Author's note: I would like to apologize for any lateness in this update. My work load with my job can and does affect my work in writing, and just to allow bit of honestly, it's been hell. Simply put, Covid. Lots and lots and lots and lots of good ole Rona. I cannot stress more that I have legitimately lost a typical two week's worth of writing time due to it. I hope the update is worth the wait and again, apologies.
Chapter Forty Nine: Respecting Your Elders
"Yoohoo... Yoohoo~? Carmine?"
He feels a soothing breath enter him before spewing out. Somehow, his entire body feels loose. Not bad, and not entirely uncomfortable. Just... hindered. Is this what being drunk is like? He'll have to ask Roman someday... No, Roman will just actually get him drunk and then ask if that was the right feeling after...
"Sigh all you want. Longer you sit there, the longer you stay here."
The chipper voice he recognized all too well. His heart clenches, eyes clenching tight before he allows them to open. He's in a bed. This... oh. It's a motel room with a single double bed. He can recognize the generic format, given how many he stays in these days. Except... rain outside. Yeah... yeah, he remembers this motel room.
He sits up and takes his body in. "You're normal size, silly." The voice calls from the side. He sees the woman's knee out the corner of his eye. She's sitting cross legged on the bed beside him. "You can't keep moping there."
The boy gulps, eyes remaining closed. "How long have I been here?"
He can hear the smile in her voice... It hurts to hear. "Far too long. Come on. You need to get a move on."
"Why?" He asks. "What happened? Is someone hurt?"
"Not like that." She sounds exasperated. "No one else is in trouble. I'm speaking solely about you." The woman's smile returns. "It's funny... It's taken this long for you to hear me, and I'm not even sure what to say... You need to move, Carmine. Move on."
Move on? Move? He grimaces at the ceiling, still not looking at her. His eyes trail to the door to the outside... Well?
He stands from the bed, walking casually to the door. The woman speaks up. "That's not exactly an exit..."
Carmine opens the door... jolting back from cracking lightning! The door leads nowhere. An open space to a dark clouded void! A vicious storm whips winds and rain at him, blowing in his face! He looks down, seeing only a clouded void.
He slams the door shut, heart pounding and eyes wide. "Meep..."
"Tried to warn you." She speaks from the bed.
Calming, he glares at the wall. "Well, tell me how to leave here, then."
"To be fair, I'm not entirely sure myself. It's your psyche."
"And you're just in my head, so of course you don't have an answer... Great." Carmine groans, missing the frown form on the woman behind him. "This inner reflection crap is already old. Blair's not behind this, is she?"
The woman smiles yet again. "Nope!" She pops the p. "Her aura has fully been consumed. This is all on you." She leans slightly towards him. "And should I say, I'm very proud of how you came out of that."
A twinge in his heart again. Nearly bubbling into anger. Choosing to ignore her, he instead tries the motel bathroom. She flinches at the motion.
"Wait, Carmine-"
He enters the restroom, shutting the door on her... It seems normal. Just a bathroom. At least the rain is quiet...In fact, there's no sound. Carmine's brow furrows, looking to the mirror...
Himself. Young. Only 6 years old stares back at him, barely tall enough for his head to be peering over the counter.
Carmine raises his hand... the young version mirroring the action as the two wave in perfect timing. The young image is smiling brightly at him, teeth flashing... God, when's the last time he smiled that wide. Not in his head, but for real?
Slowly, he allows his own smile to form-
The young Carmine's face locks in horror... a hand print on his face, a print in blood... "I used this hand." A gunshot sounds... the image and background behind the younger image shifts to a view of a street... Killian Gonzola standing over the boy's own mother, Senaya Uhlric.
The gunshots sound as the facet turns on. Blood runs instead of water. As images begin to flash in the mirror, each bringing yet another death. Each a death because of him... as he fails to notice the sink filling with the red essence...
The faces... Senaya killed in the street... Jared killed at the abandoned post... Tamara blown up in Vaterra... Miguel with his head blown out in Sanctuary... Master Kourii strung up in Mibu... Tora's grave...
the dozen more faces he's seen pass from this world in just the last two and a half years.. Their blood pooling in the sink, on his hands.
. . .
The boy's hand clenches in a vice. Neo's hand is clenched in his tightening grip bordering painfully. The girl sucks in a breath, watching Carmine's breathing run haggard and brow twitch. Eyes wide, the girl tries to feel his forehead. Maybe the fever was still-
Her fingers brush his cheek as the hand raises... and he snaps his off hand up, clutching her wrist in his other hand's grip. Shit... Neo tries to wrestle her hands away to no avail. Instead, she presses down, pinning his hands on each side of his head and keeping him still.
She's in a dimly lit back room with only a desk and simple bed cot that the two occupy.
Blair enters, seeing Neo atop the boy. "What happened?" She makes a line for them. Neo looks up worried as a shatter sign conjures itself over her head reading 'Help!' The blonde crouches by them, checking the boy.
Outside the room, Roman stands in a hallway, grimacing. Junior steps up beside him, brow risen. "So... that's your shot caller? Who takes orders from a 15 year old?"
The CRBN team had made it to Junior's Nightclub safe and sound, Roman immediately being forced by Blair to negotiate using Junior's on site room to treat the boy. As such, Roman groans as he removes a pocket full of Lien, giving it to Junior as he responds. "It's a complicated situation... So, how did it go checking on your Lieutenants?"
The two walk and talk. "Well, considering some contacts reported two of them suddenly finding themselves short a couple dozen guys... I can assume who supplied the men who attacked you guys."
"So two potential people who will be hiding dear Papa." Roman sounds less than pleased. "Who do we got?"
He continues. "Kel is a spice guy in the docks. Important for foreign trade. I know his stock has taken a hit with our influence taking a dive in the last couple years. He was expected. Lastly, we have Lohrenz."
"That'll be the culprit if I had to guess." Roman cuts in. "Replacing him as Senior's top dog was always a sore spot. I assume he's jumping at the hint of getting to be the favorite again."
Junior smirks. "Well, then you can settle the score once and for all. Me and the girls can hit up Kel with some of the loyal boys. I can have that loose end tied in one hour max." His smirk falls after. "Lohrenz runs a private security firm for trade companies, so he's got plenty of bodies to put between you and him."
Roman nods, leaving the man to return to the back room. Entering, he spots Blair wiping a wet cloth on Carmine's head. Neo has moved off the boy, one of her hands free. The other still holds Carmine's. Roman wrinkles his nose at the small display of affection. "Saddle up, Neo. We're going to war."
Blair snaps a gaze up along with Neo. "What?"
"Neo and I will go and put down Senior's former best man. If Senior is there, we take him out. Gang war, over." He explains simply. "I'd go alone, but given that AZRL is skulking about with not one but TWO higher ups..."
"Then I should go." Blair cuts in, Neo double taking between looking at the blonde and at Carmine. "I've already given my solution for him. His aura is finally recovering. All we have now is waiting and keeping his fever down." She grabs Fluorescent Finish, looping it to his belt sash. "Roman and I will take out AZRL's members, should we come across themselves"
Neo frowns, signing out. "What if other blacks show up?"
"Then they show." Roman shrugs. "Big old Zan Man likely doesn't want to lose any more of their big selling products on us, so I doubt that it will come to fighting more kids. They already burned two assets back at Mountain Glenn." He points to Neo. "Junior is gonna be leaving some of his boys here, and none of them know sign language. Assume they're stupid when you need something."
Neo pouts, but nods. She watches as Blair uses Fluorescent's sheath to draw a blood capsule from Carmine, then does the same with Neo when she offer her arm. "Be careful... Let me know if anything comes up." She holds up the blood capsule of Carmine's blood. "If Carmine can recall hours to put himself back in the van when he went after Roman before, I'm willing to try to recall myself back here if needed." At Neo's wide look at that, Blair grimaces. "It's... the best I can pre plan for."
"Lovely. You'll just end up as Conked Out Barbie." Roman mocks.
Blair doesn't respond as she and Roman leave the room. The door closes, leaving Neo alone with the unconscious boy. The mute girl sighs, pulling out both her own scroll and Carmine's.
'Aura Level: 6%!'
She blinks, a thought occurring. She looks up online on her scroll about instances of comatose victims. She finds some information, that some people in comas can hear the goings on around them, that it's good to speak to them... She glares at the screen. Can't do that.
But, the recognition of familiar sounds is there. Even recognition of familiar sensations. So, Neo looks up some shows. Something Carmine might recognize... Oh! She lets a small smile form as she hits play.
The sound of an echoing crowd cheering begins as, what else, a wrestling program comes on screen. One of the first things Carmine introduced to her for entertainment when they first started this adventure. She props the scroll up at the end of the cot before she sits beside the laying boy.
The distraction will help, but she still feels the need to do more. The next thought occurs in a blink. She glances at the boy, and reaches.
Nudge nudge. She pokes his side twice and pauses... She does so again. Another two times. Another pause.
His face is still strained, almost pained. It's hurts a bit... Too used to the boy flailing his hand saying 'stop it' in a voice crack. Still, she keeps poking him, hoping for some sort of reaction. In the back of her mind, she recalls herself being the one out of it in Sanctuary... with Carmine and the others tending to her.
Gods, his face when he burst into her hospital room to find her munching ice cream. She lets out a chuckle remembering it. Like checking on her superseded his own aura exhaustion...
She frowns at that... Everything supersedes his needs to him. She remembers his freak out at her atop their home. Her gaze falls on his face. This idiot might be the only reason the three other CRBN members have a family... A life...
. . .
Lives lost... So many lost.
My fault. I wasn't smart enough... The girl was blown up by her own superiors in an obvious trap!
My fault. I didn't come soon enough... The teen boy had been plucked from his home, entire parts cycled out like a play thing. Like a scientist's toy!
My fault. I brought them into the conflict... the tiger faunus and kindly red eyed man were gone.
My fault... I existed... Mom... Dad...
The boy was now vigorously scrubbing at the blood on his hands in the sink. Blood stains marred the entirety of the bathroom, splattered about. The simple act of scrubbing was futile... The very water from the sink was the source of it. Scrubbing off blood with more blood tainting his hands.
Knock knock... Loud bangs rattle the door. Each bang shakes the lights in the bathroom, causing them to flicker.
It's not coming off. There's so much red. Why red? Why would he be cursed with that kind of name? His unhinged eyes dare flick up to see his younger self mimicking the same actions in his own sink. The red of his hair roots matches the red around.
Behind the young image of himself, a gunshot sounds.
Siegfried's body falls back, a hole blown through his skull... My fault. If I were a real huntsman, I could've won without killing him. I could've found a way to convince him to-
Knock knock... The room quakes, and the mirror darkens... concentration murky.
He was thinking of them. No, he doesn't want to think of them. But he should. He deserves to dwell on it. They deserve to be remembered. To be vindicated watching him!
Knock knock... The room quakes, lights flashing before shutting off. The mirror turns black. The room is dark save for Carmine and his younger self each locking their gazes down. All the blood in the room dulls... dries...
All flaking and cracked. The now dulled reds break off the surfaces of the sinks, off the boy's skin. His brow furrows. "What?" This feels familiar... annoying... distracting. Both he and his younger self blink before his younger image fades off.
The black background blurs and blinks. It's a memory... from his perspective. The 'eyes' the mirror's perspective come from blink clear, showing a VERY young and VERY familiar girl. A little five year old Neopolitan. He sees small child hands raising Heulin Noon at the girl in fright as the girl tilts her head. "Uh... hi?"
He watches the scene, the memory play out. George happening upon them, Carmine missing a shot, and Neo plopping herself beside him. In hindsight, she was totally just using him to have fun, but... the memory pulls a smile at the teen boy.
He faintly hears the door unlatch, the bathroom door opening. Sucking in a breath, he feels himself get pulled gently by the hand from the restroom by her. He sits on the bed, his small smile shifting confused.
The television is on... It's playing wrestling... He hears it anyway. The screen is just the logo. He tilts his head. "That's... not part of the memory."
The other presence in the room chuckles. "Oh? That's because it's real. Your friend is adorable by the way, always helping whether she knows it or not. When you gonna make your move on her?"
Ah... So, Neo is with him? He frowns at the woman's prodding. "You know about her, so don't ask." His tone bites. "Besides, it's distracting."
"Because you focus on all the wrong things." The woman chastises softly. "You'd rather wallow uselessly in the past? In that room?" At his huff and turn away, she slumps and sighs. "Kind to a fault... You can't move past anything without blaming yourself, can you?"
"And you can't simply leave me alone..." He finally engages her more, a bubble of anger. "You want to complain about wallowing in the past when all you do is chuck me right in that room every time my mind wants to fuck with me."
She quiets, frowning at the boy. She speaks low. "Is it really so inconceivable for you to believe part of the fault rests with me?"
A flare of anger kicks at her. Carmine finally looks her dead in the eyes...
She's... still so welcoming. Vibrant energy and kind silver eyes. The perfect phantom to keep haunting him. The perfect apparition to infuriate and terrify him at the same time! "You're not real, so you can't take any fault."
She frowns at him, speaking softly. "Is that so?"
Choosing not to engage, Carmine looks away from Summer. "Just stay quiet and let me think of a way out of here... Something could be happening out there." He misses her slowly lean back and watch him from the bed as he moves to pace the room, inspecting each inch.
. . .
Roman loads a last fire dust shot into the drum mag, letting it hang at his waist. He looks up to see Junior and his men loading their own weapons, checking melee weapons before collapsing and hiding them, and checking vehicles. "So, with AZRL head honchos milling around, are you sure you want to go with just some bodies and two girls?"
Junior sets a large case on the inside of a four door truck. "You're hitting up Lohrenz, so the most conflict will be there." He sends a glare at Roman. "If we see anyone fitting your descriptions, I'll have Miltiades send you a message to help."
He clips the case and opens it... revealing a freaking RPG, rocket propelled grenade launcher. With a dozen shots! Roman freezes in place, not showing shock, but simply shut down.
"Well, someone wants to one up me." The conman settles on as an answer. Junior sneers before loading into the truck. Roman turns his attention to Blair nearby. Several mobsters seem uncomfortable, not wishing to enter within ten feet of her as she leans against a car. "Now, what's with the grumpy look, Barbie?"
Blair huffs. She opens the car, entering the back seat. Roman rounds the vehicle, getting into the seat beside them. One of the mobsters gets into the driver seat, taking them in a convoy away from the area. "I seem to recall multiple teams back in the day, not just mine, routinely mopping the floor with these thugs." She shrugs. "I think some remember me."
"Who wouldn't remember you?" He quips, settling next to her. The man in the front seat tightens his grip overhearing the conversation. The action makes Roman's smirk widen.
"So, Lohrenz is his name? What can you tell me about him?"
"He's a jackass. Also a work horse. Ready to race anytime for who he serves like a good mare." Roman rattles off. A short pause occupies the conversation before he snickers. "He's a donkey faunus. A long faced schmuck who doesn't question what gets asked of him. Perfect enforcer. Just a bit too loyal to ever reach for any power himself."
He goes on. "He runs a private security firm in the city, so his boys are typically all muscle and little brain. He has a preference for switch blades that turn into grenades." At Blair's next look, he chuckles. "He carries maybe twenty all over his person."
The blonde nods. "With Mary Anne in the city, and this other man Neo saw... Jayce Crimean... We may be entering a three vs two match on this."
"Four, cause I can almost guarantee Senior will be with them." Roman mentions. "Senior is pro kiss the ring brass knuckles kind of guy. Even years in prison I doubt would change it. Thankfully, he's not big on aura combat. No semblance. No special augmentations."
Blair hums at that. "You mean until AZRL performs some inhumane experiment on him." Roman lets his smirk wipe off at that... It's a fair point. A silence falls as they move to their destination.
. . .
Neo watches another finishing move hit a wrestler on the screen. Fan cheers sound out as she slowly blinks. She casts another look at Carmine. He's calmed, sleeping soundly. The fever was died down, and he even slightly curls for comfort.
Even just that much lets her smile. But... physical needs. She really needs to go. The girl gets up and leaves the room. Peeking in the halls, she sees multiple suited men marching through casually. They spare a glance at her, prompting a flash of a shatter sign. It merely shows male and female figures in stereotypical bathroom markers.
"Hmph. Down the hall to the right." He directs her, earning a curt nod from the girl as she quickly marches off.
Soon as the girl is gone, the one who answered her peers around to the other men. They aren't paying the slightest attention, chattering away about small talk. The man inches his way away from the others, stopping outside the door where Carmine rests.
He smirks and enters the room...
. . .
Carmine twitches. A tingling chill in his back. The room's temperature was suddenly cold. It pulls his focus away from the motel room window.
Summer perks on the bed. "Aw, she left." Carmine glares at the wall after her answer. She's still on about that. "Well... she's not here, so how about you tell me about her? I promise I won't tell a soul." Summer chirps from the bed.
"Shut up."
"You're not exactly making progress right now. A distraction can help you gather yourself together and solve the problem more easily." She rattles off, reaching and grasping a cup of Choco Moo from the night stand.
"What's your new obsession with my team?" He narrows a gaze and finally looks at her again. A bubble of heat under his skin... If not for anger, he wouldn't manage to speak at all. His psyche is beginning to piss him off. "In fact, it's been a while since I've been actively seeing S-... Summer. Now, I hear her and all she asks about is them?"
She smiles back. "Come on. You know you love that warm and fuzzy feeling with them around. Just her leaving is throwing you off. What's wrong with some reflection on that? Let's focus on your feelings." A far off look comes off as she speaks lower. "Also, it's rude to talk TO me ABOUT me as if I'm not here."
"Because you're not-" He growls and centers himself. "SHE'S not here. You said it yourself. It's MY psyche."
. . .
The suited man closes the door, moving inward. He finds himself looming over the slumbering boy. Once more, he glances at the doorway. Nodding to himself, he moves to the cot, removing a cloth pillow from one side.
With little hesitation... he takes the fabric material and presses firmly into the boy's sleeping face...
. . .
Carmine sighs annoyed. He turns away from Summer, grumbling. "Need to stop personifying you. Seriously might need actual therapy." Summer perks at that, tilting her head, but he jabs a finger at her before she speaks. "Shut up." Okay, maybe therapy was needed years ago... "Anyway, I need- ha-"
His throat constricts. The room's lights dim and brighten as he attempts to flex his throat. His hand reaches for the neck, but his balance is lost.
The boy stumbles, catching himself on the bed corner. Summer jolts. "CARMINE!" The woman looks around, an alert panic setting as the lights continue to shift in tone. She leaps from the bed, snatching Carmine before he falls to the floor.
A quick glance around doesn't yield any help, so... she wraps the boy in her arms and lets a pulse of white aura out...
. . .
The man grimaces in effort, pressing the pillow down with his full weight! Suddenly, his firm press slips. His hold on the head shifting!
He absently is aware of a very light breeze... The boy's head is now turned sideways.
Carmine sucks in a breath, even unconscious.
The brute grunts annoyed, straightening his head and pressing the pillow down again. "Little bastard-" He whispers before being cut off...
A blur of pink and blue lunging, blade forward. The man is plucked off the boy and slammed into the wall, cracking it!
Neo wrenches down, Hush's blade ripping down the wall and dragging the pinned man to his knees. A blood smear taints the wall as she does so, eyes wide and face taut with rage! Her eye colors switch instinctively without a blink as her aura overflows in the outburst.
A mere choke leaves his lips, red bubbling out... Then, the girl twists the blade. She rips it free with a bone crack, then slashes at the back of his neck. The man hits the floor in a heap... dead.
Neo immediately moves to the boy's side, throwing the pillow off as she nearly hyperventilates!
A sharp breath comes through the boy before his breathing returns to normal... The girl chokes up at that, wrapping and pulling his head into a curled hug. She cradles him as she calms down.
. . .
Carmine sucks in a breath, his balance stabilized. He looks up to the room, the lights back on... It's suddenly warm. Comforting... As if the very air was light and lifting him. He gets his breathing under control, smiling. "Note to self... Thank Neo after asking just WHAT the hell that-..." His words fall as he gazes at the bed.
Flaking rose petals fall around the sheets... The woman flickers in and out of view, but is sitting cross legged at the head of the bed. She smiles... but the sight throws the boy off guard. "You-... ha- ood- friends."
Her speech is broken up, as if like radio static. Even the speech comes in only in his right ear... Mono sound? In his head?
He's left transfixed on the flickering woman...
. . .
Neo sighs, slowly easing Carmine's head back onto a pillow. A sight catches her eye on the cot... She reaches and grabs an object. Is that... a petal? She feels it, watching it shift with her touch. One side white, the other side red. Where would this..?
It breaks away, fading into aura particles. Gone as soon as she'd found it.
Other men come into the doorway. They see the dead man on the far wall. Neo whips around defensively. Daring them to come forward.
"Whoa! Shit..." The first grimaces. "Don't tell me Dave was paid off..." The men hold their hands up defensively from the girl. "Easy... We're Junior through and through..." She allows them to move to the dead man as she keeps a firm stance between herself and Carmine.
They start pawing at the slumped form, searching pockets... They find a scroll. Showing it to one another, one of them grimaces. "He'd received a payment two hours ago-" He sucks in a breath. "He's messaged an unknown number about this location!"
Neo's blood runs cold...
The lights shut down. Pitch blackness takes over the indoors for a solid second before red emergency lights dimly light.
This bodes poorly...
In the main ballroom of the night club, the doors open. Bright sunlight cuts into the dark tinged red as several men enter. Two of Junior's men stationed at the bar tense and quick draw handguns. In a flash, one of the silhouettes brings its arm up.
Boom!
Both men take bright dust shot flashes, their chests scorched from the shots. A female silhouette steps under the red light, revealing Mary Anne. She sends a critical gaze over the two fresh corpses. Her arm cannon has once again been modified, a short barrel with a scatter spread. Fire dust heats the inner barrel orange.
"Your son appears to have lax help. Is this truly the quality you had in your day?" She mocks with a raised brow.
Stepping with her are five armed AZRL guards in full body armor and visor helmets. After them steps the well built physique of the elder man, who clicks his tongue. Gone was his orange jumpsuit, replaced with a silver suit. His undershirt was jet black with a gray tie.
He strokes his gray goatee in disgust. "Seems my son is in need of multiple lessons... Such feeble guards is little more than an insult." Senior sends a curt look to Mary. "My son is for me to handle. Not you. You will deal with these CRBN fools. My inside man said only the children are here."
Mary huffs as she turns away. "Shame. I had hoped to see Roman here."
"As did I." Senior marches to the bar, nose wrinkled. "We wring the children by the neck and wait for my son's return. I... trust that you can handle children, given your profession." The mob boss cuts a glare out the side of his eye. The blonde woman huffs, cranking the dust insert on her weapon as the orange burns brighter from the barrel.
Further inside, Neo stands with Junior's men around her. Only three... Not much help at all. No, she can't work with them anyways... She sends a glance to the dead man on the floor. They aren't trustworthy. Roman has the best idea. Fend for yourself and be opportunistic.
First step, hide Carmine...
Shatter!
Both her image and Carmine's break away and fade to nothing. The men around her recoil. "Shit, and now she abandons us too! What are we gonna do?!" The nearest thug starts to freak out. Morale is not well.
. . .
The boy was cautious as he leans against the best. Summer sat, flickering in and out as she glowed ethereally. Like a specter. Slightly see through. Something with her just... captivated him. More than an image. It's more than a memory. Like...
"Are..?" He swallows nervously. His gaze falls to the spot she'd held him at, then back to her. "Are you... real?" He shakes his head, eyes trailing to his hands. A pained wince comes from him. "I... felt you... What are you? Are you just some... memory manifest through this other power?" His fists clench as he glances away, ashamed. "Or are you its source? Wearing her face like a mask." Finally, the dam breaks as he yells. "Are you real or in my head?!"
Summer glances up, blinking aloof at him. As if her flickering in and out of existence was a nonissue. She cocks her head and allows a small smile, in spite of how absolutely drained her face appears. "Do- Does i-i-it matter?"
Does it matter? Does it matter?! It's... EVERYTHING! Just as he opens his mouth to say exactly so, her voice comes out again... only not from her.
The television...
"Carmine?" The sound was filtered, as if through a broken speaker. Her glances at screen to see... Summer. Her face tired... Her torso bloodied. And she's smiling. "You're a kind person. I hope you never change."
Another punch in the gut, Carmine flinches at those last words... Yet, the Summer on the bed quietly starts.
"H-Had I known how m-m-much those words would hurt you, I-I'd have never said them." Her voice was recovering its strength, a sad smile on her face. She waits for him to meet her gaze. Full of guilt...
The same look he gives himself so often.
. . .
Neo gently tugs Carmine along... inside a wide ventilation shaft... Exits are likely covered, so she needs to get to the roof. Slowly sliding on her back ever slowly, she pulls Carmine along with her arms locked under his. His head at least is safely cradled on her chest.
Thankfully, she has Heulin Noon holstered around HER hip, so as not to let it scrape loudly on the vent metal. Ever more thankful was that his Buster Armor was now inside a bag in Junior's office. As little metal on metal contact helps stealth. Still, her grip on Hush across the boy's chest was awkward.
Still, she trudged along silently, willing the boy to remain silent...
"nh... hah." Choppy breathes come out, echoing down the shafts. Quiet, but echoing nonetheless. Neo can feel his limbs lightly shake. A feel on his forehead shows no fever at least...
Shit, she needs to move.
"AH!" A scream sounds as gun fire loudly echoes through the vents... It didn't sound like one of Junior's men. Guess they're putting up some kind of fight at least. Still, if anyone of any stature is here... they won't last long.
And she won't last long.
She looks at her scroll, having sent a distress message to both Blair and Roman... Only for a signal to not go through. Neo grimaces. They've done something. It's a trap. Gotta be.
Stopping over a vent grating, Neo twists and peeks down into the red lit room. Where the hell is she now? Ah! She's high... a marble floor below... She's entering the vents in the main room rafters. The vent shoot to the roof should be just a little farther!
Still... Neo glances at Carmine. Just minutes ago, he was nearly smothered in his sleep. Her grip on him tightens... 'I could really use you right now, Dumb Dumb.' She sighs with her thoughts.
Slowly, the girl manages to worm the two's way through the vents around two turns, finally finding the sharp turn up. The grime and sweat felt disgusting, but worth it. Just... a little... more...
SHHHK!
The vent shutters, a metallic slapping clang rattles loudly! Neo tenses, wide eyed... Then, a super heated red burns around a clean line around the vent. SHIT!
A red hot metallic whip slices into the vent! Neo protectively wraps Carmine as the burning lash wraps her arms and back! A searing pain burns. "AH!" A throaty whine of pain sounds as Neo and Carmine together are wrenched out of the vents!
By a whip... connected to Mary Anne's arm lock grip. The gun barrel replaced with the fire dust infused whip.
The whip releases them as Neo hits the ground under Carmine painfully. Dead center of the night club dance floor. Free from the whip, Neo roll tosses Carmine behind her as she rises to her feet. A fierce glare up as she enters a fencing stance. Scorch burns mar her biceps and have burned a scorch line around her back through her shirt.
Mary looks amused as she unlocks her weapon hilt. The whip base slides and unlocks from the weapon as she loops the now cool whip at her side. She produces the scatter shot attachment and locks it back in. "I will admit, you are quite silent. However..."
Even in the dark low light of the night club, a green lens lights in front of the woman's right eye. A monocle. It connects to her weapon lock around her forearm.
"Not quite enough, I'm afraid." The woman shows no amusement. Only calculated cold. "With how much Spyyra raved over you, I most certainly will not be lax, I'm afraid." Her gaze shifts to the unconscious boy behind Neo, earning her interest. "How quaint. It seems Dr Near will have his boon after all."
Neo's eyes widen, double taking back to the boy! She shifts directly between them, Hush raised! Her off hand reaches across her to Heulin Noon's grip on her right thigh... She can use Hush to hide the gun for surprise attacks!
Only six... but she has that in her back pocket. Still, with so few shots, best save it. She leaves it holstered for now. Her gaze evaluates the dark red room... finding the elder man at the bar, helping himself to a gin drink.
Well... shit.
Mary huffs, getting Neo's full attention. "Your time away from AZRL is over. It's time to face your consequences." She aims the scatter barrel at Neo and fires.
. . .
The woman peers back at Carmine, the wry grin carrying no happiness. "Nine years, h-huh? You've changed... SO much in that time." Her eyes downcast, she mumbles. "Much of it not for the better."
It stings, a clench in his chest hearing those words. Still, rather than shout her down, he sits and lets her continue.
"You've become... ARE becoming, so cynical. You've denied yourself even a childhood, carrying the weight of some fantasy world on your shoulders." He opens his mouth, but she sends a dower glance his way. "Summer Rose is dead." His mouth snaps shut. "Constantly comparing the world you see to one where I have somehow saved everyone isn't healthy."
Carmine grits his teeth at that. It makes sense, he SEES how that would make sense for someone else, but what he did...
"Recently, you learned that I most definitely did not save everyone I could."
A click sounds, and Carmine's attention turns to the television. He sees himself and Roman heatedly staring off across a table in a bar...
"You know? I-... Summer... nearly let herself drown in on herself. Guilt over broken promises... Regret of things unsaid." Summer glances off, looking to the stormy window. "You know what got me to live once again?" A small smile forms wistfully. "My team." The smile plays as she once again seems... herself. "Tai... Qrow... Raven. They became my responsibility, and at first I lived for them."
Carmine recalls the dream he'd had. He had recognized Qrow, and Raven must have been the other girl. And that left the blonde... Tai-
His eyes widen. Taiyang. Taiyang Xiao Long! He'd-! He'd spoken to Carmine at Beacon! He knew?!
Summer continues. "Through them, I figured out how to live for myself again." She smiles wider. "And I think the same can be said for you." Carmine's inner revelation is shifted back on her. This is why she's been pestering him. "Be it Blair keeping you focused when you're overwhelmed, or Neo distracting you when you're overthinking. Or even Ro-" She pauses, swallowing. "-Roman keeping you in reality."
Carmine shrugs uncomfortably. "I... guess I just got lucky. It's more than I deserve."
She cuts a look at him, but says nothing of it. "And the other day, you fought so hard for them. Put it all on the line, not out of guilt, but out of love... You have NO idea-." She sputters a laugh. "I can never express just how proud I am of you."
For just a moment, all he could do was stare back. Something he wouldn't. COULDN'T begin to fathom...
. . .
Mary fires a scatter shot! Neo fans Hush open, splashing the fire dust shot out into a smokescreen. With the break from sight, Neo shatters away to hide...
The dirty blonde raises her scatter gun to the side, cutting a look with the aim... She fires. The scattershot splashes over an invisible shape. The shape colors into Neo, hitting the floor in a gasp. The girl rolls to her feet to glare.
Once again, the green monocle lens flickering. Her semblance can't fool it... Damn it. Calming, Neo decides a frontal assault! She dash lunges in a thrust. Mary fires, and Neo opens Hush to block while thrusting. Attack and defend simultaneously!
With the trade of losing sight.
Mary leaps up and over Neo, landing on the performance stage. She switches a dial on her arm cannon. The scatter barrel heats up, slowly sputtering flaming dust out in a soft spout. The woman dabs her hand over the heat, the low flame warping at her finger tips.
Neo tenses... dust casting.
With a flick of the hand, Mary sends five fire flares up in an arc. Popping bursts break off the rafters and vents, collapsing them down! Neo dodge rolls left, forward, right. Then she spots a swaying shaft break and fall towards Carmine.
The girl barely dashes and sweeps Carmine aside.
Planned. Mary raises the soft spewing barrel and pulls the trigger. A great streak of smoking flame fires out at the teens. Neo uses Hush to redirect it upward, but the flames don't allow her to see Mary... or notice the woman having approached.
Mary cuts the flame off, swatting the parasol up and front kicking the girl in the chest. Neo is launched across the dance floor in a tumbling roll!
The woman huffs, looking down at Carmine's unconscious form. A thought occurs...
She suppresses a smirk and aims the scatter barrel down at the boy... The orange burn heats and lights the boy's face. Mary glances back to the recovering Neo. "Stand down, or he dies." The girl freezes, eyes swapping colors as she stares back wide eyed. The look earns a smirk out of the calculated woman.
From the bar, Senior watches with a swirling glass of drink. His brow raises. A huff comes out as he mutters. "These broads are overconfident these days."
The girl is frozen tense, glaring back at the woman. Mary allows a slight teasing look. "Good girl, but disappointing. Spyyra spoke SO highly of you..." The woman cranks the switch on her gun, heating the scatter barrel further and earning fear from Neo. "You've allowed yourself to be soft."
The horror remains for a second longer before Neo blinks it away. Her face schooling features for a moment. Then, she gives a polite smile and predatory eyes back. Her eyes blink, resetting her pink on left and brown right. She ever slightly shakes her head.
Mary's brow furrows, confused.
SHATTER!
The boy under her aim shatters out of existence.
Mary recoils in shock. The green lens is lit up, but she's lost focus. She was so sure he was there! WAIT-
She turns, and Neo has already closed the distance! The girl thrusts Hush forward, blade protruding from the parasol. Fast, but not fast enough...
The slice of metal on glass sounds.
Mary recoils back from Neo, hand over her right eye. The furious woman slowly removes the hand. Her eye itself is undamaged, but a laceration just beside it bleeds... and the green lens is gone.
The shattered lens sprays along the ground as Neo steps between the woman and Carmine, smirking. Mary feels mocked by the younger girl. "How? I was certain-"
Shatter!
The empty space where Carmine had been before glimmers and breaks a second time... revealing the boy once again. Mary's stunned look earns a gleeful glance from Neo. And an annoyed grumble from the bar.
"She'd set two illusions, fool." Senior snorts, refilling his drink patiently. "Where she was blocking your flamethrower and neither of you could see the other. Two flashes over the boy. She wasn't trying to trick your sights. She made you doubt what it said to distract you."
Mary, dumbfounded, looks to Neo. The girl looked quite pleased with herself. Then to the shattered pieces of her lens on the floor... Now, it's gone, and Neo has regained her semblance's advantage!
The woman fumes as she stands straight to compose herself. "Clever..."
Senior snorts again. "For her, yes. You fell for it like any cocky hag who gets the slightest power." The man continues to berate Mary in his demeaning way. "If you gals are gonna fight stupidly, at least make it an eye candy show."
Mary tenses, heating in anger. She couldn't refute him, but damn did she want to shoot him. Best to take down the brat as fast as possible! Another flick on the scatter gun, she opens fire at Neo.
The spread shot of fire dust hits Neo and Carmine. Shatter! Both are gone. Neo can abuse it now. Carmine remains gone as Neo appears a short distance into the dance floor. Another shot. Shatter! Her image blows apart. Neo once again appears on another closer part of the dance floor.
She's zigzagging towards Mary! The woman unlocks the scatter gun from her weapon grip, removing it and locking in the base of her wrapped whip. In a pirouette, the woman sweep lashes the chain whip. Fire dust brightens the chains in heat mid lash.
Several spaces shimmer and shatter as the real Neo comes into existence hit! Her previous image shatters from the sweep as well. The girl is flung to the side.
Neo twists mid air, opening Hush to catch the aim and halt. Closing it, she leaps from the wall on high. Mary lashes into the air! Neo opens Hush, halting her movement as the lash swipes directly in front of her. A miss.
Mary lashes again, and Neo closes her weapon to drop dodge. She lands, sprinting at the woman. Smirking, the blonde twirls the blazing whip down. Neo uses Hush to block, the chain wrapping her parasol tight and binding her weapon!
"Now what?" Mary taunts in an authoritative tone, clear condescension sounding.
Neo huffs and jerks her weapon aside... then draws Hush's blade from the parasol form of the weapon. Neo abandons the transform sheath, lunging at the surprised blonde to impale her...
. . .
The silent in the inn room hung over the boy. The image of Summer continued to flicker before him. Awaiting a response. But... it doesn't sit right inside. His gaze trails down as he thinks it over. Even now, Carmine cannot fault the very logic he's always used.
He caused death to happen around him. This is fact. He can't accept any other version of the outcome. Be it indirectly like his parents, or directly with the very woman in front of him. Yet, this could still be little more than a phantom. A part of himself showing him what he may want to hear...
A part of him wanting to feel proud?
It's like a stone that refuses to settle smoothly, constantly imbalanced in his gut. The very notion of pride in himself is... well.
A crock of shit, to put it lightly.
Is that what she means about 'living for himself'? Well, for just a second, he imagined life back at Beacon. Blair was gone, he hadn't reacquainted with Roman, and Neo wasn't there. Would he be able to live normally?
Hmm...
But here. Well, not here, but with Team CRBN? The possibility is... nice. He actually enjoys most days. A lot of days. But, does that make everything okay? If Team CRBN manages to take down AZRL, would he suddenly absolve himself of how he feels towards himself?
He recalls Blair's voice... as it sounds through the static of the television. "Even impossible, an ideal creates a goal... Striving towards such an ideal will always be a gift to the world."
Summer looks curiously at the television, then to Carmine. He looks away with a sigh. "I guess I... No." He shakes his head. "I don't understand what you even mean with living for myself... I wouldn't be able to do that. I CAN'T do that."
The woman opens her mouth to speak, but Carmine holds up his hand. Taking a breath, she nods for him to continue.
"But... living for my friends? Yeah... I think I can try. I'd die for them in a heartbeat-"
"No!" Summer snaps. A flash of heat, passion, shows. "As hunters, we are expected to lay our lives down, yes. But, living for others isn't about how or when you'll decide 'this is the moment' and die. It's about whether you can choose to live on FOR that person. To carry on if they themselves pass, or to carry their will. Their burdens."
He pauses, still a touch confused. Really, what higher meaning of importance is there than sacrificing oneself? He sighs. There's a difference between fighting and living for someone then... He furrows his brow analyzing that. Break it down to come up with... very little.
Then a thought occurs. What about Summer's family? They just had to deal with it. They still didn't know Carmine killed her, did they? To think she passed simply doing her duty, and they try to emulate her, maybe? Granted, they could just as easily be bitter, thrown into unknown heartache by her absence.
They would be angry. There's no other way of looking at it. But, Summer, or this apparition before him, seemed to imply the former. Is that the way for him? It just sounds... wrong. But should he try?
Memories flash. The boy holding the blonde Huntress in training in his room at Beacon. The boy glaring across at the infuriating ginger in a pub. Or a certain pink and brown haired girl repeatedly poking him for attention.
Deep breath. "I don't know how it'll work out, but I think I can try that. Still sounds like letting something wrong go unanswered, but... I can try." He looks her in the eye again, uneasy. "That's the best I can offer you."
Summer smirks, her image flickering again. "That's all I can ask then." Her silver eyes flash to the side as she smiles. "Well, would you look at that."
Carmine follows her gaze. The storm outside was gone. In fact, the outside was now brightly lit. A simple sun yellow. He blinks pleasantly before sending a glare at her. "So, I can't leave until I do things your way? I see how it is."
The small joke in his tone allows her to laugh. A tone that hurts to hear, recalling it clearly himself. Still, she smiles and shakes her head. "Beats me. I said it earlier. It's your psyche." She flickers again, starting to disappear.
The boy flinches in concern. A horror showing. Before he can spiral, she holds up a finger to shush him.
"You're changing, Carmine, and I can't control how you turn out... I certainly hope it's for the better." She lets the statement hang just a moment. "When next you see me, you'll be at a crossroads. Then you will decide who you will be. Whether you can allow yourself to be free, or... to commit to what's been." She begins to rapidly flicker as she gives a small wave. "I'll be waiting!"
And she disappears.
A single flash of rose petals flutter over the bed, leaving the boy totally alone.
He stares at the petals, watching them fade away. A sigh escapes his lips before he straightens himself. He turns to the door and opens the door.
. . .
Blood trickles onto the dance floor. Neo's thrust with Hush's sword struck, buried just above Mary's left hip. The blonde's free hand is bleeding, gripped over the blade. She redirected it at the last second! Mary growls loudly in pain with Neo glaring her eye to eye.
The woman's grunts fall on deaf ears as Senior refills his glass with yet another shot of gin. "Hmm. My boy's gotten better taste. This is genuine Vacuan."
Neo and Mary struggle with both their grips on the sword. The teen wrenches back, ripping her blade free as red splatters along the ground between them. She takes a ready stance, smirking. Her confidence falls hearing the grunts of pain chop.
Cutting into a dark laugh. Mary looks up and smirks. "My trap now." As her aura flashes over her. Yellow aura sparks between the two...
Neo sucks in a breath. What was this woman's semblance?! Roman knew it. What was... SHIT! "AH!" She cries out in pain, a piercing rip in her side.
Neo drops to a knee, writhing in pain as red begins to stain her left side. Her left hand as well drips red. The same wounds she'd just inflicted upon Mary!
The blonde stands tall, breathing heavily. She smirks, disconnecting the whip from her gun as she steps forward. With a single step, she kicks Neo in the chest, sending her tumbling down the floor. Neo sucks in a breath in pain.
All Mary's wounds were now on her! She let herself be hit! Neo grits her teeth in anger, rolling onto her knees. The girl looks up to see Mary reattaching the scatter barrel onto her weapon grip.
More foot prints sound. Neo glances over to spot two of the armored men burst back into the room. Shit, they must have finished off Junior's men... They aim their weapons up.
Unable to move well, Neo resorts to Carmine's weapon. She snap draws the gun with her right hand, shooting each man with single shots. However, too slow.
Mary lunges in, using her weapon as a club and swiping up. The strike bashes Heulin Noon out of Neo's hand and into the air. Neo struggles to stand, but Mary kicks the girl onto her back, flat.
The blonde raises her off hand, catching Heulin Noon in hand. With her foot pressing Neo down, she inspects Carmine's gun for a moment. "Well... this is a marvelous make. Admirable craftsmanship. Such a waste in the hands of a child."
Neo sucks in a breath, ignoring the pain as anger floods in. That... is not yours. That is his. Neo pushes up, reaching, only for Mary to press down harder, stomping her into the marble floor.
Mary smiles wide. "Oh, don't worry. I'll put it to perfect use." As the blonde aims her left hand down.
Her hand... holding nothing.
Neo's eyes widen. Mary flinches her hand up, looking at it confused. "What?"
Click.
BOOM!
The double explosive shot blasts Mary dead on, her aura shields visibly flaring as the blonde is thrown clear off her feet! She's thrown back into the bar, smashing in the counter! Senior raises a brow beside the woman, whose now indented into the counter.
Neo sucks in a breath, rolling onto her right side to look to the end of the room.
Smoke trails off Heulin Noon, recalled back into the hands of its rightful owner. Carmine sits up, breathing heavily as sweat drips off his chin. One eye clenched shut as he glares at the scene in front of him. He sees Neo, breathing in relief and smirking. "Yo..."
He pulls himself to his feet, noticing no armor on him. Annoyed, he steps towards Neo before swaying lightly and stumbling. Neo pulls herself up, grabbing Hush's blade and crawling towards him.
The moment they're together, Carmine can't help the grin form. Neo winces in pain, but beams a smile back at him. They look to spot Mary pulling herself up from the bar. "Where's my armor?" Neo purses her lips, enough of an answer. He looks at his gun. "Where's my ammo?" She shakes her head, making him hang his annoyed. "Fuuuuuuuuu-" He lets the curse fade out, taking a steady breath.
Mary is back on her feet, grinding her teeth in pain and glaring. Senior beside her snorts. "Now two are embarrassing you."
"Perhaps if you would dirty your own hands once." Mary snaps. She cranks a knob on the weapon before waving her hands over the barrel. Casting once again. Flourishing her hand up, a saber of pure flame warps up from the barrel. "Just watch." She dashes forth at the teens.
Carmine and Neo both stumble against one another, unable to react to the dashing woman. Mary moves to slash at the both of them with the burning flame saber!
A shimmer warps between them.
White. A flash blinds them all in the center of the room! The sound of metal clashing sounds! The light fades... Carmine knows it. It was a Recall! HIS Recall!
As they spot the woman appearing in the room. Blair appears, Fluorescent Finish blocking Mary's flame saber. The CRBN blonde sends a scathing glare at the AZRL blonde before the both withdraw.
Blair lands in front of the teens, Mary in front of Senior.
Senior raises a brow. "Well. Seems you aren't the only one mucking things up. Wasn't the brat supposed to keep the others occupied?"
Mary sends a glare over her shoulder at Senior, then forward at Blair. "It would seem they've been underestimated."
"A common occurrence, it seems."
The woman bites her tongue at wanting to chew the man's head off before knowing that they need him. "We should withdraw." She can feel the judgment coming off the man. She activates a communicator. "We've been compromised. What happened on your end?"
The young man, Jayce's voice comes back. "Things were perfect until the blonde just disappeared. Is this something you were aware of?"
Mary cuts her eyes back to Blair. "No... We're disengaging."
"Copy, Miss Anne." The young man's voice calls.
Blair takes her stance, ready to fight. Carmine and Neo notice that the blonde's legs shake. Her stance... off. "Blair?" The blonde winces as she ignores them, focusing on the AZRL members before them.
A blur of aura, yellow in color, shines into almost a square portal beside the invasive woman and elder. From it, the young raven haired man lands. His formerly crisp suit now showed cuts and burns, but otherwise he seems unbothered. Glancing up, he spots the blonde. "Ah, there's where she went."
"You were supposed to keep her and Roman in check." Mary snaps. "Get us out of here."
The young man smiles pleasantly. "As you wish." He turns to Senior, extending his hand. "Shall you accompany us?" Senior snorts, stepping away from the bar and beside the AZRL members. Immediately, another golden portal warps and opens beside the three.
Carmine and Neo get fully to their feet, stepping to Blair's right.
The three across from them back into the golden light portal before, in a split second, it flashes away. The CRBN members are left alone in the dance floor of Junior's Nightclub. A collective sigh of relief, Neo wraps Carmine in a hug from behind as he coughs out a breath.
He smiles before looking at Blair... who is still swaying lightly. "Hey..."
Blair sways, one hand dropping as the other holds her head. She turns weakly to look at the boy, reaching out to pat him lightly on the head... "Carmine... thank goodness... oh-"
The blonde hits the floor. Both teens freeze wide eyed. The boy points. "Uh... how long did she just use my Recall to undo?"
Neo blinks, reaching painfully to her pocket before producing her scroll. Bobbing her head, she pockets it and holds up four fingers, then five.
"FORTY FIVE MINUTES?!" He looks to the now unconscious woman on the floor. His lips pursed, he looks down. "Thank god they ran off..." Immediately, their scrolls all begin ringing. The two teens blink at the devices. "Should I assume that's Roman..? Neo, explain-... why are we in a bar?"
The girl gives an apologetic grin, the two collapsing next to the resting blonde...
. . .
Ah, armor on. Nice and cozy. Carmine sways lightly as he checks himself. Things still feel... off. Lightheaded, difficulty focusing on far off objects. This FREAKING migraine! Still, he's happy to be on his feet. One look at his scroll gives some hope. He's at 25% aura! Upon waking up, his recover seems to be back to normal.
He looks over to the bar area. The lights of the nightclub are back on, and dozens of Junior's men are set to work on repairs. Many even discard their black suit jackets and have their red undershirts rolled up. Just don't get to see that often.
Sat at the bar is Blair, awake with an ice pack on her head. Her eyes blink slowly as she looks as thrilled as a cat in a bath. Roman returned just a while ago, now standing beside her at the counter. "I told you using his ability like he did would do this." He smirks. "But I suppose I'm the only one with any foresight around here. Conked Silver Streak out for hours when he recalled almost twice as long."
Blair sends a very, VERY sullen glare his way with the little energy she can muster. "Say what you will, but I managed to stay awake long enough to threaten Mary Anne off from the kids." She slides an empty glass down at him. "Now, quit it. Get me something good for migraines."
"Can you make that two?" Carmine adds, walking up.
Roman rolls his eyes, sarcastically drawling. "Well, of course!" As he reaches behind the counter. They'd already seen Junior pissed at Roman for doing just that before, but the barman is currently more pissed about... well... everything.
Carmine looks sympathetically to Neo, who is similarly collapsed over the bar on the other side of Blair. Her side already patched up and awaiting aura healing to do its thing. The two teens catch sights before she offers a happy smile, which he returns. "So... I get knocked out, we're in Vale, and we got a family civil gang war with AZRL taking sides. What else happened?"
The conman sighs. "So, Junior took his girls to handle a lieutenant that was set up at the docks. I hear that went off without a hitch, but revealed some others also throwing their lot in with Senior instead of him. The outer guys who controlled things outside Vale for the man before. So... that's a fun thing."
Roman sends two glasses over in front of Carmine and Blair, both colored blue like cleaner... Carmine gives a raised brow, but Blair just takes it. Familiar with it almost. Whatever. Carmine takes his as well and- GOOD LORD! He recoils in distaste, face contorted. "It'll help." Blair comments, not even looking at the boy to know his reaction, though now a smile plays at her lips.
Continuing where he left off, Roman cuts in. "Me and Barbie were to take down a high level enforcer in the heart of the city. He was there, and we expected Senior to be as well, but instead found that pretty boy business man."
Neo conjures a sign, too lazy to actually sign out. It reads. 'Jayce Crimean. He AZRL.' Great. Another problem player. Carmine looks at her expectantly until she finally signs with one hand. "I was watching over you until Senior and Mary showed up. They wanted to take out whoever stayed behind."
"Til our favorite blonde scared them off." Carmine finishes, smiling at Blair. "Even if using my semblance like that isn't... great." He hesitates. She hums back in answer, getting a chuckle. Still... he has to ask. "So, that clears up the current situation but... what happened with me?"
The other three CRBN member quickly share a look, Roman more curious and Neo with worry. Her eyes flick to Carmine, recalling Blair's... conversation with Ozpin via scroll...
Blair sighs, glancing back to the boy with a frown. "Admittedly, I only know the mechanics of getting you on your feat again. If you want more fruitful and detailed information... you'll need to discuss things with Ozpin."
Carmine's face falls upon hearing that, but... he figured. "Yeah... I expected that much." He steels himself. He has time to rest later. He cuts a steeled look back at the blonde. "Tell me what you know so far... now."
. . .
One Hour Later
"Report." The calm authoritative voice almost makes it a question. Inviting. Behind his desk, Ozpin sits serenely calm. Glynda Goodwitch stands across from him standing front and center. Professor Oobleck stands beside her, paper in hand.
"It would appear that gang activity has rapidly spun out of control in the last 24 hours. Surprisingly far worse than we had expected. I would hypothesize that Senior's escape from his chains was not welcome by his son. It appears to be a gang war between those who are now under Junior and those returning to Senior." Oobleck rapidly rattles.
Glynda chimes in. "Since Junior's ascension to power years ago, crime has been substantially less harmful or savage. Many of VPD appear to favor Junior as they ignore his practices for the most part. It's clear that Junior being the winner will be more advantageous for Vale... but the man is woefully slow to establish power by comparison."
Ozpin sips at his drink waiting for her to finish before calmly responding. "Please organize some local missions for the second years. We want to keep crime away from Signal Combat School to keep the younger kids out of it. It'll be fine experience for the second years to deal with the human side of our duties."
Glynda nods. "Right away." She turns and leaves the office.
The headmaster then looks to Oobleck. "Organize the fourth years to interact directly with VPD and coordinate where local missions must be prioritized. They're experienced enough to know what to look for in police corruption. Guide them on how they should deal with organized crime."
"And the third years?" The fast speaker asks.
"First years are still learning the ins and outs of Grimm Hunts, but we can't expect them to carry that full responsibility. The third years will also prioritize higher risk Grimm Hunts that the fourth years have already gotten the basics of."
"Very well!" Oobleck, almost sliding, disappears from the room like a blur.
Ozpin allows himself to relax ever slightly. Another day, another problem. Still, even as serious as it is, he has a more delicate issue to deal with. He stands from his desk, eyes closed in almost a sort of meditation.
Tick!
The window rattles, catching his attention.
Ozpin's eyes snap open, but he otherwise doesn't flinch. "Pardon?" He glances to the window. A small scratch on the glass pane. Then a brown blur bursts off the window, leaving another small mark with another audible TICK!
Bzzt. His scroll buzzes in his pocket.
Ozpin looks at the scroll... The message reads. 'Come on down. I'm not coming up.'
The headmaster stands from the desk, moving to the window. Fast below is the main campus fountain... a small person barely defined beside the ornate décor...
. . .
Carmine stands beside the fountain, a furrowed brow as he pops out Heulin Noon's empty cylinder. He loads a brown earth shell inside. The earth dust bursts on the shot being fired, a deadly scattershot in close range. But a near harmless splatter of pebbles at long range.
Long range like, say, Beacon Tower's top floor.
Carmine pops the cylinder in, aiming up. BOOM! He fires... Then gives a halfhearted wave with his gun hand.
. . .
TICK
The pebble smacks against the window pane in front of Ozpin's face, the man still stoic, yet blinking intrigued. Still, a small smile of amusement plays before he steps away.
. . .
Carmine sighs, pacing slowly in front of the grand fountain. A quick clothes change too. He wears black pants with a blue side stripe, silver long sleeve shirt with blue interior cuffs and collar, and a black unzipped vest. His Buster Armor is once again on, in Zero form sleeved on his left arm and chest.
He turns to spot the headmaster slowly walking towards him. The boy hides his nerves, this being the first time the two physically saw one another in two and a half years. Carmine squares up and takes a breath.
Ozpin stops, the ghost of a smile barely visible as he nods. "Mr Uhlric." Carmine doesn't react to the method of naming, despite the man's pause. "It's so good to see you."
"... Yeah." Carmine starts. He spares another glance around. "I planned to show when all the student should be in classes. I didn't mistake that, did I?"
Ozpin raises a brow. So, the boy's gonna be indirect about the formal naming. Best to give on this. "Very well. It's good to see you, Carmine." Carmine almost frowns at the change. It took prodding to get what he wanted, and now it's tainted. "You've grown so much. Soon, you'll be as tall as myself."
At that, Carmine does huff a laugh. "Yeah?" It's true. The boy was now within a foot of the man's height. The top of his head reaches the man's nose. He shifts. "It's a pain on buying clothes though." Ozpin raises a brow at his current attire. "Didn't have a change on me, and my previous outfit was... a casualty." Carmine takes a breath. "This needs to be quick, though."
The headmaster frowns at that. "This isn't something that can be thoroughly explained or explored right here right now-"
"Then you'll do your best." Carmine cuts in after a breath. He braces himself, almost faltering under Ozpin's critical look. "Blair told me about your little discussion. You want to keep me here to train this?"
"Yes." Ozpin answers. "It is very important that you are made aware of what you possess as well as the dangers it brings." At that, Carmine raises a brow, but otherwise frowns annoyed.
"And you've known about this? Since I was born even?" He still speaks neutrally, but Ozpin can see a bubble of heat behind his eyes. A pause comes over them. Enough that Ozpin is certain the boy is getting placed on edge.
"I have always suspected as much, but I was not certain until just days ago." Ozpin chooses his words carefully. "This power, as Miss Goodwitch has certainly told you by now, is magic." He sees the boy tense. "As real as the air you breath now."
Carmine hums and closes his eyes. His head hangs back in thought. "Suspected? Why would you suspect that and not test it in any way?"
Ozpin takes a second before taking a step in. "This isn't a conversation for the open. We shall-"
"No."
The man turns to the boy. "Carmine, the forces at play here are not spoken of lightly."
Carmine takes a deep breath before looking him in the eye. "So they require me to be inside, time wasted so you can have me in place?" Anger begins to bleed through. "Just say it. It's only us here."
Sensing the tension, Ozpin takes a step back. He won't use force for this. He must be open. As open as he can be, anyway. "No open space is safe. Even here at Beacon." He eases before saying softer. "It is why I am here, as headmaster of the Academy and one of the world's Hunter leaders." He lets a touch of confusion fill the boy before adding. "As you've no doubt learned, Grimm are not the only threat we face, and I would not characterize them as the most dire at that."
Carmine quirks his head at that, slowly turning to look at his surroundings.
Nit a sign of life around them save but the birds. His eye catches a larger black bird touch down on a one of the Academy arches over the road... It peers right at him. Ignoring all other signs in the area.
With a narrow eye, Carmine turns back. "So, magic is an instant ticket to the dark side of the world, eh?" He snorts. "As if I haven't already been living there going on three years." As if amused, a smile cracks, quickly mocking in nature. "Should I expect some shadow organization that puts AZRL to shame?"
His humor isn't reflected.
Ozpin stares stone serious at him. Long enough for the boy's smile to drop to a frown.
"For your own protection, as well as for those around you, please remain here for the time being. You can learn how to control this power and defend yourself from those who will target you for it."
The boy bristles at that. "And what about AZRL? My team? The children AZRL has?"
"A matter that will be handled by our Huntsmen and Huntresses cooperating with the other kingdoms. We've made great strides." Ozpin speaks quickly and takes another step forward. "Your team may work with Qrow or Miss Carson. Also, a deal can be made about Miss Goodwitch and Mr Torchwick's records, and you and Miss Rhodes may eventually be paired with two other children here."
Carmine's eyes snap wide at that! His orbs bore into the man across from him as his body tenses. Ozpin notices and stops...
The boy's eyes, for just the sliver of a second, tinge gold in the irises. However, now the two simply peer into one another. A fierce scowl forms on the boy, met with pure stoic calm from the headmaster.
How ironic that in this moment, Carmine actually could see the two being father and son with this sort of pedestrian look. The angry teen to the commanding parent. All lost when considering the true context...
It's all about controlling the situation.
The situation being himself.
"So, we're back on that then. Steering me back into your fold as you see fit? What were the last years of my life then? Freedom until you decided to yank a leash?" The silver haired man remains stoic, staring calmly as heat builds in the boy. "Not even denying that?!" His voice carries as he takes an aggressive step towards the headmaster.
Ozpin has the decency to frown. Still calm, he almost speaks in a whisper. "You are a child, Carmine." The boy almost snarls at that. "I allowed you freedom to explore this avenue for your development. I do not consider that a mistake."
The boy glares back. "Because that's where I belong. With them. Not holed up in a school ignoring all the things I KNOW are happening now!"
"Things that you are not expected to stop-" Ozpin is cut off.
Carmine reaches up with his armored left arm, grabbing the man by the collar. Being shorter, he can't exactly hold the headmaster up threateningly, but still jerks the man a step closer to glare up close. "Things I've decided to stop regardless of what you say!"
Ozpin simply meets the heat with an ice eerie calm. "Carmine, it's time for you to rest. To take some time to reacquaint yourself to the world, and not just the underworld. You deserve to be a child, even for a few years."
. . .
"You've become... ARE becoming, so cynical. You've denied yourself even a childhood, carrying the weight of some fantasy world on your shoulders."
. . .
His breath chokes, enough for Ozpin to lightly brush the hand off his collar. Shut up, Summer... Carmine grits his teeth as Ozpin speaks further. "Let the Huntsmen and Huntresses do their job. Please, allow me to properly prepare you to do the same. AZRL will be dealt with... in due time. Your teammates will receive more than adequate compensation for their time as false hunters." He finishes softly. "All will be taken care of."
The boy's confidence shakes. It's... tempting. Honestly, it is. At least, in part... the part that simply wants to rest. Rest and understand.
Unfortunately... it's overshadowed by a deep seated, seething passion!
Carmine glares up at his so called father. To ask him to simply put this out of mind? To allow not just criminals, but monsters of people to idly go. And be handled by what?
A mirthless laugh comes out. "Yeah? All taken care of? If it wasn't for us, you would still be ignorant of the problem. YOU, the man who is supposed to know everything about Vale. The world, even." He takes a step back. "Well, you don't know as much as you give off, but I'll give you that there's still a hell of a lot you're keeping secret to boot!"
Carmine pushes off Ozpin, the man still irritatingly calm in appearance. However, the slightest edge of frustration finally shows in his voice, lower in tone. "Carmine." The boy locks up, a shivering fear warping through his body. "Far be it for me to have to inform you, but I do not, in fact, know everything. I will accept full responsibility for that ever present fault." He then taps his cane lightly on the ground, as if he's... anxious? Him?
The boy takes a step further back, hoping the slight extra distance will recover some semblance of control.
"You've accomplished more than anyone may dare scrutinize..." Ozpin starts, cold authoritarian chilling the boy's bones. "But your time in Team CRBN has come to an end... before you end up facing something you cannot possibly fathom."
That's it, then.
The gauntlet is laid bare. The passive headmaster has shown his hand... Carmine's mouth works to talk, but nothing comes for a moment. He snaps his jaw shut, and glares back. "An... ultimatum... So much for choice." Carmine snidely retorts.
The phrasing seems to put Ozpin back. Not so calm, are you? "Choice is always important. As is consequence. Now, let us begin."
Carmine narrows his eyes at him. This hurt... but a small part of this feels... cathartic. "No." He meets the headmaster's gaze. "Now, I leave."
The boy turns.
He takes two steps.
Snap!
Green fills his vision. An aura like energy domes around both the headmaster and his son. The two individuals are contained inside the energy dome as Carmine stares at the energy bewildered. This... wasn't a semblance. Free flowing energy wasn't any semblance he was aware of. It most definitely was not dust casting either.
Carmine turns to look astounded as Ozpin had not even moved an inch. The headmaster continues to stare back, calm and in full control of the situation. "Don't fight me, Carmine. Please... come with me."
"..." Silence envelopes the two, the hum of the energy around them... The boy's shoulders sag, a frown forming as his gaze trails downward.
Ozpin offers his hand out for the boy to take... Slowly, Carmine grimaces and raises his right hand forward...
. . .
"They became my responsibility, and at first I lived for them."
"Through them, I figured out how to live for myself again, and I think the same can be said for you."
"You fought so hard for them. Put it all on the line, not out of guilt, but out of love... I can never express just how proud I am of you."
. . .
"..." Carmine's offered hand flicks up, just before Ozpin can grasp it for the shake.
The boy flips a middle finger in the headmaster's face.
Carmine grins back up. "I'm better off learning this for myself." He pulls back the hand from the man, still smiling at his father. "If this other threat you're worried about shows up... if YOU get in my way, then you'll be dealt with the same."
Ozpin's eyes widen as he grips tighter on his cane. "Carmine-"
Carmine's hand comes up, giving a mock salute. "See ya on my terms!"
His image flickers... and blinks out of existence in an aqua blue aura flash. Recall. Ozpin's eyes widen as he's suddenly left alone... the boy was gone... He lowers the green shield, revealing the magnificent fountain once more.
As well as the red eyed Huntsman sitting on the fountain wall. Qrow appears far less than pleased. "Well, seems he can Recall more than thirty minutes now. He'd been out here a while before he did that earth shoot." The two await in silence for a minute until the Huntsman chimes in again. "Do you really want to use force, Oz?"
Ozpin's grip on his cane handle audibly tightens, knuckles white numb. The headmaster turns away, back towards Beacon. "We've ignored her longer than we could afford. I have two jobs for you."
Qrow nods, standing up. "And after those?"
The headmaster pauses before grimly looking down. "... After those... you will find Team CRBN and bring them in."
. . .
Carmine flashes into existence at the bulkhead landing platform. His eyes are clenched closed for a moment before he sways and groans. "Frick..."
He sways until a body steadies him. His eyes open to find Neo beside him, a curious glance up. She's now in brown design shoes, white pants with brown belt, a brown fabric bracelet on her left wrist, pink bracelet on the right wrist, a white short sleeved jacket over brown undershirt, and a wound pink scarf around her neck. Her old clothes discarded after treating her wounds.
Carmine sighs painfully, one eye open at her, and shakes his head. "Where's Roman?" The girl points to the road curb that leads into the city. His eyes both widen. "Wait- no..."
A black van. Another van... Just- ANOTHER VAN?! Wait, why was he keeping that internalized- "ANOTHER van?!" He exclaims. "We couldn't get, like, a sports car or big freaking truck with all the money we've made?"
Blair steps out from the passenger side door. "Function over form leads to bad outcomes." The blonde retorts to the boy's outrage. She now wears gray pants, violet and black boots, and a white form fitted jacket with a violet interior and black trim. "We did, however, customize it somewhat."
Neo nudges Carmine and points at the paint coating. The black shifted under the different angle, providing an ever slight discoloration of the main body... Iridescent paint? So, it's not black. It's just a paint that makes it look black in all but the perfect angles and lighting...
The boy blinks, then smirks. "Okay, so that's cool I guess." Neo pulls him along as the doors open. The two get in, and the boy is greeted with dark red interior! And- and- and black tinted windows! "Okay..." He settles into what is his usual spot. Directly behind Blair in the passenger seat. "Fine... very cool. Very sleek. Very handsome."
He looks to Neo, who bounces lightly in her seat behind the driver's. She claps and forms a shatter sign. 'I like it'.
"So, what's the word on Old Man Superior?" Roman speaks from the driver seat. He's now in black pants, gray shoes, a light gray button long jacket with black interior, red ascot, and his typical bowler hat with matching red stripe. "Good news or bad news."
Carmine huffs. "Bad news... we're probably gonna be on the run from Huntsmen and Huntresses for a while... We're on our own now."
Roman snorts. "So, NOW we're at the exact point I thought we were last time we left Vale. Talk about a reset."
Blair frowns. "We should all get new scrolls and numbers. Keep written contact information of anyone we need."
Neo lurches forward excitedly and signs. "We get to fight c-... Hunters?"
Carmine gets her a sullen glare. "No, you're not fighting Qrow." At Blair's raised brow, Carmine jabs a finger at her. "Also, yes. We're avoiding them. Last we need is you and your sister having a death match."
"Tempting." Blair mutters. "But agreed." Blair gestures to various bags in the back of the van behind the boy. "I've obtained all the materials you asked for, as well as everything I plan to use to help you work on your power."
Roman holds up his scroll. "Junior's narrowed down that Senior has likely fled the city to form ranks with all the Vale Territory factions that used to be under him. We want a crack at AZRL, we got some housekeeping to do for Junior first." He then gives a smarmy grin. "Paid, this time... 5,000 Lien a Lieutenant we take down, plus 20,000 taken off my debt to the guy."
Neo nudges and signs. "We still have Patch, too."
Carmine huffs a laugh. "Well... guess we really have reset, but no training wheels this time. Ozpin isn't looking over our shoulders, anymore." He takes a moment to look at them each... noticing no hesitation from any. Just... another day. He smirks. "Alright, CRBN, let's recuperate and get back in the game!"
Not entirely sure if I like how this chapter came out, but admittedly part of that may just be how little of it I can get written in a single sitting right now. Very annoying.
Either way, Team CRBN is officially neutral to all parties now. Beacon Academy and its characters are now adversarial to our heroes! Also, Carmine willfully ignoring the looming threat of the Cult of Salem. Will something come of that? (Fore... shadow...) MAYBE. Who knows.
Neo got to have a throw down with Mary. Been a while since I feel I gave Neo a good deal of attention, so focusing on her protecting Carmine felt right. Also showing growth, having one of the kids directly counter one of the ongoing bad guys for once. Much like Carmine vs the Major in Sanctuary except less suicidal and more difficult. (She IS his superior after all.)
And... we will finally come to yet another small time skip. When next we see our heroes, Carmine will be 16, Neo 15, Roman 26, and Blair 24.
Again, apologies for the lateness in this update. Here's to a happy 2022... I guess...
Join next time in chapter Fifty: My Fair Mare.