Quick chapter release. Faster than I expected. Don't get spoiled on these quick releases. I hope it doesn't make a false expectation that'll be harmed when I inevitably fail to match this pace.
Chapter Fifty Eight: Bridges Burned
Stab! The stick of a point into his skin is the first sensation he becomes aware of!
Carmine winces in pain, vision blurring and swaying side to side. The person... blob... thing in front of him removes the now empty syringe. The pain numbs off as he squints at the slowly sharpening image. A slurred speech comes out. "Nn... Neo? When did you plug in the rainbow men?" He says seeing many colors not associated with the girl.
A light chuckle meets his ears. "Well, you're certainly creative in dream land." His mind catches up to him before his vision. He tenses, and the nurse must have noticed. "Give it a minute and get your vision back before everything gets explained." Medusa speaks in a slight exasperated tone, despite her smile back. "I dislike repeating myself in the field."
Slowly, he manages to see that they are on a rocky beach of Patch. Around him he finds Neo to his right. She pats his arm in sympathy, though she isn't smiling.
"Neo? W-wait, did we both get got?" The girl shakes her head, looking annoyed. She points at Medusa, giving an unruly scowl. "What? What do you mean?"
He looks away, seeing the jet copter hidden in the crook between trees. Roman is tending to the machine, himself looking annoyed. Further off, Blair is at the water's edge, peering into the distance.
"Oh... we captured Miss Boyd." He tries again. And, again, Neo shakes her head no. He frowns confused. "Were there other people taken? Where are they?" Neo points out to the ocean.
Far out into the waters, Carmine makes out the ship. The barge and its hauling ship are both surrounded by flashing lights. Coast guard forces have encased the area of the ship wreck. Dozens of smaller patrol boats and the odd hover craft had emergency lights all around. Police acting on the incident and inspecting it.
Medusa purses her lips, annoyance coming back strong as she looks at the same wreck. She turns to Carmine. "Carmine, yes? Leader of Team CRBN?" Carmine flinches at her query, eventually nodding. "To answer your mounting questions... I realized your teammate here infiltrated my office yesterday, so while she and your team followed you to my colleagues transport, I followed her." Growing more neutral in tone, she waved a hand as she speaks. "We fought after they ruined the whole thing, and it wasn't until it was too late that we introduced ourselves properly."
"An introduction I still an not satisfied with." Blair cuts in as she approaches. Herself and the nurse exchange a heated glance. Blair looks to Carmine, smiling knowing he's okay. "The authorities should be arresting all of AZRL's men as well as recovering the other two boys she drugged and took from the tournament."
Carmine perks, brows up. "Oh! So... we won." He then looks at Medusa, brow furrowed. "Introductions- Wait! Aren't you just part of AZRL?!" He pushes himself to his feet. Swaying once on his feet, Neo steadies him.
"Yes and no." Medusa answers before standing straight and formal. "Lieutenant Specialist Rita Medusa of Atlas." Her astute stance gives way to ire as she narrows her gaze on him. "And you four ruined my sting operation."
"Sting-" His eyes widen and double take. "Atlas?! Wait. You're on our side?"
"From a certain point of view." Blair speaks up. "Planted trackers or not, can you please explain to me why Atlas was approving the kidnapping of multiple students of multiple academies across the kingdoms." She crosses her arms. "Scratch that. Explain how you, Rita Medusa, famed criminal, are even still affiliated with Atlas."
Medusa allows a small smirk. "Oh, years gone by." She takes a more polite tone. "General Ironwood needed a Trojan horse, so to speak, for several criminal organizations several years ago. They'd been involved with drug mixing with dust, so he needed a plant who knew their chemistry. Knocks on the SDC's doors to find little ole me."
She chuckles as Francis slithers out from her coat and flicks his tongue in the air while staring at Carmine. The boy flinches back, but the woman ignores this and continues. "Come to find, I REALLY enjoyed the grunt work of it all. One thing leads to another, and I became his star spy. Had to tank my reputation for it, which admittedly is a substantial sacrifice." She then cuts a glare at Blair. "I still do not appreciate being classified worse than Arthur Watts, the psychopath."
Lost, Carmine looks to Blair. "Uh... who is Arthur Watts?"
The blonde responds in her teaching voice. "Used to be one of the Big Three of the SDC's scientific division alongside Doctors Stein and Polendina. Where both the latter primarily focused on integration of one's own aura into technology, Watts focused on the finer points of dust integration into larger tools."
Medusa finishes. "Ethically, the man started leaving details of experiments out of the public eye, hoping more... risque procedures would elicit more bountiful breakthroughs. While that did give us the first Hard Light Dust projectors, his stunts resulted in the negligent manslaughter of seventy people." Taking the time to pet Francis, she huffs. "To which, the good General Ironwood pressured Jacques Schnee to fire and barre Watts from further research." She shrugged. "I was but a lowly intern at the time, but gossip was just impossible to stop."
She seems immensely pleased about that. Neo signs beside him. "You like Ironwood liking you when he hated Watts?"
The pink haired nurse holds up her thumb and index finger a tiny space apart as she winks. "A little bit." She drops the mirth and looks back to Carmine. "Although, he's going to be positively furious when he finds out my last year of work just got ended prematurely."
Carmine double takes. "You- I- You were giving kids to AZRL! Atlas is pro child trafficking now?!"
Medusa purses his lips at the boy. "Atlas is pro results. Which, the last two years following Professor Ozpin's bread crumbs relating to AZRL's operations grew frustrating. Those that the General answer to did not care for the resources diverged to focusing on AZRL and such a lack of feedback. General Ironwood had learned that AZRL was first discovered in Vale due to some other strange character infiltrating them as but a humble nurse."
Blair straightens and locks eyes with Neo and Carmine. Neo points to Blair, getting an appraising look from Medusa before the nurse smiles.
"Ah, that makes sense now."
"I was unaware Ozpin knew of my part in the Silver Auditorium fiasco." Blair grumbles under her breath.
"Knew enough to let Ironwood know, it seems." Carmine adds. Turning back to Medusa, Carmine continues. "Enough that someone wanted a repeat, but you did too well! You kinda were, oh, say, GIVING THEM KIDS!" Carmine snaps at the woman.
Medusa's hand comes to her chest as Francis hisses at the boy! "Keep in mind that each and every child I sent to them was tagged and bagged back within three months. Sent back home, safe and sound, with new AZRL hideouts removed." She then settles a glare on the three. "Also, for all that I heard of the bothersome 'Team CRBN', I expected you to happen on my operation months ago, pass on information, and hopefully send you to set up a much bigger sting! Instead, you all but guarantee that I need to pull out now! All that progress gone because of you fools!" She ends, voice raising.
She catches herself and takes a breath, groaning. She continues. "Now, if I return to AZRL, they'll know I have something suspicious about me if I went against you all alone and escaped. All I can do is report to the General and await reassignment."
Carmine glares back. "Much as I'd like to apologize, still can't because the kid thing." He shrugs, looking to Neo. "Is it typical Atlas style to risk people for high reward? Seems like something Watts would do." He says, grinning when Medusa cuts a look at him.
"Scale is important, here." She defends hotly. The nurse then looks to Blair, then Neo, finally over her shoulder to Roman, who appears to have been listening in. "So, may I leave now?"
"Did Ozpin know of your assignment?" Carmine cuts in.
The woman looks him over once before shaking her head. "No. I'm quite sure the Professor would be against most of my assignments. Anything else?"
Neo gives an off smirk and raises a brow. She signs. "So, taking me for off the cuff experiments yesterday was counter espionage?"
At that, Medusa snickers. "No. I genuinely enjoyed showing off those things. You are quite the good company." Turning away, she waves. "At that, I'll take my leave." She begins to march off, the CRBN crew briefly annoyed at letting her leave. "If you have any advanced intel that Atlas could use, please visit this office in Venza, Mantle." She hands a written on paper to Neo before she begins walking off. "Goodbye, Team CRBN..." The woman rattles off and leaves the four alone.
The two CRBN members watch her go, mixed levels of annoyance showing before Roman scoffs. "So, any other wastes of time to focus on? Couple this with that incident with Gonzola, and I really need a vacation."
. . .
The CRBN members has stalked grumpily back to their original hotel room in the Patch city area. Carmine blinks away some exhaustion as he and Neo share a glance. Roman grumbles as he shuts the door. "A complete waste of our time."
"Not entirely." Carmine sighs, rubbing his temple. "This was AZRL's last lead in Vale, we found out Atlas is taking... extreme measures against them, and me and Neo got to beat up bullies." Roman and Blair each send pointed looks at him, making him shrink under the stares. "Just saying..."
"Speaking of." Blair starts, glancing to the two teens. "Did you leave anything back at Signal?"
Neo perks, looking to Carmine. The boy looks to the girl before answering for her. "Oh, yeah. Neo might want to collect on a bet. We left some bags in the boarding room also."
"The masses are still celebrating the festival, so Neo can go grab your things I'm sure." Blair states before wincing in pain. She flexes her left arm, noting some resistance. The snake venom and antivenom were both still coursing through her. Blair suppresses a groan.
Neo eyes her. "Antivenom working?"
"It will take time. Has to work through my system." Blair grumbles out.
"Get the blood flowing. Work it through faster." Roman half jokes. Though the blonde looks thoughtful at that.
"I actually think I will." She settles Fluorescent at her side. "Walk it off, as it were." Roman shakes his head and gathers his things.
"Right. I'll get everything ready to leave. The transport has enough dust charge to get us back west to grab our van. We can leave by six." Roman calls out, more annoyed than anything.
Leaving. Leaving Patch. Carmine grimaces. He looks to Neo and sighs. "Can you get everything from Signal without me? There's something I want to do before we all leave." The girl notices something off with him, so he gives a reassuring smile. "It won't be the most stupid thing I've done today. I'll be fine." He punctuates my tapping his healing neck where the tracker had been placed.
Neo cracks a grin at that and nods. With a flash, the girl's disheveled appearance is replaced with the blue haired girl of Sanctum. Gone is Neo, here is Vanille. With a mock salute, Neo exits the room.
Carmine smiles at her spirited departure. However, it drops as he looks to the adults. "Hey Blair, can I talk to Roman real quick? Alone?"
The adults pause in their movements, sharing a glance. Blair looks back to the boy. Curious, but respecting him, she nods. "Of course. I'll patrol nearby. Get some fresh air." She walks to the door to leave.
"Later, Barbie." Roman winks. Blair merely raises a brow as she leaves.
"Can you not?" The boy groans as the door shuts. "I seriously don't need the mental images that come with you two flirting."
Roman gives a smarmy grin. "And miss out on annoying you? Never!" Roman zips a pack and turns to face the boy. "Now, what existential crisis is this one? Please, do not dare say you require ME to give you the talk. I don't care what you and Neo got up to last night."
Immediately, Carmine's face matches his hair roots. "WE DID NOT DO ANYTHING!"
Roman winces, cupping his ears. "Say it for the whole hotel, why don't ya?"
Face flushed, eyes wide, Carmine fumes. "We did not- We're not- I mean, we aren't pulling a you!" He then sputters and double takes. "Also, no. Never EVER give me the talk. I got the internet for that."
The conman snorts. "Yeah. Okay." He rolls his eyes. "Fine. What has your pants twisted this time?"
Pause. Ignore the last thirty seconds. Close eyes. Reset. Breath in through you nose and out through the mouth. He looks back at Roman, serious. "I'm going to go to a Signal Academy student's home out in the woods. I want you to come with me."
Roman pauses. Confusion washes over him as he grumbles. "You want me... to chaperon you to a new friend's house? Excuse me for this, but I assumed after all these years that you could be trusted to walk on your own without being a fool. Am I suddenly speaking to the six year old again?"
"It's less to do with me and more to do with who we'll be visiting..." Carmine slowly drawls in a grimace. "Although, yes the idea of going is currently twisting my gut into spaghetti."
The conman snorts. "I will pass on checking on the goodie two shoes family in the rural dream of the woods." He turns back around. "Seriously. It isn't like Junior has anyone out here. Nothing associates me with these hunters, anyway-"
"It's Summer's child." Carmine forces out, scowling at the man's back. Roman freezes in the doorway, hand on the door knob. Slowly, unsettling, Roman turns to look one green eye back at the boy. Carmine gulps and nods. "I'm not asking Roman Torchwick to come with me. I'm asking Roman Rose."
. . .
Marching off Signal Academy grounds, Taiyang leads his daughters out. He briefly looks to his side. Yang has a content smirk, the large winner's chalice is slung one handed over her shoulder. The blonde girl twists her back, furiously trying to pop a crick in her spine. "Ugh." She loses the content demeanor, looking up at him. "Dad, can you pop my back? That last kick from Zane has left an annoying knot in my upper- oh!"
"Sure thing!" Tai cuts her off with a mischievous glint. Shifting the chalice aside and placing his palm on her upper spine. His other hand pulls her shoulder back and... one powerful press.
CRACK!
Yang's eyes twitch as she coughs out. "OW-AH-... Ahhh." She slumps, a dull satisfaction coming. "Dang. That was a lot worse than I expected."
"Oh! Do me! Do me!" Tai snickers at Ruby's outburst from his other side. The girl seemed high off her temporary position of power over her bullies earlier.
Yang snorts. "I got thrown through the land. What could possibly have messed your back up?"
The shorter girl pouts back. "Just looking at that messed my back up. What are you talking about?" Yang rolls her eyes with a smirk at that.
Taiyang stops walking, a thoughtful look coming over him. "Uh, girls." Both daughters stop and turn to him. "Go drop off Yang's trophy at the house. Go ahead to the bulkheads and grab a ride to Vale. We're eating out tonight to celebrate." He speaks clearly with a smile.
Yang's eyes light up. "Oh? Can I choose where?"
"So long as it can reserve seating for four. Qrow is coming." Tai smirks.
"Uncle Qrow is coming! That's awesome!" Ruby cheers as Yang brightens further. "We can tell him about you getting left at the altar!" The wedding analogy erases Yang's mirth. Ruby seemed to enjoy making fun of Yang's being left alone at Zane's forfeit.
Yang turns a scowl at the little girl. Ruby lets out a high pitched 'eep' as Yang holds her up by the red hood. "Just for that, come here squirt!"
"No! Help! Abuse!" Ruby whines as Yang gets her in a head lock and ruffles her hair. The blonde grins madly as Ruby's hair wildly sticks out. "Get off! You're sweaty!"
The elder sister releases her, Ruby bursting around behind Tai and pulling her hood up in a flash of speed. Her aura whips out in a flutter of rose petals. Tai chuckles at the display. "Enough playing. Go home and get to Vale. Message me where you decide, K?"
Yang gives him a look and nods. "Sure. Don't be too late though. C'mon Rubes!" She begins walking ahead. For a moment, Ruby walks after before turning back to her father.
Tai raises a brow. "What's up?" Ruby's brow furrows on him for a moment. She looked intently at him.
"Is everything okay, Dad? You seem distracted. Like, Uncle Qrow coming home smelling funny distracted." The casual reference to Qrow's attentions when drunk aside, Tai blinks a bit at the girl's perception. It comes in spurts, but she just sometimes feels something. Intuition, maybe.
Dodging the time bomb that is Carmine Uhlric, Tai puts on a smile for her. "Yeah. Everything is fine. Your Uncle Qrow and I just have some business to take care of before we go eat."
Ruby blinks, looking around in childlike conspiracy before leaning in. "Like, Beacon stuff?"
Snorting, he winks. "Sh, can't tell you." The girl giggles. "Go on, get. Your sister is waiting!"
As if in response, Yang calls from up the path. "Yoohoo! Slowpoke! You coming?"
Boom! Ruby is off in a blur of red and rose petals. "I'll show you, 'slowpoke'!" Her voice trails as the girls end up racing off. As their infectious energy carries away, Tai feels it physically leave him. A tiredness coming to him for what's ahead.
Get the girls out of Patch for the night, find Carmine, and find out just what CRBN was up to in the area. Tai turns back into Signal Academy, going directly for the boarding room he'd placed 'Zane' and Vanille in. An obvious first stop. If the things they left are worthless, then he can at least track the items for receipts to see where Team CRBN has been before they arrived.
If they aren't worthless.., he can wait for them to come back for the items and cut out the middle man.
Not that Taiyang's life can ever be so lucky. He moves into academy front building and blinks. "Ah, Miss Boyd!" He smiles and greets.
The pink haired nurse freezes in place as she locks her office. Erm, her now abandoned and pillaged office. Still, Mr Long is nice. Medusa turns and smiles pleasantly for the man. Despite the box in her hands, she presses one side up with her knee to free a hand to wave. "Mr Long! Shouldn't you be celebrating with your daughter?"
Tai snickers. "Ah, she's already off picking the most unhealthy restaurant in Vale to celebrate. I have a pit stop to make before going out." He eyes her box, expression wavering. "Are you... leaving Signal?"
Medusa gives a smile, despite her brow ticking with irritation. "A personal development. I'm required back home in Atlas, so I'm afraid a transfer will be in order." She shuffles her free hand into her pocket, removing a physical key to hand it to him. "Here! I've left a number of instructions to various combat relevant injuries students may experience before my replacement is found." Handing it off, she gives a warm smile to him. "Since you're in charge of combat class, I felt it was relevant to you."
He straightens with a grin. "Thanks! I'm sure it'll come in handy." He looks to the box again as Medusa holds it properly with both hands again. "Do you need help with that?"
She snorts. "Much as I would enjoy letting the strong man be so, I lack the time for company, dear." The woman laughs with an almost flirtatious tone. "Perhaps if I'm in the area, I may make a house call?"
Her flirtatious tone is completely missed. The man simply smiles broadly. "Anytime! Ruby and Yang would love to hear stories about Atlas!"
It takes all her prowess to keep from collapsing at his oblivious nature. She shakes it off and smiles. "Farewell, Taiyang!" She walks around him, taking her leave. He watches her leave, briefly having to wonder if there was some secret meaning to anything she said.
With a shrug, he dismisses the notion and continues towards the dorms. However, only a few turns in the hallway and he stops. Eyes wide, he focuses on the girl in the hall.
Vanille Carson closes the room she and 'Zane Maxwell' were given...
Tai sets his sights and straightens his jaw. "Vanille Carson." He says friendly as ever. The girl flinches at his voice. Like Ruby with her hand in a cookie jar. Or Yang sneaking out with her bike keys to the cycle he had yet to give her for her birthday.
Neo turns around, in the form of Vanille Carson. Two packs were slung over her shoulder, Hush in her main hand. She perks and tilts her head with a smile. As if to show there was nothing suspicious.
Oh, that's fake as hell, he notes. Two daughters, he knows that look. Still, this wasn't one of his daughters. This was a rogue affiliated with the walking reminder of his family's most difficult time. His frown sets in. He took the time to read the names associated with team CRBN. "Neopolitan."
With a blink, 'Vanille's' eyes switch from violet to pink and brown. She sucks in a breath before burs leaping back!
Tai is much faster, blitzing forth at the girl and reaching at her! "Got-" SHATTER! "-cha!" He looks at the now empty space, grimacing. Glass breaks behind him. The end of the hall, Neo bursts out of the elevated floor of the building out of a window! Tai huffs, calming. Of course she's running.
Neo lands on the campus grass ground, letting out a breath as she breaks into a sprint! Gotta get to the woods! Gotta get to the woods! More cover means better hiding with her illusions! She chances a glance over her shoulders to find Tai leap out from the building.
His grand vault carries him much, MUCH farther than she had made it. He lands not far behind her, spooking her with the power of the impact. Did he just do a super hero landing?!
She nearly reaches the tree line, using Hush and half her aura empowerment to slash through the trunk of a tree! The bark whines as it collapses down behind the girl, directly on the charging man. Neo stops, looking behind her in cheer. Got him! Direct hi-eh?!
Neo jolts as the wood crackles and rises.
Taiyang stands up, the full weight of the tree now held up by one hand keeping it situated over his shoulder! He's literally, LITERALLY carrying a tree! "Neopolitan." He says again. The girl shifts back under his gaze. His blue eyes now were serious. His hair seems almost... brighter? Ready to blaze. "Where is Carmine Uhlric?"
Her fear suddenly overrides entirely. He wants Carmine? He'll have to earn his pace. Neo allows herself to smirk at the challenge. The small girl simply shakes her head no.
In a flash, she leaps up into the tree branches, vaulting from branch hold to branch hold! Tai scowls, letting the tree he's holding roll off his back. His hand clenches to a fist, cracking his knuckles. "Very well. CRBN? Meet STRQ."
He slams his right fist into his left hand, a mighty shock wave rattling all the trees around him. Lowering down, he kicks off into a sprint in Neo's direction. The chase is on.
. . .
Roman's incredulous stare remains as he fully turns to the boy. Carmine maintains a stone faced expression, though his eyes shimmer. Hopeful? A pleading for Roman to just... give it a chance. It shifts off as he takes Roman's immediate cold stare in. "Excuse me? I must be hard of hearing. I swear I just heard you dead name someone." He slowly picks up pace, getting more flippant. "I believe the name was sullen wench?"
Carmine's gaze narrows. Damn. He's gotta fight for it. "Roman, for- We aren't talking about the Wilted Rose crime family. We're talking about a completely innocent party to everything. Summer aside, there's no reason to be pissed!"
The conman almost recoils like he'd been slapped. "No reason? Ha! I don't recall needing one to disregard someone I've never met in my life." He rolls his eyes, turning to leave. "Seriously? Bothering me over some nothing like this."
Heated, Carmine rises to his feet. "Family is nothing?! Summer spent a whole portion of her life to find you. She failed, sure! But, that's no reason to demean what this has to mean for you."
A barked laugh comes out as the conman turns back to him. "Family? Family means deceit calling itself protection. Betrayal calling itself the better way. Abandonment calling itself mere disappointment." His front of false mirth wipes to genuine anger. "That is what family means to me, brat! Don't try and sway me with your half assed love and rainbows dribble."
"Summer wasn't like that." Carmine forces himself to remain calm, despite fists clenching. "You don't think of her like that, either. I get it. She failed you! Do you want me to sit here and call her a fuck up?!" He can't help his voice raising and throwing his arms wide.
Roman snorts with actual humor. "Would be a nice change of pace from your goddess worshiping of her deity status." He sarcastically grumbles.
The boy feels slapped at that. "I-I don't-"
"Ha! You can't even defend yourself!" Roman snickers, shaking his head. "This isn't about me, or Summer. Oh Precious, this is all about your guilt you damned masochist!" Carmine flinches back from the sudden bite that ends the sentence. "What? You want to show up to their door and let them scream at you? Call you a murderous monster that took their mother? Will that justify your pity party? You just want me there as a trophy gift to ease their pain. Go on. Say I'm wrong!"
Carmine's downcast look hangs as he weakly defends. "I want to make things better... That includes helping you reconcile in the only way you can at this point. Summer's child deserves to know the only other person connected directly by blood in the world to her mom."
"That requires me to care." Roman shrugs. "For just a second, IF Summer were still walking this shit world, I would maybe consider it, but do you want to know why I don't give a damn?"
The boy lifts his head, glaring back at the older man.
"In all this world, there are three individuals that I've only just barely, JUST BARELY-" He reiterates with a dramatic small space between his fingers. "- care enough to say I genuinely like and care what happens to them. I don't give a damn about the common people! I don't even care about AZRL beyond personal spite and ambitions of freedom. I feel nothing for the woes and throes of the bleeding heart huntsmen and huntresses either!"
He continues, enunciating each word as if speaking to a toddler. "So, what in this damned world of Remnant could I possibly connect or care with to do with some crotch spawn in Patch lavishly grown in the culture of you arrogant, so called 'heroes'? Just the withering corpse of someone I can't even smile about." He pulls back. "Oh, I feel the love and warmth in the air." He sarcastically ends.
Carmine barely gets out his weak response. "You still care. I'm proof of that." He meets Roman's eyes, but knows his resolve is pathetic by comparison to the man's. "You've just had it stamped out of you."
"And some stupid brat in Patch isn't going to change that." Roman answers in the closest thing to a concession. "Be ready to leave by six, or I'm leaving without you."
He exits the room, leaving the teen alone to dwell in his failed attempt. He tried... He tried.
Carmine takes a deep breath. Calm down. So, plan B failed... But plan A still is on the table.
A suddenly trill of his heart in his chest answers. Anxiety. He believes what he said. Summer's daughter... hell, Yang too being Taiyang's daughter, they deserve the confrontation. Not with Zane Maxwell. He gulps down the lump in his throat and grabs a can drink of soda pop. "Fuck..."
. . .
Blair's walk had carried her outside of the town limits. Perhaps it was pride, but the idea of being capable of cutting down the odd Beowolf or two would be a major point to her recovery. Her body still hesitates with its exertion, a byproduct of the venom and antivenom both inside her. The blonde moves into a short hike through the woods.
So, it was purely pride to look for Grimm just to tell yourself you can destroy it and say you're fine. Still, the merit of proving she was fighting fit won out in her rationale. The woman sighs, ignoring the dull throb in her arm.
Five minutes turns to ten as she continues the pace into the forest. The hairs on her neck raise, the woman acutely aware that she found her target. Her right arm grasps Fluorescent's hilt as she continues on. Her pace is uninterrupted, even when her focused hearing picks up a low gurgling growl.
Calm and collected, Blair intentionally turns her path. Right towards a large tree in particular-
The black fur bursts over with red eyes and white bone mask. It pounces between the split in the trunk ten feet up directly down on the woman!
A single draw slash sounds with a sickening crack of bone and flesh. Both halves of the Beowolf hit the ground in two heaps. Blair continues on her stroll, not missing a single beat in her stride. Fluorescent hangs in her right hand, but otherwise she shows no indication of being attacked. A very small smirk plays at her. There's no way that was the only Grimm in these woods...
Time to vent some frustrations with today's god awful mission.
. . .
Carmine grumbles, shaking his head. He found himself on the path. This was the path that lead to the dirt roads in the woods. He'd first met Yang just a few hills in, and she'd said her home was just another hill off. That had to be his destination. Carmine sets his look ahead, focused purely on the task at hand.
He was to meet this girl, Ruby Rose.
Over the next path, the boy mulls over how he would tell her... Any attempt at prolonging the encounter is just something that would sugar coat it. Make her familiar with him just so the impact hits less. But, that's not what he's here for. He's not here to make soften the blow or tell a fluffy version of the truth. It needs to be blunt. NEEDS to be exactly what it is.
He's not coming here to make a friend.
He's coming here to accept what's ten years overdue.
Carmine internally winces recalling Roman's earlier rant. The conman can be a patronizing ass... but he was right on the money. Carmine did want to help, but he couldn't deny that simply helping was at best an equal second reason to do this. At worst, a distance bonus.
The air shifts... a gust blowing. At first, Carmine ignores it, eyes looking up to the still day sky. It'll be sunset soon. Almost five thirty in the evening. As he looks up... he sees an object in the air. His gut sinks... Eyes follow the flowing object down to a fluttering stop at his feet.
A black feather...
Face in a grimace, Carmine looks up. His blue orbs reflect the man's image in front of him.
Standing directly in his path to the Rose household is Summer's teammate and Ozpin's right hand man. It's Qrow Branwen... Red eyes meet blue.
. . .
Another slash sounds as the top half of a Beowolf hits the ground. Blair slides to a halt and sheaths her blade. Sighing, the woman moves into the clearing. The numbness of the venom was finally receding. In a few moments time, aside from her heavy aura expenditure earlier, she can consider herself good as new!
Blair continues moving into the clearing, almost getting a sense of... rest? She founds, realizing she'd been walking slightly up a slope for a good portion of the forest before. It's a hill, eventually ending in a cliff. The blonde continues on to see the scenery. Perhaps such a view would be nice for a few moments.
What she didn't expect was what was at the edge of the cliff.
A grave stone.
Oh... She was intruding on someone's final resting place. A solemn frown sets, but she cannot help but still feel calm. Curious, Blair marches across the great clearing of autumn grasses as she approaches the white gray stone. On it is the flower head of a rose as a symbol.
Behind it is the cliff, revealing what may have been the island's most beautiful backdrop. Whoever chose this as the resting place knew its gorgeous view certainly. This was a place of significance for someone. Likely many people. So, she glances at the headstone.
"Summer Rose / Thus kindly I scatter"
The blonde sucks in a breath. Summer Rose? THE Summer Rose? The leader of Team STRQ! Her brow furrows. Well, what's she supposed to feel? Blair was kicked out of Beacon after picking a fight with this woman's teammate... Oh!
Blair spots some kicked up dirt muddying the corner of the gravestone. A Grimm or other animal must have dirtied the landmark. The blonde frowns at that. That such beasts can tamper with a spot that frankly should be protected. Firmly set, Blair crouches over and begins hand swiping the dirt off the off white stone! There! Positively pristine. Blair feels a small satisfaction as she stands before the grave.
If only it could last.
"Hey! Who are you?" The young voice shouts dumbly, pulling Blair's attention over. Glancing over, Blair's amber eyes meet... silver? The young girl a short distance off seems put off, frowning in confusion.
"Ruby, wait up!" Another girl's voice calls as blonde comes out from the woods. Yang shakes her head in a laugh before recoiling. Someone's here? At their mother's grave? An undercurrent of tension comes to the brawler as she rushes up. "Ruby, hold up." She walks around Ruby and takes one step towards Blair. "Hey, what are you doing here?"
Blair raises a brow at the slightly... defensive tone. It didn't take two brain cells to know this place must be significant to them. To which... "I was hiking in the woods to work off an injury. I'd hoped to find Grimm. However..." She briefly casts a glance at the grave before looking Yang in the eye. "I happened upon this place. Curiosity more than anything." A brief pause lets her see some suspicion in Yang's eyes, so she adds. "This is a beautiful landmark. Befitting someone like her."
Ruby takes a slight step forward. "You knew Mom?" Blair looks to Ruby, the girl slightly squirming under her gaze. Where had she seen that before? Blair could almost smile as she realizes it's how Carmine had first reacted to her demeanor.
"I knew of her. Her name is very recognizable." Blair clarifies, looking to the stone. "Leader of the number one team to graduate Beacon Academy in the last fifty years. Their senior year accolades dwarfed every other contender by large margins." The woman recites her internal knowledge. "Summer Rose, Taiyang Xiao Long, Raven Branwen, Qrow Branwen. Together as Team STRQ."
The exceeding praise from her eases a great deal of tension from the two girls as they approach closer. Yang smirks lightly. "Not from around here are ya? Were you here for my tournament win?" Yang oozes an aura that desperately needs humbled.
Blair remains stoic. "I came to see you get handed the win, yes." Yang's mirth wipes away in shock as Ruby can't help snickering. Blair had watched the whole tournament via televisions in town. "Zane can be too nice like that."
That pulls Yang back. "You know Zane?" She takes an aggressive step forward. "Where is he? We have a score to settle!"
Ruby slumps. "Yaaaaaang! We're gonna be late celebrating! You already took forever with your shower!"
Yang snaps a look over her shoulder and pouts. She crosses her arms in a frown. "I... guess..." She then looks at the older blonde. "But you know him?"
Blair allows a small crack of a smile to form. "He is the closest thing I have to a little brother in this world, yes. I've practically raised him for several years." Ruby and Yang each perk, though Yang's brow raises significantly. "I could tell he took a liking to you when you both decided to... torture the audience." Her smile drops, showing her own displeasure.
Yang snorts, but Ruby speaks before Yang can egg on anything with more puns. "Yang over here has pretty much raised me. And look! You're both blondes! You have so much in common!"
"Are you suddenly gonna compare me to every blonde in the world?" Her sister speaks amused.
Ruby smiles bright. "Just the cool ones." Ruby takes a cautious step closer to Blair. "May we have your-" Ruby hesitates as she gets Blair's full attention. "-Name?" Her voice squeaks.
By the gods... it really is like looking at Carmine in a time machine! Pure in approach and full of fear. Blair for just a second feels like she's back at Beacon. The thought brings a ghost of a smile. Her hand reaches out for Ruby. "I am Blair. It's a pleasure to meet you... Ruby?"
The raven haired girl's eyes widen beautifully like saucers as she accepts the greeting. "Are you a Huntress? Is that-" Gasp. "Is that your weapon?!"
"Ruby, weapons should be a later topic. Not an introduction topic!" Yang humorously interjects as she offers her hand as well. "Yang. What's up?"
Blair accepts the second hand shake and turns back to Ruby. "To answer your questions, I technically fall under a different category from Huntress... and yes." She holds up her sheathed sword, slowly drawing the blade to showcase the golden yellow blade. "This is my weapon, Fluorescent Finish."
The poor girl gasps as she angles herself to view it from different angles. "It's... beautiful!" Ruby squeaks out. Looking like she's ready to drool in aw, Ruby puppy dog looks up. "M-may I?" Her hands hold out empty.
"No." Blair hard declines. She almost laughs as Ruby slouches and sulks. "You are almost at an age for your own weapon. What exactly are you thinking for yourself?"
"She has too many thoughts." Yang cracks a joke. Ruby pouts at her. "Little Rubes is probably gonna blow up the world with all her weapon tinkering."
Well, if this encounter isn't just full of nostalgia. Blair crouches before Ruby to match her eye level. "Then allow me some advice that I gave to... Zane when he made his armor." Sheathing her weapon, Blair begins. "It all starts with two questions: What is your ideal fighting style? What is your semblance?"
Ruby flashes away in a burst of rose petals! The girl whips in a blur of red to the very edge of the clearing before circling back and coming to a halt directly in front of Blair. The blonde blinks with a blank expression as Yang smirks in pride. Ruby's expression adopts a slight smugness. "I am speed!"
Blair blinks again, holding a palm out as one of the red petals comes to rest on it. The object felt off, made of pure aura before flaking pieces off. "Interesting. Your aura burn off from your semblance manifests as petals."
"..." Yang and Ruby both look at one another before Yang raises a finger. "Uh... You not gonna comment on her making Olympic dashers blush with that?"
"Physical enhancement comes with most aura use and empowerment." She scrutinizes Ruby for a moment. "Your level of speed just now is absolutely remarkable for your age, a fully fledged huntsman or huntress could likely match you. Your semblance is entirely physical, yes?"
Lips pursed, Ruby's shoulders hunch, feeling belittled. "Y-yes? Our whole family has physical semblances."
Blair nods. "Then once you catch up in experience, you'll make what you just did seem like a brisk walk." The blonde complements. "Your fighting style I shall assume will be to strike first and end the fight as quickly as possible."
"Basically how she describes her dreams." Yang comments, curious where this new friend would lead with her advice. Ruby spares a small smirk at it before looking back to the older blonde.
"Then it would be best for your first weapon to capitalize on further enhancing your speed even more. In the case of facing someone with a similar semblance, or better enhancement, it would be well to make sure your weapon could take your advantage and make it even stronger." Blair then hums in thought. "Also, to have the additional function of providing a second option of attack."
Ruby lights up. "So, like, a big gun I can fire to super floop me forward! I could change directions and fly with speed and guns!" Blair sweat drops at the focus on guns, but on further thought...
Blair looks to Yang. "I saw you use such an application in the tournament."
The brawler smirks. "I can use Ember Celica to give a little oomf to where I wanna go."
The elder looks to Ruby again. "Such an application would be far easier for you, given your size."
"Hey!" Ruby pouts.
Continuing. "Using a high powered gun could direct your speed and give unparalleled control of high speed combat." Blair finishes. "And a high powered weapon would allow a ranged option for when you cannot rely solely on melee."
"Sniper!" Ruby bursts with a grin.
Blair blinks. "I'm sorry?"
"All the coolest heroes use snipers!" Ruby says simply. "Plus the size would add a lot of torque and power to close range swings and give a lot of construction options for increasing firepower."
The sudden burst construction know how throws Blair off. Simply silent for a moment, Yang offers. "Ruby cleans and works on our family's guns for a hobby cause she's a monster like that." She grins wide, proud. "She knows construction."
The younger girl proclaims loudly. "Our Uncle already agreed to let me use his Harbinger schematics as a base for me to work from! But, I'll totally have to figure out how to use the gun booster idea! I'll be the red blur of scythey doom!"
Blair contains a snort, standing fully. "Ah, so you're much further along than I expected." Allowing a small smile, she nods. This little girl is much further along than Carmine had been. "Zane, when I met him, was a floundering mess acting impulsively for his weapon construction. The moment I got him on a path, his creativity flourished, but you seem to have a builder's mindset."
Ruby beams a smile for the woman. Yang finally cuts in. "Hey, if we take too long, we'll miss out on specialty dinners."
The older blonde looks to Yang, nodding. "Yes, I need to be going, myself. I apologize for happening upon such a private place."
Yang smiles easy. "Hey, no worries. Ruby and I just wanted to chat with Mom a bit about today before we celebrate."
Blair nods. "Then I wish you well." She turns to make her leave.
"It was nice meeting you Blair!" Ruby calls out. Yang follows up. "Take care!" Soon as Blair is out of earshot, the girls share smiles and move to the gravestone.
Moving into the woods, the CRBN member begins to make her way back to town. A short distance in, Blair closes her eyes and sends out a detecting pulse of her semblance. She senses Yang and Ruby far behind her.
Yang's aura was still near depletion after her fight with Carmine earlier. Still, between her weapons and Ruby's speed, they should be more than capable of dealing with the odd Beowolf or two. Heck, if they lived here, they must be more than experienced in handling themselves around the beasts.
A pang...
Her senses feel an aura at the very, VERY edge of her range.
And it is STRONG. The powerful aura feels familiar. Like a fire. Where Yang's was a kindling, this one felt similar, but as a full maelstrom. Blair didn't need to ask who it belonged to. But worse... She feels Neo ahead of that aura.
Shit! Blair breaks into a sprint after them!
. . .
Carmine's dead stare is all there is when he and Qrow meet. The slightly taller man was leaned against a tree directly by his path forward. It'd been a good minute before Carmine takes a step over the black feather now on the ground. When he does so, Qrow shuffles away from the tree, directly moving into the center of the grass covered path.
"Yo." Qrow mutters, though the friendly greeting wasn't accompanied with the smirk it usually came with. "How's it going, kid?"
The dull glare back is stone still. "Qrow Branwen... Don't suppose today we can call a truce?"
"I don't recall bad blood existing." Qrow retorts, but both hold their distance from one another.
"Not exactly, but we both know why you would be here." Carmine answers.
"Besides me living here?" The man avoids the subject. "I was just in town to congratulate my niece on her tournament victory. Back from a mission."
"You're here to bring me to Ozpin." Carmine cuts through the excuses. He registers the line of his niece. Qrow must act as an uncle to Yang. If that holds true to Yang, then it also must be true for this Ruby. "Little column A, little column B?" He offers.
Qrow frowns, but nods. "Something like that."
Carmine takes a hesitant step forward. "I'm not here to cause problems."
"Then care to explain the fiasco in the ocean I passed on my way in?"
The boy narrows his eyes on that. "Call that more things Ozpin is blind to." He sighs and lets Qrow absorb that slight jab. "But that has nothing to do with this. I'm here to meet Ruby Rose."
"She and Yang left home a while ago." Qrow informs him. Carmine's hand clenches to a fist in response, not missed by the man. "They took the long way back. You missed them."
Carmine cocks his head. "Ah." He raises a brow. "Then I'll go catch them in town-" He notices the edge in Qrow's eyes. "... Or, you don't want me to meet them." His voice hardens at the accusatory tone.
"I never said that." Qrow defends. "You'll have to take that up with their father..." Qrow looks to the side. "Speaking of... Damn it..." He mutters.
Neither male moves as Neo hard lands at Carmine's side, gasping for breath. The girl rasps for air as she stands at his side and glares ahead at Qrow. Pulling her gaze from him, she frowns at Carmine, a clear apology on her face.
As Taiyang moves into the path, stopping a distance off Carmine's left. His eyes widen, aura relaxing as he spots the boy. "... Carmine..."
Carmine pulls his gaze from Qrow, briefly hardening on the blonde, then he looks to Neo. The girl signs. "Tried to lose him. Couldn't." She silently curses under her breath.
The boy smirks for her. Not her fault. Carmine looks over her to Taiyang. His gaze steels to a cutting look. "Taiyang..."
A silence fills the clearance, save for the rustling of leaves in the wind. Tai notes the look, hitting him with a wave a confusion. Still, he lets it roll off as he smiles bright. "Well... I can't help but say how surprised and glad I am to have had you in the class yesterday, Carmine." She smiles broad as he takes a step forward. "I mean, I should have clued in the moment 'Zane' brought up a Termigator." He starts a tone in humor. "Threw me for a loop there. You should have known you could just say hi to me-"
"I have nothing to say to you." Carmine dismisses him in a cold tone, then turns his look back to Qrow.
Tai recoils slightly at the tone. He spares a look to Qrow, surprised to see his brother similarly perplexed. Qrow's features are schooled, but his brow raises at the boy's reaction to Tai's presence. The teacher lets it roll off and smiles again. "Don't see that from where I'm standing. We're all friends here... right?"
Another silence fills the air as the man's smile slowly lowers between glances to a serious Qrow, glowering Carmine, and defensive Neo turning square with him. Neo spares a glance, raising a brow with an unspoken question. Carmine mutters. "No, Neo. We're not fighting Qrow... yet."
Tai quietly asks to the other man as he moves closer. "Qrow?"
The huntsman in question keeps his attention on Carmine, but his tone is light. "I'm sure you can meet with Ruby and Yang... after you come with me to see Ozpin."
"I don't see why I need to see him at all." Carmine counters. His eye catches Tai side step again towards Qrow. "From where I stand, you two are all that's keeping me from meeting them properly."
"It's not because of you." Tai interjects. Attention of the kids move to him. He frowns. "They were never told about you. Both for your good and theirs."
Neo furrows her brow. Glancing at Carmine, she sees his face tense, barely containing anger. Good of them all? But hiding things from them? Carmine must agree as he scowls back at the men. "Then grant me this. What DID you tell them?"
. . .
In town, Ruby and Yang board the bulkhead transport bound for Vale. The two settle along the side by a flight window, the two chattering away. Ruby mimes away actions in a dramatic retelling of moments from the tournament. The whole time, Yang watches the younger girl amused.
"They were told the simplest truth. Their mother was needed when no one else could come. She went on a mission, and she succeeded."
Yang ruffles Ruby's hair, cutting the girl's dramatic movements short as she squirms away. Yang pulls back and laughs, but then holds the smaller girl still, taking the time to hand comb Ruby's hair back how it was. Once released, Ruby playfully shoves Yang, grinning again now that her hair is fixed.
"They were given a role model in Summer. A lesson in what is right, but also the reality that doing the right thing can bring. They hurt, they helped, and they healed."
Shifting against each other, Ruby pulls out her scroll, showing something to Yang excited as the blonde remains. The two sisters rest content within the flight in each other's company.
. . .
Roman slaps a compartment door shut, all of Team CRBN's supplies, save for what Neo was grabbing, loaded into the jet copter transport. He grumbles incoherently under his breath as he looks at the time. Six o'clock. Time to leave... and no one is there. "For the love of- Where are they-"
Bzzt.
He looks to his scroll, hoping whatever it is can be only a mild irritation at best. Oh, how wrong he could be.
B – Two Huntsmen. Cornering Carmine and Neo. Coordinates. Pickup NOW.
The message is followed by a link of map coordinates from Blair. Roman narrows his gaze as he groans. A simple pinching of his nose as he curses under his breath. "Stupid, stupid children."
. . .
Tai frowns, meeting Carmine's burning gaze. "Telling them about you would have risked all that. Given them a target to blame. Telling them about you could have derailed their entire world view. They're now passed all that. I'm not against them learning about you now per say, but habits die hard." Tai sets a hard look on the boy. "I wanted to control how they learned about you. For you as well. It's why I always wanted you to come to combat school at Signal."
Carmine's gaze darkens on him. "Color it up so they can be more stable and ignore the dirty details." His voice carries hollow. "Not gonna lie, I see how that would work." A twitch of the brow comes as Carmine closes his eyes in thought. "Too bad I don't care for liars."
Qrow cuts a glare at the boy. A touch of defense for his brother surging, but Tai answers first. Jaw set, Tai shakes his head. "It's the truth as I see it." Arms open, Tai takes a step forward. "Nothing else to it. I believe every word I gave them."
A small smirk plays at the boy's lips. "Another cute lie. Don't patronize me." Carmine opens his eyes to lock with Tai, a turn of mocking. "You couldn't even confront me, a preteen boy at the time, as Summer's husband, her teammate, or even her friend. You hid every single connection you had while you pretended to connect with me!" His teeth grind, voice dipping into a growl. "You lied because if you were honest, you would have done exactly what you fear they would do."
Tai flinches back. His indecision years ago coming back to bite him... because Carmine is right. Taiyang hid his connection to Summer and pretended to be an impartial stranger. Because he was afraid...
In his defense, Qrow cuts in. "We've all here been a part of loss. I'd wager none of us have handled it flawlessly." His red eyes quickly glance at Neo. The pointed reminder that he's including her in the statement surprises her. Her eyes glance down after thought, the man continuing. "But we move forward. Other things have happened since then."
In a blink, Carmine's wide eyed glare shifts to the red eyed man from Tai. If he was hoping to intimidate Qrow, he's got a while to go to get to that point. However, Qrow was more than wary that he could hold even that much hate at his age. Qrow eases slowly. "We have to focus on the present. Ozpin needs to train you. These issues here can wait."
Slowly, the boy straightens his posture, eyes closing again as he bobs his head. "Ah, training. Training, training, training... How will that go, exactly?" Carmine flippantly throws his hand up, eyes opening again. Looks like the conman is rubbing off on him. "Sit me down and give me morality lessons while lying until I use my abilities only as he sees fit?"
Narrowing his gaze, Qrow dips his tone. "Four years of independence does not give you a view of everything in the world. You don't know what's out there. How about you listen to those who know something you don't?" His tone starts to step into annoyance. The boy was challenging them on every single point.
Carmine snorts. Chuckles, even!
His head tips down, hand coming up to cover his mouth. Neo glares back up, but spares a glance over. Was he... okay? Carmine breaks into a louder laugh, shaking his head. "Tell you what... I'll go with you if you give me one... JUST ONE... satisfying answer."
Carmine pulls his collar down, hand reaching into his neck line and producing the engagement pendant. His mother's pendant with hers and Ozpin's symbols combined. The boy's smile holds no positive feelings, eyes hollow as he displays the pendant. "Why didn't Ozpin tell me who my mother was?" His lip twitches. "Does it have to do with the fact that I killed her, too?"
Both Qrow and Taiyang shutter at that. They share a glance, each silently pleading for the other to know something to say. Taiyang pulls a frown, a bubble of irritation in him. Ozpin... actually kept something like that from the kid?!
Qrow grimaces and meets Carmine's confident stare. "That's something to take up with him-"
"Thought so!" Carmine flicks the pendant to drop back under his shirt. "Just lies." His fist clenches. "Lies... and lies, and lies, and LIES!" He screams suddenly, echoing in the surrounding area. He glares up, and both Tai and Qrow freeze.
Carmine's eyes glow gold. A faint outline of aqua blue flickers around him.
"I don't need Ozpin to teach me to deal with this. I will learn it myself. And, to HELL with all of you if you think I can be controlled with your lies!" His left hand unclasps a strap that holds Heulin Noon in place in its holster.
Tai whispers. "Qrow... is that magic? What can he do?"
Qrow grimaces. "It is, and I don't know. My first time seeing it." His hand reaches back and grasps the hilt of his weapon, Harbinger. "Don't do this kid."
Neo and Carmine meet gazes, the girl lightly sweating nervously. Despite the feeling, she nods and smiles. Behind him one hundred percent. Carmine snorts, his golden eyes finding Qrow's. "Alright, Neo. Now we're fighting Qrow."
Tai steps forward, shaking his head. "Carmine, please! We don't want to fight-"
"Then quit forcing you damned ultimatums on me!" The boy snaps back in a snarl. He raises Heulin Noon, aiming it at both the Huntsmen. "You. Don't. Control. Me."
The teacher snaps his jaw shut, meeting Carmine's anger with a cool calm. Taiyang Xiao Long clenches his hands into fists. "No. I'm a Huntsman. It's my role to protect others. Even from themselves. I will do that with all my power if I have to to make you understand."
Then it happens. Neo's image shatters, leaving Carmine's side entirely.
Qrow sucks in a breath as Blair jabs Fluorescent's sheath through Taiyang's aura shield and hits its prongs into his back. The blonde channels her semblance into Tai, shocking his system and bringing him down to his knees! Tai twists, using his empowering arms as he blocks the drawn sword with his forearm!
Tai looks up wide eyed, meeting the very same amber he'd been in this exact situation with before.
Qrow moves in a lightning fast burst to swing Harbinger in sword form at the woman! From the space of the air, Neo comes into view, fading into existence as she blocks his swing with Hush! The little girl barely holds back the power of the swing.
Blair looks directly down at Taiyang. "Do not worry. We understand." She speaks with a deep undertone of satisfaction. "We know exactly who we're threatening this time." Tai freezes, hearing the woman turn the same words he'd used against her years ago against him! ("No regret for the confidence betrayed. No more hiding in shadow." Scratchy instrumental starts.)
Qrow's eyes catch movement to his side. Carmine, eyes still gold, aims Heulin Noon directly at the man. "Team CRBN, move out!" He fires! ("Cause I won't wait for the debt to be repaid. Time has come for you." Instrumental leads to chorus)
Qrow jerks back, Carmine's shot zipping by into a tree! Neo attempts to lunge after! In a single movement, Qrow transforms Harbinger into its scythe mode, deflecting Neo with the haft in a twirl. He strikes her away with the scythe end in the twirl! ("Victimized, victimized, never again victimized!")
Carmine scoffs and pulls the trigger... only for his gun to misfire and jolt out of his hands! Qrow narrows his gaze, his bad luck semblance granting him the opening. Qrow speeds to the boy impossibly fast! ("Victimized, victimized, never again victimized!" Chorus cuts to first verse)
Carmine raises his armored arm, feet digging into the ground when he hard blocks the scythe! His gold eyes flash, activating his magic! A second image Carmine steps out from him as his main self grips Qrow's weapon. ("To save face, how low can you go? Talk a lotta game, but yet you don't know!" Instrumental quiets.)
Qrow's eyes widen as the second Carmine recalls Heulin Noon in hand and aims point blank! Qrow uses his off hand to deflect the gun barrel! The shot misses! The deflect moves Qrow off balance in surprise! ("Static on the wind, makes us all say whoa! The people up top push the people down low-")
"Schneider!" The first Carmine shifts his armor while the second fades away! Armor flashing, Carmine lands a clean hit across Qrow's midsection with the surprise! Qrow skids back, grimacing, then ducks as Neo slashes from behind. ("Get down, and obey every word. Steady, get in line if you haven't yet heard." Instrumental ramps up.)
Dodging, Qrow finds himself between both teens as they attempt a pincer melee attack! Qrow twirls his scythe to deflect both attacks from both sides. Both passes they make, he defends, then manages to hook Carmine's leg and kick Neo! ("Wanna take what I got, don't be absurd! Don't fight the power, nobody gets hurt.")
Carmine tucks, rolls, and rises to a crouch. "Zero!" His armor shifts so he can aim his gun and fire at the charging man. An explosion of fire nearby pulls both their attention. From the flames, Tai skids out, burning off Blair's haze aura with his semblance! ("If you haven't heard yet, then I'm lettin' you know. There ain't shit we don't run when the guns unload!")
Bursting from the fire, Blair slashes at him! Fluorescent shifts from burning orange back to gold as Tai deflects it with his empowered arms! Throwing her back, he counters in as Blair keeps out of arms length. ("And no one make a move, unless my people say so. Got everything outta control, now everybody go-")
Qrow huffs, dashing directly at the melee, leaving Carmine to call out. "Blair!" Neo and him charge after the man, much slower. ("Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey!" Instrumental builds to chorus.)
Blair ripostes, nearly jabbing Tai in the chest, but Qrow swings in, clashing blades as his weapon changes to sword mode. Pulling both aside, Qrow and Blair flash in quick blurred swordplay. ("Still alone, fight our blow! Filthy animals beat down low!")
Sparks fly off their swords as Qrow stonewalls Blair's attacks! Neo and Carmine move in behind him, ready to attack from three sides! Tai, however, leaps back. ("Steel and bone, black and blue! Run at the sunshine, we come for you!")
Channeling his semblance and charged kinetic energy, Tai calls out. "Luck AoE!" The yell, for Qrow's sake, gets the Huntsman to stay still. Taiyang punches the ground with a flashing aura red fist! ("Victimized, victimized, We, the animals, take control!")
The ground quakes at Tai's punch, splintering the earth out from the impact. The cracks shift as they spread, Qrow's semblance... as the breaking rocks throw all three CRBN members up off balance around Qrow. The man still standing unaffected with his luck. ("Victimized, victimized, Wretches and kings, we come for you!" Instrumental quiets to second verse)
All three CRBN members vulnerable, Qrow spins, weapon shifting to scythe mode to hook and pull all three together! He ends the spin slash throwing the three across the ground! ("So keep face, how slow can you go? Talk a lotta shit, and yet you don't know!")
The three batter along the broken ground, Blair catching herself first. She removes a blood capsule and breaks it along her sword, shifting it red... Medusa's face flashes in her mind. Her blood. Qrow and Tai charge together at her! ("Fire on the wind, makes you all say whoa. The people up top and the people down low.")
Triggering Medusa's semblance, Blair spreads her own aura out into everyone present. While Medusa's semblance would be ineffective beyond that, Blair combos her own semblance on both huntsmen! Qrow and Tai both haze over in pain and stop! A temporary opening. ("Get down, and I'm runnin' it like that. The front of the attack is exactly where I'm at." Instrumental ramps up)
Carmine Recalls behind them, firing single shots into both their backs! Qrow and Tai are both thrown off balance forward as Neo lands under them. Neo slashes them both, throwing each aside into different trees! ("Somewhere in between the kick and the hi-hat. The pen and the contract, the pitch and the contact.")
Tai grinds out the pain, burning out Blair's influence as he decides to pick up the damned tree! With a mighty swing, he bashes Carmine before he can fire again! Neo dodges the swing as the Herculean man uses the tree as a weapon! ("So get with the combat, I'm lettin' them know there ain't shit you can say to make me back down, no!")
Blair catches Carmine, skidding to a halt with the save. Easing him down, she pops fire dust into Fluorescent and activates it! A burning blast of fire blows in a line towards Qrow! ("So push the button, let the whole thing blow. Spinning everything outta control, now everybody go.")
Tai notices, shifting the whole tree he's wielding to block Qrow off from the blast! The wood chips and bursts out with embers and sparks! ("Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey" Instrumental shifts to chorus)
From the now burning blaze, Qrow blitzes out, freed of Blair's semblance! Carmine opens fire, but Qrow zigzags around the shots, closing distance to slash! ("Feel alone, final blow. We, the animals, take control!")
SHATTER! Carmine and Blair both shatter from Qrow's hit. His eyes dart around to find Neo slashing down! Qrow ducks back to dodge! ("Hear us now, clear and tall! Wretches and kings, we come for you!")
He moves back, directly in Blair's path as they clash blades. Engaging again, Neo turns to dodge Tai's coming punch! Neo attempts to counter slash, but the blow feebly pings off Tai's incredible aura. ("Still alone, fight our blow! Filthy animals beat down low!")
Carmine lands between them, armored arm up in a block for Neo! Tai's fist smashes into the armored block, blasting Carmine into Neo and throwing them both along the ground like a ricocheting projectile! ("Steel and bone, black and blue. Run at the sunshine, we come for you!")
The roar of an engine pulls Tai's attention overhead. Looking up, he sees the jet transport coming to a hovering stop high in the air above. A rope ladder hangs low out the open side. ("From the front to the back and to side to side. If you feel what I feel, put 'em up real high!")
Roman reveals himself, shifting Velvet Valentine to gun mode as he smirks! "Hey, Birdbrain! How's it going?" He mocks down to Qrow. He opens fire down to the huntsmen! ("Front to the back and the side to side. If you feel what I feel, put 'em up real high!")
Blair dashes back from Qrow, the man moving to dodge. He and Tai both take cover as Roman unloads on them! Blair, Carmine, and Neo meet up below. ("Front to the back and the side to side. If you feel what I feel, put 'em up real high!")
"Jager!" Carmine flashes his armor. He throws Neo into the sky, then Jager boost jumps after her! Blair channels wind dust in Fluorescent, sending the wind cast down to propel herself up after the boy! ("Front to the back and the side to side. If you feel what I feel, put 'em up real high!" Music fades)
Each of the three catch their grips on the drop ladders. Carmine shouts up. "Roman, get us out of here!" Roman ceases firing on Qrow and Tai's position, moving quickly to the cockpit seat! No sooner that Neo pulls herself into the transport cabin, the carrier begins to blast away.
Qrow and Tai move out from their impromptu cover to see Team CRBN speeding off into the sky. Qrow inches forward, but Tai's hand catches and stops him. "That's enough. Even if you could fight all four of them, you won't have rest like they will if you chase them flying."
The brothers hold a stare before Qrow puts his weapon away and sighs. "... Ozpin is not gonna like us failing of all people."
Tai gives a humorless chuckle. "Given how that just went... I'd say there's some failures to go around for all of us."
Qrow sends a look to the man. A silence occurs as they take in some of the burning embers. "Lets make sure no forest fires get out. I can call Oz while we head to meet the girls." A moment passes as they simply stand in place. The undercurrent of shame settles in. Qrow finally looks to the downcast blonde. "You made the right call, Tai. For them."
Tai gives him a rather sullen look. He knows he means for the girls, but Tai shakes his head. "Maybe. Come on... Let's clean up this mess."
. . .
A short time later finds the aircraft soaring away from the island, the dark night ocean blue under it. Night time was starting to settle in full, the broken moon above gaining more and more of a glow. Roman locks in the autopilot, relaxing back.
The hatch from the cabin behind him opens, Blair stepping through. She groans while lowering into the passenger seat. He gives an unimpressed glance. "Now, do inform me next time you want to have a pow wow with two veteran huntsmen. Please and thank you."
Blair rolls her eyes before rolling her shoulder. "I shall choose the next time carefully then. Because of course, I have complete control of such events." She sarcastically drawls.
He snickers. "Thank you." As if he had taken her literally. He's satisfied when a ghost of a smirk comes to her. He reaches into a bag at his side. "Ah, I did grab a little... something... ah!" He pulls out a bottle of spirits. "Nabbed this and was waiting for a good time. Now, I just need a drink. It's no Sanusean Greene, but..."
Blair blinks in thought before accepting the bottle. She pops the cap off and pauses. "No glasses?" He shakes his head. So, without warning, Blair raises the bottle to him.
Roman's eyes widen as the bottle meets his mouth rough and tips. He resists the urge to cough and drinks a long swig. She pulls the bottle back as he pounds his chest unhappy. "What was that?!"
"Sharing." She states simply before taking a drink herself. The blonde glances over curious. "Half surprised you aren't rattling off hateful 'I told you so's at Carmine."
The conman frowns and shakes his head. "Nah... He knows everything I have to say." He nods to the horizon. "I almost want to keep this bird, but Junior will get fussy."
"We should take at least a week off to unwind." Blair speaks lightly. "Return home. See how the Mibu have changed Haddon now." A pregnant pause holds until she adds. "Our next lead is from our friend from Fairmare..."
Roman's eye narrows. "It finally happens. The world turns topsy turvy when I find myself going to Atlas of all places." He spares a glance. "What's the name of the place?" Blair removes a small paper from her pocket. Unfurling it, she reads it for perhaps the hundredth time. Roman raises a brow. "What's that?"
"After our stint in Fairmare, when I went back to my hotel room-"
"Preparing for greatness." Roman smirks with his interjection.
"Shut up!" Blair lightly snaps, suddenly flustered. She calms the slight blush before she returns her gaze to the paper. "Our mystery ally left me the town where her... supervisor would be willing to meet us. However, they've left nothing to show a local address."
Roman holds his hand out, Blair offering the paper. He takes it and reads.
"Verniay, Mantle. We'll find you."
"I don't like that." He mutters before flippantly waving the paper. "Seriously? The city of mines?"
"Our... sponsor for lack of better wording is of the criminal element. They also appeared to be competitors with AZRL. Are you sure you don't know any organization large enough to challenge AZRL directly?" Blair asks curious.
He clicks his tongue. "Only two. One torpedoed their infrastructure two decades ago and went into hiding with AZRL's help. The other was Senior now in their pocket. I've got nothing on whoever we're going to meet."
Blair nods. "Then... we have quite a road ahead." She smirks though. "Two kingdoms down. One to go. Unless AZRL has gained their foothold in Vacuo."
"Don't wish such things." Roman snorts before grimacing. "Damn. We need winter clothes." The simple need of the problem brings a smile to Blair.
. . .
In the transport cabin, Neo winces as she rubs her side and arm. Perhaps Qrow got through her aura shield with that hook? Her ribs definitely hurt from Taiyang beaning Carmine into her. She glances down at her scroll, seeing her aura meter barely maintaining yellow.
That... reminds her.
She glances over to Carmine. He used his magic. A frown comes to her as she nudges him... No response. He's simply staring at nothing. Not fully in a playful mood herself, she reaches around him, into his pocket. Absentminded, the boy leans slightly as she removes his scroll from his pocket.
The girl turns the screen on to see his aura. Even after Medusa woke him up with the aura booster, his aura now reads bottomed out. Although... she hums as a thought occurs. He used his magic and aura at the same time. In practice, that took heavy concentration. She decides to make a mental note of that to use as celebration later.
Carmine remains still with his eyes locked to the wall. In half thought, his right hand plays with the pendant under his shirt. Neo gives a small frown at it.
"Why didn't Ozpin tell me who my mother was? Does it have to do with the fact that I killed her, too?"
Neo knew that's how he sees it, but that doesn't make it nicer to hear. Every aspect of care that gets revealed to him just becomes an albatross around his neck. Literally, in this case. Although, she has to wonder if this time he used that guilt as a weapon. Truthfully, it felt good to see him verbally match the two men who foolishly attempted to pull experience on him.
And even now, the boy seems far better than he would have before... She briefly wonders if meeting those two strangers would have been positive or negative. After seeing his with the blonde at the tournament, Neo could almost see it working out perfectly.
Yet... she could tell that Yang was not the one that would move that needle. This other one that none of them had seen seemed to be the more pressing of the two.
"Hey."
Neo perks up, blinking at Carmine as the two meet eyes. He seems... fine. Maybe everything is okay, and she's overthinking. She cocks her head in question.
He gives a small smirk. "We're done with Vale, so... how do you feel about going home?"
She blinks once... twice...
That's right. She's the one most familiar with Mantle. Her home. Her... home. Like a stone weighs down her gut as she tries to settle the word. If anything, it just made her imagine a violet haired woman, and not the friendly one Blair knows... The face of her father comes to mind. Briefly after, Qrow's does as well.
"We've all here been a part of loss. I'd wager none of us have handled it flawlessly."
Did Qrow regret his fight with her father? It seemed like he did, as the bastard keeps finding ways of acknowledging her even when she isn't the subject at hand. Still, that meant nothing to how she felt towards him. The so called hero that killed his target.
Neo snorts. No, none of that is what she truly thinks of when she thinks of home. Her thoughts land on... a blonde haired mother, an orange haired father, and a...
Neo laces one of her hands with Carmine's, bringing a smile to her. The smaller girl leans flush against his side, bringing a bright red blush to him.
… and her Dumb Dumb hero stupidly putting the world's problems on himself.
Her free hand signs out while she closes her eyes and rests. "I've been home, but I don't mind causing chaos at my old one."
Carmine snorts, shaking his head as he looks over the window to muse with his thoughts. Glancing out, his eyes trail up to the broken moon in the sky. His face softens, intently focused on it. The broken orb staring down.
Like a great big silver eye.
Despite the simile, Carmine maintains a small ghost of a grin on the moon. He missed his chance, but he'll make it up another time. He briefly wonders what Summer's daughter would even look like? He imagines dark hair. Overpowering Taiyang's blonde, he thinks. Blue eyes is certainly more common than silver. Looking at Yang, she must certainly grow taller than Summer herself was. Would she be pale or tan? He could see either, really. Freckles? Nah. Summer's skin was near perfect, and Taiyang's skin lends itself to simple tan.
He muses over what she must look like, letting his mind wander.
. . .
"It's not fair." Ruby pouts in the restaurant booth seat. Directly beside her, Yang snorts. The two had made it to Vale, picking out a gourmet barbecue restaurant. One of Yang's favorites. Ruby sighs. "You got to meet so many cool people, and I won't get a chance to until at least next year!"
Yang snickers. "Rubes, you'll meet a lot of cool, awesome people with all the weapon ideas that'll make your head explode. You'll see some that I'll never see, too. It's no big!" She pinches Ruby's cheek, earning her hands getting slapped back.
"Stop it!" Ruby crosses her arms, puffing her cheeks. Slowly, her stewing expression softens. "After talking with Blair about Zane, I really want to pick his brain about his weapon designs, but now I won't ever get the chance to. He's a year ahead of you!"
The blonde frowns at that. "Yeah, nailing him down for my rematch will be tough." Snorting, she gets a mischievous grin. "Doesn't mean I won't still do it, though. And hey! We'll probably see him at some point at Beacon. Or, maybe the Vytal festivals." Her eyes shine in anticipation. "Oh... That'll make the rematch better..."
"That's great for you! But, at best, I'll maybe catch him when he's a senior and turning old while I'm a Beacon first year! And that's if he even goes to Beacon." Ruby pouts. "That armor was super special awesome... I wanna know how he was switching it! It didn't look mechanical..."
Yang raises a brow at the girl. "So like, when he wears his armor, will he have to tell you his eyes are up here?" Yang mimes gesturing at her chest, then up to her face.
"What do you mean?" Ruby asks, innocent. The innuendo joke going far over her head. Like, over the moon over her head.
"... Nothing." Yang contains a laugh. Looking up, Yang wonders. "Though, hey. If we meet him again, we can both be happy. Though, there's more to him than his dumb weapons."
Ruby sighs. "Yeah. Fine. I'm sure he's interesting beyond his cool armor and super duper cool gun..." She slumps back in her booth seat. "What else is there to him, though?"
Yang cracks a grin. "A good sense of humor and seemed pretty easy to party with. Kinda dorky, though."
A small silence between them pulls Yang's attention to Ruby, who looks up out the window. "Really? I think it's more than that. He looked like he has it pretty rough to me."
Curious, her sister raises a brow. "What makes you say that?"
Ruby shrugs, brows furrowed. "I don't know how to say it. Just." She grimaces for a moment. "Every time he laughed with you..."
. . .
"... It just seemed like he was surprised to be happy here."
Carmine's gaze remain out at the dark seas. Neo's head remains against him as the girl had drifted off to sleep. For a moment, he frowns, gaze turning down. The moment the girl lets out a sigh in her sleep, his hand reflexively tightens its hold laced with hers.
Mixed feelings surge, but he manages a private smile to himself. It didn't end well, but he's glad he came here.
We're done with Patch. CRBN is now officially fugitives of Vale authority, and we got to see Carmine throw down against the likes of Qrow and Taiyang... and lose horrifically. Basically what we would see if early Ruby tried to legitimately fight Qrow, only to get destroyed. Thank the gods for Blair and Roman to pick up those pieces.
Rematch between Blair and Taiyang. Fun times.
Also, some clarity given for Atlas running their operations against AZRL. Bit of a darker direction set by Ironwood. Maybe that will come in later. Who knows.
Finally, yes. The fated meeting of Carmine and Ruby has been blue balled. I do not apologize for this. If it's frustrating, it's supposed to be. No meeting between Roman and Ruby either, but at least Carmine and Roman had their argument about Summer's family.
It should be noted that by this point Carmine has a different intimacy with each of his teammates in regards to his trauma over Summer. Neo is most able to key in on his feelings and support him through his pain. Roman is most familiar with the subject matter and is able to discuss it practically. Blair, to this point still never being told by Carmine WHO he feels responsible for killing, knows the connection and mechanics of what Carmine did, knows how he arrived to his conclusions.
These differences in how Carmine affiliates with his teammates in regards to the Summer Rose connection I hope have come across, especially when Blair is shocked to happen upon Summer Rose's gravestone.
Song used was a three way youtube mashup of Linkin Park's Victimized, Points of Authority, and Wretches & Kings. For CRBN vs STRQ.
Reviews:
Crimson Mist (AO3) – Yes, this was the first time I alluded directly to RWBY's team formation being in the same year as "the day". Though, that admission is more or less done since Yang's, Ruby's, Neo's, Ren's, and Nora's ages at their appearances thus far kinda lead to that admission as well. Regardless! Hope you keep enjoying!
Join next time in Chapter Fifty Nine, the beginning of the Atlas Saga: Howling Cold.