitting down a few feet from her. "Anyway, we might as well sit tight for now. Not a lot of options and the ones we do have aren't very good."
"Why?"
"Huh?"
Weiss lowered her gaze, her hands firmly grasping her skirt. She traced the snowflake designs on the hem with her eyes, her lips curved into a frown. "Why did you decide to go after her? Cinder, I mean."
"That's a good question, Kitten. Why are you risking your ass going after that bitch? Don't you know you could die?" the wolf faunus asked, stepping in front of the miqo'te. She placed her hands on her hips, leaning forward. "You must really have a death wish if you think you have a chance to fight her on an even playing field."
He sighed, closing his eyes for a moment in a vain attempt to make his former leader go away. He processed Weiss's question for a moment, trying and failing to find a suitable answer. "I want her to die."
"Killing her isn't going to bring your friends back, or your mother. It's just foolish to waste your life like that."
"Don't you think I know that?" he cried, glaring at the former heiress. "I think about that every single day of my life. There isn't a day I don't think about Aria, and how she died hating me!"
"Damn straight I did, you fucker."
"There isn't a day I don't think about Cadence and the fact she was carted off and killed by a Nevermore. I constantly think about Sonata's broken body laying on the ground in Beacon Academy. And I think about my mother, screaming and shouting at her students to get back while she held the Nevermores off, giving her life for them." he said, placing his face in his hand, squeezing it tightly. "All while I was in the city, fighting off Grimm and saving Civilians. The people closest to me died and I didn't even know it."
"We all lost something that day Levi. That day was a grim reminder of what we are up against. Being a huntsman isn't without its risks. Eventually, there would come a point where we would have to face something like that. It shouldn't be the Grimm that we should fear, it should be the people." she said, leaning back against the cage, suckling on her mint. "Grimm move by instinct and go after the emotions of the people. But people? They are unpredictable, they can cause more harm than the Grimm ever could. And that's what we should fight against. The world might be a dark place, but we're here to make it just a little brighter."
"Is that supposed to make me feel better?"
"A little bit, but I also want to reassure you. You aren't alone in this. I… may not have known you as well as I could have, but I do consider you a friend. You are my upperclassmen after all, and someone with a similar semblance to mine. It's natural that I would find comfort in someone who understands me." Weiss said, causing him to laugh.
"I don't think I'll ever understand you, Weiss. We're way too different, not to mention my Semblance is underdeveloped because of my own dumb ass choices. I could have been a better fighter, and I could have made a difference, but I didn't."
"Instead you threw a hissy fit because I didn't let you perform, and that led to all of us dying. Congratulations, Levi, you were the death of Acapella. So much for teammates, huh?" Aria added, shaking her head in disgust as she leaned back against the cage wall.
"It's never too late to learn! Not to mention you are a huntsman-in-training. You aren't supposed to be on par with a professional. You think someone like my sister learned how to kick wholesale ass on her first day? Of course not. It took years and years of practice to get where she is now. It's the same for me. It's taken me years to hone my skills and increase my control with my Semblance. Not only that, but I learned something very cool."
She joined her hands together, focusing on her aura. He noticed the small circle flashing to life in her palms, taking the shape of a glyph, only it was far different than the ones he was used to seeing. This one was more detailed, filled with several lines and shapes he hadn't seen before. He let out a gasp when he saw a small armor glad knight appear in the middle of the circle, giving Weiss a salute before grabbing his sword.
"What… the hell is this?"
"I'd like for you to meet a good friend of mine," she said, smiling. "You see, the Schnee Family has unique abilities. Sure we can do amazing things with our glyphs, but this is where our semblance differs from others of the same type. We have the ability to summon constructs of foes we have defeated before."
Levi let this nugget of information sink in. The Schnees seriously had this kind of power in reserve? How come he had never even heard of it? Then again, not a lot of information had been written down about Glyph-type Semblances. He doubted the Schnee Family would actively broadcast this special skill out to the public. He looked up from the soldier, giving her a firm look.
"The enemies you've defeated huh? Does that mean you had to defeat an armored knight?"
She gave him a nod, brushing her bangs away from her eyes, letting him see the scar she had gained from her battle with the Armor Gigas. "It's thanks to my father that I have this scar. He wanted to test me to see if I could actually become a huntress. So he had the Atlas Military create a foe that I wouldn't be able to kill. But what he didn't know is that I have a strong will, and don't give up until I am 100% defeated. He underestimated me, and in the end, it ended up benefiting me."
"This is pretty cool…" he said, an idea already forming in his mind. "Say, can you control this little guy?"
"For the most part, it takes a lot of focus but I can control him. I can even see through his eyes if I need to," she said, a small smile forming on her face. "I take it you have an idea?"
"Something like that. I want you to send this little guy out, have him scan the compound for an exit. Once you find one, describe the area to me so I know where to look."
"Okay, but what about our weapons?"
"Don't worry about that, we aren't alone after all."
Weiss glanced down at her miniature Armor Gigas, who had been waiting for her command. She gave him a nod, urging him to leave through the slats of the cage. She watched for a moment as it raced off, her full focus turning to circle. She had to keep it active for as long as possible. She could only hope things didn't go south.
xxx
"Ahh… I can't wait for the Boss to send that ransom out! I'm so excited, it's been such a long time since any of us have had a substantial amount of cash to spend." Shay said, taking a long swig from his bottle. "Ahh… this was a good day wasn't it? Our luck is finally turning around!"
"Yeah well, you better get in line, buddy. I was the one who discovered the Schnee heiress in that wreckage, meaning I get the second biggest cut of the payout."
"I have no idea who set those terms, but you ain't getting the second biggest cut," Vernal said, resting Myrtenaster against her shoulder, a grin on her face. "That cut is going to me, I am the Boss' right-hand woman after all."
"And who was the one who brought the miqo'te here, eh?" Shay suddenly said, pointing Shiva at the black-haired woman. "That's right, it was me. I was the one who led those Boarbatusks to their camp and made them run for Lake Matsu. If it wasn't for me, we likely wouldn't be getting so much money!"
"I was the one who informed the boss of his nature as a miqo'te, so rightfully, a cut of his sale comes to me too. Don't you all worry, you'll get the scraps when we're done." she said, running Myrtenaster's blade over Shiva's, the sound of metal on metal filling the camp briefly. "Besides, you wanted a new weapon and you got one. You don't need the money!"
"How come you get two? Huh? That isn't fair." another bandit said, causing Vernal to look at her. She pointed toward the parasol strapped to Vernal's back. "Don't you think that one should go to someone more deserving? You clearly like that sword more than the umbrella."
Vernal slowly rose to her feet, taking a step forward, pointing the rapier at the woman's neck. She drove the tip into her flesh, a little bit of blood coming from the slight cut. "Where do you get off saying something like that, huh Rosetta?"
"I… well I was just saying." the rose-haired woman, Rosetta, said fearfully. Vernal pressed the point harder into her skin, causing more blood to erupt from it. "No wait… please, I didn't mean to say anything."
"Yeah, that's what I thought," she said, chuckling as she pulled the rapier away. Rosetta let out a sigh of relief, using her shirt to wipe the blood away. "You all should know what happens when you question your leader. I have graciously earned these weapons, and if you want to take them from me, you'll have to do it the old-fashioned way."
"That's enough taunting, Vernal," Raven said, finally joining her crew. They all stiffened a bit at her appearance. She shook her head, holding her hand up. "Relax everyone, I'm not mad. In fact, I came to toast with you all, for our victory and for the jackpot we are about to receive."
She rose a bottle of sake up, earning loud cheers from the others, who all took swigs from their drinks. She let out a sigh as she pulled the bottle from her lips. "While things aren't set in stone, we have already drafted up the ransom letter and will be sending it to the proper authorities soon. As for the boy, well… we might have a buyer. Someone from the city of Kushinashi expressed some interest in him."
"What are the odds of a faunus of his breed happening by us? Legend has it the last of the miqo'te were wiped out generations ago."
"That is true," Raven began, setting her bottle down. She folded her hands behind her back as she walked, glancing up at the sky. "You see, back in the day, before the current kingdoms were established, there was a nation named Eorzea. It was filled with miqo'te just like that boy. They were a rare kind indeed, capable of bringing out the true potential of aura and dust. They made it seem like it was magic."
"What happened to them?" a curious bandit asked, causing Raven to look at her. Her crimson eyes were filled with sadness, and a bit of fear as well.
"What happens to anyone who has a run-in with her. She thought they were a threat and decided to wipe them all out of existence. Especially because most had a trait that she has grown fearful of, over the many generations. Some were lucky and managed to get away, others weren't so lucky. The ones that managed to live found themselves in Vacuo. They found an oasis there, and founded a new village, named Eorzea, after their fallen nation."
She grabbed ahold of her sake, looking at the label for a few moments before continuing. "They survived there for a while, but with many of their able-bodied men dying, the women that survived didn't succeed in having many children. As such, the lines were beginning to dwindle. Eventually, humans moved into Eorzea, forming a sort of symbiotic relationship with the miqo'te. There were a few purebloods left, but most had died out. That was until around 18 years ago when Salem caught wind of them and sent a group to wipe them out."
"She killed them all?" Vernal asked, causing Raven to shake her head.
"She killed some but not all. Those that managed to survive have gone into hiding, others went to a different kingdom. I happened to meet one of the survivors of that attack, back when I was a huntress in Beacon Academy. That woman was named Terra, and the young man we are holding here happens to be her son." she said, taking a drink from her bottle. "One of the last few pureblood miqo'tes out there. Hell, he may as well be royalty at this rate."
"Damn… the kid is that important?" Shay asked, causing the woman to chuckle.
"Not in the slightest, but because he's one of the few purebloods that exist, we'll be able to net a lot more cash."
"What about his mother? That Terra woman, wouldn't she be lookin' for him?" Rosetta asked curiously. Raven glanced up at the sky for a moment, shaking her head.
"Terra was a professor at Beacon Academy and was there during the fall. She didn't make it. The boy is alone, so no one is going to be coming after him. The only one who reasonably could is Neopolitan. Which is why I'm going to ask you to be careful and keep an eye out for her. For all we know she could have run off but she could also be hiding in our camp." she said, turning back toward her tent. "Now then, it's time for you to turn in. I want three of you to guard the door and two to guard the cage. Vernal, you're with me."
"Yes ma'am."
Raven turned around, walking back toward her tent, only to stop mid-stride. "Ah right, Shay, about that gunblade in your possession, I can't allow you to keep it. It's evidence against us for what we're about to do. So I'll have to take it from you. I'll be disposing of it somewhere else."
"Aw, what? Come on Boss! I really like this thing!" Shay said, looking disappointed. Vernal stood by him, holding her hand out.
"Give it here, Shay. Don't make me beat you into a pulp," she said. The man grumbled under his breath as he returned the weapon to its travel mode, shoving it in its holster. He handed it to Vernal, who gave him a smirk. "Don't worry, with your cut you can buy yourself something better than this silly thing."
The blond man glared daggers at her retreating form, as the pair slipped into Raven's tent. The other bandits started breaking away for the night, some deciding one their shifts before leaving. One bandit, in particular, hung around the fire for a few extra minutes, waiting until she was completely alone. Her lips widened into a smirk, as she slowly moved toward the main tent, using the shadows to blend in.
"That story you told the others… was it true? Did Salem kill those faunus?" Vernal asked, setting Shiva down on a crate alongside Hush and Myrtenaster. The older woman nodded, turning to face the young woman.
"It's the truth. When I was part of Ozpin's little group, he told us of the atrocities that Salem had committed. Genocide is apparently something she has done quite a few times. It seemed as if those faunus were a unique happenstance in our world. An evolution she couldn't predict. Their innate ability to maximize their aura and perform great feats with dust. Not only that but most carried another trait that she is intent on wiping out from our world." she said, shaking her head, glancing across the room. "Whatever the case, it won't matter to us in a few days."
"Right. It's a shame though, I sort of feel bad for the kid, you know? He came here with that Neo girl for information and is going to be sold off."
"Don't bother showing sympathy for him. Those two came here looking for information on Cinder. Selling him off to someone else will save him from being killed by Salem. I consider that mercy." she said. "As for Neo, she could use a few days in the real world. After all, it was Roman's fault for being involved with Salem. I warned him, and he didn't heed it. So good riddance to him as well."
Vernal remained silent for a moment, not exactly knowing what to say. She looked at the other end of the tent, not noticing the white light that dashed past some crates. "Um, about Haven Academy… some of the boys were talking about that White Fang attack. What do you propose we do?"
"We do nothing. They are going to bring the academy down to sever the communications with Atlas. With the loss of a second Cross Communication Transit tower, they'll likely be unable to reestablish Global communications. That's something that doesn't concern us though. All we have to do is keep moving around."
"What if Salem finds us? Boss, I don't want to question your motives but… about the powers of the Spring Maiden. Do you think it's wise too-"
"I don't want to speak further about this," Raven said, holding her nose up. She turned away from Vernal, arms crossed firmly over her chest. "I thought we agreed not to speak about this."
"Of course, but… don't you think it would be ideal to secure the Relic? Think about it, if we get it and then hide it somewhere else, Salem won't have need of you."
"And that's exactly why we can't open the Vault. Don't you see, the only one who can open the Vault is me, and if I do that, then that means that I am the one in possession of the lamp. That also means that by default, I would know who has it." she replied, slowly turning around, facing her friend. "Opening the Vault is tantamount to suicide, and I am not going to stand by and let that woman kill my dear family."
"So we keep moving around forever? Eventually, you'll pass on and that power will go onto someone else."
"I've already made peace with that. I've selected the person who will receive this gift after my death, but I'm not going to let that happen, am I? I haven't lived for as long as I have without knowing a thing or two about survival. Salem can continue her hunt, but she will never find us. And if she ever does, then you know what to do." Raven said firmly, placing her hand on her shoulder. "You're a good friend, Vernal. One of my trusted allies, just go along with what I am doing, things will hopefully click into place soon."
Vernal nodded, glancing toward the other end of the tent, her eyes falling on the map of Mistral that had been pinned to the corkboard. They usually used it to plan hunts and had covered most of the eastern end of the continent. Her attention fell back to Myrtenaster, the sword belonging to the Schnee Heiress. "What about the heiress? What's your plan for her?"
"I'll be taking her to Argus myself. Once there, I will keep her in a safe house and send the ransom letter to Atlas. Once the money is sent, I'll leave that bundle of joy outside of the Argus Military Base. What happens to her afterward is none of my concern."
"I'll start making preparations then. It's going to be a long trip to Argus from here, we'll likely have to stop at Mistral to get some transport."
"Make sure to speak with competent people, the last thing we need is someone like Shay or those two idiots Brent and Spike on this mission. All they would do would be taunt the girl and argue with each other and I don't need that on a long trip like that." the woman said. Vernal gave her a nod, swiftly leaving the tent. Raven walked toward her bed, grabbing a hold of the book she had been reading the night before, opening it to the last page she was at.
It was silent for a moment, only for Vernal to walk back in. She looked up at Vernal, a look of confusion on her face. "Did you need anything else?"
Vernal said nothing, instead, she grabbed the weapons that were sitting on top of the crate. Raven rolled her eyes, shaking her head. "Make sure you dispose of those alright? I don't need something like that to come bite me in the ass."
The woman gave her a nod, slowly but surely leaving the tent. She returned to her reading, not at all bothered by Vernal's odd entrance.
xxx
"Grr… that Vernal lady took them."
"Dammit, that's just what we needed," Levi mumbled, slapping his palm against his head. Weiss let her glyph disappear, taking a deep breath through her nose. Her aura had gone down significantly, but it was nothing she couldn't handle.
"Well, it could be worse right?"
"Alright you two, we're going to be your guards for the night, so no funny business. Though if you two wanna get down and dirty, we won't stop you." one of the guards from before said, giving Weiss a smirk. "In fact, I'd love to see you show me what you've got."
"Why don't you go jump off a cliff?" she asked, causing the clearly drunken man to laugh. He let out a hiccup, leaning back against his crate. It was only a few seconds after she said that, that Vernal showed up, a smirk on her face as she stood before the cage.
"I hope you both enjoy your accommodations here. We've already got plans about moving you out. Especially for you, Miss Schnee. I'm quite certain you will enjoy the trip to Argus." she said, leaning forward, a taunting look on her face. "I'm quite certain you'll be thanking us, right after we take your daddy to the cleaners."
"You'll never win, you know," Levi said, causing Vernal to look up at him. "You bandit types are all the same. Thinking you can do whatever you want for money, not giving a damn about your fellow man. Eventually, your luck will run out, and you will have to face your demons."
"So you say, but remember what side of the bars you are standing from. You are but a means to an end, I'm afraid. Both of you are, but none more so than you, Miss Schnee." she said, giving the young woman a smile. "You have everything made for you. The life that you take for granted is a life that many of us would die three times over to have. You'll be much safer at home."
"There's a reason why I left Atlas, and it's because the people there take everything for granted. They think they are safe from the horrors of the world because the city floats above Mantle. But that isn't the case. I learned from my mistakes, and I realized that even the mighty end up falling. Just like what happened at Beacon. And I am not going to let something like that happen again."
"An interesting stance. It's especially interesting coming from a Schnee like yourself. Someone like you deserves to be anything but what you are. It's best if you just accept it. You are your father's little doll, and will only serve to be paraded around Atlas. It's your fate to return to him. One such as you shouldn't be anything less than what you are." Vernal said, causing Weiss to lean forward, grabbing a hold of the bars.
"That's a pretty speech from a captor, but words whispered through prison bars lose their charm," she said softly, earning a giggle from the woman.
"So you say, and yet you haven't disproven my point. You'll go right back to Atlas, and if you can escape again, well… let's just hope you don't return to us. I doubt your father will pay twice for your ransom." she said, shifting her gaze toward Levi. "As for you, consider yourself lucky. Being sold into slavery is a mercy compared to what's happened to your people."
"What, you want me to give you a pat on the back for a job well done?" he queried, brow quirked as he crossed his arms. "Reasoning with you is like talking to a brick wall, so I'll only leave you with a hearty fuck you. Now leave us alone, we'd like to wallow in our pity before we meet our ends."
Vernal scoffed, giving the other men a nod as she took her leave. The two men only laughed, sharing a drink before falling to a conversation. They spoke about the things they would buy with their cut of the money, as well as the pleasurable company that they would hire whenever they would make it into a town. To say both he and Weiss were disgusted was an understatement.
"Well… now what?" Weiss asked softly, glancing over her shoulder at Levi, whose gaze had been transfixed on the moon. "Do we just keep waiting or do we do something?"
"We can't take the risk yet, these guys might be asleep but they are still armed and dangerous. We just have to wait a little longer."
"For that Neo girl? Do you actually think she'll help us? How do you know she didn't just leave us here, or worse, is working with these people?"
"She's got a good point, Levi. She might have sold you for money," Aria said, walking up behind Weiss, her cerulean blue eyes glowing in the low firelight. "She might even be the one who will take you to your new slave driver."
"Neo wouldn't do that, I've earned enough of her trust for her to consider her options. Besides, we promised each other we would bring Cinder down together. I seriously doubt she'd leave me behind." he replied.
Footsteps filled their ears, causing them to look up only to see Vernal again. She had a smirk on her face as she stood before them, almost glowering at the two. The two guards broke away from their conversation, stepping up toward the cage. "Uh, Vern, what are you doing back here? Don't you have to coordinate shit with the boss?"
She reached into her vest pocket, pulling out a small card. She handed it to the man, who looked it over briefly. His friend took a swig from his booze, struggling to read the words. "What the hell does this say?"
"I dunno, I think it says… You dun… goofed?"
He looked up, only to receive a left hook to the face, being knocked out almost instantly. The second man tried to scream, only for him to take a hit in the throat. A swirl of pink light erupted from Vernal's hand, as a familiar parasol became fully visible. She stepped forward, driving her knee into his chest before spinning around, slamming the blunt side of the weapon into his skull. She spun her parasol around, driving the hook into his forehead, knocking him out cold. Vernal stepped back toward the front of the cage, standing at full height before the two captives.
"About damn time you showed up," Levi said, almost jokingly as he earned an eye roll from the woman. Her body swirled pink, slowly returning her to her normal appearance. Levi noticed she was wearing her bowler hat, something that hadn't been part of her original outfit.
"Wait a minute… this is the girl you've teamed up with?" Weiss said, facing Levi with widened eyes. "You are aware that this girl is a criminal right?"
"Of course I am. I hired her for my little mission to Haven Academy, and we promised to work together until the end. Besides, I don't give a shit what she may have done in the past."
"But… but she was involved in..."
"Weiss, are we going to keep talking, or are we gonna get out of here?" he said, stressing the point rather roughly. Neo slipped a key into the lock, giving it a twist. She opened the door, letting the two out of the pen. "Ah, sweet freedom. Were you able to get our weapons?"
Neo nodded, taking a hold of her hat. She tipped it over, reaching inside it, pulling Levi's holster out from within. She did the same with Weiss's weapon, holding it out for her to take. The former heiress narrowed her eyes but gratefully took her rapier back. The girl flipped her hat around, placing it back on her head.
"We don't have much time, won't be long before someone comes poking their heads around here. Let's move." Levi said, drawing Shiva from his holster. He exchanged magazines, making sure he had a fresh one loaded. Neo took the lead, gesturing for the pair to follow.
"You do know what you are doing, right?" Weiss asked, directing her question at Neo, who gave her a nod. She pressed her finger to her lips, silently telling her to quiet down. Weiss let out a huff but did as she was told.
The trio arrived at a new section of the camp, seeing a pair of guards walking around. It seemed they were lost in conversation with each other while also moving about. Levi recognized them as the two girls he had met with Neo, both wearing some rather beautiful kimonos, no doubt stolen from someone in the nearby villages. They hid down behind some crates, weapons tightly grasped.
"I heard that bitch was getting an abortion, I was like, dude why? But she really didn't want to squeeze one out this early in life." the raven-haired girl said, earning a gasp from her friend.
"Oh my god, what a sluuut. Why would she even behave like that? I mean seriously, she's got a good man by her side and that's what she does?"
"She's like, skipping out on her birth control because she hates having to waste money on pills, but he's the asshole for finishing inside her. I mean if he wants a kid then he should put a ring on it, you know? Not do this fuckery. It's like the fourth kid she's getting sucked out. I heard the kids at Haven Academy used to call her Blow Job Betty."
"What the fuck are we listening to?" Weiss hissed quietly, causing Levi and Neo to shrug. The two women came to a stop a few meters away from them, backs turned to the crates. The faunus measured the distance, nodding to himself.
"Neo, take the one on the right, I'll get the one on the left. Don't kill her, just put her to sleep," he said. Neo frowned, but gave him a nod, sliding Hush behind her back. Levi did the same with Shiva, crouching down a bit. He and Neo slowly moved forward, staying as silent as possible.
"Man, that totally blows, I kinda feel bad for the guy, you know? Maybe because I haven't had any in a couple of weeks." the green-clad kimono girl said, frowning. "Do you think the Boss will give me some alone time with that faunus kid?"
"Maybe." her red-clad friend replied with a shrug. "He was pretty cute, I don't normally offer this, but you wanna double team him? Give him the best night of his life before he gets sent away? Hell, I'll even let you tap my ass. You know you wanna."
"I don't swing that way, bitch. But I also don't wanna turn down an offer like that, let's ask the boss if we can-"
She was cut off, as Neo sent a punch to the middle of her back, causing her to cry in pain, arching her back a bit. She wrapped her arm around her neck, holding her in a chokehold. Her friend was about to alert the others when she felt someone grab her from behind, squeezing her throat tightly. She tried in vain to cry for help, her eyes widened and filled with fear. She felt her arms slowly go limp as everything went black.
Levi dragged the unconscious woman away, laying her down behind the crates. Neo did the same, placing the other girl on top of the red-clad kimono girl. She grabbed her hand and slipped it under the kimono, curling the girl's fingers around the other's breast. Weiss gave her an odd look, only to earn a shit-eating grin from the ice-cream-themed girl.
"Okay, let's move."
Neo took the lead this time, making sure they were completely alone. Whenever they ran into someone she would silently and expertly take them out. All it took was a few hits from her parasol and they would be sent to the realm of sleep. Levi and Weiss were honestly impressed with how quickly she worked, no doubt putting her special skill set to work. After several minutes, they made it to the other end of the camp, spotting a large hole between the wooden logs, having hastily been patched with two thick wooden boards and some nails. Levi let out a chuckle, shaking his head.
"What's funny?"
"That dumb ass Shay, the guy who took my gunblade, made this hole earlier today when Shiva misfired. The idiot unintentionally gave us our exit," he said, wedging his blade beneath the boards. Neo took a hold of it as he pried it free, so it wouldn't hit the ground. She looked around for a moment, pulling her messenger bag out from under a pile of leaves, slinging it over her shoulder.
"Do you think we'll all fit? It looks kind of small." Weiss said, briefly glancing over her shoulder. Levi gave her a nod, examining the hole closely.
"It should be big enough for all of us to escape."
Neo jumped up first, her small legs kicking a bit as she struggled to pull herself through. Levi gave her a bit of help, boosting her up enough so that she would slide out. Her feet softly touched down on the grass below. She looked around for a moment before turning around, gesturing for the others to follow.
"Alright Weiss, you're next," Levi said, holstering Shiva, gesturing for Weiss to step up. She handed Myrtenaster to Neo, who grabbed it with ease. She slipped her foot into his joined hands, pulling herself up toward the hole. As she started to move through it, she felt herself get stuck. She glanced down, noticing her dress had gotten snagged on the wood, making it hard for her to move forward.
"Oh no, my dress is stuck!" she said, trying to pull herself forward. Neo took a hold of her arm, tugging with all her strength. "Ow! You're gonna dislocate my arm!"
"I swear, you girls and your insistence on wearing dresses all the time."
"It's not a dress! It's a combat skirt!" the former heiress growled. "Don't just stand there Levi, push me!"
Levi blinked a few times, looking for somewhere to push, only seeing the girl's rump. There was nowhere he could reasonably push that wouldn't seem like he was crossing the line. "Uh… Weiss, there's nothing for me to put my hands on."
"Yes, there is. Just push!"
"So you're okay with me touching your ass?"
"Just push me!" she shouted, her hand covering her mouth. Levi's ears perked up a bit as he glanced over his shoulder. He could hear some voices not far from where he was. His eyes fell back on the path they had taken, his eyes glancing in the general direction where their cage was.
"The captives have escaped!" someone shouted, making him sigh.
"I'm gonna get you back for this one, Weiss. I swear it," he said, placing his hands on her behind. He let out a grunt as he pushed with all his strength. "Oh my god girl, have you put on some weight?"
"My fucking dress is caught on the wood! I'm not fat, you idiot!"
"They're over here!"
"Quick, call the Boss!"
Levi grit his teeth, channeling some aura through his gloves, a glimmering violet glyph appearing in his palms. "Sorry about this Weiss."
The former heiress let out a scream as she was shot through the hole, sending her and Neo tumbling several meters away from the wall. Levi jumped up, slipping through the hole just as the bandits had reached them. He hit the ground hard, his head spinning a bit as he forced himself to his feet.
"Go around, hurry before they get too far!"
Levi raced to where Neo and Weiss were, having just stood up from the ground. He grabbed ahold of their wrists, pulling them along. "RUN!"
The young man was honestly glad he was a faunus. With his heightened vision, he could see exactly where he was running. He could hear the voices of the bandits behind them, but he couldn't quit now. He urged the two girls to run, knowing full well he was the only one who could lead them all to safety.
"Levi wait!" Weiss cried out, pulling him to a stop.
"Weiss are you serious? We're kind of being chased here!" the man snapped. Weiss adopted her stance, aiming her rapier downward. The audible click of her dust revolver filled his ears. She twirled around, forming a row of glyphs before her, the tip of her sword glowing orange.
"Hah!" she cried, sending the fireballs forward. The trees around them became engulfed in flame, the towering inferno quickly growing out of control. She slid her rapier into the loop at her waist. "Come on, that'll buy us some time."
Neo looked at Levi, quickly signing something with her hands. "Neo said she doesn't know if your smart or stupid."
"Hey, it's better to set the forest on fire than for them to capture us. Now let's move," she demanded, sprinting away from the forest fire. Levi sighed, sprinting after her, with Neo in tow. He didn't know what would become of them now, but it certainly beats being sold into slavery.
Location: Mistral Grand Central, Kingdom of Mistral
Oscar let out a sigh of relief as he stepped off the train, making sure he had everything he had brought with him. Admittedly, it wasn't much, but it was everything he would need for the moment. He looked around, surprised by how many people were walking around. Humans and Faunus alike walked around without a care in the world. Several workers could be seen pushing large dollies filled with luggage toward the train that had just arrived, while others were bringing crates filled with food and drink.
He was a boy out of his element. Even as he walked through the station, he couldn't quite help feeling nervous, anxious. There were so many people around him, all of them having their own personal stories. He could see Huntsmen and Huntresses walking around, remembering what Headmaster Ozpin had told him about before. They were apparently hired by the Council to protect the trains from Grimm attacks. Despite that, people still didn't feel safe, and he didn't blame them, since they were acting rather high and mighty.
He started walking down the stairs, heading away from the main platforms, ducking and weaving through the crowds. He could see holographic signboards detailing the departures and arrivals of various trains. He scanned them for a moment, seeing Vale had received a strikethrough, meaning all trains had stopped running to Vale. He wasn't even aware trains went to Sanus. He stopped in front of a new board, which was showing a current bulletin, several people had gathered around it.
"Operations in Vale continue to be hindered by the Creatures of Grimm. Headmistress Glynda Goodwitch has sent out various requests for all available Huntsmen and Huntresses capable of lending a hand to clear Beacon Academy of Grimm. The Vale Council has been in meetings since last week, which would entail the further closure of Lower Vale as well as rebuilding efforts for the capital city. Combat Schools remain out of session and acting as refugee camps until further notice.
The Atlas Military has declared a full closure of its borders, under Military Statute 667 subsection 83, giving the military full control of Atlas's borders. Despite this, Mantle continues normal operations, though the Atlas Council has stated closures for the former kingdom as well. The dust embargo continues to be in effect, and talks about a military curfew are still being had.
Finally, in Mistral, there have been reports of bandit activity near the village of Shion. The population was decimated after a Grimm attack, thought to have been caused by a bandit attack. Reports have been unverified, but the massive forest fire that sprouted late last night is thought to have originated near one of these bandit camps. If you have any information please call the proper authorities. Haven Academy continues to be out of session for the Semester, following the scandal detailing the profiles of three Haven Academy students thought to be responsible for the attack on Vale. Headmaster Lionheart has scrubbed these accusations and has claimed them to be false, no further information is available at this time."
"Things aren't looking too hot, are they, Professor?" Oscar asked softly, turning away from the news bulletin, feeling his heartbeat quicken.
"No, they are not. But we cannot dwell on things that we cannot control. We must meet with Headmaster Lionheart as soon as possible, and get answers on what is going on here in Mistral. Though I am rather worried about James, I feel like he is hindering himself." Ozpin replied, his tone sounding disappointed.
"James, you mean General Ironwood?"
"He was one of my trusted allies. He, along with Leo Lionheart and Professor Theodore of Shade Academy. I have a few other friends who are aware of our mission, and are currently following the protocols left behind in such an occasion where I am… gone." the older man replied.
"So… that means the new Headmistress of Beacon was…"
"My right-hand woman. I worry for her safety, but I am sure she can handle everything accordingly. Despite everything that is going on, I can only trust she and the others are keeping to their tasks."
Oscar continued walking out of the train station, shielding his face with his hand as the bright sun of Mistral assaulted his eyes. He let out a soft gasp as he looked around, taking in the view of the city. The large mountain on the other side of town was chock full of buildings, all of them being built right onto the side of the mountain. Sitting atop it was Haven Academy, the paragon of Huntsmen and Huntresses that trained the future of Mistral. The rest of the city seemed to be built onto stone shelves, all of them being made out of wood and iron, likely reinforced in case of Grimm attacks.
"Breathtaking isn't it?"
"Yes, it's quite the view. This is my first time in the kingdom capital, I've always heard stories from my aunt, but seeing it for myself is… different," he admitted, taking a deep breath. An absolutely delectable scent filled his nostrils, causing him to start sniffing the air, almost like a bloodhound. His stomach growled loudly, causing him to flush in embarrassment. "I could use a bit of a snack."
"Onward then, take in all the sights while you can. We have to search for that friend of mine or else we'll miss him. Of course, I remember which bar he frequents when he's in Mistral, so it shouldn't be too hard to find him."
"Um… I'm not old enough to go into a bar."
"It'll be fine, just trust me." the older man said, earning a sigh from Oscar.
He started walking through the city, taking in all of the sights. He could see weapon stands, where blacksmiths were selling their newly forged blades. Others were settling uncut dust crystals, likely stolen from the Schnee Dust Company. Judging from the ridiculous prices, he figured that was the case. As he walked he caught another scent, making his stomach growl again. He continued following it, arriving at a hole in the wall, which had a few customers hanging around it.
He licked his lips as he watched the young woman behind the counter preparing a bowl of what looked like ramen. She couldn't have been much older than he was, a pair of wolf ears clearly visible atop her head. She had fair-colored skin and bright blue eyes. She was wearing a sleeveless furisode kimono, a nametag being stitched to the apron she was wearing. She briefly looked up from what she was doing, meeting his gaze. She let out a laugh, causing Oscar to shift his gaze elsewhere.
"Are you hungry?"
"A little bit," he admitted, face glowing redder as she continued laughing.
"Well, you've come to the right place. Let me finish these orders and I'll take yours, I hope you don't mind the wait," she said, causing him to shake his head. He continued watching, entranced by her every movement. Whenever she lifted her chopsticks, the steaming noodles were expertly pulled up, making his mouth water even more.
"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you find the girl extremely attractive."
"Oh shut up you. I'm just a very hungry boy, it has nothing to do with her being attractive." he snapped quietly, reprimanding the man. Ozpin let out a laugh.
"It's alright to admit it, Oscar. You are fifteen years old after all, it's normal to feel an attraction toward young ladies," he said, earning another groan from the boy.
"Alrighty, I finished up. So, what'll you be having cutie?" the girl suddenly said, causing Oscar to jolt up.
"Oh um...well, it's kind of my first time here."
"To the shop?"
"To Mistral," he said, gesturing all around. She gave him a nod, pointing up to the menu above her.
"Well, this up here contains everything we serve. We make everything here from freshly important meats, though there's been a high demand for beef, so we might have to raise prices for beef-based dishes. The noodles are all made by hand, my grandmother is an expert in that sort of thing, I can't really explain it, all I do is cook it." she said, giggling. "Hmm… I know, would you mind if I picked something for you?"
"Sure, it definitely beats standing here and having a hard time deciding," he admitted.
She glanced at the menu for a moment before clapping her hands. "I know what to make, it'll be a surprise."
"Okay," he said softly watching her movements closely. She grabbed a knife from the nearby block, along with a cut of meat, and started slicing it.
He couldn't help but be entranced by her movements. It was clear she had trained for a long time to be able to slice meat so thinly. She dropped them into a pot, adding a bit of beef-flavored broth to it, along with some scallions. She looked up from what she was going, giving him a bit of a smile.
"So, first time in Mistral huh? What made you wanna come here?"
"Haven Academy."
"Oh, you wanna be a huntsman? I'll say that's a very respectable career path, and it would be ideal. Especially after what's been happening in Mistral." she said, frowning.
"Prod her a bit, Oscar. We can use every bit of information possible." Ozpin said. Oscar bit his lower lip, pulling out one of the stools, taking a seat on it.
"What has been happening in Mistral? I'm from down south so I'm not really aware of what goes on in the kingdom capital."
The young faunus sighed as she dropped the vegetables into the pan, stirring them around with the chopsticks. She moved toward the other pot, grabbing a bundle of noodles, dropping them into the boiling hot water. "Well… a lot of high-level missions have been posted at the Guild, and all available Huntsman and Huntresses have been taking them. But none of them seem to return."
"They're going missing?" he asked, earning a nod from the girl. "How long has this been happening?"
"Six months or so. It's been like that since the Fall of Beacon, even before that. My grandmother used to know several of them, but now they hardly even show up. It's like they've dropped off the face of the world." she said, sounding rather worried.
"I'm… sorry to hear that miss…" he looked at her nametag, seeing the name Alto written on it. "Alto."
"It's alright… things just haven't been the same for a while, you know? I used to know a lot of these people. Back before I had left my clan." she said, shifting her gaze back to the broth she was cooking, adding some soy sauce to the mix. "You see, I come from a long line of faunus, who have been in Mistral for generations. My father is the current head, and he was grooming my sister to take over, but she didn't want to."
"She wanted to follow her own path, I take it?"
"She wanted to be a hero, like the Huntresses that my grandma cooked for. She loved helping people, but my father didn't like that. So whenever she would sneak out to speak with huntresses, or even train, she would get horribly beaten. Sometimes I could see the bruises on her face. He would beat her within an inch of her aura breaking so that no one would notice." she said, reaching for a bowl. "It was awful."
"What a terrible despicable person," Oscar said, feeling anger coursing through him. "How dare he just beat your sister like that?"
She shrugged, her frown growing as she recalled her story. "It was just part of growing up I guess. I was thankfully spared from that due to being the second youngest, but I got my fair share of beatings too. Especially after my sister signed up for Combat School. She would take her lumps, but once she had graduated from Sanctum, she transferred out of Mistral and right to Vale."
"She went to Beacon Academy?" the young boy asked, causing her to nod. She looked up, a smile on her face.
"She did, it was the final fuck you to our father. That made things hard for me and our little brother but that didn't matter to her or to me. I was so proud of her. But I was worried about her, you know? She had developed this… hatred of faunus. It was likely due to the grooming our father had put her through. In order to take over the clan, she needed to be strong, and she needed to be fierce. She continued growing a hatred of her own heritage, to the point where I caught her holding a knife to her tail."
"Poor thing," he mumbled, watching as she transferred the noodles to the bowl. She poured the broth and vegetables over it, grabbing the slices of meat she had prepared beforehand, placing them on top of the noodles.
"Despite her hatred of faunus, she still loved her family dearly, sans my father. We had lost our mother young so he practically raised us. I decided I wanted to follow in her footsteps and was filling out my application for Sanctum Academy when Beacon was attacked. My sister… she." She paused, taking a deep breath. "She fought valiantly, but she didn't make it. We were told she died fighting, protecting one of her teammates from being killed."
"Oh… I'm so sorry for your loss." Oscar said, bowing his head apologetically. Alto placed his order in front of him, holding out a pair of chopsticks in her hand. She forced a smile onto her face, placing a towel over her shoulder.
"You can apologize by eating your lunch. I made it with lots of love after all," she said with a wink. He took hold of the chopsticks, glancing down at the delicious-looking bowl in front of him. He licked his lips dipping his sticks into the broth, snagging some noodles which he immediately placed in his mouth.
"Oh my god… this is absolutely delicious!" he exclaimed, as he continued eating. Alto let out a sigh, glancing at her nails with a look of pride on her face.
"Another happy customer. Grandma will certainly be proud," she said. She turned around for a moment, snagging a drink from the fridge, placing it next to the young man's bowl. "Well, if you do join Haven Academy, you'll be able to have this for lunch every day. I bet you won't even finish the entire menu before your time there is up. We have over 300 distinct ramen dishes."
"300?" Oscar exclaimed, being taken aback by his. She gave him a nod, wiping his face with a napkin.
"That's right. My mother married into the clan, she was a regular ol' human. My grandmother descends from one of the first settlers here in Mistral. So her side of the family has been collecting and creating ramen variations for years. She's training me to uphold her legacy. It's a better one than what my father wants to force on me. Once my sister had died, he looked to me to lead the clan, but I stood up firmly and no. My grandmother threatened to press charges on him if he so much as lay a finger on me. And well, here I am."
"Well, I do believe this was the right course of action for you. If you hadn't decided to leave then I wouldn't have been able to taste this delicious ramen." Oscar said, having finished his bowl. He grabbed his drink, downing a bit of it in a single go, sighing contently.
"That is very true. Well, you can do me a huge favor and advertise the restaurant back at the Academy. We could use the new clientele, especially since a lot of Vale students will likely be transferring here too."
"I can most certainly do that," he said, reaching inside his pocket for his wallet. "So, how much do I owe ya?"
"It's on the house," she said, much to his surprise. "The expression on your face was so adorable, I don't mind letting you have it for free. But don't make a habit of it. You better come back, alright… oh, you never told me your name."
"It's Oscar… Oscar Pine," he said, holding back the urge to blush. Alto gave him a bright smile.
"Well Oscar, I do hope to see you again soon. But it's almost time for the afternoon rush, I have a lot of other things to do. Thanks for being pleasant company." she said, grabbing a napkin. She jotted something down on it, handing it to him. "My scroll number, text me later. I don't have many friends outside of work so I'd like to hang out with people my age."
"Sure thing, s-see you soon," he said, grabbing his drink. Alto gave him a wave, seconds later, she had two men approach her, already saying their orders. She let out a sigh, forcing a smile onto her face as she jotted everything down. "She seems overworked."
"Most people in Mistral are. It's a harsh kingdom to make a living in, especially with the high prices and black market being nearby. Though what she said is quite alarming. We'll have to ask Qrow to check the Huntsman and Huntress Guild as soon as possible. I worry about the fate of those missing huntsmen."
Oscar remained silent for a moment as he walked down the main street, his eyes scanning his surroundings. He took a sip of his juice, licking his lips as he capped the bottle. "Hey, Professor, I have a question."
"Of course."
"Alto said her sister went to Beacon Academy and died protecting someone. Do you uh… know who she was?" the young boy asked. Ozpin stayed quiet for a few moments, before finally answering.
"I did, her name was Aria. She was a second-year student, a wolf faunus just like Alto. She's from the Blaze clan, a very powerful clan of Wolf faunus that go back many generations. They are in control of most of southern Mistral, though rumor said they were joining up with the Mistral Brotherhood."
"The White Fang?" Oscar muttered, getting a sigh of confirmation from the professor.
"Aria wrote me a letter, detailing everything her father did to her. I couldn't exactly ignore this plea, so I granted her entrance to Beacon Academy, and placed her in Team Acapella, consisting of two girls and a young man. But that was a mistake. Aria didn't get along with Levi Athan, the sole male of their group. They argued and bickered, and I continued telling them that they needed to get along. I never took their complaints into consideration, until it was too late. I'm not aware of much of what happened during the attack on Beacon, but it saddens me to learn of Aria's demise."
Oscar sighed as he glanced up at the sky, watching the large ships doing their rounds. "Another victim of this cruel world."
"We should be nearing the bar Qrow frequents, let's see if he's there," Ozpin spoke, causing the young man to nod. They looked around for a few moments, spotting the bar Ozpin had described not far from where they were.
He walked toward it, pulling the sliding door open. He stepped inside, closing it after himself, noticing the bar was empty, save for a single figure who was leaning forward over the bar. Oscar swallowed the lump in his throat as he walked forward. "Is that him?"
"Indeed. Just approach him, he isn't going to bite." the man mused. Oscar continued stepping forward, growing more nervous as he walked. He cleared his throat, causing the man to jump a bit.
"Excuse me?"
The man glanced over his shoulder, slowly turning around, cold glass of whiskey in hand. He gave the boy a once-over, taking a sip from his drink. "You know, I don't think they let kids in places like this, Pipsqueak."
"Alright, this is certainly him. Just tell him I'd like my cane back, it's of vital importance that we get it back, understood?" Ozpin said, earning a huff from Oscar.
"Shut up, I'm getting there," he muttered, causing the man to give him an odd look. Oscar took a deep breath, looking back up, a look of confusion on his face. "I'm supposed to tell you, I'd like my cane back?"
The man's brows rose slightly, as he gave the boy a nod. He rose to his feet, unhooking a weapon from his belt, looking it over for a few seconds. "It's good to see ya again, Oz."
He tossed the weapon forward, Oscar fumbling to catch it. He let out a squeak of surprise as the cane sprung out. He looked it over for a second, grabbing it with his left hand. He looked back up at Qrow, still rather confused.
"That's… not the only thing I have to say to you."
"No… I figured it wasn't," he said gruffly, finishing the last of his whiskey. "Come on, there are some people I want you to meet… well, you should already know who they are. We can talk more there, it'll be safer than out here. The walls have ears as they say."
"Follow him, Oscar. You can trust him, he's one of my most loyal friends and followers, you are in good hands."
"If you say so." the young man mumbled, trailing after the older huntsman. With each step he took, he placed the cane on the ground. He didn't know why, but it felt oddly comforting.
A/N: So it just never occured me to list the glyphs that Levi can use. It might be a little tough to follow along, honestly I was gonna do the stereotypical anime "Shout the move" thing but that shit is so tacky and it wouldn't fit for this type of story. Going by colors was easy but it isn't easy to follow along if you don't know what the colors stand for. So I decided to list them. Eventually when he gets to Atlas, he will improve upon these and make them twice as strong as before. One can only improve their semblence, so it makes sense that eventually he would unlock the true potential of his glyphs. And no, summoning isn't going to happen with Levi, it would just feel like he's ripping off Weiss and that is not the point of his Semblence. Let's just say, his glyphs are deeply tied to his origins. Also, each circle has an outer edge of glowing runes which are both alphanumeric and ancient in nature. Levi has written them all done but hasn't yet ascertained their origin nor their meaning.
Red/Crimson Glyph: A red circular glyph with an eight pointed in the center. This was the first glyph he created and allows him to use fire. When combined with dust, he can shoot fire balls at rapid speeds and set things on fire as well.
Blue Glyph: A blue circular glyph with a vase in the center, this glyph allows him to use water dust to create torrents and blasts of water.
Green Glyph: A blue circular glyph with a swirling wind symbol in the center. With this glyph, Levi is able to create powerful gusts of wind, along with twisters and even blades of wind.
Yellow Glyph: A circular glyph with a glowing star in the center, and thin lines in the shape of lightning bolts. This was one of his favorit glyphs as he can use it to blast enemies with bolts of lightning, stun them and even paraylze them.
Light Blue/Teal Glyph: A circular glyph with a snowflake at its center (Not the Schnee Family Crest), this glyph allows him to blasts his enemies with ice, he can also combine it with wind dust to create powerful arctic blasts.
Violet Glyph: A circular glyph with a twelve pointed star in the center. This glyph features an outer circle of runes along with a spinning inner circle, both going in opposite directions. This glyph grounds people and grimm in place. Levi uses it when he can't keep his balance or is on a surface with no traction.
Black Glyph: A new type, square shaped glyph that features intricate designs and runes. When Gravity Dust is combined with Steam Dust, it creates a type of shadow, allowing Levi to use it to make smoke screens. As of yet, he hasn't used it, but it will be used in the future.
White Glyph: One of Levi's more commonly used glyphs. This glyph is in the style of his base glyph, a simple, six pointed star rests in the center. When combined with Hard-Light Dust, it produces a hard light shield. He also uses it to create platforms for him to stand on (His own version of Air Step) However if too much weight is added, they will shatter, so he constantly has to measure how much Hard-Light dust he uses.
Vermillion Glyph: A bright orange, circular type glyph that is commonly used by Levi. Created from Combustion Dust, Levi uses it as a springboard to fling himself forward, backward, upward and downward. He can use it as a platform in a pinch and typically uses it for his ultimate move (Spinning Elemental Slash).
Pink Glyph: A pink circular glyph that Levi hardly uses. This glyph is infused with Energy Dust and allows him to enhance his punches and kicks, when applied to places like his heels and elbows. He uses it sparingly as his weapon makes most use of his Energy Dust to enhance his power strikes.
Brown Glyph: A circular glyph that is brown in color, and feartures a boulder at its center. It is one of Levi's newest glyphs created with a new formula, the right application of aura and combining wind and rock dust. It allows him to create sandstorms to completely blind his opponents. He can also morph it into a glyph that fires rock projectiles in a pinch by adding more rock dust into it.
Gold Glyph: ? (This one is one he will gain later on, but I'd rather keep it to myself. Just know that it exists and will be used in the future)
Alongside these glyphs, Levi can also infuse his aura with dust to send out powerful elemental blasts, which include Wind Blades, Water Blades, Gravity and Energy Blades, enhanced punches and kicks as well as his elemental bullets. With proper training, he can eventually become a force to be wreckoned with, but only if he learns to accept what happened and moves on. Something that will be harder than ever for him.
Whelp, this is all for now. I don't have much to say, other than I finished Chapter 25 last night and shit definitely goes down. I hope you are having a good weekend. I managed to log into my mom's neighbor's wifi for a bit so I could post it. Let's hope she doesn't boot me from it lol. See you all when I see you!
