Semblances and grimm don't exist in this fic. I wrote this chapter on a ship in the Atlantic Ocean, and it was so peaceful.
~Hope you enjoy~
"It's gotta be around here somewhere."
With determined steps, Yang scanned the cliff face in front of her. Chunks of mud and twigs were splattered into hidden crevices. While Yang tried to decipher the map, her tongue poked out the side of her mouth.
He couldn't make this less confusing?
Normally, she would be ecstatic to be here and bask in the chirps and insect songs. The calm breeze kissed her cheeks as the sun beamed on her. The weather was perfect for a carefully planned day like this. Determined, Yang rolled up the map and put it back in her bag. She moved along a steep cliff with her hands on the warm face.
Don't let me down, Qrow…
Meticulously, Yang soothed her hand along the jagged cliff. By now, lots of cuts scoured her skin even with gloves as a layer of protection. The blonde was covered in mud, torn leaves, bugs, and who knows what else. Her palms were stiff— with wet and dry dirt preventing movement. It had been like this for several hours. She kept moving forward with her hopes high.
The sweet trigger was somewhere. The red 'x' on the map demanded it. The area her uncle marked wasn't large, but it was big enough to spend hours on, apparently. To get here, she trekked for miles and left her dirt bike on the outskirts of this remote area. It rested at a worn-down saloon she'd run into if she followed a path.
After another hour passed, Yang was finally losing her patience. She had been out here searching the entire day. Maybe she was too optimistic, maybe this is a whole weekend kind of trip.
"Agh!" Yang whined to herself. "Come on, it's here! At least it better be!"
He sounded so sure of himself, the blonde recalled. Guess we'll see how credible rumors from Vacuo really are.
While frustrated, the blonde pressed on for another hour - until the sun began to dip. Every minute made her frustration grow. The coat of sweat and grime stuck to her like another layer of skin. She released a groan and continued her mission as her gloves tore open.
Why did it have to be Ruby?
If that happened to anyone else, Yang wouldn't be out here sweating her ass off. Exams in school were coming up, so she should be studying. Especially with her average grades. Instead, the wilderness called out to her. Well, more like her uncle. She shook her head and sighed before negative thoughts could take hold.
The kid had to be saved. I'm glad he was, but why'd it have to be Ruby who saved him?
The price her sister paid for being selfless was great. Far too great for her family. Back home, Ruby was now wheelchair-bound. If asked, Ruby would say it was worth it. She didn't regret pushing a kid out of the way of a semi-truck. She'd do it again. That's the kind of person she is.
He would've died if not for her…
It cost Ruby two broken legs. They were complex injuries - her bones shattered in multiple different spots. The only way to help her heal was with surgery… but they didn't have enough money to cover the cost. In fact, they never had that much money. Not long after the incident, Yang picked up a job to raise the money. That didn't last long when she was fired. That can of worms put her in a foul mood. Apparently, cold hard cash rested within a cave she failed to find. Now, she was here to confirm this rumor out of desperation. Take the money, pay for the surgeries. It sure sounded simple.
The blonde pulled away from the rocks with a sigh. According to her trustworthy source, Qrow, there's only one way in. With a hidden button. It wasn't much to go on, but it was enough for Yang to try. She couldn't watch Ruby be in pain for another minute.
While Yang collected herself, ominous growls floated into her ears. Perturbed by the low snarls, she whirled around to find four fully grown wolves surrounding her. She slid on her brass knuckles and raised her fists, welcoming the challenge.
"You think a bunch'a tiny coyotes is gonna stop me?!"
The middle wolf roared, signaling for the others to attack. They pounced at her simultaneously. Yang simply spun on her heel to dodge the sharp jaws and rocketed a punch into the nearest snout. A yelp ripped out, with the animal retreating with its tail between its legs.
"Makes you think twice, huh?" Yang said loudly to intimidate them.
What Yang assumed to be the leader charged. It was the bulkiest of the pack and tried to claw her legs first. Before it could shred skin, the blonde roundhouse kicked it in the stomach. The animal skidded on the dirt and tumbled into a tree.
"What's the matter? Never seen your leader like that?"
The other wolves slunk back to gain some distance. When Yang raised her arms above her to look bigger, they flinched. Beady eyes widened with fear.
"Not so tough now, are ya?" She barked at the remaining two wolves.
It was Yang's turn to charge, which is when the wolves turned tail and ran. Whimpers sailed out like music to her ears. When the pack retreated, the leader rose and followed after them.
"That's right, asshats! Tell your friends!"
After Yang took a deep breath, lilac eyes widened. She spotted a particular rock embedded in the wall. It was clean unlike the rest. A square and suspiciously perfect.
"It can't be…"
Were they trying to throw me off?
Eagerly, she pressed down on the glistening white rock. It burrowed into the wall, causing a perfectly cut section of the rocks to crumble. Her jaw almost hit the floor when realization hit her full force. This had to be it! The mountain roared with life and the size of a door tumbled to the grass. Maybe she really would find the money now that she confirmed this place actually existed.
Briefly, Yang was annoyed by all the soot on her hands and wiped them on the ground. "Got 'em dirty for nothing..."
So the cave exists, but does the money?
For a second there, she thought Qrow was pulling her leg. Maybe there really was money to be found in this cave. A treasure of sorts. Questions she had could wait. From the look of it, she had a lot of ground to cover. The mountain she stood under was massive, bigger than several football fields. Her search had only begun.
Overwhelming darkness poured out the cliff face. Prepared, Yang pawed through her bag for the flashlight. This was good timing. It was almost dark outside. Now she had shelter for the time being.
Don't worry, Ruby. I'll find the money even if it kills me.
After stepping over the pile of jagged rocks, Yang was inside and greeted with darkness. She clicked on the flashlight, which illuminated a large room. It was a technician type light, so it settled behind her ear and was almost blinding. Inside wasn't what she expected. Then again, this was clearly not a normal cave with how she entered. Yang didn't know what to make of it. The ground appeared to be man-made with smooth, perfectly squared stones. A couple puddles rested on the floor, and the sounds of droplets hit the ground. It looked normal, with the walls jagged, and the space vacant.
How's it so clean? It's like someone sweeps the floor.
Finding that odd, the blonde scraped her brass knuckles against the boulder by the open entrance. She dipped her hands in a shallow puddle, washing off the dirt and grime. She wiped it on her pants that have seen better days and moved deeper inside. The sounds of water drops and her footsteps lingered.
Glad I'm not afraid of the dark.
It took a few minutes, but eventually three different passages appeared.
"Oh come on! How am I supposed to pick?"
Quietly, the blonde sang eeny meeny miny moe and chose the middle passage. After scratching the wall with her brass knuckle, she ventured into the depths. It was a long, vacant, and narrow tunnel. It looked endless. She walked in silence for what felt like a couple of miles before she stepped out into another large space. The barren area harbored no open passages.
Great, all that for a dead end.
Briefly, she was glad she brought her Fitbit. The tunnel stretched almost three miles.
Are all three that long?
Annoyed, the blonde turned to scratch the nearest wall. She froze when she spotted a light color in the corner of her vision. A blue and white blob rested on the cool stones in the distance. What looked like a tiny mannequin appeared deathly still.
"A person?!"
I call the herb 'Zestiria' from Tales of Zestiria. Zestiria is a zest for life and adventure. A good name for a medicinal plant imo.
Stay dandy,
~Toto