Chapter Twenty Seven: Home Front
A running faucet tinges its waters red. Carmine washes the dried blood from his hand. Grimacing, he dries off and leaves the restrooms of the store. Blair is busy speaking with one of the employees of the store, surrounded by furniture and bed wares. He glances about. A fair selection of clothing stores in the same plaza. Even better, a dust shop in the town as well.
These passive good luck findings did little more than distract his mind. Cold, numb, and unfeeling were the only sensations he felt. After all, there's only so long one's heart can hammer against your chest before your body gives out and caves. The boy's emotions dulled to an absolute mute nature.
As he pondered this, he briefly figured he could make a pun about Neo out of his feelings.
Nah, that wouldn't track well.
"Carmine." Blair's hand gently lands on his shoulder. The boy jolts as if shocked, turning wide, bloodshot eyes on her and blinking. Blair herself blinks at him, but pushes on. "You're covering the furnishings, correct?"
Seconds tick by before he processes her words and nods.
She pats his shoulder. "Four queen sized mattresses along with a deconstructed couch." She points to the front cashiers. "The order is under Goodwitch, but you can pay it. I'm going to the appliances for the washer dryer."
The boy focuses in on the conversation after a mute second. "Queen sized?"
"We absolutely will not get it all on the van if we go any size larger." She then stiffly pats his shoulder again, awkwardly, before walking off.
Carmine purses his lips wide eyed. The contact was strange. Blair being physically touching for comfort wasn't something that worked as he thought about it. Yet, the contact was still appreciated. However, that only settled an uncomfortable dread in his gut.
He shakes it off, going through with the purchase and getting employee loaders to place everything into the back of the van. Despite the van's back seats being folded down, the stacking of furniture doesn't reach the seats.
Doing some quick math, he figures how much Lien he still has. The last Grimm extermination on the road counted, he still has a good thousand Lien to himself. Checking his scroll, a thought occurs... should he?
Yeah... what the hell.
Finding Blair inside, he interrupts her, handing the keys back to her. "They loaded everything up, but I'm gonna go grab something else down the street."
Seeing him more chatty, the blonde nods immediately. "Of course. I'll come join in a few moments."
The boy nods before leaving the store. Moving through the plaza, he searches through the town for a few minutes before finally seeing his goal. A tech store. The boy sighs in relief before moving to enter.
. . .
Roman's sigh sounds as he hauls a wheel barrow to one of the demolished houses. Tipping the container forward and dumping its contents, he leaves the half rusted tool. The man grunts as he enters the barn again. The two story building has a broken down door and an open garage style door. Said garage door popped off its rails at two spots, making it, according a Roman, 'a bitch to open'.
Inside, Neo sits cross legged on the seat of a large tractor. Thankfully, the building was well made, with the ground floor used for storing large tools and the tractor and stairs leading to a top floor loft. Nothing for animals, strangely. All farming tools for the overgrown fields. Perhaps they were all crops grown over.
The loft seemed like a storage area for extra tools, most of which related to crop care and the like, so Roman decides to clear out everything the CRBN members won't need. The man leans on the tractor and pulls out a cigar, lighting it. Wearing only black pants and a white button up with rolled sleeves, he glances at Neo. "I see you got a good find, Tricolor."
Neo smiles brightly, five mismatched necklaces hanging from her neck, along with bracelets on both arms. All old, but finder's keepers. Her white tank top and brown shorts were dirty from helping the man move the dusty materials.
Roman snickers and shakes his head. "Oh brother... Shacking up with a bunch of fools out here." At Neo's narrowed eyes, he scoffs. "Of course that includes you. You're all fools. Granted, you got a leg up for taking whatever you like. I respect that."
Neo bobs her head in doubt, pointing at Roman, then taps her head, ending with a point to herself.
"Correction. I KNOW I'm smarter than you, my good girl." He cockily gloats. She had to give credit, he was interpreting her gestures well. "I mean, we both caused problems for those bastards in AZRL, yet I'm the one who can both live AND tell the tale."
Oh, another mute jab, huh? Alright. She grins and hums a chuckle. Pointing at him, she raises a hand palm down, then lowers it.
"Me? Oh, I was broken out when I was 9. Senior was impressed by little ole me."
The girl now glares back, smile spelling death. Pointing to herself, she then holds up three fingers.
His grin only grew. "Yes, three years? Same here. First got pulled in at the ripe young age of six and a half." The girl actually blanks on her gaze, earning a lax chuckle. "So, same amount of time with the rotten monsters. The more you know."
She rolls her eyes, finally conjuring a sign. 'What? Did a family member sell you off to them, too?'
As if it was possible, Roman barks a quick laugh. "Right! Another thing in common." The girl blinks as the sentence sets in, cocking her head interested. Unfortunately, Roman wags his finger. "Ah, ah, ah. You didn't say the magic word. Now, back to work." He off hand flicks the girl in the forehead.
A gasp and frustrated growl answers as she swipes at him. The man ducks away, holding up three bracelets in his hand. Neo blinks wide eyed, looking at her left hand, finding the wrist absent of said bracelets. He stole her bracelets!
Roman smirks, full of superiority. "Like I said." He tips his hat. "I KNOW I'm smart-"
SHATTER!
As he tips the hat, it shatters to pieces. His eyes widen as his head is left blank to the air.
Neo grins, eyes narrowed, as her hand raises, Roman's hand held out. She flips the hat and plops it onto her own head. The both stole from each other! And Roman had to admit, the hat suited her.
But, fight all the battles. Roman scowls and offers the bracelets back as he reaches for the hat. "Touche." The two swap items as Neo smugly grins at the man. The moment is interrupted by the rumble of the CRBN van roving back towards the main manor.
Roman and Neo march out of the barn, spotting Blair and Carmine exiting the vehicle. Roman immediately smirks. "Bout time. Was starting to think we would be going to sleep before seeing you two again."
"You're goading an awful lot to the people that brought food." Blair glares as she reveals a single pizza box. The blonde hands it to Neo. "Here. Carmine already stuffed himself on the way back, so take your fill."
The girl takes it excitedly as Roman scoffs. "So, not for me, then?"
The blonde glowers at the man. "Be a man and help unload first." The two turn to spot Carmine already unloading a wrapped mattress out from the van. Roman grunts before moving to assist the two.
. . .
Blair sits at the dining table, the room looking much more homely and clean than ever. Finding Neo at the table munching on the pizza, the girl having a mildly pleased look. Joining, Blair swipes a slice. Both hear various curses and obscenities called from rooms away in the utility room. "So, how's the barn looking?"
Neo swallows a mouth full. She then holds her hand up, palm down, and teeters it in a 'so-so' gesture. A shatter message appears on the pizza box. 'Nothing useful to us. Good storage.'
"So basically just a garage for the van then." The blonde summarizes. Taking a bite and swallowing, she sighs. "I'll take a look once you and Roman leave for your haul."
A loud thud rumbles the table before the two boys walk in. Joining on the table, Roman immediately takes to the food, although with a grimace. "Let me guess. Silver Streak chose pizza." The jab didn't earn a response from Carmine, the boy staring blank for a moment before blinking.
"Hold on. I'll be back." He states as he leaves.
Roman raises a brow, Neo following the boy with her gaze. The conman sends a look Blair's way. "What's got him in the well?"
Blair takes another bite, simply shaking her head. Swallowing, she sighs. "I helped him figure something with his semblance, but... I do not believe he got an answer he likes. It's a lot more than that, but that's for him to speak to us about. Don't bother him."
"Hmm. What are you? His third mom?"
Neo chokes on her next bite as Blair"s stormy gaze finds him. "ROMAN!"
Roman huffs. "What?" His eyes catch movement, spotting Neo holding up three fingers with a cocked look. "Well, duh, Tricolor. His great All Knowing back in Vale had to have him with someone. I kidnapped him from his adopted parents." He then smirks and points at the livid blonde. "Now, you can feel free to babysit as the new mama bird, but I'm not taking any papa role."
His amused smirk is met by the woman's scowl. "I have no idea why he defends you."
"Me neither." Roman smirks as he stands from the table. He swipes another slice of food. "I'm off to change. Be ready in five minutes, Tricolor, or I'm leaving without you." He saunters off as Blair maintains her scowl.
The blonde huffs, sharing a glance with Neo. "How do you tolerate him?"
Neo blinks and chews another bite. Another shatter message appears. 'He likes people that challenge him. He's not so bad himself.' She smirks as the message changes. 'You're on his good side by that logic.'
Blair's glare twitches. "And that just might be the most disgusting thing I've heard today." She groans before reaching down by the table into a bag. "Moving on... here." She slaps a book onto the table beside Neo.
The wide eyed girl blinks at the text cover... A rocker and a hippie holding up their hands in symbols. 'The unspoken language' was the title. Neo blinks again.
"That is the only book on sign language I managed to find." Blair states. "I know some sign language myself. Huntsmen and huntresses learn basics for nonverbal communication, but nothing intricate. I'll help teach you, as well as get the other two to learn to understand it."
Neo raises a brow, eyeing it skeptically. Smirking, she raises a hand, thumb holding her middle and ring fingers down. She extends her index and pinkie fingers into a rocker sign, waving the hand.
Blair's stoic glare cracks, a small ghost of a smirk forming. "Amusing." The smirk falls as Neo actually hugs the book on. The little girl actually smiles, slightly shy, before nodding. Blair's blank look morphs into an honest smile. "You're welcome."
The door opens, Carmine returning to the table. In his hand is a box, the boy scratching his head. "It was stuck between the seats, sorry." He glances at the two, spotting the book. "Oh, cool. You gave it to her."
Neo flashes the book with a smirk, her off hand flipping him off.
Carmine narrows his gaze. "Well, that's rude..." He holds up the small box in his hand. "Here." He tosses it over the table. Neo flinches, dropping the book onto the table and catching the box. "Now, you can stop stealing mine."
Neo blinks once... twice... then glances at the box in her hands. It was a scroll... a scroll? Her own scroll?!
The girl beams a smile, Blair raising a brow as she seems to have frozen. "Neo? Are you-"
SHATTER!
Neo's image falls to pieces as Carmine feels himself be pushed aside. Carmine and Blair share a glance before noticing two more scrolls on the table. Both blink, then check their pockets. Carmine blurts out. "Are those our scrolls?"
Neo nods excited as she's ripping open the box. Excitedly, she removes her brand new pink scroll. She places it right beside Carmine's blue scroll and Blair's white scroll.
Blair huffs as Neo is already booting up her new device. "Please leave our scrolls on the table after you've added our contacts..." Blair eyes Carmine, seeing the boy chuckle at Neo's excitement. The blonde smiles lightly. Seems at least someone can pull the boy back from wherever his head goes.
Roman walks in, putting on a dark jacket with Velvet Valentine in hand. He looks at Neo, raising a brow. "What's this?" Zero hesitation, Neo zips from her new seat, pawing into Roman's pockets as his eyes bulge out. "What- Hey!"
Neo removes the older model gray scroll and places it with the other scrolls, tapping and tapping away. After a few seconds, the girl tosses everyone's scrolls back to them. The girl flashes a grin to Carmine, the boy chuckling.
Then she taps his side twice. Each tap enough to lightly sway him slightly.
Then two taps.
Then two taps. Carmine cocks his head. "What?"
Then two taps. "What?!"
Two more taps. He flails his hands, slapping her hands away. "Stop it!" Glaring at the girl after, he purses his lips. "What is it?"
BEEP!
His scroll rings once. He glances at the device slowly... a new number having sent a text message. It read simply... 'Dumb Dumb'
The boy scowls lightly as Neo leaves the table. Roman rolls his eyes. "Morons." He gives a halfhearted wave. "We'll be back!" The criminal and the girl exit the building as Carmine and Blair are left alone again.
"Well, look at that." Blair taps on the sign language book. "Guess I've been one upped."
Carmine flinches, mouth open. "O-Oh, um. I'm sorry! I didn't mean-"
"Although, you shouldn't buy your way into someone's heart, Carmine. It's awfully shallow." Blair drawls out, raising a brow as Carmine's face flushes as red as his roots.
The boy starts sputtering. "I-I wasn't- No, I- I don't- I-I-I wouldn't-." He violently shakes his head. "S-stop picking on me!"
Blair huffs a laugh of her own as she stands, disposing of the empty pizza box. "Enough. Let's set up the new mattresses and the washer."
. . .
The boy exits the manor, marching away from the village. A brush of air washes over him as he tilts his head up. The air felt nice, actually, being so close to the ocean just a short couple miles off. Looking around, he spots Blair entering the barn, further organizing what space they have. It'll be interesting what she comes up with, actually having places to act on her...sciency... stuff.
All those samples collected from their last few stops. Although, speaking of experiments...
He shakes his head, already feeling his gut sink. Stupid. It changes nothing. It's exactly as he always thought, so why does it change anything? It doesn't change anything!
In a huff, he shakes it off and continues walking through the mountain pass. Exploring the area, the boy walks up and down the slopes. He even starts to blank in his mind as it almost follows a pattern. Up and down, on repeat.
So much into the rhythm, his eyes drift closed, feeling the air. So much so that he barely registers a slip of the foot. Eyes snapping open, he throws his slipping foot down for grounding. Nothing...
He's at the edge of a cliff! "AH!" His voice cracks as he slips and lands on the cliff edge, on his behind. Eyes wide, he reaches back, flatting his back away from the edge. For a moment, he sits still, legs dangling off the edge. Breath under control, he pulls himself back from the edge, standing up and skeptically eyeing the cliff drop.
Turning around, he looks for anything familiar-
His eyes widen spotting a forked tree he recalled seeing... tiny in the distance three upward slopes away! Jeez, how long were his eyes closed?! Ugh! He shakes himself off, wriggling his joints to get the jitters out.
Under control, he begins to take in the cliff side. Glancing over the edge... whoa.
He didn't think the mountains were THAT high up. Granted, they were far, FAR from some of the higher peaks, but the drop must have been what? At least a couple thousand feet! He'd seen the cliff drop near Beacon, the entrance used for the Emerald Forest. The boy struggled to figure if this drop was smaller or larger.
The boy crouches, squinting his eyes to make out any details far off. Then the next gust of wind hits. Stronger, with more open air rather than trees and obstacles breaking the winds. The boy's hair sways back as he adjusts his weight to stand up.
It felt good, the wind.
Relaxing and comforting, even.
It always felt... free.
Funny. Fantasy novels he'd always read would do the stereotypical break down of 'the four element' and whatnot. Earth was always so strong, but so boring, rigid, and stubborn. Sure, he was stubborn, but... he doesn't like earth, okay!
Water was neat, but maybe because the boy despised rain so much, he just couldn't get into it. So many people choose fire. He'd imagine Roman would in a heartbeat. It's awesome, sure, but...
The mobility and openness of air and wind always drew the boy. Maybe it didn't suit him personally, but it was always his favorite to hear about. To be near. To feel. Maybe that's why heights slowly lost their threat to him as he grew. The air brushing against him was calming and exciting all at once.
Much like when she carried him.
His eyes snap open, skin immediately numbed to the sensation. "Damn it." Groaning, he heel turns. "If I see a single rose bush, I'm torching it-"
The rumble of a car engine sounds, wheels rattling the rocky roads. The van? Yeesh, Roman wasn't kidding about shaving off time from the drive! Here's hoping he didn't give Neo a heart attack.
Who was he kidding? Neo would love each and every second. The boy shakes his head, picturing each team members reactions in his imaginary conversation. Imagining full conversations... isn't that just a step before outright talking to yourself?
Oh, he just did that, too... damn it! The boy's odd train of thought and self critique of his psyche continues, all the way back to Haddon.
The first thing he notices is bags... lots and lots of bags. Neo and Roman stand by the open van, doors open and cabin stuffed with bags of food and supplies. The wide eyed boy purses his lips as he steps beside the conman. "You, uh... You find everything we need, or did you just decide to buy the store?"
Roman huffs. "Blame the girl. She went nuts with her cash." The man then leans in. "And a few things aren't paid for..."
Carmine twitches. "Excuse me?"
He jolts as Roman slaps two bags into his hands. Roman rolls his eyes. "Just kitchenware, brat. Calm down." Roman follows Carmine's grumpy gaze, spotting the larger boxes. "That's just a cct receiver. Tricolor got it."
Carmine blinks confused once. Twice. "Okay... aren't those expensive-" His eyes widen, spotting another box. "Wait, is that a TV?"
"43 inches, yes." Roman says. "She couldn't afford the 50 after all the groceries." He grumbles.
"No way." The boy shakes his head, sending a stern glare at the man as he spots Neo exit the vehicle nearby with bags. "I refuse to believe you didn't steal half of this. You'd have, like, no money left at all!"
Neo smirks and nods.
"Exactly, so how did you steal it." She shakes her head no, still smirking. "Bull crap! If you spent yourself broke, how will you buy anything until our next job?" The girl cheekily smiles and holds one bag arm up to point back. He twitches. "My money isn't yours..." He says, exasperated.
This gets an audible huffed laugh out of the girl, like he said the joke of the day. She wipes a tear away, sighing satisfied. She turns and walks away to the manor with her load.
"That-... but-..."
Roman grabs several bags himself, rolling his own eyes. "If you're done misunderstanding how much your money isn't yours for long, would you mind being useful?" The conman does smirk at the boy's frustration. Snickering, he adds. "You'll understand women someday, brat."
"Gag me." Carmine gives as a tired response.
"I don't play that way, kid." Roman walks off, leaving Carmine to cock his head confused.
"Wait, what?.. What?.. WHAT?" He speaks in building confusion.
Half an hour later, all four CRBN members collapse into the living room couch, sighing in unison. Before them sits a new television, sat on the floor across from them. Just a second, the four each tiredly blinks, falling into drained comfort.
Blair huffs. "Now then. What will we have for dinner?"
Carmine"s eyes snap open, side eyeing. "What... do we have?"
Roman snorts. "Better question. Who is cooking?"
Neo perks and thinks a moment. Suddenly, she beams a smile-
"No. not Neo." Three voices answer in unison. "Someone who actually has cooked in their life." Roman flippantly waves his hand in emphasis.
As Neo pouts, she and the adults glance over to Carmine. The boy blinks like a deer in headlights. "I... can make instant ramen."
"Veto." The conman announces before glancing over to Blair. Maintaining a locked stare, Roman raises a hand over Neo's head, closed in a fist. "Rock, Paper, Scissors?"
The blonde narrows her gaze. "You're saying that YOU know how to cook?"
"I've had to live on a budget. Of course, I know how to cook, Barbie." Roman smirks. "Besides, weren't you Huntresses all cozy in Beacon like Silver Streak over there?"
"Basic survival training includes cooking, fool." Blair huffs indignant. "And I would trade days to cook for my old team, for your information." She looks at Carmine and Neo, both smiling expectantly at her. "Grab a coin. That game is unsightly."
"No coin nearby, and my ass is not moving unless I lose." Roman smirks. "Come on Princess Barbie. Simple games can't be that far beneath you."
Blair glares hate in the other three's direction, slowly raising her own closed fist over Neo's head, inches from Roman's. "Fine. Carmine, you sound it off."
"Rock." Carmine sounds out, Roman and Blair each shaking their fist once. "Paper." Twice. "Scissors." Thrice. "Shoot!"
Both fists snap into their position. Blair's hand is flexed in an open palm. Paper. Roman's presents his index and middle fingers. Scissors. Roman wins, added by his smarmy grin. Blair continues to glare before slowly rising from the couch and going to the kitchen.
"Easy." Roman chuckles.
"It was lucky for you, yeah."
"No, I won the moment we played that game." Roman snarks back and rests his hands behind his head. Neo raises a brow, urging the man to explain. "Scientist that doesn't human well. If she's not used to the game, she's more likely to make a uniform action with her fingers, unlike Scissors, which only moves two fingers."
"But... that still leaves it fifty fifty." Carmine skeptically states.
Roman hums a chuckle. "AND she wants me to choke and do one, so she's far too stubborn to cop out and do Rock. Rock is what people do when they barely participate. So, of course she'll choose Paper." He reaches to the coffee table, picking up the television remote. "Thus, I win always."
Carmine purses his lips. "She's going to kill you at some point."
The man smiles proudly. "Ah, but you see, I will outlive this craptastic world. One lie. One deception at a time." He removes a cigar, ready to smoke. "Stick with me, Silver Streak, and I'll learn you something."
The boy snaps a narrow squinted glare at the man. "Oh, no. You do that by a window." Eyes locked on the cigar Roman holds in his mouth.
Green eyes blink back. "You're serious..." Carmine's glare remains as Roman ever slowly removes the cigar from his mouth. "Smoke isn't nearly the worst thing you've experienced, brat. Heck, you might like it." The man smirks, offering the object out.
The boy scoffs. "Right, and a single punch won't kill me, so I guess I'll take one of those every three hours of the day. What was I thinking, not wanting pain from a punch." He sarcastically rants before pointedly glaring at said cigar. "Or cancer. That too."
As Roman prepares a retort, Neo pokes her head in front of the man, conjuring a sign. 'does Aura healing prevent smoking problems?'
The man looks surprised for a second. "Yes, well, it certainly does-"
"Not." Blair cuts in, looking in from the dining area. "It absolutely does not. It repairs active damage from smoke inhalation SOMEWHAT while you consciously use your Aura, but does little to actually remove said product from the lungs. It only slows the inevitable breathing of the poison." She retreats into the kitchen, save for poking her head out just enough for her eyes to glare at Roman. "And stop spreading bad habits!"
As the blonde moves back into the kitchen, the sounds of pans shifting echoes out. Roman huffs as he slaps the television remote into Carmine's hands, getting up to move to a window. The boy smiles. "Well, what happened to Roman always winning?"
Neo silently chuckles, changing the sign. 'Fight all the battles, right?'
"Whatever, Brat. Just turn on something before I kill myself in boredom."
"Whatever, Tw-at!" Carmine says, changing accent on the word to rhyme with Roman's jab.
"And stop pronouncing it like that!" Roman snaps as Carmine turns the bright screen on. Turning the volume and connecting to the setup dish now installed on the corner of the roof, the picture comes in! A movie flashes on the screen as both Carmine and Neo suck in breath at it. Entertainment! Hell yes!
Wait... Criminal drama thriller. Carmine sulks down, eyes lidding as Neo continues watching. He raises the remote. "Crime drama is a little too close." He speaks for Neo's benefit. "What else is on?"
A quick bit of channel surfing brings them through a sci-fi channel (syfy? What kind of logo is that), a history channel (gross), and talk show host (triple gross). However, they last on a broadcast from Vale! A news broadcast, but live from the City of Vale. A dirty blonde haired woman speaks with a back drop behind her. "-despite the steady drops in theft and violent crime, Senior's legal team continues to deny that he held any connection the criminal activities within Vale."
The news drawl immediately sinks Neo's interest as she collapses back, though Carmine raises a brow at the program. Roman glances over from the window, interest peeked as well. "Senior's team has managed to push back the court case yet again, the judge agreeing to set the date in six months as evidence continues to be filed and discovered for the prosecution. When asked if Senior is convicted what his sentencing will be, Judge Rudy declined to answer, but said the consequences would fit the totality of his crimes. Moving to-"
The woman continues off as Carmine squints Roman's way. "Wait, they STILL haven't convicted the guy? Wait." Carmine shakes his head, looking over the couch at Roman. "Isn't he likely to get the death penalty, even? Like, what? What's taking so long?"
Roman snorts. "You know nothing about the legal system, do you? Big cases can wait YEARS before actually going to trial, IF they go to trial." He barks a laugh. "All to draw things out and negotiate a better deal for pleas and the like."
Carmine's face scrunches, annoyed. "Gross. You should be a lawyer, then."
The man huffs a laugh. "Please! I have SOME morals." He flippantly waves his cigar holding hand to emphasize the point.
Neo and Carmine give equally incredulous looks. Neo waves a conjured sign up. 'Bull *#$' The girl even censors with the symbols covering the swear.
Rolling his eyes, Carmine looks back to the news caster and immediately catches sight of a three claw mark and wolf head on the back drop. "-that the store manager discovered three Faunus in his storeroom. The manager reported this to VPD, but they did not arrive in time before the three intruders made off with a full shipment of earth dust. Here, the three are visible on camera fleeing the scene."
A video feed plays of three individuals breaking into the front of a mom & pop dust shop, running by the registers with bags as they do the smash and grab. One was large, burly, with large claws. He was slower. The other two were average sized, one with antlers.
All three wore the same outfits. Black limb sleeves, white tunics, black hoods. All three had a red wolf with three claw scratches as an emblem on their backs. All three wore Grimm masks. The sight brought a furrowed scowl to the boy.
"This incident marks the third robbery connected to the White Fang in two months. Authorities are concerned as they have yet to find a name to connect with the organization's new leaders since founding member Ghira Belladona stepped down just 14 years ago. Should anyone have any relevant information, a $10,000 reward has been offered by the City Mayor."
"Idiots..." Carmine grinds out in a scowl.
Neo smirks, waving a sign. 'Think they get it from their animal side?'
The boy's angry stare narrows at the girl, earning a blank look. "That BETTER have just been a joke." The girl flinches back at that, giving a hand flick as if saying 'duh!' "Well, your timing is terrible then." He huffs, glaring back at the television. "You DO come from Atlas, of all places. From what I hear, that opinion is pretty accepted up there."
The girl's eyes widen, jaw dropped in actual offense before she glares daggers back. Roman snickers. "Easy there, Captain Civil Rights."
Carmine rolls his eyes. "What, are you gonna lecture about Faunus yourself?"
"Oh my, no." The man scoffs. "Literally every individual is equally capable of being the scum of Remnant. Just another brand of crass bastards to walk this unfair world."
Carmine grumbles under his breath at the screen. "Well, still. Like, there'd be a million less actual racists if idiots wouldn't go out and prove the other side's point for them." He mulls that thought for a moment, adding softly. "Mom used to go on about how well the White Fang used to push for rallies and control their own."
Roman finishes hi cigar, flicking it out the window as he moves to the couch. "Don't weep for the stupid. You'll be crying your whole life." He looks to Neo, who still glares at the side of Carmine's head. "Also, life advice for both of you. Read the room, and read intent." He then grins Carmine's way. "That way, less of us have our knickers in a pretzel twist."
Neo cracks into a giggle as Carmine rolls his eyes. "Oh wise and noble Ass, please teach me your ways." He sarcastically drawls.
"Simple. Lie, cheat, steal, and never look back. You'll be much happier, my moronic fool." The boy scoffs as the group changes the channel for something more entertaining. Neo punctuates Roman's advice flicking a wadded paper into the boy's head.
The unruly group continued watching until eventually settling at the dining table. The group perks as Blair sets a small pot of vegetable stew. Roman huffs. "Been a year since a home cooked meal. The things you take for granted, huh?"
Blair scoffs. "It's not going to quite be restaurant quality, but it will do."
Carmine squints at the stew before side eyeing Neo and Blair. "No meat?" The mismatched eyes meet his before flicking towards the blonde for the answer. It was mostly curiosity, but disappointment seeped in.
The blonde serves the bowls, answering. "We'll be spending large amounts of time away from here, and meat is perishable. All our vegetables here are frozen, so temper your expectations." She considers for a moment before pressing. "Speaking of which, when and where shall we go next?"
Right... spending the better part of a week in a house in the middle of the nowhere mountains was only temporary. Neo looks between them for an answer, hands full with her bowl and spoon.
Carmine sighs. "Right. You said we've basically cleared our Anima? Are we sure about that?" His directed question to Roman earns a shrug.
"Anima is pretty hostile to an organization seeking AZRL's kind of scale and stability. We've poached most of their kidnapping operations and their few facilities, but we'll never be sure." Dinner fully underway, the group considers their options.
Carmine looks to Blair. "So... we can either go to Atlas to check the black dust connections or go to Vacuo? Vacuo is way too far to be the next stop, so we'll go to town tomorrow and find a ferry to Mantle-"
"Oh, I already know where we're going." Roman cuts in, smirking in that 'I know something you don't' way.
Three tired glares direct at the man before Carmine speaks. "And? Something you forgot to mention?" His tired annoyance bled out.
"Hmm? Oh, did I forget to mention the news we got from Dory?" Smirking at their confusion he continues. "I MAY have held off on the news until this venture was settled."
"Of course you would..." Blair mutters under her breath, then directs heated. "Just tell us and quit acting superior."
"But then I'd be lying." Roman answers the second part. "But... activity has picked up in overtime in Vale."
The other three share a glance before looking to the conman. "What happened to Vale being mostly clear? I thought that was most of what Senior did for years with them!"
"Oh absolutely." Roman responds with a smirk. Suddenly, the act drops, frown adorning him with a sigh. "Judging by the areas of traced payments, the city itself is spotless. I'd say Junior has kept to his word on that. However..." He consumes a mouthful before continuing, leaving the group in anticipation. "The rest of the Vale territories, if placed on an electric map, would light up like a gas explosion. Activity has skyrocketed since our first visit to Mibu."
Seconds pass, processing the information. Blair speaks up. "That would make sense. We have not made contact with any higher ranking members of the organization since Vaterra." Eyeing Carmine, the boy seems silent, looking at his dinner in thought. "Well then? Where is it you 'know' we're going?"
Roman flicks a gaze to Carmine, the boy still looking down. "Oh, a highlight area is along the coast in the northeastern Vale territories... A growing small city by the name of Sanctuary." Wide blue eyes snap up, locking on the man's. Carmine sucks in a breath, the girls catching the shift in his tension. "So... did I hit the nail on the head?"
The boy's shock paved way for a gut reaction. Face morphing into a scowl. His nods as understanding comes across Neo and Blair.
The conman smirks. "So, a nostalgia trip it is."
"We'll take a ferry to Sanctuary tomorrow afternoon then." Blair announces, eyeing the boy's grip on his utensils. His knuckles white, his fists almost tremble...
Then the boy jolts out of fuming anger... from a kick to the knee under the table. Carmine's eyes fond Neo's, the girl raising a brow at him. He lets out a low growl, but the break in concentration calms him. "Alright. We're going to Sanctuary tomorrow. We'll sleep as much as we can tonight, alright?"
Affirming nods meet him. Decision made, the four finish their meal. Simply saying the city name brings back memories... Bringing his thoughts to this home cooked meal. Funny. He'd swear after always eating from Beacon's cafeteria, the last time he had an actual home cooked meal was, indeed, at Sanctuary... now 8, running on 9 years ago...
Suddenly, he enjoys the taste. If just a little bit more.
. . .
The dead of night peaks, lights out within the manor. Each of the four separate about their business, taking their showers for bed one at a time. Roman first, the man lavishes in the hot water. The hard work pays off as he even loosens up, soon off to bed. The man tosses his hat onto a stand lax before he lays back, an honest smile coming as he allows himself to drift away.
Blair goes next, the steaming room easing tension from her stiff posture. Enclosed away from pry8ng eyes, the woman tilts her head in the water and lets out a sigh. Soon, the woman enters the master bedroom, placing each of her belongings organized along a dresser top, Florescent Finish sheathed on top. Gently laying into the bed, she's soon out as well.
Carmine and Neo share a brief glare down, until the boy rolls his eyes and steps aside, allowing her to go before him. Neo smiles brightly, taking her own hot shower. Two years with AZRL still beat a healthy appreciation of warm showers into her. So much so, she runs out the warm water and exits with a bright smile and pink towel containing her hair.
The door opens as the steam cloud hits Carmine like a punch. She walks past as he sends an dull glare her way. Hot water or no, the feel of water running over him soothes his mind, easing his body as he just... enjoys the feel. Closing his eyes, he's not exactly sure how long he simply allows the water to run over him.
Long enough for the colder water to numb his skin... Probably too long. He washes with the cheap soap and shampoo they got, quickly drying off and heading for... his room. HIS room. Been a year since he could say that.
He enters the room, plain brown walls and a dark carpet. Still wiping at his damp hair, he lightly sways at the exhaustion. Simple gray sweatpants and a black t shirt, he stops by the bed.
Sure, it's a new mattress... Sure, everything is fixed up, but it's just a tiny bit off. To sleep in and claim a room belonging to a dead man. Then again, he's used to ghosts in his life, so what's another to add? He sighs and sits onto the bed.
The only light in the room was moonlight piercing through the window. Easy enough to sleep in, though the boy preferred total darkness. Light meant sight, and he didn't enjoy seeing at night sometimes...
A shadow of movement shows in the light, catching his attention. Alert, his stance widens. "Jager, Return!" In a flash, his armor flickers from the night stand onto his calves, Heulin Noon flickering into his hand. Taking aim, he inches towards the window... a shadow casting over the window. Not large, as if something smaller was just above, or something large was high up.
Maybe just some birds flying overhead? Worse yet, a Nevermore? Granted that would simply pass, right?
Creek.
Nearly silent, the creek sounds far off. Something on the roof. Carmine unlocks the window, opening it. If whatever it is that close, that means the shadows were limbs... Beowulf? No, too small. More baby Grimm? Perhaps.
Well, no use speculating. He leaps through the window, activating his armor boost on the uptake as a pseudo second jump. He rises above the manor roof, landing on the incline of shingle tiles. The manor roof is flat down the middle for twelve feet, 45 degree inclines beginning on each side down of the flat. Landing on the slant, he snaps his gun... at Neo?
Mismatched eyes blink back, the girl sitting on the roof in brown shorts and a pink over sized sweat shirt. Carmine blinks back, flinching back. "Wha- Neo? What are you doing up here?"
The girl, sitting Indian style, raises a brow, looking down by her legs, then gazes back. As if going 'Really?'
Carmine huffs, holstering Heulin Noon and relaxing with a sigh. "I see shadows and think Grimm. Try to give me a heart attack." He groans and walks towards the girl. "Not to sound insensitive, but just in case something attacked you, how would you have let us know?"
Neo smirks and raises a conjured sign, showing the manor smashing.
Rolling his eyes, Carmine sits next to her. "Yeah, something else would be preferable."
Bzzt.
The vibration sounds as his sweatpants pocket rumbles with his scroll. Carmine removes the device, looking and spotting a message from Neo. 'Will this do?'
Glancing over to see the girl wave her scroll in hand, he huffs a laugh. "Guess it'll have to. Seriously, though. What's got you up here?" The girl simply points up. He glances up, spotting the full moon. The entirety of Haddon shows lightly illuminated in the blue hue.
Looking around and taking in the view, he quirks his lip, unsure. "It's pretty, but not exactly my feel. Always used to the city and street lights. Be it Beacon or... Sanctuary..."
Seeing him trail off, Neo spares another glance up before turning back to her scroll. Typing away, the light taps are the only sound until another Bzzt sounds from Carmine's scroll. He glances at the device for her reply. 'I used to sneak onto the roof at my family's mansion to stargaze. Back before AZRL, or before the Huntsman came.'
His face fell further at that. An apology hinged on his tongue, only to stop himself. The girl would take it as pity. Instead, a different thought comes. "In Atlas? Good God, how cold was that? And why?"
The girl giggles out, a breathy 'hee hee' coming out barely above a hum. She holds a sign up, showing a purple haired female stick figure shouting angrily, a small stick figure Neo simply smiling and looking away.
Carmine chuckles back. "Just spite towards your mom, huh?" The girl smiles wide before shrugging. She begins typing another message as Carmine shakes his head. "Wait, so that's why you wanted the loft!"
She double takes before grinning and typing further. The first message comes through as he reads
'After a few times, it sorta just became my private place. It was nice. Also, made for a fun hiding spot from George.' Then the second message arrives. 'Also, yes. :)'
He smirks. "George, right. Didn't you torture him?" He thinks on that before looking back at the smiling girl. "What do you think he's up to?" Glancing back at her, the smirk wipes away at the blank look on the girl. She blinks, no other registration of his words showing. "Neo?"
She gives a solemn glance before looking back up. Her hand conjures another sign. 'Give N Take?' Carmine reads the message before giving a nod. The words change, shattering off the sign to show a long message. 'George was the only person I could interact with back then. She was always on business and Dad was Dad, dealing with snitches and deals and such.'
The message continued. 'George was my main caretaker. I kinda tortured him though, but what else could I do? His job was to keep me in check. I never really got in trouble, but listening to them just felt like being contained. Didn't help that we lived alone out in the mountains.'
The sign shatters as the girl rocks lightly seated. Smiling at the wide eyed Carmine she silently chuckles. Creating another sign, it reads. 'I don't care to think about it often, but that's where my mind goes if I remember the past.'
Carmine was equally silent a moment, but hesitatingly asks. "You don't think often about your dad?" It's not hard to imagine that the scathingly marked 'She' referred to her mother. The girl's smile comes down. She holds up her hand flat, teetering it back and forth. So, sometimes. "And... your mo-"
Her eyes were cold, smile wiped away. His voice failed to finish. Right... She's giving right now, and that seems off limits... Asking further would be most absolutely unwise.
His hands raise in surrender. "Message received." He chuckles nervously as the girl smirks. Yet, she just sits, looking at him, expecting something it seems. He cocks his head. "Uh... what?"
The girl rolls her eyes, conjuring another sign. 'I told you where my head goes when I think about the past. So, where does yours go?'
His jaw locks as he realizes what she's asking. She must have noticed a shift in his posture, raising a brow back at the boy as her eye flicks in movement barely. Seriously, first Blair less than seventeen hours ago called him on this. Then Roman perfectly guesses where Carmine would want to go with the new information. Now, Neo was reading into it?!
Stop. Stop thinking so much. Sure, he'd had his breakdown back at the City of Mistral. The question could be a good deal more innocent. He sends a smile back. "Oh, ya know... I just... think about Beacon. Think about... my father." His forced smile almost falls at the obvious lie. Thoughts of his Father tended to just confuse him with questions until he dropped the issue entirely. "And of friends left behind. Ya know?"
Suddenly, the inquisitive girl leans forward, eyes focused. She conjures a sign. 'You had friends there? Who?'
He recoils back, twitching. "Uh..." Friends. Friends. Friends... Professor Oobleck's face appeared in his head... Probably wouldn't be cool to name drop an old professor as his friend... Oh! Blair's team! … What were their names? FUCK! Wait! "Rowa! Yeah, Rowa. She was cool." He speaks quickly, recalling the violet haired teammate of Blair.
Neo purses her lips and raises her brow. 'Really? Why haven't you checked in on her.' The ending pronoun emboldened as Carmine sweats lightly.
"Well, I never actually got her scroll number... Such a big regret-" The girl, almost on her knees leading forward, makes him lean back on his butt. She holds the sign up as it changes. 'And you haven't even attempted to talk to her in a year? What kinda friend are you?' The boy panics, mind frying as he sputters. "B-but I-... There's just been SO much going on and-"
Her face breaks as she leans back, shoulders quaking with laughs. His face turns red, knowing fully that the girl is screwing with him. Why does he do things? She raises a conjured sign. 'Roman is right. You suck at lying.'
The boy twitches, flustered. A low growl comes out. "You..."
The sign changes. 'Then again, your lie coming out of the jet copter in Vaterra to the cops was worse.' His face matches his hair as the girl continues to jest at his expense.
He swipes at the sign, shattering it, as he crosses his arms. "Are you done picking on me?" The smiles and nods. "Good." He starts to stand up. "Well... guess I'll go to bed-" He stops as his shirt is caught by the girl.
She sends a blank look. He blinks back innocently, but she isn't having it. Her off hand has her scroll in her hand, but she conjures a sign as well. 'You didn't answer the question. You lied instead.'
He swallows, looking down at her. "I... don't know what to say." He shrugs, working his mouth not sure how to continue. "Sorry-" She swats his kneecap, earning a wince. "Ow! What was that?"
Neo gives a halfhearted eye roll before bringing up the sign. 'Stop saying sorry. It's annoying. Just answer.'
Carmine's scowl wipes off, looking down. A million thoughts a second, yet no answers came. No words. Neo is left to sigh and shatter her sign. The girl pulls her scroll out, tapping away since the boy isn't looking at her anymore.
Truly, like the annoyance that won't leave its interest alone, Carmine feels the buzz in his pocket, once again pulling out his scroll. 'You can start with why you rub your skin off raw in the hotel bathrooms at night.' He sucks in a breath, staring wide eyed at the screen. His mouth dried instantly, feeling almost like he could choke on his tongue.
'Aura healing is awfully convenient, but stop thinking you can sneak around me. You suck at it.' A second message buzzes from the girl.
"I-..." He hesitates, breath catching as he looks to find her patiently staring back. "I... it's not your problem to deal with. I don't want to bother you with it. I'll handle it."
The just stares back, one hand hitting the 'send' button. A message was already typed?! How predictable did she think he was? The buzz hits as he swallows before looking. 'And my butler being my only childhood friend isn't your issue either, but I just talked about it. Give and take.'
Shit... He sighs, collapsing down to sit on the decline of the roof. He growls running a hand through his hair. Back to Neo, he wonde4s just what to say...
Buzz. He looks down, peeking through his fingers at the scroll. 'Does it have anything to do with that wanted poster in Mistral?'
He mulls over before sighing. "Sometimes... a lot of the time." He admits slowly, putting one hand over his eyes, resting his head in hand. "It's not the main thing... If I promise to tell you about it someday, will you leave it for now? I just... don't think you can understand."
He hears a 'hmm' from the girl, then the tapping of her scroll sounds. It buzzes in. 'only if you at least give the short answer.'
She was throwing him a bone. He smiled at that, taking a deep breath as his mind pictures them. A smiling father, a doting mother, and a white cloaked woman. "... I killed three people simply by living. One by my own hand." His breath chokes as he states bluntly. "So there's that..." He mulls for a second before adding. "Maybe it's seeing her when I sleep. Or seeing her whenever my I have time to myself... I hate having time to think about nothing."
Silence met him, unsurprisingly. The very first time he admitted that last part out loud. His heart begins beating out of control, palms sweaty, waiting for... wait, she can't talk. Neo can't even voice how fucked up he is.
Buzz.
He doesn't look immediately, wishing he was anywhere but here. A sudden urge to flee hits as he slowly forces his gaze down to the screen. 'Her?' Buzz. 'In the woods when we met?'
His mouth hung open, but nothing came. A dry croak threatened as he struggled to swallow the lump in his throat. Unable to answer verbally, the boy nods. Feeling clammy, his hands don't know where to be, wiping on his pants absently before wringing his fingers tightly. Buzz. Sucking in a breath, he looks down. 'No.'
He blinks at message once, twice. The nerves numbed as he just stared. Then came the anger as he whips around. Turning, he finds her staring simply back at him. She blinked innocently, but she obviously meant the reply. "I killed her. My semblance aged her literally to death!" His voice cracks as it tries to rage, but dies down.
The girl looks down, confused, but looks back. She places a hand at her gut, eyes clenched in thought. She was thinking back. The hand on her gut adjusted up and to the side, patting the right spot. Her eyes open as she points at Carmine... Right, the wound the Nelo dealt was to the gut.
Carmine growls as he shakes his head. His words start to come out faster and faster. "I- No. That wound came from a Grimm that I attacked and left her open for. That was the wound that I was trying to heal when I-" He sucks in a breath, fists clenched to white knuckles. Muscles tight, he cocks his head, popping his neck with a sigh. "Her death... was MY fault."
The burning, seething growl in his voice accompanied by his wide eyes dead staring downward must have been a sign. Neo simply stares for a moment, not quite sure what to make of it. However, she still had her response immediately, reaching for her scroll again and typing.
Buzz.
Carmine clenches his eyes shut. Slowly, he blinks them open and looks at the scroll. 'It just seems to me like it was her choice then.'
His gut sunk as his blood pressure skyrockets... He simply stares at it, unable to process it. Because there was absolutely no other way to put it. She wasn't there. He was! HE. KILLED. HER!
Buzz. 'We've both lost people, but I WISH mine were kind enough to have fought for me at all. You didn't make her take the hit for you.'
Don't speak. Don't speak. Don't speak. Don't speak. Don't speak. Don't speak. Don't speak. Don't speak. Don't speak. DON'T SPEAK-
He snaps, growling at her and standing, looming over the tricolor girl. "YOUR dad got himself killed for his own actions while BOTH my parents died because I existed! So, what the hell could you understand about it?!"
The moment, the millisecond the boy finished, his heart stopped. His face blanked, eyes wide! He breathes heavily, looking down at the equally shocked girl staring up at him from her position sitting. She'd flinched back from him, mouth hanging open as she looked up to him.
Shit... Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit-
His gaze breaks away, blinking rapidly and breathing faster, unable to raise his look up to her. His voice sounds, near silent, hoarse. "S-Sorry-... I..." He gulps before quickly muttering. "Goodnight, Neo." He turns and walks away from the girl.
Crawling back into his room from the window, he shuts the glass, locking it and puling the white curtains closed. His breath quickens as he begins hyperventilating. "Shit. Shit!" He scratches at his neck, prying the holster for Heulin Noon off. "Remove!" His armor flashes, separating all the pieces as they fall to the floor in a collection of thuds.
He paces along the room, struggling to get his breathing under control... It was already clear... He would not be sleeping soundly tonight.
. . .
The bright morning sun beams through the white curtains, bleeding light through the room. The boy's room radiates the light, earning a groan from the bed. Carmine sits up, one eye clenched shut, other glaring at the window. Yeah, black curtains will be an absolute must. Not that he felt that great.
Despite being more sleep than he's gotten in a single night in possibly years, it wasn't exactly a quiet sleep. The entire night was drowned out in an unwelcome mix of dream and memory. Pinching his nose, he realizes he should have just left Neo alone last night. Nothing good comes from talking about it. He gets out of the bed as his mind clears.
Today they prepare to leave. The mission is set before them clearly. Steeled, he quickly changes. Blue pants, a white shirt, and a tight orange leather strap jacket. Secure, he holds his arms open. "Zero." The armor pieces organized by the dresser flicker before flashing onto his body. His eyes close as he concentrates. Flashing his aura, Heulin Noon and it's holster flicker onto his left thigh. He looks down, smirking.
Good. He's finally getting to not needing the call outs as much.
Exiting the room, he hears movement downstairs. Everyone is getting ready. He must be the last one up. Hands in his pockets, he marches down the steps, entering the main living room. Glancing about, he spots Roman at the dining room table.
The conman finishes loading Velvet Valentine's drum magazine. He wears brown pants, black shirt, red ascot, and a brown jacket with a red interior. His hat sits upon the table as he glances over.
By the door, Blair stands, wearing black pants, white pleated shirt with a magenta interior, a double set of magenta leather belts strapping Florescent Finish to her side. Her clip of blood capsules sits in a pouch strapped along the belts behind her back.
Finally, on the couch by the living room coffee table, Neo sits. Hush lays beside her. She wears her brown boots, black pants, brown corset over a white shirt, and multiple necklaces and bracelets dangling from her neck and wrists. Her mismatched eyes glance up to his.
The stares held a moment, neither showcasing their thoughts, but Carmine breaks first. He makes a point of looking anywhere else as he enters the room. "So... Are we ready?"
Blair nods back. "I made the call just a minute ago for the boat schedule. We should leave in fifteen minutes."
He raises a brow back, but nods. "Then we can head out now. Get some food before the boat ride." A thought occurs. "Wait, what about the van?"
Roman answers. "We'll leave it in town. I didn't need a vehicle to traipse around before, so the four of us should be fine without it." The man stands up, smirking. "Plus it saves on money for the transport."
The boy sighs, scratching his head. "Can't be helped then." He forces himself to look at Neo. "Anything else?"
The girl simply stares back, holding the sign language book Blair bought her in hand. Nothing comes as the girl slightly narrows her eyes before nodding and standing. Carmine ignores the confused stare from Blair and the snicker from Roman. Groaning, Carmine moves on.
Minutes later, the van rumbles out from Haddon. Each of the members sits in their traditional spots as they eased their way out to the main road, moving past the now starting to die pieces of growth they'd cut from the road. The boy blinks in thought, an idea coming. "Hey, stop real quick."
The brake slams, all four lurching forward before sending angry glares at Roman. The conman rolls his eyes and looks back. "What is it, Silver Streak? You leave the stove on?"
Ignoring him, the boy looks to Blair. "I got an idea to hide the road. You got Earth dust?"
Blair perks and nods. Carmine points to a rock face further up the slope of the mountain. Eyeing it, she smirks. "I see." She and the boy exit the vehicle, Neo perking and eyeing the two work.
Roman snorts, ignoring the other two. "So, Tricolor. I take it Silver Streak pissed you off?"
The girl continues watching the other two. Carmine drags some of the dead bushes they had cut out days ago back onto the trail. Blair leaps up the slope to a portion of the rock face. With draw strike from her sword, she chisels a large hunk from the face, a large rock breaking off and falling downward.
As it falls, she places Earth dust into her weapon hilt, blade turning tan. Chasing the falling rock, she casts the dust as the rock hits the dirt road to Haddon! The earth cast conjures stiff rock, infusing and breaking up the falling rock onto the path without breaking the road, directly atop the dying bush.
Landing, she and Carmine smile and nod, returning to the van.
Neo raises a brow, but finally considers Roman's question. Did the boy piss her off? "Mhm." She halfheartedly forces the sound out in a groan.
Carmine and Blair enter the van again, the boy looking to Roman. "Alright, we're good to go."
"Care to explain that stunt?"
The boy nods towards the rocky blockade. "Made it look like a rock slide covered the path. That way, no one sees that we're cleared the rest of the way to the houses." He finishes with a smirk. "Whenever we come back, Blair can clear the rubble with Earth dust. When we leave, she closes it again with it. No one will ever know we're there."
Roman nods, but of course has to point out. "So, the only way in and out from our trips is having both Barbie AND Earth dust." He looks at the blonde. "Don't take a bullet for anyone. I'd like to be able to get my stuff."
"Enough." Blair cuts the man off from more biting comments. "We don't have time."
Carmine and Neo share a glance, almost smirking at Blair and Roman, until both purse their lips... Carmine centers himself. "Right. Let's go. Next stop: ... Sanctuary."
And it's back to a place untouched since chapter four. Back to Sanctuary. Gonna be fun! Alright, done with Mistral for now. Callback to Neo's childhood, sneaking out to look at the moon. Some more depression too! (Insert children cheers) Also, Carmine's snapping... Bad.
Join us next time in chapter twenty eight: Homecoming.