Gamer4 in. So, after years of pressure from Adam, I have finally given in and started watching a certain anime- and the fact that I'm almost halfway through as we speak should give you an idea of how that's going. What anime is it? Well, I'll probably drop a couple very subtle hints in this very episode- see if you can catch 'em!
Episode XXXII
The Road to Shambhala
In the Belly of the Whale
"Road to Shambhala?"
"Oh... do we have to?" Ruby pouted, recalling the events of this world.
"Oh, I would love to go back to the world where I work alongside friend Ruby!" Penny lit up.
Ruby took in her shining eyes and sighed. "Okay, we can go back to it..."
"Glad we're all on the same page!" Jack nodded cheerfully.
This time around, the world opened up on the shot of one of the great titan-ships entering a dock. The door opened, unfolding into a ramp, upon which Adam disembarked.
Another man was there to meet him, with hair toeing the line between blue and green. He smirked as he greeted the swordsman. "Welcome home, Adam."
"Is this the Cardin I keep hearing about?" Adam asked, narrowing his eyes, clearly unimpressed.
"Close enough," Blake wrinkled her nose. "Sky Lark, one of his lackies."
"Lark," Adam grunted as Cardin and Watts disembarked behind him.
"So Cardin's the one with the duck's ass on his head?" Adam seemed even less impressed.
"Yes, that's... that's him," Blake confirmed heavily.
"I heard the Grail woke up on you," Lark maintained his smirk. "Must have been a nasty shock for you... or was it?"
"VSauce!" Nora cheered.
"At least she watches something educational," Ren sighed.
"Naturally, my scenario had all this calculated from the start."
"Beep, beep, bullcrap detected!" came a bright, cheery voice- a young woman entered in on roller skates, a feline tail twitching behind her. "It's easy to act all smart and junk when everything's already happened!"
"Shut up, Neon," Sky scowled, which only earned him a giggle.
"Ohhh, so scary! I'm shaking to my core!"
"Wow, Neon is with these guys too?" Jaune blinked in surprise.
"She looks like a blade," Pyrrha noticed.
"A faunus and a blade?" Yang's eyes widened. "I don't even wanna think about how bad they treat her."
"All things considered, she seems rather chipper for someone who's being mistreated," Whitley couldn't help pointing out.
Cardin looked around. "Where are Mercury and Emerald?"
"Mercury's investigating the factory in Atlas," Sky related, "and sister dearest is back on the hunt. Probably had her fill of driver blood by now."
"Hm, it seems we have a more-or-less comprehensive list of these 'Children of Zemuria,' now," Ozpin realized. "Cardin and his blade, Watts. Adam, with no blade we've been made aware of. Mr. Lark and his blade, Neon. Mercury and Emerald, who may or may not have blades of their own."
"Wait, Sky is Emerald's brother?" Ruby gasped.
"It's... complicated," Vanessa deflected.
"I appreciate her dedication," Cardin stepped forward, "but I don't see us using all the crystals she's been bringing in."
"There's only one blade we need eyes on, and that's the Grail," Adam agreed. "Do you have her location?"
"Of course!" Lark's eyes widened, as if offended that the question needed to be asked. "Neon, if you would."
"Watch it, brat, I'll sue you," Torchwick narrowed his eyes.
Neon produced an orb of light and threw it into the air, where it scattered into countless motes that came together to form three-dimensional images of the titans trudging around the cloud sea.
"It looks like they're in the Menagerian woods," Sky pointed to a blinking dot on Menagerie's titan.
"Oh, I call bullshit!" Yang roared.
"Hmm... if they had a tracker on anyone, it would likely be Blake," Ironwood guessed.
Blake flushed. "Oh... crap, that's right..."
"Leaving Kuo Kuana? Why? There's nothing out that way," Cardin furrowed his brow.
"At a guess, they're planning on leaving Menagerie itself," Sky speculated. "Oh, hello- what's this?"
A large blue orb had formed near another titan. Sky smirked. "Another shipment of crystals on their way to Vytal for cleansing. A major haul, from the looks of things."
"Sounds fun," Cardin smirked as well. "Ready to go bash some heads, Adam?"
Adam placed a hand on the hilt of his sword. "I'll handle the crystals. The rest of you go find the Grail.
"Sounds good to me!" Lark agreed without any hesitation. "I've been looking forward to witnessing the Grail's power for myself."
"I'm surprised either of them give a crap what Adam has to say," Coco lowered her glasses a little. "Sure never gave one for Velvet."
Sky made to walk away, but paused and snapped his fingers. "Oh, almost forgot- what should we do about Blake?"
Team RWBY and Blake's friends all leaned forward.
Adam looked away pointedly. "Do what you must."
"About... the best I could have expected, I suppose," Blake took a deep breath.
"Not... good... enough," Ghira growled. Adam looked away but could very much feel the heat on the back of his head.
Cardin clapped his hands. "Well, you heard the man. Let's take the Maelstrom."
He was climbing back onto the ship he'd just disembarked when he paused, turning and calling after Adam. "Hey!"
Stopping in his tracks was the only sign Adam gave that he'd heard.
"Don't do anything too reckless, got it?"
Adam raised a hand as he continued out of the room.
"Who is that guy and what did he do with Cardin?!" Nora gasped. "Not telling him to go get killed?!"
"And Adam actually listening to him in turn?" Kali couldn't speak to Cardin, of course, but she was all too familiar with Adam's personality, and it did not seem to be clicking.
"Hmm, it is truly stunning, the things that can happen in other worlds," Ozpin mused over another drink of coffee.
When the others woke the next morning, it was to find Jaune fiddling with a small device in the center of the clearing where they'd slept.
"What is Jaune-Jaune playing with?" Ruby asked, bouncing up with Penny right nearby.
"A cloud sea compass," Jaune answered, tilting it so the nopon could see it better- not that she could make heads or tails of it. "It's a must-have for salvagers. Think of it as kind of a map of the cloud sea." He hesitated. "I... lost track of time. What's the date?"
Blake, who'd had little to think about but the time the previous day, answered. "Collistober fifth."
"Thank you..." Jaune nodded almost absently as he continued to tinker.
"Ah, how fortunate," Ozpin smiled from his position on Jaune's back. "It would seem Menagerie is the closest country to Yggdrasil at the moment."
"Always feels like someone's pulling the strings for these runts," Torchwick scoffed.
"I half wonder if Clover is hanging out with 'em sometimes," Qrow chuckled.
"In that case, all we need is a ship!" Jaune beamed.
"That... might be an issue," Blake coughed.
"From what we hear, the Atlesian army has the titan on lockdown- nobody enters or leaves without them knowing,"
"That's... not good..." Jaune paused. Almost unconsciously, he glanced back at Ozpin, who raised his arms and shook his head.
"Apologies, but I shan't be pulling any ships for quite some time."
"A toy boat, maybe, but not much more." It was one of Salem's rare interjections- everyone spun around as though they'd forgotten she was there. She'd already crossed her arms and returned to silence.
Ruby suddenly began bouncing up and down. "Oh! Oh! If Jaune-Jaune need ship, Ruby have idea! Ruby know nopon ship builder at Menagerie titan's bum-bum! Old friend of Ruby's grampypon- name of Tom-Tom!"
"We... don't have an uncle named Tom, do we?" Ruby tilted her head.
"You do not," Tai shook his head.
"Our guests intruding upon our worlds again?" Winter crossed her arms and glanced towards Tom.
Tom, however, looked just as confused as Ruby. "No... or at least, I didn't think so."
"Ruby sure Uncle Tom-Tom help us if we tell him what's what!"
"Fine by me," Jaune nodded. "Lead the way."
Ruby did, guiding them through trees and across plains, moving steadily uphill, then down. They soon came to a large cliffside, at the end of which was a wooden house with what looked very much like a dock next to it.
"That the place!" Ruby jumped in excitement and took off at a run that the others had to work to match, even against her stubby legs. "Tom-Tom! Uncle Tom-Tom!"
From the inside of the cabin stepped a particularly large nopon, almost as large as Chairman Corman- his fur was yellow, and he had the trappings of a moustache and beard around his mouth. He wore a blue vest and a large wrench over his back.
"That... definitely doesn't look like our Tom," Jack agreed.
"Appreciate gusto, girl, but must make noise while I work?"
"Definitely not," Lana confirmed.
The nopon scanned them, and visibly brightened when he noticed Ruby. "Oh, if isn't little Ruby! Unclepon not see dear nieceypon in whole year! Nieceypon grow so big!"
"Yes, Ruby not littlepon anymore!" Ruby preened.
"I'm... not jealous," Qrow grunted, looking away pointedly.
"Oh, Qrow, you know you're the only uncle for me!" Ruby grinned.
"Yeah, I definitely don't know this guy," Tai crossed his arms and tilted his head. "Feel like I'd remember someone as boistrous as this."
"Ruby find herself many sidekicks, as well!" Tom praised.
Ruby flapped her wings, flustered. "Jaune-Jaune and others no sidekicks- they friends!" She eagerly turned to the others. "Jaune-Jaune meet Unclepon Tom-Tom! He do great research with grampypon- great builder of ships!"
"Good to meet ya!" Jaune waved.
"Hello!" Pyrrha greeted as chirpily as ever.
"What's happenin'?" Sun aimed some finger guns.
Tom laughed heartily. "I see! Friends- Ruby has made many friends! With gusto!"
"He is all about that gusto, isn't he?" Coco laughed over her glasses.
"I guess, if I couldn't be her uncle, there are worse replacements," Qrow muttered grudgingly.
Finally, Tom ended his laughter, instead crossing his wings and meeting Ruby's eyes. "So, why come to Uncle Tom-Tom? Just to show off biggiepon friends?"
"Friends hoping to borrow ship!" Ruby didn't waste time beating around the bush.
"No ship in Kuo Kuana suffice?" Tom tilted his head inquisitively. "Tom take pride in craft, but why hike all way to bum-bum for Tom original?"
Ruby was likely flushing underneath her fur- she began tapping the tips of her wings together. "Um... well..."
"What, you think 'we're being chased by the Atlesian army' won't go over well?" Torchwick laughed.
"If he's anything like me, that would only seal the deal," Qrow grunted.
Tom gave a sly smirk. "Ah, I see- Nieceypon have no lien?"
Ruby jumped on the out. "Er... yes! Yes, Ruby spend all lien on make artificial blade!"
"I mean, that's technically true..." Ruby was tapping her own index fingers together.
"The best kind!" Yang chortled.
"Artificial blade?" Fortunately for Ruby, any suspicion on Tom's part suddenly gave way to curiosity. "One motherpon and grampypon worked on?"
Penny stepped forward. "Name is Penny- pleased to meet unclepon!"
Tom broke into laughter once more. "This grampypon's work, alright! Ruby take family business with gusto!"
"So... can rent boat?" Ruby asked hopefully.
"How can refuse such fine biggiepon?" Tom chortled. "Of course Ruby can borrow! Have fine ship lined up now!"
He stepped outside and led them to the nearby boathouse, where a relatively small titan was floating in the clouds, a large ship tethered to its back.
"Are you sure you can afford to let us just take this?" Blake asked concernedly.
"Ah, Blake, what're ya doing? Don't try to talk him out of it!" Yang groaned.
"Tom bestest shipwright in Menagerie- it no trouble at all!" Tom laughed. "Enjoy boaty-jaunt!"
The group climbed aboard, Tom giving them a salute as the ship pulled out.
Jaune grinned as he moved towards the steering wheel. "You know, this is officially the starat of our voyage. We should commemorate it!"
"That better not be with a- oh, hell," Torchwick groaned, as they could already hear music starting up.
"Wait... I know this song!" Sun broke into a grin.
"Oh, so do I!" Velvet beamed.
"Who doesn't?!" Nora grinned. "Everyone shut up!"
"What are you-" Blake started to ask, but was cut off as Jaune began striking poses.
"Wealth- life- prosperity! The architect created these and everything else the world has to offer! With her last words, she called countless souls back to Yggdrasil: 'You want paradise? You can have it- I'll be waiting for you in Shambhala atop the World Tree! All you have to do is reach it!' Thus began the age of Remnant!"
Sun grinned while Ruby and Pyrrha giggled as they realized where this was going- they eagerly joined in as Jaune began to sing- much to Blake's chagrin and Penny's confusion.
"Come aboard, and bring along
All your hopes and dreams!
Together we will find everything
That we're looking for!
The World Tree!"
Jaune produced his compass and casually threw it behind him- it landed on a nearby table, none the worse for wear.
"Compass left behind-
It'll only slow us down!
Our hearts will be our guide-
Raise the sails, take the helm!
That legendary place
That the end of the map reveals
Is only legendary
'Til someone proves it real!"
He turned to the others, looking them all up and down as he continued.
"Through it all,
Through all the troubled times,
Through the heartache,
Through the pain,
Know that I will be there to stand by you!
Just like I know you'll stand by me!"
He momentarily turned again, opening his arms to the cloud sea.
"So come aboard, and bring along
All your hopes and dreams!
Together we will find everything
That we're looking for!"
Back to his crew- Blake thought his gaze might have lingered a little longer on her as he sang
"There's always room for you,
If you wanna be my friend!
We are,
We are on the cruise-
We are!"
"WE ARE!" most of the students cheered.
"Ren!" Nora glanced at her childhood friend. "Come on!"
He took a deep breath. "We are."
"Awesome!"
"The things children get excited for," Raven scoffed.
"Okay, boomer," Yang fired back.
Penny smiled as she made her way to the side of the ship, gazing into the cloud sea roaring by below. She tilted her head as she considered the phenomenon. Looking at Ruby approaching her, she spoke up. "Masterpon, Penny have question."
Ruby hopped in glee. "Pursuit of learning good thing! Ask anything, and Ruby will answer!"
"Oh, this ought to go just swimmingly," Weiss rolled her eyes.
"Height of cloud sea different at different times. Why height of sea change?"
"That's... actually a good question," Winter considered. "How do tides work with clouds, anyways?"
"Meh-meh?" Ruby stepped back, clearly caught off guard. "Well- I, um..."
"Sure enough, she doesn't know," Weiss pinched the bridge of her nose.
"Well... do you?" Ruby defended herself somewhat lamely.
"No, but I'm not the one who promised to explain it," Weiss countered.
Ruby glanced around. "Ruby let Jaune-Jaune answer that!"
Jaune seemed to hear his name- he quickly stepped over. "Someone call me?"
"Jaune-Jaune, why cloud height change?" Ruby relayed the question.
"Hmm..." Jaune seemed to be considering how best to answer. "Well... think of it this way. The clouds in the sky come in all different shapes, right?"
"Some flat, some big and fluffy?" Penny suggested.
"Yeah, just like that," Jaune agreed. "And they change over time- any individual cloud doesn't stay the same shape forever. The sea acts the same- sometimes it's all flat, sometimes it gets all... fluffed up. It's like the weather- always gradually changing."
"Very interesting!" Penny bounced from one foot to another.
"Also, titans like this one and Atlas might go up or down in the sea on their own depending on their mood," Jaune continued. "There are other titans where that won't matter, though- I've heard of some that even swim under the clouds!"
"That make sense!" Penny nodded eagerly.
Jaune hesitated, scratching his head. "And... well, that's about all I know."
"Quite the lengthy speech to tell us that the clouds are made of clouds," Adam sneered.
"And I suppose you could have explained all that to us beforehand?" Ghira glanced over at him.
Adam huffed, but didn't answer.
"Penny very thankful for wisdom of Jaune-Jaune!" Penny grinned. "Penny have many-much more questions to ask- so many things to know!"
Jaune gulped. "Well... um, it's not like I know everything,you know."
"Oh? Then maybe ask Sun-Sun instead?" Ruby suggested.
"Uh-oh," Sun gulped as well.
"What, the guy who needed a tutor not up to tutoring himself?" Neptune smirked.
"And who shared most of those sessions with me, huh?" Sun challenged. Neptune's smirk disappeared quickly.
"Who, me?" Sun stepped back- he'd drifted over, half-listening to the conversation. "Well, glad you think that's an idea, but... I bet Ozzy knows way more than I do!"
"I'd ask you not to drag me into this," groaned Ozpin from Jaune's helmet.
"I am a simple blade," Sun bowed half-sarcastically. "I don't remember anything from before I bonded with Blakey!"
"So you happily throw me into the fire?" Ozpin sounded affronted. "What am I to do if she asks me where babies come from, or somesuch?"
"Never thought I'd hear old man Oz gettin' flustered about the birds and the bees," Qrow chuckled.
"Perhaps he has poor experience himself?" Salem suddenly seemed to jeer.
Most of the rest of the audience didn't seem to know whether to laugh or not.
"Iunno, tell her a tirkin delivers 'em!" Sun suggested. "That's the usual BS, ain't it?"
"Quick thinking that clearly suggests you are the better man for the job," Ozpin quickly retorted.
"No need to overestimate little old me," Sun balked. "Clearly..." He reached out and seemed to pluck Blake from the ether, "my beloved driver would be a much better pick!"
"Wha- hey, don't drag me into this!" Blake protested.
Penny turned to Ruby. "Masterpon, Penny think she already learn something."
"Yes, Penny?"
"This what people mean when they talk about 'passing the buck!'"
"Yup, sure is!" Tai chortled.
"I think I like this world best," Yang agreed with plenty of chuckles. "It's the one we've found the most laughs in!"
Suddenly, Pyrrha spoke up from the front of the ship. "We're getting close!"
Everyone turned to see Yggdrasil stretching high into the sky above them- from this distance, it was even larger than normal, and they had no trouble believing that the great tree was truly visible from any point on Remnant.
"What was that poem that Oum guy wrote about it?" Nora struggled to remember. "What... er..."
"'What miracle is this, this tree? It stands ten thousand feet high, but doesn't reach the ground- still, it stands- its roots must hold the sky,'" Ren recited for her.
"A beautiful bit of verse," Kali smiled dreamily.
"A tale told by an idiot, signifying nothing," Raven shook her head.
"Hmm, yet you seem to have some quotes filed away for your own purposes," Ozpin noted.
"So... that's Yggdrasil," Jaune smiled- it almost seemed as though he could reach out and touch it.
"Never seen it this close before," Blake seemed to agree.
"It everything Ruby thought it would be!" Ruby beamed.
"Careful," Blake stepped forward, looking over the edge. "Don't let the current sweep you right over."
"Over... what?" Pyrrha asked- she looked where Blake was, and gaped when she spied a grand canyon separating the edge of the cloud see from the tree, at least a full mile in length- not something that could be crossed by their simple ship.
"Alright, Pyrrha!" Jaune didn't seem to notice her shock. "How do we get over?"
"What, you expect her to suddenly make the ship fly?" Whitley stared.
"Well, it was her idea to come here- I'm guessing he thinks she knew how to do it," Pyrrha speculated.
"Doesn't look like she has any ideas," Neo giggled.
Pyrrha stepped away from the front of the ship. "I... I don't know. This wasn't... this wasn't here before..."
"Of course, she has been asleep for five hundred years," Jaune reminded them. "This canyon thing must be something new."
As Pyrrha trailed off, Jaune turned to look at her- she suddenly seemed very unsettled. "Pyrrha?"
"We can't stay here..."
"Um, what?"
Pyrrha's eyes widened. "Jaune, we can't stay here! We have to leave! We have to leave now!"
"Pyrrha? What's wrong?" Jaune asked.
Pyrrha didn't get the chance to answer before the clouds ahead seemed to open up as a massive serpent broke
"That... would be a good reason to get out of there," Saphron couldn't help agreeing.
Jaune grabbed the wheel and struggled to turn.
"Uriel!" Pyrrha cried. "Uriel, what are you doing? It's me!"
The serpent straightened up and roared.
"He's not listening!" Pyrrha quailed.
"Yuri-what now?" Nora tilted her head.
"Theology lesson later, run now!" Tai instructed.
Jaune finally managed to turn the wheel, spinning it with all his might- the ship obediently turned away from the great serpent- and away from Yggdrasil.
The serpent roared again and plunged back into the sea, sending great waves that caused their ship to buck.
The crew all looked back on tenterhooks in case it resurfaced.
"What was that thing?" Jaune gaped after it. "I thought we were done for-"
He faltered when he turned and saw another great creature rising from the sea. It had all the hallmarks of a great whale... with its mouth wide open and bearing down upon them.
"Vacuo!" Ozpin called. "Vacuo, dead ahead!"
"Vacuo's on a whale?" Sun stared.
"Guess we're fixin' to find out," Qrow guzzled some beer.
Jaune spun the wheel again, but the ship did not turn. "The current's too strong- I've lost control!"
"Everybody brace yourselves!" Blake called, lowering herself to the deck.
The next few seconds was a whir of color and sound, each of them screaming as they plunged to what they were confident would be their deaths.
"As if we'd be so lucky," Adam muttered.
Jaune wasn't even certain if he passed out or not- there was just a period of darkness that may have lasted anywhere from seconds to hours before he opened his eyes. There was light, that was for sure, but there wasn't much for it to illuminate.
He looked around- as far as he could tell, he was in a giant cavern of some sort. He pulled himself to his feet, looking for the light's source. There it was, across what looked like a lake, filtering in through a small crack at roughly ground level.
"Oh... I know where he is..." Velvet shuddered.
He reached into his pack and found a flashlight that he clipped to his belt. It provided a little more light, but there still wasn't much to see. "Pyrrha? You out there? Blake? Rubes? Sun? Penny?"
"I'm... I'm here..." came a groan from nearby- he turned to see Pyrrha forcing herself to her feet as well.
"You hurt?" he asked concernedly.
"No... just shaken," she answered truthfully.
"Lucky you," came Blake's voice. "Think I landed funny on my back..."
There she was, leaning against Sun for the moment.
"Masterpon safe and sound!" Penny announced proudly, cradling Ruby in her arms for a moment before placing her on the ground.
"Not even one mortal wound..." Adam lamented.
"Yes, it seems we're all safe... apart from our location in the belly of the beast," Ozpin assessed.
"I was... starting to suspect that," Jaune nodded, glancing towards the 'lake.' Good thing he hadn't tried taking a swim...
"Ruby think... this not nice place," Ruby shuddered as Jaune's light passed over not only the wreckage of their ship, but of several others.
"Well, fun as this all is, I'm feelin' like hotfooting it outta here," Sun clapped his hands. "Anyone with me?"
"And how exactly do you plan on doing that?" Winter asked.
"Well, we ain't gettin' anywhere standing around lookin' at our belly buttons," Sun shrugged.
"We oughtta start headin' towards the titan's back," Sun suggested. "Think I heard that's where the Vacuans live."
"Oh, right, this is supposed to be Vacuo!" Neptune remembered. "...Nothing like I remember."
"Amazing how much things can change when you're away for just a few months," Sun chuckled.
"I guess it's better than hanging around here contemplating our navels," Blake decided.
"See? That's what I said!" Sun grinned.
"...I really don't like you," Ghira grumbled.
Penny looked away from the 'lake.' "Penny see someone coming this way!"
Blake narrowed her eyes, but couldn't make anything out. "You sure you're not just seeing things?"
"Penny is certain- something is flickering!"
Jaune felt a smirk appearing on his face. "Something flickering? Like... a ghost, maybe?"
Blake visibly shuddered. "Sh-shut up! There's no such th-thing!"
"Huh, half-expected her to say 'joke's on you, I'm into that shit,'" Yang blinked in surprise.
"Oh, little Blakey never liked ghost stories- especially with all those horrible night ter-" Kali started, but was cut off by a furiously blushing daughter.
"MOM!"
"Oh, surely you're not... scared?" Jaune wiggled his eyebrows.
"Of course not!" Blake crossed her arms. "I'm not a kid!"
"Finally, something Blake's scared of!" Jaune began to laugh- until he jumped about a mile in the air to see a pale white face staring out of the darkness. "AAAAAAUUUUUGGGHHHHH!"
Blake laughed as she recognized the face- it was simply Pyrrha, newly illuminated by a handful of fire.
"Be cautious when teasing, lest the teaser become the teasee," Ozpin advised.
"Um... what?" Jaune blinked in befuddlement.
Jaune grimaced when he realized what the face had actually been. "What are you doing,Pyrrha?!"
"Oh, I just thought we could... use a little more light," Pyrrha shrugged. "Did I... do something wrong?"
"No, no..." Jaune mumbled, refusing to look anywhere near Blake's cat-like smirk.
The handful of fire expanded into a miniature sun that Pyrrha cast up towards the ceiling of the cavern.
"Now this is more like it," Ozpin praised.
"Penny help too!" Penny bounced up eagerly- she blinked, and her eyes began to glow brigbt as searchlights, forming great beams to help them navigate.
"You two are earning your keep," Blake nodded respectfully. "Too bad Sun doesn't have anything for this situation."
Sun shrugged with a crap-eating grin. "Well, excuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuse me, princess!"
"Some memes never die," Yang laughed.
Finally getting his heart rate under control, Jaune clapped his hands. "Yup, not so scary when you can actually see. Let's get going."
It was a long walk through the uncomfortably warm tunnels. The stuffiness helped drive home that they were walking through the insides of a living being, and when the wide-open cavern gave way to narrow tunnels, things became particularly claustrophobic.
Sun and Jaune took to softly humming a song with each other- "I'm sleeping with fishes here- in the belly of the whale. I'm highly nutritious here- in the belly of the whale." However, even this noise made them feel uncomfortable, so it was in silence that they proceeded further.
"Perhaps it would be best to save that song for when you're not literally in the belly of a whale," Whitley suggested.
At long last, they found their way into another cavernous area that was somehow brighter than anything they'd seen since getting swallowed. "Where's that light coming from?" Blake wondered, looking around.
"Look up," Ozpin suggested. They did so, and saw that the light was filtering through the ceiling. "The Vacuan titan has transluscent hide- that's how the people survive in here."
"Which means the titan's gone back topside," Jaune assessed.
"Let's follow the light- that should be our ticket out of-" Pyrrha started.
"Hold it!" interrupted a gruff voice.
"Wait- that voice!" Ruby and Yang both perked up.
Just ahead of them, the ground sloped up and a bridge crossed over their current altitude. Atop the bridge was a small gang, apparently led by a large man with wild blond hair, atop which was a wide-brimmed straw hat, currently angled to conceal his eyes, but not his wide grin.
"Dad!/ Old Man!"
Without further preamble, the man in the straw hat leapt down to their level, landing three-point on the ground. Right behind him could be none other than his blade- a towering figure resembling a humanoid blackbird, swinging a pair of small scythes around its hands.
"And I do believe I've located this world's Qrow as well," Winter commented.
"Tai's blade? Eh, gods know it already feels that way," Qrow shrugged offhandedly.
The man in the straw hat straightened up, flicking the brim back with his thumb to reveal his azure eyes, currently filled with mischief. "Haven't seen you lot around here. Bad luck, ending up in the titan's guts like this."
His eyes roved over them, before landing on Pyrrha. "Hmm... that blade... an emerald core crystal, huh?" He threw his head back and laughed. "So, the rumors are true!"
"I don't care if he's your father, Rubes, if he tries to take Pyrrha, I'm gonna go all out on him," Jaune warned.
"But... there's no way he..." Ruby floundered.
"Rumors?" Jaune asked, a nasty feeling twisting in his gut.
"Every driver worth his salt's heard it," the man grinned. "The legendary Grail, back from the grave, wandering around Remnant again. Didn't figure I'd catch her with such a shrimpy driver, though."
"You think I don't have what it takes?" Jaune asked, affronted.
The man shrugged. "Runt like you, maybe you'd do fine with any normal blade. But a greenhorn like you, with a beaut like her? C'mon..." He raised his hand and beckoned with his fingers. "Why not hand her over to someone who can really use her power?"
"I'm very proud of you, Tai," Raven smiled for what may have been the first time since her arrival.
"Dad... threatening Jaune?" Ruby stammered. "Does not compute..."
"I thought he'd have to catch him flirting with one of us for that to happen," Yang agreed.
Tai leaned closer, analyzing his other, and remained silent.
"I'm getting sick of this," Jaune grunted, drawing his sword. "I've told plenty of people already- I'm not handing her over- not to you, or to anyone else!"
"You got guts, kid, I'll give you that," the man smirked as he reached behind him and grabbed one of his blade's scythes. He glanced at his fellow drivers. "Brook, Nolan, you take on the catgirl and the nopon. I want the midget to myself."
"Daddy, no!" Ruby squealed.
"Daddy, yes!" Raven smirked.
"Leave it to us, Boss!" Nolan agreed.
"We'll take great care of them!" Brook agreed.
Jaune raised his sword- but was immediately put on the defensive, only able to block swing after swing from the scythes wielded by the man in the straw hat. It was all he could do not to buckle under the onslaught, let alone mount a counterstrike.
"Something wrong, kid?" the man taunted. "Is that the Grail or isn't it?"
A particularly strong swing managed to knock Jaune's blade aside- the other scythe was coming straight for him before Pyrrha leapt between and raised her hexagonal-shaped shield, forcing the strike to bounce off.
Something about it seemed to catch her off guard. "Wait a minute..."
"Lose focus and get yourself killed!" Qrow warned.
Another strike shattered the shield and sent Pyrrha backwards.
"That all you got?" the man taunted again. "Definitely not what I'd expect from the Grail's driver!"
Jaune growled in agitation. "I'll show you... just what me and Pyrrha are made of!"
"'Pyrrha and I,'" Ozpin corrected.
"Is that really important right now?" Ironwood stared.
"Once a teacher, always a teacher," Ozpin answered simply.
Jaune swung his sword, throwing a wave of fire... that the man casually sidestepped, as if it were nothing.
"Should have brought a book to read while I wait for your swings."
"Oh, he did not!" Nora squawked in protest.
"I believe he did," Ren answered.
Jaune's scowl grew more pronounced, and he began throwing wave after wave of fire at the man, heedless to each and every one being dodged or deflected with relative ease.
Strain was clearly growing on Pyrrha's face as she held out her hand to maintain the gold thread between them. "Jaune, wait... I can't... supply this much power...!"
The man backed into a corner. Jaune's grimace turned to a smirk. "Nowhere left to run- eat this!"
He prepared another great wave of fire... but nothing came out.
It was the man's turn to smirk as he closed the distance between them in an instant, swinging his scythe around...
And stopping it a centimeter away from Jaune's throat.
"JAUNE!" Ruby squealed.
Jaune looked down, realizing he'd been thoroughly defeated.
The man chuckled. "'Greenhorn' is right. Get this memorized, kid- drivers borrow their blade's energy, channel it through our weapons, and turn combat in our favor with arts. But even the Grail's power isn't infinite- everything has its limits."
With that, he withdrew his scythes and returned them to his own blade, relaxing behind him as if he didn't have a care in the world.
"Wait, so... he's not actually gonna kill them?" Raven's smirk vanished.
"You just reallywant everyone to be as ugly as you, don't you?" Saphron had only known her for a little while, but based on her expression, she was finding the other woman very much not to her tastes.
"Um... was that a test?" Jaune stared.
"Yes, Jaune... I believe it was," Pyrrha nodded, steadying her breathing now that Jaune's other was out of danger.
"I think it's safe to say you failed, though," Ironwood pointed out, somewhat sternly. "Had he been a genuine opponent, your other would be dead."
"Yeah... caught that," Jaune shifted uncomfortably.
"You just go around spamming all your best attacks with no rhyme or reason," the man continued his lecture, "even the Grail will run out of energy before long."
Jaune looked and winced when he saw Pyrrha, splayed out and panting on the ground. "Pyrrha, I..."
He looked to the to the others- upon seeing their boss standing down, both Brook and Nolan had also lowered their weapons, much to the befuddlement of Blake, Ruby, and their blades, who had clearly not been much better off than him.
The man's face loosened up, and he laughed again. "Names Long- Taiyang Xiao Long. I run a little... company out of a nearby village."
"Com- company?" Jaune stammered, apparently still wrapping his head around this sudden shift in behavior.
Tai slapped him on the shoulder with another laugh. "Lemme show you the way- I'll give y'all some grub! Least I can do for giving me a chance to take on the Holy Grail!"
He started off on his path, leaving Jaune still somewhat staggered behind. He quickly turned and helped Pyrrha to her feet. To his surprise, she wasn't angry- she didn't comment at all on what he'd just put her through. Instead, she immediately commented on their strange host. "Just now... when we're fighting, I realized... from the start, he never meant us any actual harm."
"He's a strange one," Blake commented. "So, are we following him or not?"
Jaune looked after him. "If Pyrrha says we can trust him... we can trust him. Let's follow."
"Trusting a man who just nearly killed ya... yeah, I'm not really expectin' anything else at this point," Torchwick sighed.
"Almost killed him, but held back at the last second," Winter pointed out. "If he wanted Jaune dead, he'd be dead now- and nothing's going to change that."
So they did. When they caught up, Tai cleared his throat. "If you don't mind me askin', how dida runt like you come by the Grail in the first place?"
The rest of the trip was occupied by Jaune telling Tai a condensed version of their adventures up until now. He laughed as Jaune finally drew to a close.
"Terrorists on one side, Atlesian army on the other, runnin' away to Yggdrasil, and gettin' swallowed by a titan! Wouldn't be surprised if no one's ever heard the like before!"
"It goes to show how stupid our leader's luck is... in every sense of the word," Ren sighed.
"No kidding," Jaune agreed heavily.
"So, what were you doing?" Jaune couldn't help asking.
"Well, as I'm sure you've noticed, this titan ain't exactly what you'd call 'picky,'" Tai pointed out. "Anytime she eats something big, we send someone down to see if there's anything worth salvaging. Just my good luck to find a bunch of green drivers the one time I decide to go myself!" He turned and guided them through one last natural archway. "Ah- welcome to Cocoyashi Village!"
"Coco?" Velvet's ears perked.
"I doubt it's anything to do with me," Coco brushed aside.
The village they'd arrived at was... pleasant. There were several small houses or tents scattered around, filled with people living their lives- including a clearing where several drivers were doing what looked like training. Up on a nearby hill, closest to where the light from the outside world filtered, was a small grove of trees, growing- tangerines, from the looks of things.
Pyrrha looked around. "There are quite a few children in this village."
"Lots of drivers and blades, too!" Ruby eagerly noticed.
"Those would be my company," Tai addressed. "The Cocoyashi mercenaries, at your service! We dispatch drivers and blades all across Remnant, anywhere that needs a little extra help. The kids are mostly war orphans- run into a lot of them on the job."
"And you take them under your wing?" Sun asked.
"Until they're old enough to make it on their own." This time, it was the tall, slender Brook that answered.
Nolan stepped in as well. "Maybe some of 'em will grow up to be drivers, but plenty of 'em learn a trade."
"It's not our place to tell 'em what to do with their lives," Tai agreed. "We just offer them the guidance we can until they're ready to make that choice themselves."
"And I'm sure you don't put your thumb on the scaled at all," Raven sneered.
"Just 'cause that's what you would do doesn't mean that's what Tai would," Qrow countered harshly.
"A business of good samaritans, then?" Blake summed up.
"Architect knows I've been called worse!" Tai chortled. He raised his voice. "Time to rattle up a feast, boys! We! Have! COMPANY!"
"Ever the ham," Qrow chuckled.
"Ham... now I'm hungry!" Nora pouted.
"It'll just be a moment!" Jack leapt to his feet.
The ensuing meal was nothing short of excellent, with plenty of meat and drink to go around. Jaune hadn't even realized how hungry he was before he began sinking in his teeth.
"MUSIC!" Tai called. "IT'S NOT A CELEBRATION WITHOUT MUSIC! OUR GUESTS DESERVE BETTER- THE OLD STANDBY!"
"Oh, good, another number," Neo rolled her eyes.
"Nothing wrong with a good old-fashioned sea shanty!" Tai began rocking back and forth in time with the music.
Jaune lit up as he recognized he knew the song, too- an old tune Saphron still sang back at Ansel. Blake and Ruby seemed to recognize it as well, as in a true upstart, Blake was smiling gently and singing along.
"Yohoho, yohohoho!
Yohoho, yohohoho!
Gather up all of the crew,
It's time to ship out Binks's brew!
Sea-wind blows,
To where? Who knows?
The waves will be our guide!
O'er across the ocean's tide,
Rays of sunshine far and wide!
Birds, they sing
Of cheerful things
In circles passing by!
Bid farewel to Weaver's Town!
Say so long to port renowned!
Sing a song,
It won't be long
Before we're casting off!
Across the gold and silver seas,
A salty spray puts us at ease!
Day to night,
To our delight,
The voyage never ends!"
"This song... is also pleasant, in its own way," Whitley admitted.
"It's delightful!" Velvet sighed happily.
Jaune looked around- the entire village was getting into the swing of it- he saw parents and children clapping and dancing to the shanty's rhythm.
"Gather up all of the crew,
It's time to ship out Binks's brew!
Pirates, we
Eternally
Are challenging the seas!
With the waves to rest our heads,
Waves beneath us as our beds,
Hoisted high
Upon our mast
Our jolly roger flies!
Somewhere in the endless sky
Stormy winds are blowing wide!
Waves are dancing,
Evening comes,
It's time to sound the drums!
But steady men, and never fear!
Tomorrow's skies are always clear!
So stomp your feet
And clap your hands
'Til sunny days return!"
Tai leaned forward as the others continued to sing. "Ah, gotta love a good shanty!" He threw back the rest of his mug.
"Would you like some more?" Pyrrha offered, rising to her feet.
"I could use another brewski," Tai agreed heartily.
"Some water for me, if you don't mind," Jaune requested.
"Right away," Pyrrha giggled as she stepped away.
"What are you, his maid?" Adam scoffed.
"No, his partner- if the idea of that is foreign to you, perhaps you do deserve pity," Pytrrha fired back.
Tai glanced towards Jaune, who was slowing down a bit. "Hope the grub tastes alright."
"Oh, yeah, it's great!" Jaune assured him. "I just... got to thinking... you fight in wars, don't you?"
"Ah, a problem with mercs, huh?" Tai nodded sagely. "Understandable, we don't always get the best rep."
"Probably since your services are on loan to the highest bidder," Winter commented through narrowed eyes. "Hardly the most reputable of professions."
"It doesn't seem like that's exactly what's going on here, though," Kali pointed out fairly.
"No, no, it's nothing like that," Jaune shook his head. "I just couldn't help but wonder... are you trying to convince us to join?"
His question earned another heart guffaw. "We're not that hard up, kid! Relax, enjoy the meal!"
"Yeah... I will, thanks."
Tai leaned forward, scanning his guest up and down. "And you... you're a salvager, ain't ya?"
"Yup."
"You must have fished up your share of military supplies."
"No, I stay away from that type of thing," Jaune denied.
"No you don't," Tai shook his head. "You just don't realize it- compasses, valves for ether stoves- those are army supplies, too. We've got bread on this table made from ruska flour- hot and fresh from Atlesian surplus. War is everywhere, if you know where to look- as long as you're alive, you're part of the war, whether you know it or not. Get it?"
Jaune looked very uncomfortable with this perspective. "I... um..."
"It is a rather cyncial one... even if there is a grain of truth to it." Even Ironwood seemed uncomfortable at the thought.
Tai's face fell. "Life is cruel, kid... crueler than you know. That's why I started this merry little band- to lend whatever help I can. And you... you're the driver of the Grail. Right now, you're the most wanted man in Remnant- and not in a fun way."
"Must you?" Winter sighed, pinching the brridge of her nose.
"He must," Qrow rolled his eyes.
"How d'ya plan on living, with everyone gunning for ya?" He glanced over at where Pyrrha was getting the drinks. "Wouldn't be too difficult to get away- just gotta ditch the girl."
"How could he even suggest something like that!" Weiss gasped.
"He's not- it's another test," Blake guessed.
This time, Jaune seemed to pass- Tai didn't see a single trace of temptation on the boy's face.
Instead, when Jaune turned back to him, it was with a steely determination in his eyes. "Then, will you help me- train me? To be a better driver?"
"There, see?" Pyrrha smiled. "He's already working to better himself!"
"That's our fearless leader!" Nora crowed, thumping him on the back.
Tai didn't seem to have expected this- his eyes widened in the first surprise Jaune had seen on his face.
"That's a bigger ask than you think, kid," chipped in Tai's blade, Qrow, eating right beside him. "Y'see-"
"That'll do, Qrow," Tai interrupted. He leaned forward again, looking over Jaune, taking in every last detail. "Hmm... it's gettin' late, kid. Finish your grub, I'll get a tent set up for you."
"And-"
"Tomorrow, meet me in the tangerine grove," Tai pointed up the hill. "I'll give you my answer then."
Jaune nodded, and did as he was bid, tearing back into his food, and when the meal was done, going to the offered tent and laying down. The noise of the village didn't really stop throughout the night, but somehow, it didn't keep him awake. It was a comforting noise.
XXXX
So, did you pick up on it, the anime I've been watching? I dropped a couple subtle hints, but you might have missed them, they were pretty well-hidden, if I do say so myself. Next time, those of you who've been waiting are gonna get your jollies at last- next episode is The Bringer of Chaos. Until then, don't you dare go hollow- Gamer4 out.