"Hello again Magenta."
"Yeesh, took you long enough." She'd been waiting for twenty or so minutes, and all for a cup of coffee. "What the heck took so long Lapis, was the machine broke or something?"
"No, no." The man was holding a cheeky looking grin, something that, oddly enough, Magenta had never seen on him before. He set the cup down, much to her dismay, and faced her with a slightly off twist on his lips. "I just, well... you remember Fennec, right?"
"What about him?" She furrowed her brows a little. "What, he back from the dead as a ghost or something?"
"No... but, you recall what he told us, about him." That was... sudden, making Magenta consider whether her past friend was sick or something.
"What, the stuff about... wait, are we talking about V here?" She scoffed. "Come on, don't tell me you actually fell for any of that nonsense. Look, you may have had the others and I fooled, pretending to be with Fennec and us, but of all the people to sniff out his insanity, I'd assumed you were the first to call his bullshit." Her look morphed into concern. "You're not sick, are you?"
"I can assure you I'm fine." He was adorned in a more... perplexing face now, and Magenta found she couldn't quite read him. "I remember quite well his more, shall we say 'out there' theory. Yet I found it interesting the things we found in V's pouch; heck, even the pouch itself was rather strange."
"So?" Magenta fought back some irritation at the way the binds around her wrists made the skin sore; hopefully she'd be returned to her cell soon, as she had enough 'air' for the day - despite it looking like she wouldn't get that damn coffee. "It's a stupid pouch, who cares what it's made of?"
"Let's see" Lapis crossed his arms. "Sporting texts never before seen, a rough texture that feels sort of like a cross between steel and goop. But it's what was inside that caught my attention."
"How so?" Magenta wasn't sure what Lapis was getting at, and was even starting to feel uncomfortable; Lapis wasn't acting like himself. "From what I heard it was just some old coins, right?"
"Yes, but Fennec had those coins checked, and from what was said, it was only a few years old."
"So? I fail to see how that's important." Magenta kept her fed up attitude under wraps; even if she was somewhat curious as to what was so special about the coins. "Maybe they're just trinkets?"
"Trinkets made with a process outdated by several hundred years?" That sounded... a little strange; even so it didn't matter much.
"So he had someone do it the old way. You know old people pride their family histories; I'm certain some old man likes to make coins or whatever."
"Most certainly, but consider this." Lapis was teasing a smirk, however it looked to be bordering on obsession; that twisted type of wanting that makes your face almost rip into itself. "Inside those coins seemed to be Dust." Dust infused coins, again strange but not impossible as far as Magenta saw. "However, as we know Dust has a direct relationship with the atmosphere. The higher up you go, the weaker the Dust gets. Yet when looking over the coins, our sweet... 'observer' noted how the energy inside the metal had no reaction at all to atmospheric change. Same power, same general reaction to the metal, and yet none of the limits of Dust; weird, is it not?"
"Why are we even talking about this? No, more importantly, how the heck did they test it's reaction to the atmosphere?" Magenta was weirded out completely now. Sure, if what he said was true then it was strange; theoretically, Dust without the atmospheric limits could potentially allow them to travel up into the sky, and even to the moon. However it was the manic look in his eyes which had her survival instincts going haywire.
"Why?" The man stated innocently. "Because this is the essential mark. This oddity right here, hidden in the coins, is an essence of an era long lost. She told me so, when I showed it to her before our defeat of Fennec. It was made for hers, by hers, and no matter what era it is undoubtedly hers. Only 'V' is allowed to have it, she said so."
"Who is she?" Magenta had enough games; she just wanted answers at this point. Lapis chuckled and started again.
"Do you believe in magi-"
That insanity stilled when a small rock flew out of nowhere, bounced on the floor, and subsequently blinded them with an explosion. It wasn't large enough to cause any damage, but it did mess up the area and cover it with smoke. Soon enough she had her ties cut and felt herself pulled away.
"Hey!" Magenta coughed out, trying her best to expel the smoke from her lungs.
"No time. You better be ready!" That voice, she knew exactly who it was. As the smoke dispersed ever the tiniest bit she saw Gold's sorely missed mug, however it was wrought with a mix of rage an unease.
"What's going on?" She tried, noting how her friend was surrounded by three others; the Belladonna's, and someone new.
"Gold." Lapis broke through, only his voice sounded a little off. "So you've finally joined us. What took you so long, has that burning need to kill fizzled out completely?"
"Who are you!" Yep, he was pissed, much more than Magenta could ever recall. Even Vermillion's betrayal hadn't hit so hard, and that had been the previous 'most pissed' she'd seen him.
"Me? I'm just a dead woman, visiting an old friend." That was not the sound of Lapis from moments ago, and the figure obscured by smoke was most certainly female. Right at that moment the smoke cleared enough to make her out, and Magenta instantly realized she had no clue who she was looking at.
Usually people making intense conversation had at least some history with you, especially when they - as Magenta now realized - disguised themselves as a close friend. It was disturbing now that she took a moment to consider it, and the woman counted herself lucky that all this fake did was make idle chat about Vermillion's 'borrowed' belongings.
"I have no idea who you are." Magenta stated firmly as she took a battle stance.
"Don't be silly." The figure waved her wrist, and Magenta shivered at how scarred the invader's skin was. She bore a standard shirt and skirt, both a dirty white and one seemingly spray-painted with an odd symbol. On the woman's cheek however was a very prominent 'SDC' burned into the skin, but the burn was... wrong. "You were merely the bait, even if you didn't know it. Although..." The woman faced Gold, and as Magenta followed she noted the frozen expression slapped across him; a mild disbelief. "Seeing as your friend here didn't catch on, is it possible you've been out of contact with her, Gold?"
"You're dead." It was so quiet she almost couldn't make it out.
"I prefer to call it blessed really."
"How..." His arms were limping now, and Magenta had the urge to press him on both who this woman was, as well as why she should have been dead; apparently the lanky spectacled man held the answers.
"Is that really you?" The taller one questioned, equally shocked, but seemingly used to such a state as his composure was more practiced, even as fatigue showed through the cracks of his calm. The woman chuckled and spoke.
"It's nice to finally see you again doctor, and I do so mean that." Her smile was off-putting. "Unfortunate we had to reunite on opposite ends. There is so much I've learned over the years, so many secrets even you do not know; I think you'd love to hear them, although your ignorant morality currently limits how much I can reasonably feed you."
"Steele... why... how?" Gold sputtered, barely retaining his balance. Magenta gently did her best to balance the man, although he wasn't making things easy as his legs nearly buckled several times. "They all said you died."
"Believe me, I should have." Her eyes twitched, and in her gaze was a certain longing. "However, I'd been sold again; apparently our first buyers didn't like me once I gained a little bump in my tummy, and sent me off to someone who had more of a... 'taste' for how I turned out. Our transport was destroyed, and my new owners, as well as their guard, were slaughtered. It was then that I met him." Her breathing increased. "He looked at me with such an honest smile, and do you know what he said?" Her body shook. "He asked if I had the time to learn about his goddess. I said yes because I didn't want to die with my last experience being a toy to some petty loveless Humans; oh~, but I never expected what he taught me, and showed me, and granted me."
"What?" Magenta was cautious as heck; partly because the woman looked to be splurging herself thinking back on whoever it was she spoke of. It was clear to her this woman was previously a slave, and one with less merciful owners if the 'toy' aspect was taken into account. However there was something deathly wrong with this scenario. As the woman stood there in bliss, Magenta noticed that while her body quivered in excitement...
So to did her clothing.
"I thought he was crazy, and then he took me on his travels." She licked her lips. "I was disturbed at first when he invited me to join in his 'conversion' of the local towns and villages along the way, but when I saw the Grimm fight alongside him, I couldn't resist the screaming of those ignorant Humans." A stark growl escaped. "All they had to do was accept the goddess, but no, they called him crazy. They rejected his merciful offer, so it was only right that heathens like them were removed from the world."
"No." The 'doctor' as it were let out; Magenta saw the horror in his eyes. "You didn't... tell me you didn't."
"Sadly not... at first." There was a mask of calm slipped over Steele's face, garbing it in unsettling certainty. "But when we reached the outer corners of nearest Vale, and I saw the bullhead he had for us..." The smile was so honest, so pure, and so very very terrible. "I finally met his goddess, in a castle of purest black."
The woman reached out her hand, and with a shy smile Magenta watched in absolute terror as the fingers wilted with rot, turning a vile black as the flesh peeled back, sinking into the onyx bone that seemingly wriggled in ecstasy. She nearly wanted to puke from the scene alone, but as Steele lay that very same hand, now with bony fingers tipped in bleached jagged claws, upon her lower tummy and rubbed, Magenta felt a new type of illness.
"My baby wasn't going to make it, and while I never wanted it to begin with, it still felt awful knowing a part of me was going to die; it was innocent, and didn't deserve it's cruel fate. The goddess understood my plight, and offered to change it, to take its lifeless being from birth and fill it with new life." The woman raised her putrid appendage once more, the bones twisting and bending like rubber. "Is my baby not beautiful?"
"You're sick." Magenta never raised her voice, she didn't need to, as her words were filled with accusation and hate. If what this woman was implying was true, then it sounded to her like this sick bitch had her kid turned into... whatever the fuck Magenta was looking at right now. She had no idea what type of process or semblance was used to morph a stillborn into that... 'thing', but one thing was certain...
There was no saving this woman; she'd long since lost her mind.
"Excuse me?" Steele's smile was gone, now falling into a desperate exasperation. "Are... are you saying you don't like my child." She shook intensely. "I-I know he seems different, but he's a part of me; he's safe forever and ever. I... I wanted to give him a body, but the goddess said she could only make him one with me, b-because he didn't have the silver eyes. He had only dull gray little orbs, a-and even without a heartbeat he looked so innocent and cute." She was growling now as the volume increased. "I saved my baby! H-he doesn't have his own body, but he still has me! HE IS PART OF ME! HOW DARE YOU SAY THAT!"
"Kali, stay back!" Ghira shouted from behind, pulling his wife behind him as he bore his claws. Magenta noted how Gold was still frozen, even as the doctor looked ready to fight. Worst of all, facing the crazed Steele again, Magenta saw how her entire body writhed and twisted as the skin blackened.
"MY BABY AND I CAN BE WHOEVER WE WANT!"
"Gold." Magenta tried, shaking the defeated looking man.
"I... failed? How... how did I fail? Why didn't I look harder?" It tumbled out so desperately. She had no idea what he was talking about, but the doctor apparently did, as he said something that at the very least seemed to knock Gold from his despair; although just barely.
"We cannot fix our past mistakes, and while that's disheartening we cannot let it stop us from trying to save those in need before us." He took a sturdy stance. "Steele is suffering, even if she doesn't know it. We've let her down... no, I've let you both down. However, we can't use that as an excuse to stand idly by. We've been given a second chance, a chance to truly save her. Let's take it."
Gold, still looking like he wanted to die, straightened himself as he faced Steele.
"WE'RE PERFECT, FIXED, POWERFUL! NOBODY CAN HURT US EVER AGAIN!" Her breathing slowed, stilled almost, and the woman calmed herself too quickly for Magenta to even consider it real. "But we don't need to worry anymore. The goddess has shown us the light of truth, and with it we will offer salvation to all. Please..." She reached forth as her body abandoned all sense of previous life; now nothing but a molded corpse of bone and pale shards. "Accept our mercy, and embrace salvation."
"No..." His hollow eyes locked with the maniac ahead. "I don't deserve salvation... but you?" He raised himself the slightest bit. "You at least deserve peace."
Steele stilled and stared emotionlessly. Her hand lowered to her side, and Magenta heard a gurgle.
"Fine... I'll save you by force, even if it hurts-" She stopped, the hollowed holes where her eyes once were twisting to spread. She threw her claws against her skull. "What? No... No no no NO! I CAN TAKE THEM!" She shot forwards. "LET ME HAVE THE-"
In a bloody display her body burst like that of a balloon popping. Each individual bone expanded cartoonishly before sprawling it's burned slime all over. Small streams of pulsing crimson spread through some of it, but as the spray of innards lay painted across the area, Magenta did her best to ignore the foul stench and check on the others.
"Well... that was a thing." She looked to Gold again and kneeled down to him. "You doing alright?"
"No... just, no."
"He needs a bit." The doctor said, who himself was rather pale. "I believe we all do."
"Yeah, that sounds good." She turned her vision to the Belladonna's. "How about you?"
"Disturbed." Ghira started. "But ultimately unharmed. I don't wish to press this too soon, but I'll be requesting an explanation on who that was, when you're all feeling up to it."
"Yes, of course." The doctor replied, keeping up his firm façade. Meanwhile Kali simply looked around with a sickly unease.
"Knowing our luck, this won't be the last surprise waiting for us." The woman eyed Magenta. "Dear, seeing as you're the least woozy of the bunch, do you mind helping me clean this up?"
"Not at all, it beats the cell anyhow."
With all parties trying to calm down, none of the group noticed the steaming smoke emanating from the slime collectively flow out the open door behind, clutching internally what one would make out as a small pouch.
.
.
"The cold of this place must have preserved them. Sad really, but this is just how things work out sometimes. At least they died peacefully in their sleep." Maria was attempting to comfort everyone, and yet Weiss appeared the most disturbed by the scene witnessed.
Unlike the rest who simply saw the dead however, Weiss herself was experiencing something much worse. Since arriving at the home, there had been this itching in the back of the heiress's mind; this type of unknown disturbance telling her something was wrong. At first she just brushed it off as frayed nerves from all the drama and doubts recently earned from their more recent decisions and discoveries, and yet the tingle was dynamic in it's movements, growing depending on her positioning in the home. It took her a bit, but she narrowed down the oddity on her.
Not only did her mind speak of unease; her neck burned slightly as well.
Weiss told no one however, as beforehand she had come across a bathroom, and in the mirror her neck looked normal. V's mark on her seemed full of surprises, and while it burned, the warmth was only ever a mild discomfort, at least on the upper levels. The lower floor was a different story, as it was here that it became almost unbearable. She wanted to cry, but held in the urge, as while the burning was solid...
It felt nice.
There was no real pain, only the fear of a disturbed pleasure from the sense of danger clouding her mind. Weiss considered herself the most level-headed of the group, and while that was rather narcissistic, it granted her a small bit of pride, which helped to ensure her certainty in decision making. Here she was though, wanting to break down and cry like a little child from the chill creeping wonderfully up her spine.
"I'm fine." She let out unprompted - as embarrassing as it was. While the others might have assumed this was a brave face directed at them, it was more so a statement sent internal; a lie to convince herself that she wasn't terrified of her new enjoyment of fear.
"We know, Weiss." She felt Ruby pull her close, the warm body of her young leader providing a comfortable warmth which eased the disturbing thoughts. Ruby had once again been there for her, and while that was nothing new, Weiss made sure to be thankful that she wasn't alone. It had been so easy to look back into the past, at how much she remained solitary from everyone and everything.
There had only ever been a single friend in her life before, but he'd been thrown away by her father, leaving her an abandoned child yet again. She could not recall his name, nor even his appearance, but right here in Ruby's arms, Weiss felt the surge to stand up against all that challenged her. She needed to be strong and never allow others to push her around; he taught her that much, and she'd be damned if she let go of his memory. He barely existed in her mind anymore, but she would never abandon him; this was a vow made long ago, after all...
He promised to find her again, and return her parting kiss.
It was so childish, so innocent and pure, to the point it made her blush a little. As a little girl, kisses were a sign that you cared about someone. She kissed her mom goodnight, her dad on the cheek back when he still pretended to care, her older sister before heading to her lessons, and even her little brother the day he was first brought home; the mind of her child self saw the kiss as a way to tell those important in your life that you loved them; an assumption granted by her grandfather, who always signalled his goodbye with a parting peck on her forehead. The allusions to romance her adult mind linked to kisses was non-existent to her younger being, and so it was when her friend told her he'd be going away for a long while, that she popped up on her toes and gave him a small peck.
Weiss made him promise to give it back when he returned, and he accepted.
Ruby gave off the same warmth she felt around that friend, a warmth previously provided by Sun as well, although he was another matter entirely. So it was Weiss leaned in closer to her younger leader. The girl made her feel completely safe, secure, and loved; not something that couldn't be said for many. The rest of her team was similar, but only Ruby, Sun, and her lost friend had such an unbreakable air to them that it made her feel floaty.
"Hey, Ruby?" She whispered, and her leader hummed. "Do you mind if we sleep here tonight, together I mean?"
"I'm fine with that." Ruby said, lying back into the couch as Weiss followed. "Do you want to talk about anything? You've been quieter than everyone else since finding them."
"I'm too tired tonight." Weiss cuddled in against her leader and pulled the fluffy blanket over. "How about tomorrow? I just want to rest now."
"That's fine."
The night would pass swiftly, and with Ruby by her side it would be a pleasant rest. Unknown to Weiss however was Ruby's own ease of sleep, as not once in her slumber did she host a visit from nightmares. It was as they woke when it returned; right as Weiss let go of Ruby. Her neck was tingly again, only now the girl was more irritated than afraid. Whatever was going on with her seemed to be based on location, and Ruby's presence acted as a block to whatever signals rang through her body.
"We should go." She offered, mostly in an attempt to escape the area and see if the feeling would go away. "Argus shouldn't be too far away, about two or three days depending."
"And then what." Yang spat, sounding less enraged and more tired than yesterday. "We bring the relic to Atlas, what happens then?" She kicked at the carpet, leaning herself against the door frame and away from everyone. "Salem is immortal, like... actually immortal. We don't stand a chance."
"Yang-" Ruby began only for her sister to cut her off.
"No, Ruby." The woman blew out a tired sigh. "No. We head to Atlas, we... give the relic over, and then we sit quietly, patiently I guess... and await our doom."
"Thinking like that won't get you anywhere." Maria chimed in, tapping her cane on the floor a little. "So our challenger is un-killable, it's not the end of the world."
"Not the end of the world huh?" Yang turned back. "Last I checked she's the one ending it. But hey-" She threw her hands up. "Don't take my word for it, after all, we had a magic naked lady tell us everything." The woman waved to the lamp attached to Ruby's belt. "And she lives right there in that tiny lamp."
"Stop it Yang." Weiss was putting her foot down; seeing Ruby begin to look down now was the final straw. "Yes, she's immortal, and yes, she's trying to destroy everything." The pale princess threw her arms wide. "But look around you, the world's still here. Either Salem is incredibly poor at her job, or she isn't taking this seriously. As a matter of fact, why don't we consider the tiny possibility that she is taking it serious; what does that tell us?"
"That the old witch is taking her time?" Yang allowed the answer to flop out, serving to agitate the heiress ever more.
"It means she can't, Yang." Weiss approached, getting up in the blonde's face. "She can't. Salem is immortal, but so is Ozpin, and the only reason he's here is to keep her from succeeding and killing us all."
Weiss was about to continue, but Blake slipped in her own downtrodden spark.
"He's gone though." Weiss's eyes shot over to the Faunus who sat lazily on the stairs. "He left us alone."
"I'm certain he's not gone for good." Weiss fired back. "He wouldn't be able to run away even if he wanted to. We just need to carry on without him for a little while."
"Why us though?" Blake kept the firefight going with an almost dead look. "Why do we have to be the ones... why couldn't it be someone else?"
Weiss never got to open her mouth before Yang answered.
"Because 'we' are the unlucky sops who just so happened to walk right into this garbage." Falling to the ground and leaning against the frame Yang vented further. "Because 'we' were chipper wannabe heroes who thought we could save the day, and then 'bam', we learn just how screwed we are."
"Enough, Xiao Long!" At this moment Weiss felt like she'd blow her top; this anger wasn't normal, even she herself recognised this, but the woman didn't care right now. "This is too much for you, really? We get one bit of bad news and what happens?" She couldn't stop the sneer ripping from inside. "You all hop out! What happened to the plan, huh? What happened to becoming huntresses and helping the people!" Her glare shot to Blake. "Was helping the Faunus not the reason you abandoned the White Fang?"
"I..." Blake didn't have an answer, but Ruby did.
"What if it is hopeless though?"
No... no, not you too Ruby! Weiss immediately found her vision tied to her partner, her leader, and saw just how lowly she looked. Her eyes were glazed, just like the rest. Weiss felt that burning in her neck catch fire, and with it a blaring rage as Ruby followed up.
"We're just kids... if Ozpin couldn't stop Salem over his many lifetimes, what chance do we have?" The cloaked leader took the relic from her belt, observing it as she spoke. "We all saw it, we know how powerful she is. Even if we hid the relics for our entire lives, she'd just find them eventually."
"Well giving up isn't helping!" Weiss wanted to let our all her anger, but that damn burning in her neck just wasn't letting up. "We'll talk about this later."
This was it, she was done with all the nonsense. Weiss was determined to take care of whatever the heck was making her neck go haywire. The burning was even worse than before, and Weiss stormed through the kitchen, only taking a second glance to Qrow who was in the middle of huffing down a bottle of wine. It ticked her a little, but was ultimately nothing to the ire she now felt forcing her way through the small dirty door at the back.
Inside she saw several racks and shelves of liquor, enough even to remind her of her family's cellar back home, only much less extravagant. Weiss ignored the alcohol as she marched over to the end where a large hatch lay in wait. Ripping the two doors open the burning reached it's peak for her, and she saw how a set of stairs went downwards.
"Weiss?" Ruby's voice came from behind, but the girl was not deterred, and actively ignored the partner she so valued and dove into the tunnel below. Ruby's voice did not fall entirely on deaf ears though, as that hopeless tone had been enough to calm a small section of her mind, one free of the burning in her neck. It was this clear instance that allowed her to actually focus enough to see, and what a sight it was.
Making her way down the woman found herself in a room mostly empty, with what little it had down there being so insignificant to her that she ignored it all and carried on. Weiss followed the direction which burned her neck most, finding the lack of real pain almost maddening. Taking a second to breath and try and calm herself she noticed the water below her boots, with nothing but darkness ahead, and yet with that second of calm there was a small sound Weiss noticed that wasn't hers.
A light groaning, and with it a low series of creaks.
"Weiss... Weiss, are you the-" Ruby froze up, and Weiss noticed the light shining from behind, illuminating her shadow across what was in front of her. The burning pulsed, but that didn't matter as her heart may as well have stopped it's rhythmic beating entirely.
Hundreds of red orbs locked on her, and every single pair of them belonged to their own skeletal ghoul. Weiss, having been the most attentive back at Beacon, recognised them immediately, and with that recognition came an understanding of her team's deathly mood.
Apathy, and from the looks of it a small army of them.
"Ruby..." She backed up slowly, until the creatures of Grimm began to move. "Ruby, run." It wasn't overly loud, but it seemed enough to tear the young girl free from the web of entrancement binding her. Weiss however was taking no chances and took her leader by the wrist, dragging her along the path back.
The Apathy alone weren't too dangerous of a Grimm if found early, but they hadn't found them early. For a day or so they had been within it's range, which explained why her team was so apparently lifeless. Apathy are not fast, nor strong, but what they lacked in physical strength they more than made up for in mental power. These beasts fed on the emotions of people, draining away a person's will to do... much of anything really. It is as the victim lay defenceless when the Apathy go in for the kill, when the victim is powerless to even run.
Tearing back from the supposed basement and into the cellar Weiss barred the door, only to notice that along her hand was the inklings of black. Panicked already at wandering into the very monsters draining her team's will to live, Weiss tore her dress off to assess the clearly wrong markings.
A series of black thorny vines were painted across her skin, moving right up to the burning space of her neck. Immediately she connected the dots, and assumed that it was the mark acting up. If that was the case then it would be safe to assume it was also acting in response to the Grimm, but that didn't make any sense either as she faced mass amounts of Grimm before with no effect. She slipped it back on as the groans echoed from below; she could question it more later.
A thump brought her back to the world, and Weiss turned to see Ruby on the ground. Rushing over, now in a bout of panic, she checked on her friend.
"RUBY!" She screamed, with the girls glossy eyes being the only indication she was even still conscious.
"What's with all the noi-" Qrow stopped, and Weiss heard the shatter of glass. The sounds of his footfall was sloppy, but even so it was present. He picked the girl from the ground, albeit with some difficulty. It was here Weiss knew the grip of the Apathy was strong on her team... and then she was bathed in understanding.
She felt no such weakness.
Her hand flew up to feel the burning area, and it was here she made one final theory. Perhaps it was not the presence of the Grimm that enacted the burning of her mark, but rather the mark itself was shielding her from the influence of the Apathy. Maybe she was right, maybe not, all Weiss knew was they needed to go, and pronto.
"We're leaving!" She shouted. Qrow, who was still looking a little fuzzy in the head, nodded and started out. Weiss was about to trail after him, but turned back. They couldn't just leave so many Grimm alone. Ripping open and staring down the hatch she could just barely make out a few burning eyes slowly coming into sight, and she bit her lip thinking on how to stall and potentially deal with them. Taking a moment she looked back to the door, wondering if they should just run and hope the Grimm chose not to follow...
And then she saw the spilled wine.
Duh! Mentally slapping herself in the head she took to the shelves, spilling over and breaking as many bottles as she could, even taking several and chucking them down the hatch towards the Apathy themselves. Alcohol burned good, and it was with this understanding she confidently summoned a Glyph empowered with fire Dust. One fireball seemed enough to handle the job; clearly they had outstayed their welcome.
Weiss ran through the kitchen, through the living room, and out the door to the sight of her still groggy friends. Qrow, ironically enough, was the most sober looking aside from Maria, and instantly there was a loud boom behind her. She didn't understand how Maria remained unaffected; perhaps her age was an influence? Regardless of her thoughts the heiress leapt from the porch, landing next to Qrow who was still carrying Ruby, and looked back to see instances of flame eating away at the sides of the home.
"Woah." Yang sounded a little more lively, but still wasn't anything special. The change had proven the deaths of at least a few of the creatures though, and Weiss spoke up as she started off.
"We need to go, now."
"What happened dear?" Maria questioned as they began the trek down the snowy path.
"Grimm, specifically Apathy."
"Apathy?" Qrow started, looking to slowly regain his senses more as they disappeared into the trees, ignoring the roaring of the housefire now abandoned. "Damn... I suppose that's why squirt collapsed. But you went down the cellar, meaning-"
"They were in there, yes." Weiss interrupted, only for Qrow to grumble a little.
"I know that, but I'm wondering how they got down there in the first place... how many did you see?"
"Hundreds."
"What." Qrow said flatly. "Can you say that again, I think I'm still sleepy."
"I said hundreds." Weiss reiterated, feeling the burning in her neck begin to rapidly subside; a sign they were leaving the Apathy's range.
"That's what I thought you said...shit." Qrow quieted down after that, and following a few minutes of walking it seemed Yang would be the first of the team to talk.
"Hey Weiss."
"Yes?"
"About back there... I... I just, wanted to say sorry." Weiss heard the footsteps slow, and cast her vision back to the guilty expression across the girl's face. "You know, for... what I said. I didn't really mean most of it, but... I don't know, it kind of just fell out on it's own."
Weiss allowed a small smile to free itself.
"We were stressed, Yang, and I'm certain the Apathy didn't help either. I'm sure we were all thinking similar thoughts anyway; the Grimm just added to the irritation."
"You weren't like us at all though." Blake threw out; having been restored as well. "You were practically cheering us on."
"The Apathy had no effect on me." Weiss patted her neck. "You can thank V for that... even if it was just an accidental after effect."
"Uncle Qrow..." Ruby's voice was a relief which set Weiss's heart at ease. "Can... can I get down, please?"
"Sure thing." They stopped as the man let her down and helped her stand. Ruby was still a little shaky, but at least she could stand on her own two legs. Weiss wanted to run over and hug her partner, and that's just what she did. Ruby herself was a little caught off guard, but returned the gesture nonetheless.
"Hey Weiss?"
"Yes Ruby?" She had a feeling Ruby was about to say something similar to the others and apologise, but Weiss was ready to tell her friend it was alright regardless.
"Do you believe we can find a way to stop Salem?" Not quite the expected, but at least Ruby was speaking her mind.
"I don't know." She looked her friend in the eyes. "But even so, I'm not going to just give up either."
"Yeah... me neither." Ruby smiled a little back. "My dad once said nothing worth fighting for ever came easy."
Right then Qrow let out a short bout of honest laughter.
"Damn it Tai, you and your old-man quotes." He breathed easier. "He's not wrong though, even if his lines are a little cheesy." He reached into his pocket, pulled out his flask, and tried to drink, only to stop. "I'm out... huh."
"Now it's good you youngsters are out of your dinky mood, but we should keep moving. Argus is a few days travel."
"Of course." Weiss replied, lending one last relieved smile to Ruby as they started off again into the wilderness.
Author's note
...
And there it was, the stupid farm. Being real, aside from the Apathy, I was never really a fan of that place. Not a bad set piece, but it felt like a one-off area, and considering how much of RWBY is one-offs, that's saying something.
But hey, that's just my opinion. I like the idea of the place well enough, but I've already added in horror-esque areas of my own, so doing so again felt like it would be kind of boring. At least I got to show off another of Weiss's abilities, or rather, the mark's abilities; turning Weiss into a counter-queen clearly wasn't enough.
Pyrrha may have the brunt of V's essence, but I hope you never forgot Weiss was touched as well... that came out wrong.
Whatever, that's all for this one, catch you next time.