Allow me to apologize up front as the writing of this chapter was quite delayed. (Even if by miracle I get this out on time) On top of work doubling down on repetitive tasks and life throwing a curve ball, I lost a good five days of potential writing time. Still, I see you guys reading, and I appreciate the loyalty. And yes, I am aware real life decided to take away writing time exactly after the chapter I stated I wanted one chapter out every two weeks. No, the irony is not lost on me at all.
Chapter Thirty Seven: Awkward Meetings
"Quite lovely to see you, my friends!" The scorpion faunus greets with a warm smile. His guards stand around, having alerted him the moment the women were approaching from the East. Blair and Neo step in, the little girl matching his grin until confusion mars his features. "Where are the others, Sisters?"
Blair nods. "Sir, the Grimm pool was location inside a cave to the southeast. We destroyed it, but the cave collapsed."
Master Ilan gasps, but Neo can catch the forced concern. "My... we should send a rescue-"
"Your... lieutenant of sorts informed us that there was a different way out. Seeing as we completed our mission, he found it necessary for us to make our way back separately instead of getting ourselves lost." She pulls out her scroll, handing it to the man and showing the pictures of the sink hole the pool had left. "They should be here before long, given the last transmission."
Ilan smiles wider. "Oh, thank goodness. One problem dealt with at a time. They never cease, do they?"
The blonde shakes her head. "Never. But, you're a very busy man. Perhaps we may settle the payment for the job right now? It would take much less of your time than waiting for the boys."
The settlement leader perks, glancing up in thought. "Hmm... I suppose you have a point. I have placed a large bit on my plate. Come! Let us settle this in the reserves. Ah, what was it you wished as payment again?"
Blair smiles appreciative and nods her head towards Neo. "We require some basic medicines, primarily to face infection for her poor throat. We can easily find it with some help of your assistants, perhaps?" Neo almost feels giddy watching the tall scary blonde struggle to put on a pleased smile...
And it works! Too well! Master Ilan shakes his head vehemently. "Oh, no, that is not an issue. I'll escort you myself, Ma'am! It will take not but a second."
Blair internally curses, but can't dwell as a guard steps up to the gathering. "Sir, we actually have communications for you. Some urgent updates." Blair has a hopeful lift to her at that. Anything to do this away from the man who can just sense and detect aura levels.
Master Ilan grimaces. "Oh... very well. Lorenz. He calls to a guard across from them all. The man straightens up. "Please escort these lovely ladies and allow them everything they need, will you?" The man salutes as Ilan smiles brightly once more at the CRBN members. "Good day to you."
"To you as well." Blair bows to him, earning a chuckle before the man leaves. Blair and Neo share a glance before following the guard away towards the large wooden tower in the center of the town. "Let's be quick, so we may leave you be."
Neo flashes a wicked grin, flashing a look to Blair's weapon. Knowing that the usually golden blade was currently a deep crimson... infused with Neo's own essence. "Hmm hmm." Neo hums a quick laugh, smiling chipper as she and Blair enter the building. Now, it's HER operation.
Wonder how the boys are doing?
. . .
His sight is fuzzy, light low as dusk sets in. A dizzy nausea sets in as he feels a bounce. His head dangles one way. Another bounce, and air pushes out his gut as a choppy breath is knocked free. He blinks his eyes, grunting painfully... "You're finally awake." He hears coming from his side.
That gruff, irritating voice registers immediately. Siegfried. The wolf faunus was carrying him one handed, over the soldier. Each step dug the man's broad shoulder into the boy's gut. He tries to move, only for his arms to halt behind his back. "Wha-"
Abruptly, Siegfried shrugs the boy from his shoulder, handing head first on the ground in a heap. Pain flares through, but he slowly wriggles his way to sit. He feels the pain of the tight wrap of his arm. His hands are bound behind him. Bindings, eh? Well, good thing he can recall!.. Nothing... His eyes squint as he focuses on his aura. Nothing. Not a drop comes. "What... what did you do to me?"
Siegfried huffs a mocking laugh. "You mean this?" He pulls from his pocket a needle syringe, empty. "Didn't need you doing that teleporting thing, ya know?"
His eyes widen. "N-... Nomaura?"
"Dunno. Just know that it works." He grimaces, annoyed. "Now, off your ass. We're almost there. You make me carry you, and you'll likely never walk again."
The boy glares for a second, still getting his grounding as he wobbles to his feet. "I'll come quietly if you answer three questions." Before the man can answer, the boy continues. "Why did you kill those faunus? How long have I been out? And what is your master up to out h-"
The man blitzes forward and strikes Carmine across the jaw, cracking him into a tree. With no aura, the pain sears through him! He chokes out in pain before hands roughly rag doll him to his feet. Siegfried begins walking, dragging the boy painfully by the wrap on his hands behind him. "You aren't in a position to argue, brat."
Well... Okay, he has a point...
Still... it was getting closer to sun set at the tail end of the day when he was knocked out. Now, it's broad daylight, and he doesn't recognize any of the areas as locations near that mountain pass... No idea where he is.
He'll take it slowly...
He's forced to walk in front of the man, slowly collecting information from the surroundings. Namely, his armor still locked to Jager around his legs. Secondly, there was his gun... sitting in the waistband of Siegfried's pants. Great...
Moving through the forests, he notices the grounds getting more graveled, broken crush rock. The growth of plant life grows more sparsely, only in pockets consisting of a one or two trees, maybe a bush, and barren dirt.
But he does start to hear it... the cracking and rumbling of rock and the hum of metal machinery... Carmine grimaces as he is forced over a ridge. His breath sucks in as he sees it. Down a slope, a new outpost. Wooden fencing with guard towers similar to Bomba. From the high ground, he sees the buildings inside, simpler square buildings with less ornate character with doors. But the buildings only line near the outer walls... The inner courtyard of the outpost is a field... a harsh long stretch of field, flooded with people.
… Some of which were clearly children. Carmine sucks a breath in.
The fields of crops were being tended to by the workers, with armed faunus standing guard around the fields. They LOOKED like White Fang members, wearing the masks, but the white uniforms were instead brown. The guards at the gate recoil upon seeing the man forcing the teen along. They step forward, guns ready. "Siegfried? What brings you out here?"
"Problems." The wolf faunus grunts.
The other guard stares at the boy, but with the mask, he can't tell an expression. "This a new addition?" Carmine feels his hairs standing on end at the callous tone.
"A new problem." Siegfried growls out. "Among others. You didn't mention to Master Ilan you'd lost another worker." His grim tone held a threat, clearly displeased. The guard steps back with a gulp.
"W-we were actually just sending a communication to him now... sir." The man responds timidly before looking to Carmine. "And... him?"
Siegfried ignores the feeble man and directs his speech to the other. "Waste no time. Tell Ilan that the Hunters he found are a problem, not a convenience." At the word 'hunters', the men tense. Siegfried wastes no time forcing the boy along roughly. "Come, you."
Carmine is roughly shoved along. He winces, but manages to glance to the fields... not vegetation or fruit. What kind of plant life is this? Throughout the fields, the worker ages vary. Mostly men, and in haggard, ragged state. However, he can clearly make out on many exposed backs the digits. Red numbers.
Red series... slaves. All human. Red numbers whenever he can see.
The ages varying did confirm something. Master Ilan must be a buyer, not an actual member of AZRL itself... Unless they allow their own members to purchase their own wares... Disgusting. Further across the fields, way at the other end, is a structure leading down. A small scaffolding like structure with a roof leading into a deep incline.
Something underground, perhaps? Carmine tries to peer closer, only for a rough shove to throw him forward. Siegfried gets the boy into one of the plain buildings, finding a holding cell. Opening the cage, the boy is thrown inside, roughly hitting the floor. "Get comfy, brat. We'll catch up when I'm back."
The faunus takes his leave. Carmine groans in pain, swiveling until he can roughly sit cross legged. A deep furrow comes down as he thinks where he is... his predicament...
To be here again... But he doesn't plan on needing rescued.
. . .
Blair and Neo enter the tower, passing by two guards as a third leads them in. The faunus guardsmen didn't wear masks, but did have the tunic uniforms and spears. Shockingly, they find a mechanical door. Blair blinks confused. "I was under the impression all of Menagerie operated on much lower technology."
The man enters a code to the door, shielding the panel from view. Neo smirks at Blair when the door opens. Step one, gain access to the central location. Check.
The man grunts before answering. "We get tech where we can. Very important for keeping people from the medicine stash, of course." He feels taps as he leads them further, looking to find Neo looking at him inquisitively. He flinches. "Whoa? Put a bell on you."
Blair scoffs. "She's mute." The short answer preempts Neo gesturing around the next hallway, tons of doors locked under key locks. "She's overwhelmed, but wants to know how often people try to break in."
Neo shines her eyes up in as bright of curiosity as possible. The man recoils slightly before breaking and laughing. "Welllll, we end up having to keep some idiots out from time to time, but unless they get just a few floors higher, there isn't anything to worry about."
The little girl hams up the smile and signs out. "Oh! Like a super secret control room?"
Blair waits until she sees the man doesn't understand. She scoffs before asking by proxy. "She asked if you have... ugh, Super secret control room."
The man chuckles at Blair's exasperated tone before looking at Neo, like a conspiratorial uncle to a niece, as he responds. "Oh, it's super secret. No one's managed to get into it without the code." She smiles wider as the man laughs, leading them further.
… As soon as he turns around, Blair and Neo share a sharp glance. Blair tugs Fluorescent's hilt, revealing an inch of crimson blade. The blade already infused with blood... Neo's, as Blair pulls the trigger. Deftly, Blair uses Neo's semblance to create a shatter illusion behind the man. She creates... Neo? Simultaneously, Neo herself shatters away, leaving nothing of herself behind.
The man vaguely glances over his shoulder... There's Neo's shatter clone walking with him. Or rather, Blair's Neo clone. Satisfied, he turns around and leads Blair and the Clone down the hall. As soon as the room is clear, Neo herself drops down lightly with Hush. Instantly, she's moving to fine a stair well, a means to climb the tower.
Now, to find that control room. Confidential records will be there.
. . .
Blair and the man come upon a vault room for storage. Counters and shelves line the large area with dozens of markers and labels. Medicines, herbs, mixtures, and more. At first glance, she felt that itch to start jotting down formulas and supply notes. One the one hand, she was sufficiently impressed by Menagerie's ability to obtain medical resources.
On the other hand, she recalls this single vault contains ALL the resources on the island continent. Minuscule by comparison in hindsight. The man eyes her and the Neo illusion critically. "Here we are. Now, he said you could take immediate supplies you might need, but please don't take too much. The Baboo anti venom and poison cures, especially."
Blair nods at the man. "Only need a handful of items. It will take no time hopefully." But it would. Until Neo returned from stealing whatever information she can come across. That meant the blonde had plenty of time to peruse their wares-
She sucks in a breath upon locking on to a vial on the shelf. The blonde almost had to reread the label. 'Saya Extract' "You all managed to find Saya herbs on this island?!"
"Not nearly enough for two extracts, but few months ago, we tried to cultivate the plant ourselves. It came with mixed success." The guard expresses as he crosses his arms. "Helped with some Taijitu venom bites a while back, but we only ever managed five doses. That's all we got left."
The blonde nods at that. Saya extract from an exotic root vegetable native to Vacuo... "Interesting." She hums before moving on.
. . .
Neo ducks behind a wooden support beam twice as thick as her. She leaves the area of the stairs, now on the third floor as she glances about. Her next step presses lightly on the wood.
Creak...
She snaps her foot back up... No other sounds? Good. No one heard her. Neo sends a silent glare at the floor. Hard wood sucks. Concrete, marble, or stone? Perfect. Not creaking wood. A silent sigh later, Neo inches back to a crouch... One. Two. Three. Go!
The girl leaps high, immediately opening Hush. With her parasol open, the girl's movement in the air halts! Slowly, she tips the parasol forward as she drifts in the air forward. Ever slowly, she still drops, but otherwise, she mutely crosses the floor, not seeing any sign of a control room. The doors aren't sealed with locks like the main door.
… Only for one of the regular doors on the right to open out on front of her.
Neo's eyes shoot wide as she flails her legs frantically before slowing and softly landing deftly on the top of the door with one foot. She freezes tense in place as a guard walks into the hall under her, completely oblivious to the panicked girl's presence.
The guard turns down the hall as the door slowly creaks shut. Neo taps off from the shutting door, floating with Hush silently further down the hall. She touches down-
Creak...
Wood! For god's sake!
The guard perks up, turning around and... Nothing. No Neo to be found. He shrugs and turns back. He disappears down the stair well. Across the room, behind a another thick support wooden beam, Neo sits in a crouch and lets out a sigh of relief. She moves quickly to the opposite stair well to the fourth floor.
Nothing. To the fifth floor. Nothing. The sixth... Finally, she comes across a more narrow hall with only one door... and a number entry pad. Neo smirks. All that's needed is a code, right? Well... Neo pictures the guard that entered the code before. Place is low tech, eh? so... perhaps, they only have one single code for everything? Hopefully, anyway.
Neo covers herself in her shatter semblance, replacing herself with that same guard. A smirk comes on the image's mouth. With the amount of detail she needs to take in for her illusions, she takes pride in noticing how people move. How people shift their weight.
How did the arm move from behind? Up and left... level and right... up and middle... middle middle... down and middle... really down... up and left.
1625801!
Bee-de-BEEP!
An affirmative unlocking of a latch sounds as the girl allows the shatter illusion to disappear. Neo smiles triumphant and wide as the door thrums and opens. Success! The door opens to reveal an... empty office... Freaking LAME!
Oh! A computer pad with some control buttons and a CCT system? Neo glances over her shoulder... and slowly shuts the door with a smirk. Just in case. Now, with a mischievous glint, she eyes the controls, fingers twitching towards them. She pulls them back, a pout forming. No disruptions unless caught. Stupid rules. Instead, she dives into the files drawers.
Blip-ee! An ear piercing ring jolts her from thought.
She glances up at the computer. The screen lights with an alert... What?
. . .
Blair and the remaining guard jolt, looking up to see a speaker in the corner as the alarm ends. "What is that?" The blonde demands.
The guard grimaces, cocking his head. "High alert alarm? What-"
A radio clipped to his hip crackles off... Master Ilan's voice rings out. "All hands to battle stations... The hunters are a threat. Treat them as hostile and retake the vault tower!" Blair and the guard flinch, eyes meeting in a pregnant pause, shocked...
No tine to think. Threat is clear. The guard grabs a side sword, drawing it and slashing at the shatter illusion Neo! SHATTER! The image explodes in fading glass as the guard realizes something is wrong...
He turns, immediately seeing a blur of gold as Blair strikes him center mass. His body is launched into the wall, out cold. His aura mostly took the shock, but shattered as she sent him away. He hits hard enough that his tunic rips from the hits.
The blonde glances around for immediate threats. Nothing. Good. She moves to the now unconscious man and begins checking him. Given history, something tells her... And she pulls the back of the tunic away. Revealing the back, she grimaces. Red numbering. '9437'.
Blair glares at him, clearing him of his equipment before carrying him out from the vault. Down the hall, the primary vault door begins opening.
Expected.
Blair moves into a sprint. Using the momentum, she throws the unconscious guard through the opening doorway. The limp body smacks into a squad as they gasp in shock. Suddenly, more guards pour into the first floor from the upper floor rooms... ending up scattering as Blair slices and dices her way through the room.
. . .
Neo can just hear the fighting all the way six floors up. Her mouth purses as she eyes the controls within the room. Come on... Intercom is useless. CCT messenger- OH! She brightens, opening the app on the desktop ancient computer. Quickly. Enter Blair's number and... call. The computer pops up a window, a signal showing a sending call.
The girl jolts as the first sound crackling through the speakers is a loud static explosion. Neo freezes wide eyed as the clashing and firing of attacks and weapon strikes ring through. The call cuts straight to voicemail, earning a frown.
Neo grumbles as she wonders what to go with to help. If Blair is too busy kicking butt, Neo needs to stop enough people so Blair doesn't get her own butt kicked. Any other options... She eyes a red button, a tiny label above.
'Lock down'.
She raises a brow before shrugging. It sounds like something to try! So, she slams the button down!
. . .
Blair swings Fluorescent, the now violet blade discharging lightning dust as she blasts three faunus guards from the front vault door. She'd successfully beaten back fifteen of them, but another line closes in. The blonde settles into her stance, ready to engage before the vault door hums loudly. She glances over, finding the large metal door automatically closing.
She flinches, only to stop when she feels another buzz in her pocket. She spares a glance at her scroll, seeing one missed call from an unknown source and a text. 'That was me.' - Neo.
The line of faunus attempt to charge before the door can lock, but Blair is ahead of them. In a blink, she swaps dust into Fluorescent's hilt for wind dust and fires it out. The great gale force blows the dozen men back.
Satisfied, Blair sheathes her weapon and lets the vault lock. Secure and sound. She nods in approval before moving turning to the stairs. Gotta find Neo and get out now! She moves up the flights of stairs to the sixth floor, finding the control room office turned upside down.
Papers strewn about, valuables plundered, files open, the blonde's need for organization twitches in the back of her mind. Neo pokes her head around one of the desks and smiles. "Neo! What did you do to get caught?"
The accusation sets Neo offended. She huffs and shakes her head violently then points at the alarm speaker. The girl ends with a shrug and crosses her arms.
Blair nods. "So, if it wasn't you, then... the boys." The blonde growls under her breath. "We need to go find them and leave. Now. This situation has gotten out of hand- Hmm?" Neo interrupts her by sticking out a clipped stack of papers. Blair accepts the stack and quickly scans titles for pages. "Communication log?"
Neo nods and conjures a shatter sign. 'All that mention Nomaura. Most is shipped east.'
Blair scowls at that. "Does is say for what?" At that, Neo lets the sign shatter and grimaces. That's a no. "Well, if most is shipped east... where does the rest go I wonder." Blair flips the pages and raises a brow. "Well... This gives me some ideas." She folds the pages and places them in her pack at the hip. "For now, our objective is to regroup with the boys."
Neo grins wide, signing out. "Take stuff first?"
The blonde halts in thought... These people ARE somewhat affiliated with AZRL... their medicines would work wonders... The blonde allows a ghost of a smirk. "... You know what? Very well."
If Neo could speak, she'd be screaming happy.
. . .
Outside the tower, the faunus guards scramble about recovering from the attempt to actually fight the huntress. The red clad noble faunus steps around them, his scorpion ponytail swaying behind him. His face, completely neutral, betrays nothing. "Hmm... are you quite done allowing our tower to be occupied?" He asks to the guards all around him.
Immediately, they stand at attention to salute him. "Sir!" A chorus sounds from the group, ready for orders.
Master Ilan huffs. "Men, it would seem these ones have gotten too curious..." His eyes flare and focus on the building. His vision paints blue, all object losing texture in his eyes. The building seems clear blue... except for two red shapes on the sixth and tallest floor. "The eastern post is compromised. Put down the adult. The teen may be a bargaining chip."
He grimaces as the words leave his mouth. He mutters under his breath. "What a time for more complications. I'd hoped they could alleviate problems. Not become more." With a calculated look to the next guard, he sternly adds. "Call the compound back and inform them the same. The boy can be worth something, but get rid of the man."
. . .
Siegfried huffs annoyed. "Always the dirty business." He grumbles with the masked guard in front of him. He bobs his head back to the structure behind him. "Can I trust you guys with this one, or will you manage to lose him too?" The masked guard has the decency to look away in shame at least. If not for that, the wolf faunus would have half a mind to do more. He shrugs. "I'll be back after I off the last one, then." He marches off, leaving the man on guard outside.
Inside the domicile, the industrial cell contains the boy. Carmine scowls at the far wall at nothing in particular. His hands are still bound behind him as he stretches to get his hands under his behind. He grumbles. "Damn... I'm not Neo." He pouts, unable to get his bound hands under his feet. Not flexible enough to get the limbs forward.
He rocks forward, balancing himself on the tips of his toes. He can't use his semblance, aura, and his gun is taken... That leaves his only tools the armor around his legs and the small amount of dust inside.
The boy smirks at the thought. Guess it was too much a hassle to remove his armor on the fly. Angling himself back, his bound hands can work on the armor at the calves. It takes some working, but he manages to open an armor plate.
Twisting some lock mechanisms out of the way... Maybe he can access the dust inside?
No. He's a terrible dust caster... But igniting the dust with his aura is how he typically uses Jager's thrust. Instead, removing one switch can expose a firing trigger to a source. If he can just get it so the dust can ignite on quick movement...
The door opens as the guard comes inside. Come stiffly rolls so his shoulders rest against the wall. Uncomfortable, but if he can hide his hands working on the armor, it's worth it. "Hmph." The guard huffs and sits facing away from the boy.
As the boy works the metal plating, he speaks up. "So, what's this base camp for?"
"Silence."
Click. His hands access the inner mechanics. Carmine sighs loudly to cover the sound. "How does one harvest silence? Just a bunch of workers in the fields recording sound clips of wind?" The guard just grumbles, so... do as Roman would do. Keep going. "Wait! Does that mean when someone thinks a sound is the wind in movies, it's actually you guys recording that wind?"
"Shut up!" The guard growls, face palming. His mask shifts slightly as Carmine can make out bull horns.
Click! The boy nervously chuckles and coughs over the sound again. This time, the man looks over suspicious. Uh... what will get to the guy? Oh, yeah! Anger. "Oh, what? Mess with the bull, get the horns? Need a better joke there. Crap."
The man stands and glares at the boy through the bars. "Zip it before you regret it. I can just tell them you caused an accident." His tone dips low.
Threat of death? Well... it gets a short pause, but this guy is clearly not top of the line. Hoping looks aren't deceiving in this case. Carmine scoffs. "Puh-lease. I've seen scarier. Bet I could take you with my hands tied behind my- Oh, right!" He cheekily wriggles with his hands hidden behind him.
The man steps forward, pulling a stun baton from his waist. He extends it and allows it to spark on the bar. "One more quip, and I'll be sure you're left with scars, brat."
Carmine gulps, but smirks putting up a front. He remembers he doesn't have aura, so... if this guy is at all comparable to a hunter in training... "Good threat. I'd applaud you, but I can't exactly clap."
"UGH!" The guard jams the keys to the cell and opens it, stepping in and moving towards the boy.
Perfect? Carmine twists his grip on the Jager mechanism for one last click! Safety off. Jolting movements for ignition. Carmine kicks off his tip toes, hikes his legs up, and drop kicks the man in the chest.
Jager's thrust blows on contact, ignited wind dust firing a quick burst. The guard yelps as the push launches him through the swinging open bar door and into the far wall. It also propels Carmine back into the hard wall.
Carmine groans in pain, rolling to his feet. He immediately feels the thrum of pain in his limbs. Right, no aura shields or healing. Hits, you know... hurt a LOT more. The guard is getting and sparking the electric baton. Not nearly as great with it as Carmine's last opponent with one.
With exaggerated stomps to ignite wind dust busts, Carmine charges and shoulder tackles into the man. The two barrel into the wall painfully, but the man grunts and grabs Carmine by the hair with his off hand. He jabs the shot stick into the boy's gut.
A jolt of pain literally sears through his body. On instinct, Carmine's left leg twitch stomps, a burst of wind firing him up and striking his head into the man's jaw. HARD. Both fall to the floor, a numbness stunning the boy's body. The guard is pawing at his face in pain, spitting out blood and a tooth. He's getting to his feet faster...
When in doubt, flail! Carmine kicks his right foot down. The single wind burst springs him off his feet, and he swing kicks his left. The second propulsion sends him into a spiral in the air, and he lands a harsh roundhouse straight to the guard's temple. The hit knocks the guard into the corner of the cell bars and the wall.
Carmine's numbness impacts his control as he lands on his side, crying out in pain for his shoulder. Thankfully, the Jager kick to the head seems to have stunned the man. He rocks, dazed, by the cell bars.
Forcing himself, Carmine rolls onto his back and kicks both feet into the floor. The thrust goes off, throwing his lower half up. He back rolls with the momentum to his feet, almost staggering.
The guard growls, shaking himself slightly more alert as he charges. He swings the shock baton wild. Carmine does a light hop, stomping his legs down so Jager can blast him back. He rockets into the baton, getting another painful shock, but momentum carries him through to slam the guard into the wall.
The two hit into it and stagger forward. The shock forced Carmine's hands to clench on the man's tunic, unintentionally tugging him forward. Carmine squats slightly as the man staggers to drape over his shoulder.
And he stomps the thrust back. The angle is skewed this time, sending the two into the metal bars of the holding cell. The metal shivers from the hit as the two stagger forward, the man clearly taking the brunt of the force! So... Carmine does it again.
CRASH! The metal rattles from the second hit, the two staggering. However, the guard is starting to slump, consciousness fading... and Carmine does it a third time! On the third crash, Carmine releases his grip on the man's tunic behind his back.
Both collapse down, the man slump against the wall. Carmine falls forward, landing on his front. "Ah h-ow!" He breaths heavily, deep gasps of air and exhales following. His entire body hurts, but he can't help the wincing chuckle.
"Hey... I did beat him... with my hands behind my back. Heh!" He rolls painfully back towards him. "Now, where did you put the keys you asshole."
. . .
Outside the building, Carmine stalks into the shadow of another building. His hands free, he holds the shock baton collapsed in hand. His whole body whines in protest, pain remaining. Jeez, aura is nice! However, now is a time to explore. What the hell is this outpost for? And where is his scroll? Siegfried must also have his scroll. Bastard.
He crouches behind a stack of loading pallets near the fields of growth. He peers through the holes in the pallets to the workers in the fields. Or, more closely, the plants themselves. It isn't food... At least, not obviously. Most of it is herbs and wild looking colored leaves. He wishes Blair were here.
The sound of engines buzzing rattles off like an echo, coming from the small structure leading into the ground... He recognizes the sound. A buzz saw cutting material. A blow torch perhaps as well? The pounding of metal on metal... That's interesting. Sounds like metal works.
He's tempted to head on in, but without backup or his gun...
He hopes Roman is doing okay.
. . .
Siegfried crosses the creek, sniffing the air as he tracks his way. It takes him a moment to pick up the trail. Moving along, he eventually comes upon tracks, winding back to the area he, Carmine, and Roman had split off from one another at.
There.
Leaned against the rock, he could see the form of the man in the shade. He huffs. "Too easy..." The wolf faunus strolls up, relaxing. "Hey, where's the brat?" He starts, hoping to take the ginger off guard. He leans against the wall, but Roman doesn't move or act in any way. Siegfried raises a brow. "What? No quips? You lose your tongue out there?"
Nothing.
Siegfried gives a stink eye and turns fully. "Hey, you listening? Taking the piss?" He roughly reaches out and grabs... and feels off.
He turns the form around... It's not Roman standing there.
Or rather, it's one of the bodies he'd left of the white fang members. Wearing a mocked stapled fabric hat... He sniffs, finding Roman's ascot tied on the body.
Faked to have his scent. He jerks away from the body, which slumps to the side. Siegfried eyes widen as he catches sight of a trip wire tied to the body's arm. The body falls and pulls the wire...
"Shi-!" The wire pulls at a planted device with fire and wind dust...
BOOM!
The blast blows Siegfried back, roughly chucking him through the base of a tree. He rolls to his feet, limping lightly in pain. He shakes the pain off and glances up to the flames in front of him. Smoke trails up, into the air. "Bastard thought that would do me in? Think ag- Huh?" He eyes the smoke...
His sniffs. That scent. He drops low, palm touching onto the ground. It's faint, but a rumble starts... "Oh, that clever BASTARD!" Siegfried turns and forces himself into a sprint... as a branch of the far off Boarbatusk pack rushes over the hill.
. . .
Carmine inches out from his hiding spot to move to the structure, only for a hand to reach around and snatch the teen back. "AH-" A hand clamps over his mouth, muffling his yelp as he looks back wide eyed... seeing Roman glaring annoyed at him.
"Quiet, Silver Streak. You'll alert the entire base." He tiredly states. "Be quiet."
Carmine's brow furrows as he glares back, slapping the hand from his mouth before whispering angry. "And where the hell have you been?! Wait, no. How did you even find this place?"
Roman snickers and gives a smarmy grin. "Oh, I set up some traps and then followed you and Fido."
Carmine raises a brow... then his brow shoots up, mouth gasping in air to scream. Roman's hand clamps over his maw. "YRR LT MER GUH CPTUUH!" Carmine swats the hand off and whispers angrily. "You let me get captured?! Really?" Roman shrugs, still grinning. Carmine gives a pursed look. "You are such an unbelievable asshole!"
Roman chuckles. "Made it easier to find this place. You look like crap."
"I got Nomaura'd and lost my gun and scroll. I'm just freaking peachy!" Roman holds up a finger for silence. Carmine does so as a guard patrol walks by. As they pass, Carmine sighs. "So, are we finding out what the big bad guys are up to here?"
Roman huffs. "Oh, I feel there's a lot to gain here. But-" He raises a finger. Carmine focuses fully on him. "I take the lead, my depowered little meat shield." He glances up and points forward. "Now!" He rushes out from their cover, Carmine jolting and moving after him.
The two speed up a stair ramp up and find a second stair well leading down. So far down, the darkness is lit every so often with wall scants and torches. Roman and Carmine share a glance before the conman leads the way down.
Behind the two, as they descend, one of the field workers glances up. The ratty, haggard girl tending to a bush looks confused... as a black feather falls on her bush. She glances around, unable to find a source of the feather.
. . .
"Master Ilan! Master Ilan! Sir! We've received a communication from the east!" The Bomba guard shouts out, rushing to the scorpion faunus' side. The man glances over, nodding to go ahead. The guard stands at attention. "The prisoner they gained has escaped, and an update reported that an explosion was seen inland. Brother Siegfried has not reported back yet, sir!"
Master Ilan's eyes widened at that. "These Hunters... they're more resourceful that I gave credit for." He glances back at the tower, his eyes sparking. In the blue hue, he still sees Blair and Neo's aura. This time on the first floor. Likely barricading the walls and vault doors. "The compound mustn't be compromised... but should these ones here escape..."
"Sir. Another caravan is arriving from the west." Ilan stiffens at that. Another caravan this soon? If news gets out about these problems, it could get out to Chief Belladonna!
"No caravans should even be coming at this time!" The boss almost snaps, his cool fading to an undercurrent of heated anger.
"It's... only four men, sir."
That makes the master pause. Four men? The caravan guards by themselves? No, they'd no reason to travel without a group. Perhaps Grimm casualties? Perhaps, but that would be significantly bad luck. Ilan glares off to the west.
Indeed... about a mile out. Four auras close together.
All powerful. Practiced. Hunter level.
One that is VERY familiar...
Ilan's eyes widen, his semblance cutting out. "What have I done to deserve him now of all times?" He looks to the guards. "I want extra men with me to confront the... NEW unwanted guests." He moves with a group of guards to the gate, glaring down the road.
. . .
Neo stuffs another bag with excess medicines. A wicked grin comes on as the kleptomaniac sees shiny valuables and more at every corner. The young cheeky girl energetically bounces throughout the vault, completely ignoring the calculated snatching of products by the blonde across the room.
Blair takes the final vial of the saya extract. Pocketing it, she nods to herself. "Alright. We're done." Neo screeches to a halt behind her, saluting. "Let's see what they are doing from the room and try to flee. Your aura levels are okay?"
Neo nods and skips ahead, the two making their way up the tower. All the walls and vault doors are barricaded with ice and earth dust walls. Making it up to the top floor, Blair lights her sword with fire dust and slashes a slit through the wall.
The two peer through the scorched streak. Night time is fully taking over, but the torches along the village walls. She makes out Master Ilan turning away from the tower and marching to the far gate. Blair hums. "If Ilan isn't watching, we can make our escape right... now..."
The girl turns a look at Blair as the blonde trails off. She cocks her head, but no response. Neo looks to the gate as four individuals march into the village. Led by some jack off in a duster coat and a Mohawk. Blair grits her teeth.
"Oh no..."
. . .
Master Ilan's gaze narrows as the swaggering gait of the newcomer. Someone he hasn't seen, nor wished to see, in years. Yet, he swallows his heated feeling and plasters a fake smile on. Condescending. Superior. "Well, well, well. It has been FAR too long to be in your presence.
The man gasps in mock shock. "Master Ilan? Oh my god, how are you?" He flashes a grin, his gold tooth twinkling. His arms open wide, almost creepily asking for a hug. "Hows about a hug?"
While Ilan's smile remains, his eyes directly communicate ire, narrowing a death glare. "Your hands touch me, you lose them... Killian Gonzola What brings you to Menagerie again?"
Killa pouts, letting his hands slap down at his sides. Behind him, Donatello, Ezra, and Kallen glance about curiously. "Well, aren't you full of hospitality." His sullen pout switches to a grin in a snap. "Have I interrupted something?" He steps to the side to walk around the master.
Ilan side steps, cutting the chameleon off. His eyes narrow. "Nothing that concerns you... State your business and stop dividing out resources."
Killa chuckles low. "Oh, you never know what can concern someone. Just ask a certain... mutual friend between us. Business partner really." He waits to see curiosity in the man, growing his own smile. "Great with kids." A second passes before Master Ilan's eyes widen. "Ah... there it is."
"There's no way on this land of Remnant that they truly asked for your help of all people."
"Oh!" Killa huffs a laugh. "You seem to be out of the loop on this..." He spares a glance up to the tower. "... hunter team?" A look flashes across the scorpion faunus just long enough for a smirk to light up the murderer.
Master Ilan's face scrunches in thought. A guard behind him speaks up as he approaches. "Sir, still no update on Siegfried. No signs or tracks leaving the compound. The prisoner must still be inside."
Ilan grits his teeth. He's been played. "So, what? You've actually been contracted to deal with said headache?"
"Indubitably, my fine Master!" Killa snarks.
Ilan contemplates a moment, then huffs. "A deal then." The mercs perk up. "Take care of the two in that tower for me. You'll earn a shipment of drugs from our next shipment." Killa's brows shoot up, mouth curving. However, Master Ilan raises a finger. "But... leave the property intact. Leave my people intact. Leave everything intact. Else I will certainly sell you out. Understood?"
Killa turns to the others. "Hmm... boys, how y'all feel bout that deal?"
"Take it." Donatello and Kallen state simultaneously. Don even leans in and whispers. "Less problems, mook."
Ezra scratches at his chin. "Some of my AA members back home might appreciate some... medicines." The priest nods. "I like it."
"Deal!" The man's grin widens creepily as his large eyes trail to the tower.
The guards behind Ilan tense, sharing clearly distressed looks. One's voice cracks as he asks nervously. "S-sir?"
Ilan turns curtly to his men. "We will give them control of the situation here. Everyone who can be spared will come with me to the eastern outpost. Clear?" They look unsure, but slowly nod. Ilan then cuts a glare at the giddy Killian. "Oh, and... Killian?"
"What is it, boss?" Killa mockingly adds the moniker.
"One step out of line, and your head will be on Sienna's bedside table." He walks away, speaking up. "Come! Let's waste no time." All while Killa pouts with a glare.
. . .
Blair watches Master Ilan quickly marching towards the eastern gate with the men... No, he couldn't have-... "We need to go." She snaps before pushing away from the scorch hole. "Now!" Neo furrows her brow, focusing narrowly on the Mohawk leader... Why does he look familiar? "Neo!" Blair snaps, but Neo remains focused.
And it hits her. The wanted flier in Mistral...
Carmine... This guy is...
Her grip on the bag beside her and on Hush tightens, a breath sucking in. She snaps a look at Blair nodding. The two break into a sprint down the stairs. Blitzing to the bottom floor, Blair steps forward. "We'll need to use your semblance. Both of us."
Neo grimaces, offering her arm out. Blair pulls out Fluorescent Finish and jabs the sheath end prongs into the girl's bicep. The girl winces as the blood capsule inside captures her blood. Blair withdraws the weapon, standing ready. Her off hand takes one fire and one ice dust vial, both clenched in hand.
"We must remain here for a small time until we're sure Master Ilan is gone. Then, and only then can we hope to escape now that he's leaving." She evaluates the main room. "We should reinforce-"
BOOM!
The entire right side wall blows in from a fiery impact. The blast launches Neo and Blair off their feet and into the far wall. They hit staggered, but recover their footing, looking terrified at the clearing smoke and embers in front of them.
"Aw, man! You got us attacking the women. That's such a blow to the class, man!" Ezra's voice calls out. Through the smoke, the black bird faunus steps through, his weapons in hand. Dragging along the ground from his right hand is a golden metal whip. Its hilt contains a lightning dust canister as yellow sparks fizzle from its contact with the ground. His left sleeve is pulled up, revealing a golden rope coiled around the forearm. Another dust can, a smooth thin container fitted along that forearm. The rope ends in a dart.
Beside him, Donatello cracks his knuckles, showing off special metallic gauntlets with spiked knuckles. "Hey, hey. Think of the children your church can help after this. That'll settle your conscious."
Ezra scoffs. "Yeah, but doesn't mean I can't pray it to fix itself like all my problems."
"Zip it, y'all!" From the black wood floor, a black shape rises, matching tone with the material... Killa rising through his transportation semblance. His silhouette, looking wooden, stands and smiles before his coloration returns to normal. Both arms brandish his arm mounted sub machine gun mounts as he smiles. "Let's get to killin' all humans!"
Blair and Neo share a glance before the blonde coughs low. "Right... forget staying. Semblance now." She whispers. Neo nods vigorously.
"Enough yapping!" Killa cackles and raises his arms, opening fire. Immediately, Neo grabs Blair as the shots hit... shattering the image of both girls. As they fall apart, Killa's glee morphs from his laugh to spooked fright then irritation. "HAHA- AH! What?!" He jerks a look around, slowly scowling. "Oh, come on!"
Donatello huffs, looking over his shoulder to Kallen further back. The dapper actor now sports a long rifle. "You got an eye out?"
"I suppose..." Kallen sighs. His elongated rifle has a wide rectangular barrel with technological attachments affixed down the entire length of the gold and silver plated weapon. He flips open a view screen out from the left side of the rifle and aims. The weapon uses its camera sights, applying a heat vision view of the area. He finds two heat sources appearing above. "Up high!"
As all four of the murder hobos glance up, Blair drops down, casting and igniting the fire and ice dust vials. The powers burst as a massive mist explodes out. The criminals all shield themselves as Blair and Neo sprint at top speed in the shroud of white.
Both leap high onto the village wall, Blair letting Neo step off her hand. The blonde launches the girl into the upper tree line before leaping after her herself. Neo opens Hush, slowing her slightly as Blair grabs onto her by the leg. No tracks along the ground, their momentum carries them off into the dark woods.
The mist clears, Killa and Kallen rushing out after the girls. Kallen scowls, opening small fold outs from his gun. "They hopped the wall into the woods."
Killa's scowl turns up as he barks a laugh. The other two form up with them. "Hot diggity daffodil! Game's on! Blonde is worth five points!"
. . .
The two pairs of feet hit the ground running. Neo trails after Blair, who draws Fluorescent and activates Neo's semblance. Her gaze lands on a rocky slope along the side of a nearby hill. "This way!" As they sprint, a gun shot cuts through the growth behind them, embedding into a tree for a miss.
A hundred yards back, Kallen growls as the growth obscures the girls again. His heat screen losing track of the heat source. He starts running after them, but lightens up as he glances around in thought. "Hmm... this would make for a good film pitch... Deadliest Game... I could star-"
Killa sprints past him. "Shelve the idea! Shoot em'!"
The snake faunus sighs. "I can't get a clear shot in the dark!" He catches a single speck of orange in the screen disappear. "Around that bend!" They round the rocky slope, grinding to a halt as Kallen kneels and aims around, scanning the area...
Silence.
Ezra and Don catch up with them, the four glancing about. Don looks about. "What we got?"
Kallen huffs. "Some innovative hacks." A slight smirk comes on as he flicks his tongue out. Seconds tick by until the tongue comes in. His smirk widens. "Not innovative enough it seems. They seem unaware that snakes can smell through..." He steps around a rock. "Their..." He moves around another... then bursts around the last and aims his rifle. "Tongue!"
His mirth wipes away... Just rocks. Don raises a brow at him. "Losing your touch, Kaly?"
"B-b-but I smell them right here! I'm telling you!" Kallen's eyes snap around wide, confused.
Killa scoffs. "Alright, let's head up the ridge. See if we can find them there. Come on!" The group begins to move, Kallen hanging back only a second in confusion before moving after them.
A minute ticks by...
SHATTER!
One of the rocks bursts into dissipating shards to reveal Hush. The parasol closes, Neo and Blair hunched together with the little girl wrapped around the blonde. They each share a sigh of relief, Blair's unimpressed look meeting Neo's now cocky smirk. "Good work, Neo." The girl glows at the praise.
The two separate, eyeing the direction the four went. East by North East. Damn. The same direction as Roman and Carmine's debacle... Neo catches this and sends a wary glance at the darkness building around them. The sun is fully down now, but the moon is half full. A faint blue illuminates the area.
"We'll have to risk it. Those four monsters will have a far higher chance of running into the Grimm than us, anyway." The blonde nods to Neo, each of them with a pack hanging from their shoulders of stolen supplies. "We'll loop South and around the far side of the next two mountains. Got it?"
Neo nods, the two setting off.
. . .
Perhaps two hours into the walk, the girls wade their way through heavy growth. Neo glances around before signing at Blair. "Think we lost them?"
Suddenly, both spook at an echo of a gunshot. The two look over their shoulders. "Not quite. But I would say the Grimm found them..." They smirk at one another. "Let us rest a moment." The two sit atop two rocks by a running stream.
Blair begins running through options in her mind. They have little or no signal via their scrolls. Can't communicate through messages. Radio waves? Worse. Most main land kingdom goers have personal scrolls with the same function. Any attempt to communicate with them would alert their four mercenaries out in the woods with them.
Neo frowns, nudging Blair before signing. "That man... what is he doing here? You knew him on sight?" Blair grimaces, actually opening up to answer before clamping her jaw shut. Neo raises a suspicious brow.
"Roman and I..." Blair starts, hesitant. "May have come across that man in Sanctuary." Neo's eyes shot wide. "He was the man AZRL hired to kidnap Miguel." Neo jerks at that. "He had been spurned by AZRL in payment, so he gave us the information he had in negotiation."
Neo leans in, eyeing the blonde incredulously before signing. "And when Dumb Dumb finds out about him?" Blair has the decency to look away. Neo slumps in a sigh. Greeeaaaat. This sounds fantastic... heavy sarcasm is heavy.
The discussion is interrupted by a rustling leaflet. The two girls tensing and glaring to the side.
Blair lowers to a crouch and raises a hand. She signals Neo to move right. The previous gun shots were too far for this to be the mercs. This had to be a Grimm... Be quick and eliminate the threat. Silently, the two set up around the nearest trees...
Another rustle.
Neo bursts forward to the source of the sound, thrusting her blade out the end of the parasol for a stab! The blade strikes... a rock. A rock? A floating rock? A floating rock! Neo leaps back as the rock pushes against her in the dark. Suddenly, a pulse of aura is felt, and Neo feels a telekinetic force grip her in place.
She tenses and activates her semblance. SHATTER! Her form disappears from the control of this aura. Neo appears, whipping around to face the direction of the aura to find... Blair?
The girl blinks confused, cocking her head and pointing queerly. Her off hand flicks up, as if saying 'the hell?' Then she notices that Blair's bangs were framed on the wrong side, the right, as opposed to the left. Where was Fluorescent? Why did she have glasses? Green eyes?
Neo's lips pursed in shocked panic. That's not Blair! Before she can move, the newcomer flicks her wrist in another pulse of aura. Neo finds a powerful force gripping her into place as her body freezes. She just needs to resist the power and... she's not overpowering this, she realizes. She glances around in panic.
However...
"Let her go!" The mystery woman jerks back as the dull glow of Fluorescent Finish halts at the woman's throat. Dust lights the blade orange with fire dust. The dust illuminates the area, showcasing the newcomer as... the exact same height and build as Blair... Neo sucks in a breath, unable to tell much difference besides the obvious.
Blair's eyes widen, recognizing her. "Glynda?!"
Glynda merely narrows her glare at the woman. She doesn't speak, as another voice jolts in. "Blair! Glynda! STOP!" The purple haired woman slides in, using the circular weapon on her right wrist to pry the two blondes apart. Blair is left only wide eyed, not reacting much more than freezing. The purple haired woman sighs, sparing a glance between Blair and the captive Neo. "Blair, hey! How you- Oh, Glynda! Let the poor girl down!"
Glynda huffs, dropping Neo from her aura roughly as the tricolor girl lands on her butt painfully. The new blonde gives a snooty look. "I remind you, that was self defense." Her voice was slightly haughtier than Blair's, Neo giving a glare and choosing to memorize these differences. Who the hell?
Blair moves to Neo's side. "Rowa? What's the meaning of this?"
Glynda opens her mouth, only for Rowa to snap her fingers at her. "No bickering!" She leaves her glare on the new blonde before turning to Blair. "That will require some explanation later. Short version is we're helping you." Rowa then flashes an apologetic grin to Neo, the tricolor girl giving a suspicious glare. "Hi, I'm-" She takes a step towards Neo, only for the girl to tense and ready her weapon. Rowa sweat drops. "Right... bad introduction letting Glynda go first."
Glynda snaps a glare at the back of Rowa's head, but allows herself to return to her stare down with Blair. Confusion slowly gets overpowered by sheer irritation from the sword wielder. The four are momentarily paused.
Then a gunshot sounds... much closer than earlier... The mercs are closing in...
Blair scowls at Glynda. "We must move!" Both state simultaneously before returning to their glares.
Rowa sighs in anger before returning a gaze to Neo. "Hi! The sourpuss over there is Glynda, Blair there's sister." Neo recoils at that, Rowa taking pleasure in the girl's suspicion giving way to curiosity. Rowa smiles. "And I am Blair's former Beacon partner, Rowa Carson."
Neo blinks twice as Rowa outstretches a hand, sending a glance to Blair. Blair allows herself to turn from Glynda and nod at the distressed girl. Hmm? Approval then. Neo relaxes and conjures a sign with her off hand. 'Hi, I'm Neo.'
"Neopolitan Rhodes. We've been informed." Rowa says kindly. Something that is met with tense jolts from Blair and Neo. However, another gun shot sounds, even closer. Rowa sweat drops a smile, scratching her head. "Right, we should move." She turns to Blair and Glynda, both still glaring at one another... Rowa twitches before grabbing and pulling both by the arm. "Move please!"
. . .
The underground path opens up into a full blown cavern, lit torch lighting along multiple paths. The lines of workers appear to work along a makeshift conveyor belt, working with heated metal and attachments. Each line of workers was watched over by a Fang member holding a rifle. The cavern descends deeper, but Carmine and Roman can't tell how deep.
The two hide behind a pallet stack, eyeing the slave labor. The two sit back, reasonably able to speak in this spot. Carmine scowls. "What the heck are they working on? The fields on the surface aren't food, and down here they're doing... construction?"
Roman thinks for a moment before scoffing. "Come, now. You gotta have some more brain in there, Silver Streak." He smirks. "If Master Ilan controls all medicine in Menagerie, what could you figure in that brain his 'free workers' are harvesting?"
Carmine grimaces at him. "Yeah... Okay, so he's farming drugs. A pot head's dream. How does that connect to..." He waves around the cavern. Then, a thought occurs. It must have shown on his face, as Roman remains passive, letting him figure it out. "Master Ilan is a member of the White Fang. Not AZRL... So, he hordes medicine from AZRL to help the Fang. Then there's Siegfried..."
Roman raises a brow. "Come again?"
Carmine perks. "Oh, right. Siegfried is a Series Black." He pauses as Roman grimaces at that. "His number is in the six hundreds." Roman scoffs at that, to Carmine's enjoyment. "Aw, finally jealous someone's been around longer than you?"
The conman huffs. "As if. The old dog needs put down. But, that does answer the other thing. Faunus bought by mister guy smiles get to join the fang. And humans..." He looks to the working line down the way from them. "Well... suffice to say, an ideologically motivated master answering injustice to one race with injustice to the other. Fun."
"So then..." Carmine again gestures to the metal works. "A power play?" He hums. Roman flinches as he notices a black feather dropping to Carmine's side. Carmine snickers. "So, we checking it out?"
Roman looks from the feather to Carmine. "On the condition that I take anything they won't need anymore." He ends in a smirk.
"Sweet! Accepted." He holds up a hand for a high five.
Roman gives a lidded annoyed look. Finally he groans and holds his hand out, allowing Carmine to high five it. "Deal."
"Count me in." A third voice sounds beside them...
Carmine and Roman each suck in a breath, whipping to the ready as Roman swings Velvet's pick side first and Carmine swinging the shock baton! The baton strikes a large sword blade, but Roman whirls Velvet around the block at the newcomer's neck.
A hand catches Velvet Valentine on the shaft, but a stinging grunt does come from the man... The raven haired man with red eyes that was now sitting against the rock near them. Roman maintains a hard stare with the man, but Carmine's shock shows. The boy pulls back. "P-... Pardon?"
Roman, seeing the boy's switch in demeanor, rips his weapon away from the man and eyes him up and down. The man doesn't smirk, but does lazily give a two finger salute. "Yo."
Roman, seeing how the man carried himself, narrows his gaze. "Huntsman?" He tenses, ready for a fight on instinct.
The man raises a brow at the conman. "After pretending to be one for almost two years, I'd figure it wouldn't be a shock." He looks away from Roman, to Carmine. "... How ya been, kid?"
Carmine's brain continues its shut down for almost a minute as the conman huffs. "Silver Streak, information. Now!"
The boy jolts before mumbling out. "Mr... Mr Branwen?"
"Just Qrow, kid." Qrow nods, leaning back and pulling his weapon back fully.
Carmine keeps his gaze on Qrow, but keeps glancing away... "What... are you doing here?"
Damn... Just as bad a reaction as the last time they'd met. Qrow remains passive and gives a small smirk for Carmine's benefit. "Here to back up one Team CRBN." He sees the skepticism on Roman's face and shock on Carmine's. "So... catch me up to speed here."
Alright, so meetings abound. The idea of Qrow and Roman in the same room tickles me, and we get to have Neo in-between sister drama. Fun times for conflict while all is hitting the fan.
Also, yes! Finished the chapter just before my vacation! Literally three hours before I have to leave, but still. Proud of myself.
Join next time in chapter thirty eight: To Be A Team.