Chapter 25: Fault
"You should have seen the look on Johanna's face. I don't think she'd ever lost a fight before that, at least, not a fair and square one."
"Oh my god, will you just shut the fuck up? God, why couldn't you have left me in the other cell to die!"
Robyn crossed her arms, glancing across the way to the cell Ivy Brown was being kept in. It had been an hour since she had been brought in. Apparently, they had arrested Councilman Sleet and Councilwoman Camilla and placed them in her Stockade. But with Sonata Piccolo being declared a threat, she had to be moved. The only Stockade with available cells was theirs, so that's where she was placed. They had quickly settled down, not having found a way to escape. With nothing left to do, Qrow, Jacques, and Robyn returned to their benches.
The brown-haired woman had her face pressed against the hard-light screen, slamming her fists against it. "Get me out of here, for fuck sakes! If you're gonna sentence me to death then do it! Give me the rope, I'll hang myself!"
"Sheesh, I didn't think story time was that awful," she said, glancing at Qrow. The man cracked a smile, causing her to smile in return. "And he smiles, did I win?"
"Hey, it's your game, I don't make the rules," he said with a shrug. Jacques groaned in annoyance, swatting his hand around.
"Shoo, shoo! Get out of here, fly."
The blonde woman frowned, sitting down at her bench. "You know, what happened wasn't your fault. I'm the one to blame for everything. I reacted rashly, I drew my weapon and caused that fracas, which led to Tyrian getting out and-"
"It was my fault," the man dejectedly retorted. "I made a deal with the darkness, and he paid the price. It was all happening so fast, but Clover wouldn't let up. We could have worked together against Tyrian if he just stopped being against me."
He closed his hand, clutching the pin tightly in his grasp. "But you know what really stings? For the first time in a while I thought, maybe… maybe I could actually be around somebody- anybody- without my Semblance making it… complicated. And now, it just feels like a childish dream. Gone. Like everybody else,"
"Believe it or not, I know a little of what that's like," Robyn said, glancing at her hand, bowing her head. "When people are worried you are going to expose their secrets, they tend to push you away. It makes a real connection… difficult."
"Earning someone's trust is a two-way street," Jacques said, causing the pair to look at them. "Give anyone any reason to doubt you, and you'll never recover that trust."
"I'm sure you know a lot about that, don't you?"
"Yes, I do, young lady. Believe it or not, I am an honest businessman. In order to conduct business, there has to be some kind of trust. But there will always be someone who wants to make a quick buck, profit off of your hard work. It isn't wrong to swoop in and close or break a deal before it harms you. It just happens to muddy the waters." he said, sighing audibly. "The Faunus always pushed back against us, demanding things from us. It was difficult appeasing them, but we have some degree of trust. They worked, we took care of them, and then they unionized, started demanding more, and eventually, they joined the White Fang."
"The White Fang was all but eradicated in Atlas, they wouldn't have joined them if you had taken good care of them. I happen to know that you mistreated a lot of Faunus in your company, Jacques. Your hands aren't as clean as you think," Ivy said, earning a laugh from him.
"And yet here you are. I'd like to remind you that you were busted for not paying your workers a living wage and putting children's lives at risk. You paid the board, I ensured my mines were up to code, and were safe. But in order to keep everyone appeased, I had to turn a blind eye to things. That led to loss of trust between those people, and it hurt even more. But what could I do?"
"Publicly defend them, for one, oh, and maybe treat the people better. I distinctly remember the SDC pulling out of Vacuo after having mined the country dry. You bought property, leveled homes for your factories, and then left, keeping those people displaced without compensation. Who the hell would trust you after that?" Robyn asked, brushing her hair over her shoulder.
"We pulled out of Vacuo for an entirely different reason. The public version? The mines had dried up and we had to leave. The private one? The White Fang's Vacuo Chapter started slaying SDC technicians. The mines were overtaken our droids? Destroyed. We couldn't risk our lives. We opened factories and mines and provided jobs and financial security for the people of Vacuo, and what did they give us? Death. And then they had the nerve to make us look like the bad guys. That in and of itself, is why I was hesitant about hiring the Faunus to work for us."
"And where does the branding come into play? Felt like treating them like cattle?" Ivy asked, a smug grin on her face. He tugged on his suit, looking away from him.
"I wasn't aware of the branding until after a lot of workers came out. In fact, the Dust Mine explosion was the first time I personally saw the brands. All of those people were swiftly fired and arrested." Jacques said, shaking his head. "Whatever the case may be, trust is a hard thing to attain. I had trusted the General with a great many things, we hashed out an exclusive deal with the Atlas Army, and what did he repay me with? An Embargo. I had that bastard pegged the moment I met him. It isn't a surprise that he's doing this now."
"He'll get his, I'm sure of it," Qrow mumbled under his breath. The doors suddenly opened, causing Ivy to shoot to her feet. She started pounding on her cell door, the Hard-Light sending shockwaves outward with every hit.
"Hey! Hey! Get me the fuck out of here! Please, I'll do anything, just get me to my own private cell!"
"Shut the fuck up," Harriet snapped, ignoring the woman. Marrow frowned as he looked around the room, remaining silent. Two soldiers threw an unconscious Arthur Watts into his cell, activating the locking mechanism. Qrow smiled inwardly, seeing the man striking the bench and flopping over like a ragdoll.
He looked up, seeing the glare on the young woman's face. "You don't get to keep that!"
"I didn't kill him!"
"You keep saying that, but it was his blood on your weapon!" she snapped, making the man sigh. Robyn growled, slamming her fist against her cell.
"If you really wanna know what happened, Mohawk, why not open this cell and take my hand?" she said, earning a scoff from the Ace Operative.
"If I open that cell, it won't be for a friendly handshake."
"Yeah, because you don't care about the truth. You just want someone to be mad at, easier than taking an honest look at what side you are on. You are nothing but a sad, pissed-off little girl who doesn't give a shit about anyone or anything."
She narrowed her eyes, stomping toward the cell. Qrow watched silently, knowing there was nothing he could do if something did happen. Just as Harriet reached for the control panel, Marrow grabbed her arm, pulling her back.
"Hare, what the hell are you doing?"
She looked at him, pulling her arm free. "Nothing."
The woman brushed past him, almost knocking him to the floor as she swiftly left the room. Marrow looked around for a moment, bowing his head as he headed for the door.
"Wait! Wait, please don't leave me here! Hey, kid, come back! I'll suck your cock if you get me out of here! Please!" Ivy shouted, being greeted by the door slamming shut. Robyn turned around, letting herself fall back against the hard-light cell wall.
"Well, that was interesting. It was almost exciting."
"Almost exciting? Young lady, you were very close to having your orbital bone shattered by that emotional teenager. I do not call that exciting." Jacques said, making Robyn giggle.
"I'm surprised you even know what an orbital bone is."
"I'm not an ignoramus, I did graduate top of my class from Atlas University," he replied, looking away from him. "Never found military life to be for me, I was always attracted to business deals."
"That begs the question, what deal did you hash out with Nicholas Schnee when you married his daughter? I remember hearing from my mother that Willow Schnee was a fantastic dancer. Not only that, but she was a singer and wanted to be a Huntress. Then she met you."
"I made no such deal! I simply won her heart."
"And completely shattered it, if what Weiss said is anything to go by. You told her you only married her for the Company, on her daughter's tenth birthday, no less." Qrow said, shaking his head. "Do me a favor and keep quiet, would you? With every word you say, I get even angrier."
The white-haired man relented, crossing his arms as he looked away from Qrow. Robyn remained silent, wondering how she would get out of there. The only sounds in the room came from Ivy Brown, who was still crying after being left behind.
Location: Tundra, 3km from Mantle
Alto growled as she pushed her hoverbike to its limits. She had her eyes locked on the beast that had taken Oscar. Her face was freezing, she had tears in her eyes and her ears were folded back from the wind, but she didn't care. She swerved around a rock formation, pushing the throttle down again, the bike's engine straining from being at top speed for so long.
"It's going to lose us in these mountains! We can't keep up!" Jaune announced, causing Alto to look at him.
"No! I am not going to let that fucking thing take him!" she howled over the wind. Ren opened his mouth to speak, only for his bike to shake. He looked down at the panel, seeing it was starting to overheat. He matched pace with Yang and Jaune, a look of concern on his face.
"I don't know how much longer these bikes will last out in the cold."
"Yeah, I'm really wishing one of us could fly, right now." Yang quipped, swerving to the right to dodge some more rocks. Jaune narrowed his eyes, a grin flashing across his face.
"Wait, I got an idea!" he said, deploying his shield. "Ren, I'm gonna get you up there!"
His friend nodded, speeding up as best as he could. He kept his foot on the throttle as he balanced himself on the bike. He leaped over to Jaune, who activated the Gravity dust-infused crest. He growled as he blasted Ren upward. He pulled one of his pistols, firing his hooked blade at the Grimm's leg, wrapping it around it.
"Yes! Nice work you guys!"
"Uh, Guys?" Alto cried, glancing over her shoulder. She moved aside, causing Jaune and Yang to see the mountainous terrain ahead of them. They moved to the sides, ducking and weaving through the rugged terrain.
"Okay, not as nice," Yang said over her communicator. "Ren, do you think you can slow it down a bit?"
"I'm trying, but I can't get a good shot at the wings," he replied.
"Don't worry Ren, we're right behind you, just hang on!"
"I don't have much of a choice-" he replied, crying in pain as he slammed into the side of a cliff. He gnashed his teeth together, his grip on StormFlower increasing. He looked around for a moment, firing his hook down at a rock, dragging it along with them.
The Grimm growled as it looked down, flapping its wings harder. It started flying erratically, slamming Ren into every rock pillar and cliff it spotted. Yang swerved to the left, going up an incline, shooting Ember Celica at its face. It spat Oscar from its mouth, holding him out as a shield, flying faster.
"Ren!" Alto called out, causing the man to look at her. "I'm gonna speed up, shoot your hook at my bike! I'll shift to reverse and pull back!"
"You'll dislocate his arm that way!" Jaune cried over the comm, making her squeak.
"Well, what else do we do? It isn't slowing down!"
The beast started pulling up, flapping its wings hard. It snapped its drooling maws, opening them wide as it unleashed a massive ear-splitting roar. The ground started rumbling as hundreds of Centinals burst out from beneath the tundra. They all stared in shock, unable to process what had just happened.
"Did it just call for backup?" Yang cried, ducking as a Teryx swiped at her head.
"What a damn cheap shot," Jaune added, dodging to the left. He drew Crocea Mors, swinging it to and fro, cutting apart the Centinals trying to get at them. Alto did the same, jabbing at the Grimm spitting acid balls at her.
She spun her weapon around, holding onto her rifle tightly as she lined up her shot, killing a Teryx that had been after Yang. She shifted her gaze back to Ren, who was beginning to climb up toward the Grimm's hind leg. An explosion filled her ears, causing her to look back, seeing a glob of acid melting his right engine.
"Jaune!" she cried, looking ahead. A pair of Centinals began twisting behind him, causing her to growl, raising her rifle. "Angle your sword!"
He did it wordlessly, moving his head as she fired, the blade split her bullet in half, killing both Centinals at the same time. She let out a sigh, only to scream when she saw a massive rock formation in front of her. She felt someone grabbing the scruff of her shirt, pulling her back as her bike slammed into the rock, exploding into a cloud of Gravity dust and rocks. Alto panted, feeling a head of blonde in front of her.
"You can thank me later!"
"Gaah!"
Alto roared in anger, resting her rifle on her shoulder, firing her magazine at the Grimm aiming to take Jaune down. The blond knight tilted his shield, the bullet ricocheted upward, killing a Teryx mid-flight. His engine sparked loudly, slowing down a bit. The wolf faunus holstered her weapon, holding her arm out. "Jump!"
The man did so, using his shield to blast himself forward, retracting it in mid-air. He twisted his body around as best he could, snapping his arm outward. Alto caught his arm with ease, pulling him down onto the bike, the man groaning a bit.
"Oh man, my nuts."
"Sorry."
"Y'all better hang on, shit's getting rough!" Yang said, ducking and weaving through the field ahead of them. She shifted gears, pushing the bike to its absolute limits, swerving to the left, and taking another incline.
A Teryx landed in front of them, screeching loudly as it blocked their path. Alto raised her rifle, shooting two simultaneous ice bullets forward, freezing its wings in place. "Jaune, the Grenade!"
He nodded, pressing the button on the disk, throwing it forward. The hard-light shield burst from it, creating the perfect ramp for them. At the same time, Alto managed to reload, killing the Centinals preparing to blast the underside of their bike with acid. They landed hard, the wolf faunus losing her grip on Milo, which stabbed into the snow behind them.
"NO!"
Yang hissed as another Centinal burst out beside them, knocking one of the boulders in their path. Her eyes widened, gasping in shock as she realized the path ahead led to a cliff. She slammed on the brakes, turning the bike onto its side, sending them flying off of it. Jaune drew his sword at the last second, stabbing it into the ground, losing grip moments after due to their momentum. The trio fell over the cliff, time moving slowly as they closed their eyes.
Ren fired his hooks downward, wrapping one around Crocea Mors, successfully catching Jaune, who had his grip on Yang's mechanical arm. The blonde managed to grab onto Alto's skirt, causing her to screech in pain as it was tugged rather hard. Ren's head snapped upward, quickly activating his Semblance as a pair of Teryxs flew past them. He kept it active as the Grimm all disappeared. He looked at the retreating beast, who was flying back toward Salem's Grimm Whale, a frown on his face.
"So uh… that was a close shave, eh?" Jaune asked, trying to lighten the mood. Ren remained silent, Yang shook her head and Alto frowned.
"I have my panties half a mile up my ass, so no, I wouldn't call it a close shave, Jaune," she said, crossing her arms in annoyance.
"We gotta get back up there, I can only hold us here for so long," Ren announced.
"We're on it, Yang, take my shield, use it to blast Alto up there. We'll do the same for you, then you can pull me and Ren up," he said, passing his shield down to the blonde.
"Alright, hang on then."
xxx
Ren kept his face down as he leaned back against the cliffside. Yang and Alto had taken turns collecting all of the parts they could. Their bike wasn't damaged, but one of their thrusters needed some maintenance if they wanted to return to Mantle. They had managed to retrieve Milo, much to her relief, the last thing she wanted was to lose the precious gift her friends had given her. She handed the nuts and bolts to Yang, who checked them all over.
"Well, at least they're all here."
"I don't think all four of us will be able to drive this thing back to Mantle, even if we do fix it. There's only space for three." the wolf girl said, sighing. "I messed up, I let my emotions get the better of me and now Oscar is… he's been taken to that whale." She said, tearing up. "What if Salem is torturing him?"
"She isn't."
"Yes she is, it's Salem. What wouldn't she do to get information out of Ozpin?"
"Oz isn't even back, so she probably wouldn't hurt him," she replied, sighing. "Okay, she definitely would. But what could have we done? You saw that thing, it came out of nowhere, it attacked Oscar like a feral beast. It talked. I've never seen them talk before."
"Whatever it is we are facing, it is not normal." Ren simply said, finally opening his eyes. "And now because of our failure, Oscar is in there experiencing who knows what kind of torture."
Alto sniffled a bit, a few more tears streaking down her cheeks. She brushed them away, ears folding down in anguish. Jaune walked past them, holding his scroll up high, an open communication displayed on screen. "If anyone is out there, please respond! We are in need of immediate transport."
He gave up after a moment, pocketing the device. "We're too far from the Kingdom, we're not gonna get anything out here. Let's just start heading back, if we get closer we might be able to get some help."
"I saw an outpost, not far from here. It might have a CCT Relay." Ren said, earning a smile from his friend.
"Then that's our play, come on," he said, grabbing a hold of the bike. Yang took the other side, pushing it along while Alto trailed after them, looking at the leaking trail of fuel coming from the thruster. She looked back over the cliff, eyes brimming with tears.
"Oh, Oscar…"
Location: Monstra, 4 km from Atlas
Trivia was having a hard time adjusting. While it was easy for her to hide her emotions, it was hard to remain calm given what was going on. She had been following Cinder around for a while, silently trailing after her. She wanted to keep up appearances as well as she could. There was a bit of distrust among them, given her run-in with Tyrian Callows. The man wouldn't stop taunting her every chance he got. Oh, how she would enjoy sliding Hush's blade through his throat, maybe then he'd stop that incessant cackling.
She had learned a lot while exploring with Cinder. Near the center of "Monstra" as the whale was named, was a bubbling pool of liquid Grimm. When Cinder first showed it to her, she almost peed her pants, but she just nodded, feigning a nod of appreciation. Just seeing those swirling red eyes was enough to make anyone run for the hills. She even saw Salem crafting a Grimm from scratch, the squeals and groans that beast made was something that would haunt her in her nightmares.
As they turned the corner, they spotted the muscular man from before, Hazel, she remembered he was called. Cinder slowed to a stop, giving him a sneer. "Hello, Hazel. It's been a while since we have spoken, hasn't it?"
"Yes. Sadly, I don't have time for a chat."
"I'm sure you can spare a minute or two, it's not like we're going anywhere," she said with a grin, flashing her teeth. "What's the rush?"
"Salem informed me that Ozma has arrived. I want to be ready for when I get my revenge," he replied, cracking his knuckles. Trivia bit her tongue, keeping her expression neutral at his words.
"Shit shit shit! I didn't think he'd actually get captured. Fuck, this complicates things. How the hell am I supposed to engage Phase Two if Oscar is here?" she screamed in her mind.
"Oh, I see, the little farm boy from Mistral. My friend here was able to fool him into handing over the lamp. Put up a good fight, but she broke him in nice and good." Cinder said, earning a malicious grin from her. "She's a great double agent, managed to fool those idiots into thinking she's their ally. I can't wait to see the looks on their faces when they realize she'd been playing them from minute one."
"Ha, you think. I'm just lining the pieces so that Levi stabs you through the chest, you bitch." she thought to herself. Hazel gave her a scrutinizing look as if peering into her soul. She merely smiled, blinking a few times, her eyes changing from pink to brown, to cream, and back to pink. He shook his head.
"Right. Well, I do hope she'll be a beneficial person to have around. Given that we've lost the smartest one among us, we'll need to have as many allies as possible. Allies that aren't manic like Tyrian is."
"Oh I know, you've got nothing to worry about. Neo here is as loyal as they come. Why, she's so loyal, she's still pursuing vengeance on the one who killed her best friend." she said, earning a glare from her. Cinder merely giggled. "And she'll get it soon, of that I'm sure."
"Of course. I mustn't keep her Grace waiting, you know how she gets." Hazel said, hastily leaving. Cinder merely sighed, resting her hand on her hip.
"Never one for conversation, that Hazel. At least you and I can talk about anything," she said, causing Trivia to point to her throat. "Ah, right. My mistake."
She flipped her off, resting Hush on her shoulder as she walked. Cinder grabbed a hold of her parasol, forcing her to stop. "Ah ah ah, where do you think you are going?"
The ice-cream-themed woman made a walking sign with her fingers, earning a look of annoyance from the brunette. "A walk? By yourself? Why, we don't have that level of trust yet, Neo."
"If I were you, I wouldn't trust her at all."
The pair looked back, spotting Emerald a few feet from where they stood, arms crossed. "She's spent too much time hanging out with those people. Who knows what they could have done, she could have easily changed sides."
"Why would I do that? All I have dreamed of since the Fall of Beacon was to slay Ruby Rose." her scroll chirped, making Emerald scoff.
"You know you can't do that, right? If Salem finds out what you are planning, she'll kill both of you," she said, turning to Cinder. "I just got you back, I can't risk losing you again."
"Don't forget, you and Mercury abandoned me. When I was all on my own, Neopolitan was the one who had my back. I'd watch what I say, Emerald because you might end up losing your tongue." Cinder hissed, glaring at the woman. She looked away, shame written on her face.
"You act as if we didn't try to go after you. After those kids came back, they said they shot and killed you. That Levi kid broke Mercury's nose with the Relic of Knowledge. The Mistral Police had us surrounded, we had no choice."
"That sounds like an excuse to me. Regardless, you did what you had to do, and while I do not appreciate being abandoned, I understand."
"I am 100% certain if it had been Emerald in your stead, you would have left her behind too. I know I would have." Trivia's scroll said, earning a growl from the red-eyed girl.
"Why you-"
"Ah, don't. We need her around if we want to execute our plan. After all, Polendina is still out there with my powers."
"My powers, you mean," Trivia said, making Cinder turn her head. She wasn't even scared of the look she was giving her. "We had a deal, Cinder. The Relic of Knowledge for the Powers of the Winter Maiden. If you dare break that agreement, well… I might just go to Salem and tell her the truth."
"What… kind of deal do the two of you have?"
"One that doesn't concern you." the Fall Maiden replied, glaring at her friend. "Now, do you have anything of importance to share with me? I don't have time for a happy family reunion."
"There is something I'd like to tell you, actually. There's-" She bit her lip the second a Seer Grimm appeared around the corner. It slowed to a stop beside them, glowing a vibrant red.
"Emerald, I need you to assist Mercury with something. It is a matter that cannot wait." Salem said, causing the woman to gulp.
"Y-yes ma'am. I'll go right away," she said, swiftly leaving. Cinder rolled her eyes, crossing her arms.
"Seems like you've broken her down nicely, Your Grace."
"I have, she's a great listener, much better than other people. I'm going to be busy for the next few minutes, do not do anything foolish, understood?" the dark queen said, earning a nod from Cinder, who bowed her head.
"Of course, I am nothing without you."
Trivia watched the Seer for a moment, following the route it took with her eyes. Once it was fully gone, Cinder rose to her feet, turning around. She flexed her clawed fingers as she glared into her eyes. "The next time you make a mockery of me in front of someone else, I will end you."
"You can try." she mouthed, giving the woman a wink. She merely growled, brushing past her, the clack of her heels echoing throughout the corridor. Trivia started walking after her, briefly glancing over her shoulder. She narrowed her eyes, having caught the glint of a sword nearby. She shook her head, striding forward. "Must be my eyes playing tricks on me."
Their watcher smirked as they watched her go, hand resting on the hilt of her sword.
xxx
"Oscar, do not panic. We're going to be okay,"
The boy's eyes slowly opened, a groan of pain escaping his lips. He looked down, seeing his own feet dangling above the ground.
"Huh? What?" he mumbled, looking around. All around him, he could see dark red fleshy walls, oozing with darkened blood. The outer edges of the room were deep bone white, with spikes coming down. He slowly moved his head, spotting the edge of a doorway, gasping when he saw Salem standing by it.
"My long-lost Ozma, found at last," she said, toying with a ball of smoke.
Oscar noticed it taking the shape of four figures, little girls from what he could see. She crushed them with her hand, the smoke dissipating through her fingers. He started struggling, trying to break free, only to look behind him, seeing he was still in the jaws of the beast that had attacked him.
"So small, this new host of yours. It's a wonder my Hound didn't break you. It's been how many years since we last saw each other like this? Face to Face?" she asked, standing before him, a frown on her face. "And you've got nothing to say?"
Oscar looked away for a moment, closing his eyes in thought before looking up at her. "I'm sorry our reunion isn't living up to your expectations."
She grabbed a hold of his face, squeezing him tightly, nails digging into his flesh. His eyes widened in surprise as he looked at her, seeing how far she had stretched just to grab him. She looked into his eyes, smirking. "You can pretend, boy, but you're not fully him. Not yet at least."
The woman drank in the fearful look on his face for a moment, smiling inwardly. "Well, perhaps you and I can have a better working relationship. Oscar, was it?"
He gasped as she let go of him, allowing him to breathe. She folded her hands before herself, twirling her thumbs as she walked around the beast. "The Beacon Relic. My forces have been unable to locate it beneath the School. If I know my Ozma, he's used some means of deception to hide its location differently than the others."
She gave the Hound a pat on the shoulder, slowly moving her hand, tracing Oscar's jaw with her finger. She forced him to look at her, giving him a soft smile. "I need to know where it is."
"I… That's not something I know about."
Salem stopped walking, frowning as she nodded. "Right, of course. He would keep that one guarded as long as possible."
The boy swallowed the lump in his throat, watching her movements carefully. She stopped at the other end of the room, unlacing her folded hands. "How about something easier, then? The Password for the Lamp."
He kept his stare firm, looking directly into her eyes. "The Lamp is all out of questions."
It was silent for a moment, so quiet that you could hear a pin drop. Without hesitation, Salem formed an orb of dark magic in her hand, blasting him square in the chest. Oscar let out an ear-piercing scream, the rainbow waves of magic sent shockwaves of pain all throughout his system. After a few more seconds she cut the attack off, the remnants of her power fading, crackling across his body. Oscar continued flailing for a few seconds, eyes widened, tears streaking down his cheeks.
Salem approached him, making him cower back. She merely smiled, brushing away his tears with her thumb. "The lies come out of you so easily. Like-minded souls indeed."
She clasped her hands together, moving toward the door. "One of you is going to tell me what you know. I don't much care if it is you or Ozma. Either way, I'll finally have the Relic."
"I'm not telling you shit." Oscar spat, causing her to look over her shoulder, earning a smirk from the woman.
"Oh, I know."
The door opened, the floor shaking for a moment as a familiar man stepped into the room. Oscar's eyes widened in surprise. "Hazel?"
He raised his hands up in defense. "Wait-wait!"
He struck Oscar so hard he flew out of the Hound's maw, slamming into the back wall. Before he could get up, the man grabbed him by his shirt, punching him across the face. "That was for Haven Academy."
Dropping the boy, he pulled his leg back, kicking him across the room with all of his strength. He howled in pain, clutching his chest tightly. "Everything that follows will be for my sister."
The boy clenched his eyes tightly shut, the final image in his mind being the serene smile on Salem's pale white face.
Location: Tundra, 3 km from Mantle
"Aura Level: 39%"
Yang sighed, watching each of their auras continuing to fall. Just within the three seconds, she had looked at her scroll, they had gone down by a lot. She and Ren were in the red, while Jaune was still in the yellow. Alto's was fighting between yellow and red, settling on either color for a few seconds in between. She pocketed the device, glancing at the others.
"We need to get out of the cold before it drops our aura completely. How much farther to the outpost?" she asked, glancing at Ren. He looked away, an angry expression on his face. "Hey, Ren, how much–"
"I don't know."
The blonde shared a look with Jaune and Alto, worried looks flitting between them. "I thought you said you saw it when you were up in the air."
"I did but that's before I had to cut myself loose to help the three of you," he replied. Yang cringed a bit as a cold breeze hit her in the face. She grabbed a hold of her hair, holding it in place for a moment.
"I'm… sorry," Alto said, ears folding back.
"You don't have to apologize, Alto. It was out our hands," the blonde brawler replied, glancing back at the brooding Ren. "You've mentioned this a few times now, something you gotta say?"
He clicked his tongue, picking up his pace. "Not really, I wouldn't want to waste any more time."
He continued stomping in the snow, brushing past all of them. Jaune stopped pushing the bike forward, concern written on his face. Alto let out a shiver, rubbing her arms, wondering why she hadn't trusted her gut and had worn a jacket. Yang clenched her fist, glaring daggers at the green-clad man.
"Hey, what is your deal?" she asked, cutting him off. He looked at her, pink eyes filled with anger.
"Don't worry about it."
"Well, I'm sorry things aren't going smoothly enough for you."
"Guys, come on, stop it." Jaune said, holding his hand out.
"Jaune's right, this isn't the time to argue, there are Grimm all over the place. Our negativity will bring them closer," Alto added, only to be ignored.
"They're not going smoothly at all!" Ren barked, glaring at the woman.
"I hate to break it to you, but that's part of being a Huntsman."
"Are you kidding?!" he shouted, disbelief written on his face. "We don't know the first thing about being Huntsmen! We clearly weren't ready!"
"Guys, stop it."
"Were we not ready when we saved Haven? When we fought Adam Taurus? We got the Lamp to Atlas!" Yang shouted back, her eyes flashing red.
"Ren, Yang, cut it out, please." Alto pleaded, once again being ignored.
"And then we lost it. After that, when we had to make real decisions, we got every single one of them wrong!"
"I'm not going to pretend like we did everything perfectly. I'll own up to my mistakes, I said no more lies and half-truths and we lied to Ironwood. We took a risk telling Robyn about Amity. If we had done nothing, things would be even worse than they are now!"
"How could they possibly be any worse, Yang?" the black-haired man snapped. "We are stuck out here while Salem has the Lamp and Oscar! We've got no plan and no army!"
Alto stood next to Jaune, clasping her hands tightly as she looked between them, a look of anguish on her face. Her ears were folded down, hair blowing in all directions. Jaune's face was firm, eyes narrowed as he listened to the two continue arguing.
"We've got the Maiden!" Yang retorted, only for Ren to laugh, brushing past her.
"Yes! And by keeping her from opening the Vault for Ironwood, we're just trapping the whole city for Salem!" he said, lowering his arms. He glared up at the woman, looking her dead in the eye. "People are going to die because of us! People are already dying because of us!"
"So what? We should just give Ironwood what he wants? Abandon Mantle? Abandon Remnant? You think Atlas is still gonna float to safety now that she's here?"
"I DON'T KNOW!" he shouted, his voice echoing out in the wind. "What I do know is that these aren't the kinds of decisions we should be making. Because we have no idea what we are doing!"
"Okay, both of you, cut it out," Jaune said, standing between them. Ren ignored him, stalking up to Yang, who kept her fists balled tightly.
"I'm just saying what nobody else wants to say. We're way over our heads. Ruby is barely more than a kid! I'm just an orphan from the middle of nowhere, Levi has a hidden bloodlust towards Cinder-"
"Ren, I-"
"You cheated your way into Beacon, and because of Alto's love for Oscar, she didn't do anything to protect him!" He said, turning to face the pair. "Let's not forget how rashly you acted back at Haven! Oh, why don't we bring up the fact that Alto is following in Pyrrha's footsteps, and look where that got her!"
Yang stared, open-mouthed in shock. Jaune's face froze for a moment, looking away from his friend. Alto clasped her hands over her mouth, her shoulders shaking as her eyes brimmed with tears. She started crying, muffling her sobs with her hand. Ren looked around for a moment, regret flashing over his face.
"You don't think we should be Huntsmen? Fine. But I'm getting out of the cold," the knight said, pushing the bike forward, pausing for a moment. "If you ever say something like that about Pyrrha again, I'll knock your teeth out."
With that, he pushed onward, staring at the horizon. Yang wrapped her arms around Alto, who sobbed into the crook of her shoulder. She urged her along, glaring at Ren. "Seriously, is your goal just to push everyone away?"
He clenched his fists tightly, sighing as he began walking.
Location: Atlas Academy
Stella held back the urge to yawn. She hadn't looked away from the screen in several hours. The compound was still under its Level 5 threat. No one had been able to find Sonata, it was as if she disappeared into thin air. Watching the vein on Ironwood's forehead throb whenever he got a report was entertaining. Her neon blue nails happily clicked away, her tongue swirling around the base of the lollipop she was eating.
"You still haven't located her?" Ironwood snapped, glaring at the two men that had walked into the lab. "How hard could it be to find one woman?"
"Admittedly, very hard, sir. She's a lot more limber than we imagined. The few run-ins we've had with her, she completely dominated us. We weren't aware she had mastered three different martial arts. She took down Johnson by choking him out with her crotch."
"I wish that had been me."
Ironwood glared at the cadet, who straightened up. "Sorry sir, I didn't mean that."
"I… whatever, I forgive your insolence this once, just get back out there and search for her," he said, earning salutes from the men.
"Sir."
As the pair left, another soldier walked in, a small smile on his face. "Sir, we have received scattered reports regarding Penny Polendina. It seems she was spotted on the outskirts of Atlas, flying toward Amity Colosseum."
"I see… so Watts was right, she is heading toward the Colosseum. That means they must have everything they need to launch it. Stella, how is that bug coming along?"
"I'm still analyzing Arthur's code. I've removed everything malicious from it… well, all the extra malicious stuff. Seems like he put three extra lines in here. After she opened the vault, she was to self-terminate." she said, sticking her Lolli back in her mouth. "Seems to me like he was going to fuck us in the ass."
"As expected of a man like Watts, thankfully, I have you here."
"Yeah, whatever. Just as long as I get to leave after I'm done here. Ah, before I forget, you'll need to bring Watts back. I need to know how this thing works so we can bring Penny back here without issues. I'll be monitoring what he does so he doesn't sneak anything in, but I'll have to present him an untampered version of the bug for him to edit. I'll take the new code and copy it onto the one I'm working on." she said.
"Understood. Soldier, bring Arthur Watts back here immediately."
"Yes sir," he said, saluting the man, pausing for a moment. "Sir, not to change the subject, but my balls hurt so bad for some reason."
Stella almost choked on her candy, yanking it from her mouth. She spat on the ground, glaring at the man. "What the fuck is wrong with you, man?"
"That's what I'd like to know, I saw Johnson being choked by Miss Piccolo and couldn't stop imagining myself being in his position. I needed some private time but I think I injured myself," he said, crossing his legs. "It hurts a lot."
"Get the hell out of my sight." the General snapped, causing the cadet to run away. He pinched his eyes tightly. "I know we were in need of new recruits, but we need to start screening the new applicants."
"I'll say." the silver-haired woman mumbled, glancing back at the panel. "I have to ask, why not assist Dr. Polendina and Penny launch Amity? Perhaps they'll assist you out of the kindness of their hearts."
"No, I cannot continue taking risks. I am done listening to people who try to talk me out of my decisions. We need to focus on what's important. Whether they launch Amity or not, it doesn't matter anymore. It is too late to get help. That Whale started moving, it's inching closer to Atlas, we cannot wait any longer." The man said, turning to Stella. "How much longer before the bug is ready?"
"It'll be a few more minutes, I just need Watts in here to finish a few extra lines. I've also made it intractable so when it is loaded into Amity Colosseum, Dr. Polendina won't detect it. It has Watt's signature, but I changed it to my own so it isn't spotted." she said, rubbing her arm. "I just hope I don't get karmic punishment for doing all of this."
"The only punishment you'll face is the destruction of your home, should you do anything other than what I've asked. The moment Penny is implanted with that bug, you'll be free to go. You'll have to leave behind all of your equipment, of course. We can't have you reversing what you'll install."
"Sure, just as long as I get Sylvie back. She was the first gadget I built and my personal weapon. I can easily replace everything else." the silver-eyed woman said, earning a nod from the General. "Then alright, I'll keep working for you. As if I had any choice."
"I promised you'd go free once Penny is under our control. You can trust me."
"Right, trust."
She returned to what she was doing, not wanting to face the man anymore. He turned away, having received a message. Her eye drifted toward the surveillance feed she had been watching. She spotted Sonata in one of the feeds, focusing on it for a moment. She saw her stepping into one of the hangars, darting toward one of the lockers, diving inside it. She smirked, swiping one of the monitors.
She opened the directive, searching for the ID's of all active Special Operatives. Finding Sonata's scroll information, she tapped it, copying her information, sending it to her scroll. She swiped the screen away, just as Ironwood turned back to her.
"I'll be right back, seems like Watts is being a bit troublesome. I'll bring him back here myself. Don't do anything stupid, there are men posted outside." he said, leaving the room. Stella rolled her eyes.
"Whatever you say, sir." she thought to herself. Once she was sure she was by herself, she opened her scroll, sending Sonata a message. "Stay where you are and don't move a muscle. If you want to get out of Atlas Academy, you'll need my help."
An ellipsis appeared on the screen, followed by her reply. "And why would you bother helping me? You saw how I acted the last time we met."
"You only acted that way because you know what Ironwood is doing is wrong. If you want to meet with your friend again, then you'll have to trust me. Believe me, trust is something that is hard to get. Stay where you are, and I promise, you won't die."
"Fine. I'm choosing to trust you, don't fuck me over, because if you do, you'll wish you never met me."
"I don't feel threatened by you, Squirt. By the way, nice job choking Johnson out with your puss. One guy saw it and jerked to that image so hard he hurt his balls." Stella typed, sending the message. She got a Vomit emoji in return, the conversation ending shortly after. She couldn't help but grin. "Ah, it's the little things that make situations like these more enjoyable."
xxx
Salem frowned as she walked through the empty corridor. Her loyal Hound was following after her, sniffing the ground with every step it took. She had been thinking back about Oscar, wondering just how much Hazel would beat him to a bloodied pulp before he talked. She didn't care much for Ozma, but a part of her did feel bad for the boy. No one should be put through that fate. What Ozma was doing to him was cruel, forcefully merging his soul to the soul of another, just so he'd have a shot at defeating her.
He was just putting another poor soul on the line to die. After so many run-ins with him, she had started to feel bad for his vessels. Of course, the moment that they did fully merged, she couldn't be bothered to care. At the end of the day, Ozma was and always would be in her way. If she let those intrusive thoughts run their course, she wouldn't be able to focus. She wanted to see him suffer for everything he had done to her, after all.
All thoughts left her mind the moment she spotted Cinder and her asset. The woman rapidly knelt down before her, bowing her head. Salem held the urge to roll her eyes.
"Your Grace, I-" her voice caught in her throat, a look of intrigue and fear flashing on her face. The Hound growled a bit as it sniffed her face. "What… is that?"
The woman smiled, a look of pride on her face as she rubbed the beast's chin, making it groan happily. "This is… An experiment. So far, I am pleased with the results. Did you need something, Cinder?"
"Yes I-" she paused for a moment, shaking the nervousness from herself. "I want to search for the Winter Maiden, I think-"
"Do you hear that, my pet?" the dark queen interjected, glancing at the Hound. "She thinks, she wants."
The woman turned back to the Fall Maiden, glaring at her. "As if she's done something that warrants me caring about either of those things."
Cinder let out a frustrated growl, rising to her feet. "We're just sitting and waiting! Without the Maiden power, the vault means nothing! Let me claim it for you."
"I will tell you when you are needed," she hissed, eyes narrowed as she held back her anger toward Cinder.
"But Your Grace-"
The Hound let out a roar, causing Cinder to scream in fear, making her back away. It let out a growl, back bubbling a bit as it flexed its hind legs, preparing to pounce, only for Salem to hold her hand out. "I would like to think I have shown a great deal of patience over my many, many years walking Remnant. But I do hate to repeat myself."
The Fall Maiden read the writing on the wall, sighing as she knelt down before her queen. "Of course. Without you, I am nothing."
The woman held her nose up high, slowly walking away. Cinder watched her go for a moment, holding back the urge to scream. She rose to her feet, glaring at Trivia. She grabbed her wrist, pulling her in the other direction. The mute woman flashed her a look that said "Seriously" as she was forced to walk behind her.
"Look, I know what she said, I just wanna check on something. We'll be back before anyone realizes!" she said, letting go of her hand. It wasn't long before they made it to the edge of Monstra, where their Manta had been parked.
Trivia didn't look convinced, leaping into the air, using her parasol to float down to the Manta. She sat down on the wing, crossing her legs. Cinder looked at her, crossing her arms in annoyance. "I wanna see if anything is still going on at Amity Colosseum."
She quirked a brow. Cinder looked out to the distance, her eyes falling on the very distant Colosseum, which was floating just past Atlas. "Salem doesn't know those kids like I do. They wouldn't just abandon their misguided attempt to save the world. You know that better than any of us."
The mute woman looked away, feigning a look of disinterest, but in her mind, her thoughts were racing. "Shit, fuck, shit. We can't go to Amity, if we do, and the others are there, she'll attack. She could get at Penny. What the fuck do I do? Shit!"
"If she doesn't wanna go, I'll come."
Trivia jolted a bit, her eyes falling on Emerald. The Green haired woman walked down the dock, standing in front of Cinder. "Clearly, she seems disinterested, maybe she's scared of running into her friends there."
Cinder glared at Trivia, who merely flipped Emerald the bird. She was ignored, her gaze still on the Fall Maiden. "I've been working on my Semblance, and I won't tell anybody."
The woman narrowed her eyes, sighing in frustration. "How much did you hear?"
"Enough."
"Fine. You might actually be useful to me. Let's hurry it up, we don't have much time before someone notices the three of us are gone."
Trivia rolled her eyes, nodding. She pulled her scroll out, typing out a message. "I'll check things over, we should have enough combustion dust to make it there and back. But I need to make sure."
"Whatever," Cinder said, hopping into the cockpit. Emerald gave Trivia a look, the woman merely winking at her. She shook her head, jumping into the back seat. The ice cream-themed woman walked around the other side of the Manta, activating the service panel, the holoscreen coming to life.
As she ran the diagnostics, she whipped out her scroll, putting her speed texting skills to the test. She sent several lengthy messages to Levi, hoping he would get them. She didn't know what he was currently doing but she was hoping and praying he and the others weren't doing anything foolish. Hundreds of emotions ran over her face, fear, worry, anger, disappointment, hopelessness. There were so many things that could go wrong, and on top of that, Oscar was being tortured and the Lamp was still unreachable for her. She was about to explode, so many things converging in one point, she was close to-
"Hey, are you done?" Cinder asked, causing Trivia to look at her, an expression on her face that oozed sarcasm. The diagnostics beeped loudly, causing her to look at the panel, swiping it closed. "Well?"
She swiped her scroll with her thumb behind her back, quickly typing out a message. "We have enough to go to Amity and back, but we'd be flying on fumes in an emergency."
"Works for me. Now get in."
She blinked repeatedly for a moment, pocketing her scroll before jumping into the pilot's seat. She typed in the security code, lifting off the landing pad, slowly zooming away from Monstra. Her throat went dry as she started flying forward, her body filled with worry.
"I'm so sorry everyone. I'm gonna have to do some awful things, won't I?" she asked herself. She relaxed her face, not wanting to give the others the wrong idea. She just hoped Levi got her messages, so they could do something about it.
Location: Abandoned Outpost, 2 km from Mantle
By the grace of the Brother Gods, the four huntsmen managed to reach the Abandoned outpost. It was nothing more than a study shack, but it kept them out of the elements. The heating unit was old but serviceable, and some crates of SDC Fire Dust crystals had been left behind. Jaune had checked it over and had gotten it working, the heat quickly filling the room. The Sun had dipped beneath the horizon, throwing them into the darkness, the only source of light coming from the light post outside. The weather had worsened, snow falling hard over them.
Ren stood by the window, arms crossed as he stared at the falling snow. Jaune had been quiet and Yang had been searching around for spare parts. Alto was sitting on the desk next to the heater, hands clasped together. She was kicking her feet slowly, staring at her armor. The light of the fire made it gleam brightly. She looked up at the other window, seeing her reflection in the glass, realizing just how much she had based her armor on Pyrrha's. Ren's words kept swirling in her mind. She stared at her weapons beside her, looking Milo and Akuo over, her frown growing deeper. Her ear perked up, having heard Jaune sigh.
"You're right Ren. I… did cheat my way into Beacon." the knight said, breaking the silence that hung over them the last few hours. He forced himself to stand up, moving next to his friend. "And I'm glad that I had people around me to help me see that I was bigger than that mistake. I shouldn't have asked my sister-in-law to fake those transcripts for me. It was dumb and I could have gotten hurt, but I didn't. I had good people around me. You've got people around you too. You don't have to force yourself to be strong."
Ren looked away from him, focusing on the snowflakes. "The more you hide from what you are feeling, the more alone you're going to feel. Trust me. I'm… sorry about threatening you, okay? It wasn't the right thing to say at that moment. Pyrrha wouldn't want us to fight with each other like that."
He didn't say anything. He merely uncrossed their arms, heading out of the outpost, almost bumping into Yang on the way out. She watched him go for a moment, frowning as she held a brand new part in her hand. "I found a replacement part to fix the bike if anyone cares."
She stepped into the room, heading toward the back. "Yay… good news."
The blond knight remained silent as he stared out the window, watching Ren sit down at the base of the light post. Yang sat down at the workbench, grabbing one of the wrenches hanging from the hook. "For whatever it's worth, I'm sorry he said that to you two."
"We're all under a lot of stress right now. I used to push people away too." the man replied, resting his forehead against the glass.
"He was right."
The pair looked at Alto, whose ears were folded down, her hair covering her face. "I let my emotions for Oscar get in the way of what was important. I knew that thing was following us, but I didn't say anything, and when it finally showed up, and was throwing him like a ragdoll, I overreacted. My love blinded me, and I got myself flung back. I drove after him without even thinking and I…"
Her breath caught in her throat, biting back a sob. "I am Pyrrha's replacement."
"What? Of course, you aren't."
"YES I AM!" she shouted, making Jaune back away. "Look at me, my armor looks just like hers, my style is based on hers, and I am using her weapons. I wanted to become a huntress for no reason other than to study cooking on the side. I wanted to help support my family, but I just threw myself into danger, just like Pyrrha, just like Aria. I could have died when I fought against Adam, I could have gotten hurt when me and Trivia went after those goons, and even now, flying off the rails, going after that beast that took Ozzy."
She looked at her shaky hand, closing her fingers. "I was so close… I was so close to swinging at that thing, but when it used Ozzy as a shield, I just froze and I fucking hesitated! I'm too weak to be a huntress, I let my emotions get the better of me, and now Oscar is being tortured by Salem, and Cinder took the Lamp… it's my fault, it's all my fault."
"No, it's not!"
Jaune grabbed a hold of her face, forcing her to look at him. He had a heartwarming smile on his face as he brushed away her tears. "It isn't your fault that Oscar was taken, none of us were expecting that thing. You did the sensible thing back at the Academy, you couldn't fight against Cinder. Your love for Oscar made you realize what the most important thing is to you, and how you have to fight to protect it. But most of all, you are not Pyrrha's replacement."
He pulled her into a hug, the girl sobbing into his shoulder. "You are so much more than that. Pyrrha was your hero, just like she was mine. She would be so happy and proud knowing she inspired someone like you to take the mantle of a protector. That's what she wanted to be, a protector, someone who fought to save those that couldn't save themselves. Don't let anyone say otherwise, because you aren't her replacement. You are Alto-Marie Blaze, our friend, and teammate, and you mean the world to all of us."
"Jaune's right, you'll never replace someone like Pyrrha. We love you just the way you are, you are a part of us now. Come hell or high water, you can't get rid of us even if you wanted to." Yang said, hugging her as well. Alto let out a laugh, sniffling.
"Thanks, you guys. I know Ren didn't mean what he said, but those words bug me. My father always taunted Aria, and said a lot of nasty things to me too. I was just… unsure of what I would become. He always did hold me being the daughter of a prostitute over my head." she said, brushing her tears away. "But no more, enough of my self-pity party. We need to focus on what matters, how to save Atlas, how to get Ozzy back, how to get the Lamp back, and how to kick Cinder in the balls."
"We gotta get that bike fixed then," Yang said, returning to what she was doing. She pulled out the damaged thruster cell, replacing it with the one she found. She glanced over her shoulder at her friends, a frown on her face. "Do you think she thinks less of me for not helping with Amity?"
"I'm sure Ruby will understand. She's your sister, she'll always love you even if you don't agree with each other." Jaune said, earning a sigh from the blonde.
"Yeah… I know. It's just, that's the first time we've fought like that, you know? I've been so worried about her upbringing. My dad was always out, and with Summer Rose being gone, and my mother… Being not a mother, I had to raise my sister. In some ways, I am like a mother to her, so it's natural for me to worry but…"
She sighed, setting her wrench down. "I agreed to follow her lead, I put myself into a corner and ended up causing distrust with the General. I did agree with not telling him until we could trust him but… I feel like everything that's going on is my fault."
"Okay, let me play devil's advocate for a second. If we had told Ironwood about what Jinn said, what do you think would have happened? I'm certain what is happening now would have happened earlier. We likely wouldn't have gotten our licenses or the degree of trust he gave us. He would have choked Mantle even more and we would be in a worse situation."
"You do bring up a good point. General Ironwood wasn't the most stable person I ever met. Even meeting him for the first time, I could tell something was off. It's like he's fighting against himself." Alto said, frowning.
"That's what I thought, myself as if he's having an internal struggle. His humanity is being erased, and all that's left is a cold-hearted machine. Won't be long until all that's left is a heartless monster willing to do whatever it takes to get what he wants." the blonde brawler said, returning to her work. "I don't want to be anywhere near here when that happens, but we don't have a choice. We need to save the Kingdom… by any means necessary,"
"Now we're starting to sound like him," Jaune said, pinching his eyes. "I'm gonna get some rest, I can't stop thinking about Oscar. We need to figure out what to do."
Alto looked away, not wanting to think about whatever the young boy could be experiencing. Yang set her wrench down, wiping the sweat off of her forehead, glancing out the window. "You two go ahead and rest, I'll make sure Ren doesn't brood himself to death out in the cold."
"Thanks, I just have a bad feeling. Things always seem to get worse before they get better," he replied, laying down on the bed. Alto remained silent as she climbed onto the top bunk, shivering a bit at the cold sheets.
A fair distance away from them, a deep rumble erupted from the ground. The ice began to crack, slowly spreading across the tundra. They continued expanding, a thick dark mist erupting from within, intermingling with the falling snow.
A/N: The part where Ren brings up how Jaune acted in Haven was actually something he was meant to say in canon. However, they cut that part out of the episode because they thought Ren was "Going too far". Not far enough in my opinion. Ren is experiencing a lot of things, his outbursts are justified, but of course, he's just confused because of everything going on. I actually like a lot of his growth in Volumes 7 and 8. He's been bottling everything up and it finally explodes, and it pits him against his close friends. I don't blame him, really. With so much hopeless shit going on, it's hard to stay optimistic.
The extended jail scene was one that I enjoyed writing. Exploring Jacques's character has been interesting, seeing as after he was arrested, they did nothing with him, it was perfect for him to bounce off against Robyn and Qrow, and of course, Ivy, who did a lot of messed up shit in Mantle as well. Honestly, the only one who's innocent among them is Qrow, yet he blames himself for Clover's death even though it was out of his hands. It's kind of neat seeing that dynamic. We also get a bit of information on the SDC's Vacuo operations, or lack there of. Vacuo is a place that is gonna be fun to work with, once we get there. It's the Wild West, so there's a lot of potential there. I look forward to working on it when I get there.
Well, this is probably gonna be the last update of this month, as I am gonna be editing and adjusting a few things here and there. The next chapter is a filler one, but a much-needed one, so look forward to it. That'll do for now, see ya.
