All right! Let's go!
Arc 1 – Chapter 9
Roman was not happy right now. He was currently stuck back out in the streets with Ruby, Emerald and Neo by his side running more fetch errands for Hei.
Why you might ask? Because apparently he didn't purchase enough parchment last night, nor sufficient writing supplies, which meant that Hei couldn't properly rewrite everything he needed to after the fire Duck caused.
Frankly, he thought it was a load of bull. Hei was just trying to doll out punishments, and he happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Tch. Just his luck. If anything, Hei should be thanking him for intervening before those two kids burnt the whole place down! Alas, here he was, stuck running more errands for Hei and babysitting two small children.
He glanced up at the rooftops, catching a glimpse of Neo strolling leisurely along the top.
He sent her a pleading look, one which she returned with a disinterested eye before turning up her nose.
He hissed. Fat lot of help that she was in offering him some reprieve.
Emerald's complaining broke him out of his self-pity.
"I just don't get why I have to be stuck with you two?! What did I do?"
Roman cocked an eyebrow at her.
"You really asking that question Mint? Because from my limited understanding, you're the one that sent Duck on that crazy adventure. You hold as much blame in burning down Hei's office as Duck and Red did."
"I didn't burn down his office," protested Ruby with a pout. "I kept telling him it was a bad idea, but he didn't want to listen to me."
Roman shrugged.
"You were there with him. That's all that matters. Guilty by association."
"Is that why you're stuck running errands for Hei now? Because you were caught with the fire?"
Roman's face contorted unpleasantly.
"Actually, Mint, yes it was. No thanks to you sending that idiot on a wild goose chase."
Ruby leapt to her new friend's defense.
"Duck's not an idiot. He's just…?" She struggled to find the right word, but couldn't come up with any. Roman was eager to supplant with some ideas however.
"Retarded? Special? Don't sugercoat it Red. Duck's nice and all, but the cheese slid off that cracker long ago."
They were approaching a large intersection where the Garrison Barracks were. It was an old church, about three stories high, and three times as long. It sat in the middle of the paved street, with easy access to nearly all of the main street branches and alleys leading deeper into the slums.
"Who cares about that dummy? I'm booooored," whined Emerald in a typical childish fashion.
"Yeah, you and me both," groused Roman, though he made sure not to say that too loud. He did exclaim his shock more loudly as he watched Emerald suddenly break off from him.
"Hey! Where are you going?!"
Emerald looked over her shoulder at Roman and called back.
"I'll be back in a minute. I want to get something to eat other than stale bread and boiled potato water!"
Roman threw his hands in the air as if suffering a mental breakdown.
"You can't just wander off from me like that?! Emerald! Get back!"
The green-haired girl didn't listen, however, and she wandered across the road to where a recently set up stall selling rat skewers was operating.
Roman was about to run across to chase her, but she suddenly weaved under the feet of a small foot patrol of Hunters.
Roman stopped in his tracks, eyes wide.
"Shit," he cursed lowly.
"Are they the Hunters you're trying to avoid?" questioned Ruby as Roman quickly shuffled her down a nearby alley.
"Yeah. Benny's with them," he gestured, pointing to the man in question. He wasn't hard to spot, not with the way he confidently held himself.
Ruby glanced at him worriedly.
"Is Emerald going to be safe?"
Roman glanced at the small girl sneaking behind the man at the stall, ready to work her thievery.
"Yeah, probably not. If she gets caught right now, that guy at the stall will call Benny over. She'll be in for a beating, that's for sure," he lamented uncertainly.
"Well, we can't just leave her then? Right?"
Roman shook his head.
"Way ahead of you. I might not get on well with the little tyke, but I ain't going to see her get hurt. Not if I can help it."
With that, he put his pointer finger and thumb together in his mouth and gave a sharp, shrill whistle.
It was brief, and anyone that turned to notice, pedestrian or Hunter, would have seen nothing if they looked in the direction it came from. That was if they even cared to look in the first place.
Within seconds, the sound of someone small dropping onto the ground behind them could be heard. Ruby turned in surprise to see Neo standing up delicately.
"Mint's going to get herself caught. Mind not letting that happen?" Asked Roman with a prompting gesture of his hand.
Neo gave him a look as she crossed her arms.
Roman sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.
"Neo. Can you please go cause a distraction so the guy at the stall Mint is about to raid doesn't notice her and alert the Hunters. Is that better?"
The mute girl nodded her head in satisfaction before bouncing to the walls and using a series of simple acrobatics to flip and jump up to the roof.
They both watched her ascend the walls of the alleyway building before she disappeared over the top.
"See?" Roman let out a smirk, looking down at Ruby.
"Mint will be fine. Neo's got it covered."
Ruby shot him a frown.
"That seems awfully lazy to have someone else do something you should do."
Roman did a double take, spluttering out his surprise.
"I-You?! Excuse me?! Give a guy some credit. I came up with the plan!"
"Yeah but Neo's doing all the work, though?"
Roman's lips thinned.
"I see you're adopting Mint's sass. Well done," he drawled.
"Try not to follow in her steps too much, okay kid?"
Ruby looked confused at the expression.
"Why would I follow her steps? Especially when she's going to risk getting caught?"
Roman merely smiled a knowing smile.
"That a girl, Red. Precisely!"
Ruby still looked up at him confused.
After several seconds of observing Neo and Emerald while staying out of view of Benny and his garrison, Ruby exclaimed excitedly.
"Look!"
Neo had stealthily dropped down from the roof behind the stall, sticking to the shadows, while Emerald was still struggling to find an opening to pinch a skewer off to the side of the owner.
Ruby watched with bated breath as Neo deliberately bumped a wooden barrel off to the side of the man, drawing his attention as the straw lid fell to the ground. She made a show of acting like a clumsy passerby, and the man said something to her. What it was, she didn't know as they were too far, but the distraction gave Emerald the opening that she needed to swipe the skewer that she wanted.
As she crawled away with her new meal, Neo sauntered off slowly around a corner out of sight, likely to get back to the roof without anyone nearby seeing her.
"See, Red. She's a professional. Just like me…." He trailed off uncertainly, suddenly looking around the open street frantically.
"Where's Benny?"
"Right here, old pal!" Exclaimed a jovial voice.
Roman turned around in shock, only to be greeted by an armoured fist flying straight into his face.
His vision went red as he felt his nose crack under the sheer force of the blow.
He went tumbling backwards into the street, peasants and pedestrians suddenly sidestepping him as he landed and the Garrison made their presence known.
His ears were ringing, and as his vision began to return whilst still swimming, he saw two Benny's slowly walk and loom directly over him. A few seconds later, several more Hunters made their presence known, wearing the same blue leather gambisons overtop lightly armoured trousers. Some wore metal kettle helms, others wore nothing, revealing loose dirty hair.
"A professional huh…" came Benny's ominous voice as he chuckled slowly.
Roman groaned as he groggily began to sit up.
"Ah-ah!" tutted Benny.
"I didn't say you could get up."
That was the only warning he got before Benny's armoured hand backhanded him across the cheek.
He went down again with a twist, this time landing on his side.
When he opened his eyes, he saw one of the Hunters holding a struggling Ruby by her arm as she cried out.
Blood was leaking out of his broken nose, and he was certain that last strike must have cracked his cheek-bone.
"Well, I must say," began Benny, using a leather boot to roll him over on to his back before resting it on top his chest, leaning forward to put more weight atop of him.
Roman spluttered as he suddenly found it difficult to breath.
The other Hunters around him jeered and laughed.
"I've been wanting to speak to you. And you just so happened to come pay me a visit. And outside my home too!" He gestured grandly to the barracks nearby.
The streets had started to vacate by now as people realised the Hunters were busy dishing out 'justice'.
"I suppose it's only fair I be a generous host and let you in. That way you and I can have a nice talk."
Benny's grin was all teeth as he leaned forward predatorily, a hungry glint in his eyes.
Meanwhile, Neo stood atop the roof with a horror-stricken expression across her face as she watched Benny and eight other Hunters gather around Roman and Ruby, before dragging them off roughly into the barracks, all while laughing and jeering at their two captive's expense.
And the worst part was that there was nothing she could do right now. So, clenching her hands resolutely, she turned back to the way they had come, and she ran with all her strength.
As she dodged and weaved across the obstacles atop the rooftops, she could only pray that Roman would last long enough until she got help…
Neo wasn't the only witness to Roman and Ruby being dragged inside the barracks.
From an alleyway across the building, hidden in the shadows, Tyrian and Hazel watched the events unfold before them.
"This might complicate things," frowned Hazel.
"With her now captured by the local garrison, it will be harder to reach her without drawing attention to ourselves. She'll have time to reveal her true nature, and even if she does massacre them, word will spread of there being a Grimm-Whisperer."
"Then perhaps you should have let me kill her last night when we had the chance," bit Tyrian before taking a deep breath to compose himself.
He pursed his lips, before suddenly cracking a small smile.
"I daresay it actually makes things easier, however. She has no escape now."
Hazel eyed his companion cautiously.
"Do you think they will clue in and kill her successfully? We'd have no proof, and they would parade her death around, letting every other abomination know," he argued.
Tyrian giggled lightly, his tail swishing eagerly.
"Oh yes. Which is why we should go invite ourselves in to make sure that justice is served and confidentiality is kept!"
Hazel's eyes widened ever-so slightly.
"Tyrian. That will let everyone know! That is the exact opposite of subtlety!"
Tyrian's face turned into a snarl as he side-eyed Hazel.
"You had your chance to kill the girl quietly. You refused when we had her in the alleyway alone last night," after all, he hardly counted the boy in white as a threat.
"And you had her when you followed her to that little run-down playground with just children around," he continued, referring to the orphanage.
"Two. Very. Opportune times to end this."
He steepled his fingers, turning to Hazel slowly, but the burly man remained impassive.
"We tried it your way. But our Goddess wants results. So… now we do it my way."
Hazel stared back at Tyrian for what felt like an eternity, his gaze searching, before he relented with a defeated sigh.
"And how exactly do you plan to accomplish this? She is currently barricaded in there with likely the entire town garrison of Hunters. In such enclosed spaces against so many Hunters, with a Grimm-Whisperer to add to the mix? These aren't optimal odds, Tyrian. Not to mention, the casualty rate will be tremendous. We won't be able to hide this fight. Ozpin will know."
Tyrian slowly turned back around, pulling his cloak hood up to cover his head, tucking his tail underneath the robes.
He looked out to the barracks before pulling out a smooth metal cylinder from within his cloak, holding it out for Hazel to see.
"Our recent ally that our Goddess recruited has provided us with some very interesting assets, remember?"
He pocketed the strange cylinder.
"Besides. I wasn't lying when I said I would burn this place down if anyone stands in our way. And the only ones that will be are currently residing inside that very building," he grinned savagely.
Hazel stepped forward until he was right next to Tyrian.
"We still will need confirmation of the girl's death. We can't just burn them all in there alive. Not without guaranteeing she is removed the picture."
Tyrian took an ominous step forward, and then another.
"Then we go introduce ourselves."
Hazel slowly matched his pace.
"And how do you plan on doing that? This place is too heavily fortified to just break into. Not without alerting everyone to our presence."
Tyrian kept walking, the barracks getting closer with each step.
"Well, that's simple, my big tree trunk friend!" Tyrian exclaimed jovially.
"I plan on using the front door, just like any other civilised guest would!"
And with those words, he stood in front of the shut double-doors of the reconverted old church…
A day had already passed since the fire incident in Hei's office. The man himself had turned one corner of the kitchen dining table, or bench rather, into his new defacto office, with several parchments stacked to one side as he, alongside Tony, balanced financial figures, item counts, and reinstated plans to survive through the winter, especially since Duck had burnt his last records.
He glanced out of the corner of his eye at the boy in question who was currently on his hands and knees scrubbing the floor while Jess supervised him.
Despite his punishment, Duck did not complain or act miserably. He took the whole thing in stride, which was a credit to his tenacity. Hei would give him that.
"Ahem. Hei?" coughed Tony, a small frown worming its way onto his sharp face.
Hei let out a breath he didn't realise he was holding as his private musings were cut short.
"Yes. Continue."
"As I was saying, with – "
The back door slammed open, cutting him off abruptly and forcing the two to wheel around in surprise.
A panicked Neo ran into the kitchen, huffing and puffing as she was clearly out of breath.
"Neo?! What's wrong?"
Hei was surprised, and not pleasantly at that.
She took nought but a second to regain her composure, and barely that as evident by her laboured breathing as she practically ran right to where he was sitting, a desperate look in her eyes that conveyed fear.
Hei instantly felt his heart drop. Neo never was afraid. For something to have her this strung out could only mean something bad had happened, or was about to.
"Neo, what's going on?" He was worried now.
She gestured wildly with flailing arms and back out the door.
Hei shook his head in confusion and put a hand out to stop her.
"Hold on- just stop a second and slow down. I can't make heads or tails of what you're trying to tell me."
Her face scrunched up in frustration, and without any regard for the parchment he had nearly finished writing, she grabbed the freshly inked quill and began to scribble furiously on it, writing overtop his own much neater hand-writing.
Tony's eyes widened, as did his, and he was about to protest at her blatant vandalism, but she was already done. She shoved the parchment roughly into Hei's chest.
Uncertainly, he pried it out of Neo's tiny hands, and reading it revealed three words in massive letters that made his heart drop.
Benny caught Roman.
"…Shit…"
Tony looked up at him in confusion.
"What is it, boss?"
Hei only let his shock hold him captive for but a second as one of his fears came to realisation.
"Where are they, Neo," he demanded sharply, ignoring Tony. His harsh tone did little to hide the small quavers in his voice belaying the fear and uncertainty he felt.
She started to make several hand gestures, but Hei could fathom a guess.
"Are they at the barracks?"
She nodded rapidly.
"Then we have no time to waste." He stood up from the table abruptly, knocking the chair he was sitting on to the ground. He didn't care, however.
"Jess! Get the twins down here now!"
She nodded her head resolutely and hustled off, leaving Duck to work alone, who was now watching everything with a mixture of curious fascination.
"Tony!" Hei barked.
"Get all the older kids to round up the younger kids, and have them keep watch and stay inside the building. Lock the doors and make sure they don't leave. Give them anything that counts as a weapon and tell them not to let anyone in, especially from the Garrison."
He flung a fur jacket over his shoulders as he strode down the hall to his main bedroom, Tony right on his heels.
"What are you planning, Hei?" Tony's voice was warning, but he already had an idea of what his boss was about to do.
"I want DJ and Tommen to grab any medical supplies we have left," he continued, reaching for his door knob and turning the handle.
"Hei…?"
"Just have them do it!" He snapped. "If I arrive too late, there's no telling what condition Benny will have Roman in!"
Hei strode forth with several powerful steps to a rickety dresser next to a hammock, throwing open the bottom drawer and rifling around its contents before pulling out a false board.
"Hei. How do you plan to get Roman and Ruby back…? Benny's not going to give either of them up easily. You know that."
"Yes he will," insisted Hei harshly, pulling out a stack of Lien notes; the last of his money he had to spare.
Tony hissed an intake of air before pursing his lips in disapproval.
"That's not going to work, Hei."
"It will!" Snapped Hei, slamming the drawer shut before opening another one.
"Because if it doesn't?" He grabbed something, a long object, but Tony didn't quite get a proper glance.
"Then you will likely need to relocate the entire orphanage."
Tony's eyes widened as realisation dawned upon him.
"If you go ahead with this, you'll die. They are HUNTERS, HEI!"
Hei chuckled darkly, shoving the flintlock and small pouch of powder and pellets inside his jacket.
"They're men, Tony. And all men bleed and die the same."
He levelled a resolute glance with Tony who gulped, and Hei was instantly reminded that, despite his mannerisms, Tony was still a young boy under his care, irregardless of being seventeen.
"If they won't hand Roman and Ruby over, then I'm going to have to take them by force."
Tony's gaze went downward for a second, and he spoke up again, this time more softly.
"I thought you promised we'd left Mistral behind us. What you're going to do is bring that life back."
Hei sighed deeply, placing a comforting hand on Tony's shoulder.
"It's only a last resort. But if it does lead that way? Then it's because I'm trying to protect the people I care about."
"Is Roman really worth placing everyone else at risk, Hei? What of all the younger kids?"
Hei chewed his lip morosely, and his thoughts drifted to Roman and Ruby and their circumstances, including the decisions he'd made to accept them.
"Tony. If I started going off of people's worth, then this place wouldn't exist as there would be no point. The Kingdom thinks we're not worth anything to them, but I do. And I'm not going to play favourites by claiming someone is worth more than anyone else. If I did, then everything we've done? Everything I've done for this place? It would be a sham. A lie, and a disrespect for what we stand for. To help those that society refuses to. So yes, Roman is worth it."
Tony frowned.
"That's not what I meant, and you know it."
Hei slid his hand off of his shoulder and approached the doorway, ready to leave.
"I'll give Benny a choice. Hell, I'm ready to bribe him if needs be."
Tony straightened, and Neo ducked her head in the doorway, agitated, antsy and ready to leave now.
"But if he doesn't or he tries to hurt them; our family? Then I'll be left with no choice but to kill him."
Hei pursed his lips.
"I'd rather it not come to that. But, it's not the first time I've had to."
Tony's jaw clenched and he glared at Hei disapprovingly.
"I guess running as the personal interrogator for Miss Malachite and the Spiders does that, doesn't it Hei."
Hei reached the doorway, stopping only for a brief moment as he exhaled sadly.
"Yeah. It does. I guess some things never truly change."
And with that, he left Tony alone to fight with his thoughts…
So, bit of a shorter chapter this week, but, as you can probably tell, it's setting everything up for the next two chapters, which will complete this first arc of the story.
Now, the next chapter I intend to be significantly longer. Perhaps even the longest one I've written for this story yet. However, due to our lovely friend, staff shortages, I've been pulled to do some extra shifts while some people are away. Yay! Not.
What this means is next chapter will probably two weeks instead of the usual one. I still plan on aiming to get it done in the one week (Monday 16th October), but well, if it's not out by then, then you can safely assume the next chapter will be the following week (Monday 23rd October). Man I can't wait to finish training this next supervisor up so then we can have someone else available to spread the workload….
Anyways, Next chapter Monday 16th October. If difficulties arise, then expect it Monday 23rd October. Cya!
