A sharp screech brought Robyn Hill back to consciousness. Recognizing the sound, her eyes opened wide in alarm. She rolled out of her single-wide bed in a state of high alert.
Fumbling on her pants, adrenaline carried her forward. With only a few hours of sleep under her belt, she wobbled back and forth. Aura flooded into her nervous system to serve as replenishment.
At the room entrance, she heard it again. Stepping out into the hallway, she was met by a sleepy face. Tula had stuck her head out of the neighboring cabin.
"Back! Back inside!" Robyn hissed at her.
"Wha- Robyn?" The mother lethargically asked halfway out her own door.
"Get inside and keep the kiddos away from the windows."
"Why? What's going-"
The sound happened again. It was a piercing noise. Monstrous.
Tula did not ask any additional questions. She got the hint and disappeared back into the room. This scene repeated with their other neighbors a few times as the huntress purposefully strolled the corridor.
Feeling naked, Robyn made for the security wing. No one stopped her as she pushed into the strongroom at the end of the hall. Usually, there were two guards stationed outside.
Now there were none.
The strongroom floorplan consisted of a desk up front and a locked cage. Said cage took up three-fourths of the room and was filled with shelves. Rummaging through the desk drawers, she found a key to open the enclosure.
Locating her weapon was simple. A metal tub labeled with Robyn's name was prominent on the 'contraband' shelf. Opening the container, the crossbow lay inside.
She strapped the nesting bird-shaped weapon to her left wrist. Next, she loaded the internal quiver. Each fletching stuck out the back like a tailfeather. A primed arrowhead stuck out of the front like the tip of a silver beak.
On her way out of the strongroom, she noticed a small box with a circular microphone attached to the wall. It was an old-fashioned intercom system. It allowed crew members to make announcements to the lower decks.
Pressing a button on the side, Robyn spoke into the mic. "Attention all passengers. Huntress Hill speaking. There has been a security breach. Please shelter in a safe place until further notice."
In the distance, she could hear her voice echo throughout the hallway. She repeated her words several times so there could be no mistake. Then she released the call button.
The warning was now out. That she was the one to give the advisory was a bad sign. Their hired protectors had fallen down on the job. It was up to her to pick up the slack.
Sounds of fighting grew louder as she climbed the decks. Robyn had to brace herself when the stairwell shook. She strengthened her legs to jump the last few flights upward. Prepared for the worst, she exited at the top.
And was met by chaos.
Monstrous shadows circled the airship. Each of the shades was shaped like a horse, yet also had avian features such as wings, talons, and bone masks that tapered into a beak. Robyn identified them immediately as Griffons.
These Grimm traveled in large flocks and were somewhat more intelligent than Beowolves. They were opportunistic predators, prone to raiding already damaged vessels rather than seek them out. Griffons attacking a functional ship was a novel concept.
If this situation had happened before, then there must not have been anyone left to tell the tale. This would be an important discovery to report on for future study. So long as Robyn survived, of course.
Running forward, she looked around for signs of life. Nobody was around. Because of this, she became the target.
One of the circling Grimm broke ranks to dive. She leapt out of the way as the creature swiped at her. Missing the first swipe, it turned sharply to try again at a decreased angle.
Again, Robyn sidestepped the attack. This time, however, she flicked her wrist to activate her crossbow. The limbs of the weapon popped out. The Griffon shrieked in surprise as the razor sharp 'wings' slashed deep into its belly.
In a panic, it collided with the side railing. The metal bent outward upon impact. Robyn fired a bolt at the downed monster. Her projectile flew right through the Grimm's eye and deep into the skull, killing it instantly.
Seeing one of their members fall, two more Griffon's peeled off to make a run on her position. She decided not to let them get that far. Twisting the nock of one of her 'special' bolts made it start blinking a red light.
The huntress took aim at the approaching monsters. Loading the pulsing arrow, she let loose. Her projectile stuck exactly as intended. Directly in the right wing of the higher Grimm.
There was a flash as the bolt detonated. The Griffon screeched in pain. With only a single working wing, the clipped Grimm steered directly into its fellow flyer. Doubling in weight, and with limbs entangled, both monsters went into a death spiral.
Jogging along, Robyn finally saw another person. Someone was fighting ahead near the lido. After dispatching a few more Griffons in quick succession, she reached them.
In the middle of a drained pool was Dee. Three of the equine-like Grimm were galloping around him. The lone huntsman swung his kanabō to keep the creatures at bay. To his credit, he was conserving energy by never fully extending on any single attack.
Unfortunately for him, even this style was unsafe. A Griffon allowed itself to tank a hit from the club so the others could swarm him. They prepared to lunge at his back, claws out.
With well-placed shots, Robyn hobbled them by piercing their hind legs with arrows. They tripped, missing Dee by inches. Taking advantage, he crushed their heads with a trio of smacks. Wiping his brow, he greeted her as she came forward.
"Thanks." He gasped between breaths. "You really saved my-"
Not in the mood for pleasantries, she asked. "Where are the rest of the guards?"
"Er… They are protecting the bridge."
It made sense to keep that area safe. Without a flying crew and a functioning wheelhouse, they were liable to become stranded in the nearby Vacuo Wasteland. However, Robyn identified a very obvious problem with that plan.
"All of them? Do they not understand they are drawing the Grimm with their presence? Not deterring them?" She said, sounding shriller than intended. "Please tell me someone is guarding the engines and wings."
"We have automated turrets."
As Dee spoke, gunfire broke out near the stern. Then it went quiet again. At least the turrets were functioning as intended.
"So, why are you back here instead of on the bridge?"
"To make sure Grimm did not sneak into the lower cabins. We thought one person could handle the load. I… may have bit off more than I could chew."
"You think?" There was a thunderous shriek above them. "Looks like we're stuck with this crummy plan. Might as well see it through. Keep your eyes peeled and we might live through this."
Dee nodded vigorously. Crawling to higher ground, he left the dry pool. Robyn lingered.
Knowing she would need to be smart with her ammo, she leaned over the deceased Griffons. She dug into the corpses to retrieve her recently fired bolts. Cleaning them was child's play. The Grimm matter on the tips was already dissolving.
Reuse was as simple as stuffing the arrows back into the quiver. She also took a few seconds to calibrate the firing mechanism. Her last few shots had wobbled.
"Incoming!" Dee shouted in warning.
She saw in the sky a black and white mass, twice as large as any Griffon, rocket downward. The deck wobbled as it impacted the ship. Robyn scrambled up in time to see the huntsman-turned-guard be tossed aside by their newest threat.
The Grimm was shaped like a lion, with bone-like protrusions taking the place of a glorious mane. It was similarly armored with plating over most of its body. A spiked tail waved back and forth sinisterly.
This was a Manticore.
Specifically, an Elder Manticore, based on the size and the way the other Grimm kept their distance. They did not want to get in the way of the big guy's meal. It was also likely the pack's leader, explaining the scavengers' aggressive behavior.
Prowling towards Dee, the monster intended to snuff him out. Robyn fired an arrow at an exposed portion of the creature's neck. Sensing danger, the Manticore tilted to let the projectile bounce harmlessly off its hide.
Red eyes glared back hatefully at Robyn. Owing to its evolved intelligence, though, the Grimm ignored her in favor of the huntsman. It understood the wisdom of finishing off a stunned opponent before moving on to the next.
Thankfully, Dee was no longer down.
Having regained his footing, Dee clubbed the Manticore. His swing was powerful and true, planting the weapon in the creature's chest. However, this action accomplished very little. The injury was merely skin deep.
But Dee had a trick up his sleeve. He flipped a switch on the grip of the kanabō. Soon, a visible electric current ran through the metal.
The monster let out a horrible scream. Its armor blackened at the point of contact. With an angry headbutt, it sent Dee packing. He grunted as his body bounced against a far wall.
Even without its owner, the weapon remained in place and active. Paws came up to try and dislodge the irritant by awkwardly fumbling with the weapon's handle. A lack of opposable thumbs kept the Manticore from getting a grip.
Seeing an opening, Robyn sprinted forward. Along the way, she shot two arrows. Thanks to the distraction, both hit their soft marks between the plates diagonally along the flank. She proceeded to use the shafts as footholds to climb the beast.
On top, she transformed her weapon again. The wings extended forward over her fist. Each feather now formed the serrated edge of a war fan.
Wasting little time, she began slashing furiously at the vertebrae of its neck. Heavy vibrations traveled up her arm as metal met calcified collagen. She kept at it, digging further and further into the nape until she finally pierced the skin.
The Manticore snarled and bucked to toss her off. Robyn prepared to unload an explosive arrow into the revealed flesh. Before she could take the kill shot, she was forced to abandon her perch when the Grimm rotated onto its back.
She landed in a crouch off to the side. Completing the death roll, the lion-like creature rose again. The maneuver had also removed the kanabō.
This did little to soothe the Grimm's rage.
Its head reared back. The bone cage around its chest expanded. A glow emanated from the throat, signaling a super-heated attack.
Robyn held the fan up to shield her face as she moved. Blistering flames licked her as she strafed the superheated breath. Aura pulsed to guard each portion of unprotected skin and hair.
Just as she began to fear that the protective barrier would break, the flamethrower petered out. Not wanting to risk another dance with fire, she ran closer. The Manticore snapped its jaws as she slid under its body. Along the way, she fired a bolt straight up.
The arrow just barely avoided the monster's neck. Her blinking projectile flew high into the air. Thinking she was on the ropes, the Manticore positioned its head directly over her to finish the job.
Then it stopped, blinking with befuddlement.
Although Robyn could not see what had happened, she could guess. She quickly rolled to the side and covered up. There was an explosion and a spurt of black viscera. The Manticore collapsed, dead on the spot.
She gazed upon the smoking remains of the Grimm's upper torso. Gravity had guided her explosive arrow exactly where it had needed to go. Straight into the gaping wound she had opened up prior.
Picking herself up, she scanned the deck for more hazards. There were still some lingering flames from the Manticore's breath attack. She knew that the upper layers were flame resistant, but that did not mean the fires should be allowed to run rampant.
Loading some ice Dust arrows, she shot them into the blazes. There was a puff of vapor as cold met hot. The frost smothered the flames as it settled along the ground. After three arrows, the fires were extinguished.
Her plan having worked, she smiled in satisfaction. It was a quick one, though. Robyn knew it was too early to celebrate.
As if to prove her point, more Grimm descended to pick a fight. This time, it was a trio of Griffons. They appeared to have learned a lesson from their deceased leader. Their throats glowed in preparation to rain down flames in revenge.
That was, until a dark object suddenly struck the middle Grimm.
The interceptor lodged itself in the face of the creature. Panicking, the Griffon let loose the fiery payload upon its brethren. They did the same in turn, soon setting the entire grouping alight. The procession of blazing monsters soon began to drop out of the sky.
As the Griffons plummeted, there was a purplish glow amongst the infernos. The object that had caused the destruction was moving once more. Tracking the weapon, she saw it touchdown not far from her position.
Naturally, she followed. The path took her near Dee. He was currently staring up at the sky, dazed from banging his head on a metal awning.
Moving past him, the huntress found the unknown object. She could now identify it as a kama. The small scythe was currently in the outstretched hand of Maria, who brought the weapon down to lean on like a staff.
This was because it was her staff. A shiftable, Dust capable, staff. The curved, cutting edge poked out of the decorative skull head.
Suddenly, everything became clear for Robyn. Maria was, or had been, a huntress. Not just any huntress, either. The combination of iconography, weaponry, and age pointed to one particular legend of their shared profession.
"The Grimm Reaper." Robyn exhaled in awe.
She thought her words had come out quietly. Perhaps they had. Yet the Living Legend shuddered before responding.
"Focus, girl. There are Grimm about."
This chastisement embarrassed Robyn. For good reason, as she was not one to be distracted normally. It felt like she was back in the academy.
But she was no child.
"Grimm to exterminate. Right." Robyn called over to the only other soul on the deck, who was still flat on his back. "Hey, Dee! Are you okay? Can you still fight?"
He groaned in a noncommittal manner. Still, he shambled up to his feet. Self-preservation had won out over defeatism. Giving up now was tantamount to letting the Grimm win.
And Robyn was not giving up. Too many lives were counting on them.
I. Free Birds
Far south of Vale, Glynda Goodwitch stood in a forest clearing. Behind her was the Bullhead that had delivered her to the spot. She looked to the sky, where a much larger ship hung under the bright rays of the sun.
"Are we ready?" She asked her fellow professor, who was fiddling with the cockpit electronics.
Ann appeared at the side window. Her bagged eyes and messy black hair would give the impression of her being on the edge of exhaustion. But really, this was her normal disposition.
"Primed. Here you go." She passed the active radio mic through the window.
Glynda cleared her voice. "Attention, unidentified Atlas aircraft. This is Glynda Goodwitch of Beacon Academy. Please respond. Over."
She then waited for a reply. And waited. And waited some more.
As she prepared to hail them again, a deep voice came over the speaker. "Greetings, huntress. Captain of the ACS Donnerkind, speaking. How may I be of assistance? Over."
"May I have your full name, Captain? Any future conversations with another of your rank may prove confusing. Over."
"The title has subsumed me, ma'am. Rest assured; I am the only captain of this ship. Over."
This answer made her frown. He was a believer in the old ways. The debasing use of work designations for naming people was everything that the Color Revolution had fought so hard against.
But it was his choice to make.
"As you are, then, Captain. Let me explain why we are contacting you. Your ship is currently holding Qrow Branwen of Signal Academy as a prisoner. We request that you release him into our custody. Over."
"Apologies, huntress. I am not at liberty to discharge enemy combatants. Over."
From experience, Glynda knew there was a legal distinction that Captain was drawing. 'Prisoners' had due process rights. 'Enemy combatants' did not. Getting Atlas to give up Qrow could prove difficult.
"Who should I speak with, then? General Ironwood? Over."
"No need to go that high in the chain of command, ma'am. You can petition the CO. Over."
"Very well. I shall negotiate with them directly. Face-to-face. Now." Glynda steeled herself. "Otherwise, events may escalate beyond anyone's control. Over."
"Am I to interpret that as a threat? Over."
"It is a statement of intent. Either send them down, or we shall come up. Over."
The line went silent. There were bits of static over the radio, indicating that the ship was still receiving their transmission. Captain was likely looking for his CO to relay her message.
Hopefully.
Dr. Oobleck leaned out the Bullhead's sliding door. "Are we sure of this choice of action?"
"Don't tell me you are getting cold feet."
"Brothers, no! I'm more than ready to render aid in retrieving our colleague. I am merely uncertain on the particulars of delivering an ultimatum to an Atlas warship. Especially while we are grounded. What is to stop them from training their artillery on us?"
Ann answered. "From their current positioning, they could identify and destroy a juvenile Nevermore on Patch with pinpoint accuracy. We are actually safer here, obscured by the trees, than flying about."
'Safer' was a relative term. Glynda would rather not test that hypothesis. She knew the destructive capabilities of Atlas well.
As the minutes ticked by, even she was wondering if they should forgo additional contact and storm the ship. The Combat Professor had the right personnel to perform a hot exfiltration. Nevertheless, she was duty-bound to try a negotiation.
Thankfully, it would not come to that.
"Our CO has agreed to a meeting. Over." The garbled voice of Captain broke the radio silence.
It was welcome news. "Affirmative. Shall we send coordinates for a neutral space? Over."
"Negative. They will come to you. Over and out."
Leaving no time for questions, the line was cut. Glynda handed the microphone back to Ann. Oobleck stepped out of the Bullhead, looking to the sky hesitantly.
"Should we be concerned that they know where we are?"
It was far too late for that.
For their own safety, they stood apart from their aircraft. They only relaxed their Aura when the sounds of Dust powered engines drew close. A medium-sized transport ship touched down near the Bullhead.
The Beacon professors downplayed their wariness. Oobleck drank from his thermos. Ann flicked away at the tablet she pulled from a pouch in her trench coat. Glynda took the first steps towards the Atlas ship.
A ramp extended from the ship as they neared. First to exit were a female duo. One was tall and young. The other was short and old. Glynda knew them both.
She addressed the latter. "It's good to see you, Caroline."
"I'm sure." Special Operative Cordovin grinned mischievously. "So good that you brought nearly a full team of huntsmen to greet us."
They would be complete when Qrow was freed. "My teachers at Atlas Academy taught me to meet every challenge with equal force."
"It does my heart good to see you take our lessons so well." She looked left and right. "Quite the team you brought along, too. I, of course, recognize Black Bart Oobleck-"
"Dr. Oobleck, please." He interjected upon hearing his old handle.
"-and I do believe that is Ann Greene, Beacon's tech wizard. Tell me, girl, have you already cracked our subnet?"
"My daemons began probing for root access the moment you landed." The Stealth and Security Professor said, not bothering to look up from her screen. "You might as well bring Qrow out now. I can see him on your internal cameras."
This was a shock to Glynda. She did not think they would bring him down. It was likely meant to be a power move.
And the other military woman, Winter Schnee, was not happy to have the surprise spoiled. "You dare intrude on our information systems!? We ought to arrest you as well."
Her hand drifted towards her swords. The professors had no need to do similarly. Their weapons of choice were ready to deploy.
"Remain calm, Winter." Cordovan soothed. "They are simply concerned for their comrade. We would do similarly in their position."
Her words had the intended effect. The other Operative relaxed her stance. With the crisis averted, Glynda guided them back to business.
"As we were telling Captain, we would prefer that Qrow Branwen was returned to us without conflict. We are prepared to take him by force, if necessary."
Winter was back to smoldering. "You claim to not want conflict, yet you keep threatening us?"
"The threat came from your side first. You risked drawing Grimm to this kingdom's borders and kidnapped one of her best assets. Beacon is offering a way back from the precipice of a diplomatic disaster. The first step would be in releasing Mr. Branwen."
"What would be the second step?" Caroline asked curiously.
"That you provide a representative to explain your actions to the Council. From there, a proper recompense can be determined."
The response to this proposal came quickly. And the answer was not the one Glynda had anticipated to receive so easily. Nor was it delivered by the woman she expected.
"Fine." The Schnee spat before recovering her poise. "We shall agree to those terms."
She then spoke into her collar to issue an order over the hidden radio woven into her uniform. That was when Glynda understood that she had fundamentally misjudged the situation. Caroline was not the commanding officer.
Winter was in charge.
Down the ramp came a cluster of soldiers in full regalia. Their white and blue armor shone as much as their assault rifles. At the group's center was a scrawny man in a gray jumpsuit. His body was draped in shackles that weighed more than he did.
Despite his predicament, Qrow Branwen was all grins. "Hey now! I didn't know y'all were invited to this party too. Hope you brought some liquor. I'm parched."
His carefree demeanor would have been more convincing if it were not for the swollen goose egg in the middle of his forehead. The hematoma had already begun to diffuse the bad blood. His eye sockets had turned black and blue.
"Good heavens! What have you done to him!?" Oobleck cried in alarm.
"His injuries were a result of resisting arrest." Winter answered the doctor's outrage. "Rest assured, he was checked over by our medical staff. His body is in perfect working order."
"Don't worry about it, Barty." Qrow leered. "Weren't nothing but a little love tap. This is practically foreplay for me."
"That said, we cannot attest to the state of his brain." Caroline added.
Winter turned back to Glynda. "With this, we formally return Mr. Branwen. You may take him away. And please tell the Council to expect a missive from our representative soon enough."
Qrow's chains clinked as he shimmied over to the white-haired Operative. "Tossing me out so soon? After such a magical and physical night we had together? I'm hurt. I truly am."
Her left eye twitched. "Please, take him away."
After removing Qrow's restraints, the Atlas contingent returned to their transport ship. The four huntsmen did the same to their Bullhead. With Greene at the helm, they flew back towards Beacon. All the while, Glynda kept an eye trained to their surroundings.
She was ill at ease. Although they got everything they asked for, the whole experience was disquieting. Now more than ever, she was unsure of what it all meant.
Qrow was not as concerned.
He eagerly dug through a grey duffle bag. Atlas had stored his personal effects in the same half-hazard manner as himself on the ship. This did little to deter him from eagerly unzipping his prisoner fatigues to change clothes.
"Must you do that now?" Glynda sighed as Oobleck averted his eyes.
"What? We're all adults here." He said as the jumpsuit dropped to the floor.
The sight of Qrow's skinny bare ass reminded Glynda of something mundane. There were two pork chops in the back of her freezer. She needed to thaw and eat them before the meat went bad.
As he tugged on his wrinkled pants, he asked. "What's the city been like during my stay at Air Atlas Resorts? Falling apart at the seams?"
"Vale has somehow kept going in your absence." Glynda dismissed his concerns with a roll of her eyes.
"Just wondering." He replied while buttoning his dress shirt. "How mad is Oz that I got caught?"
"Enough to be disappointed. Not enough to leave you to rot."
"How'd that happen, anyway? Them catching you." Ann called from the front. "You're one of the slipperiest fighters I have ever known."
Clipping on his cape, he replied. "Number's game got the best of me."
That was the major disadvantage of working solo. It was easy to be overwhelmed. Even the mightiest fighters were susceptible when outnumbered by a determined enemy.
Next, Qrow retrieved his weapon. The large sword had taken up most of the space in the bag. Once free, the duffle fell to the floor with a thud. He glanced at the cloth container curiously before leaning over.
Reaching in, he brought out two loose Scrolls. Qrow scratched his stubble as if trying to remember something. He shrugged before stuffing them into his pockets.
"Thanks again for prying me loose from the Ice Queen and her toy soldiers. Feel free to drop me off wherever."
Oobleck spoke up. "I'm afraid we cannot do that. The headmaster was very clear in his instructions. We are to return you to him, post-haste. He needs to know everything that you do about what happened. I, myself, am curious to learn your perspective on these unprecedented times as a historical matter."
"Sorry to disappoint, but I know next to nothing about what Atlas is up to." He then stepped over to the Bullhead door. "They always were an impulsive kingdom, but even I would not have thought they'd try something like this."
His hand turned the release handle. The Bullhead door slid open. Wind rushed in, fluttering his tattered cloak.
"What's going on? Our internal equilibrium is all off." Ann yelled back at them.
"Letting myself out." Qrow shouted before speaking to Glynda. "Tell Oz I delivered his message to the White Fang. Pretty sure that is all moot at this point, but I tried. In the meantime, I've got other leads to run down."
Glynda gave him a curt nod. She could have stopped him. Maybe. But sometimes it was best to leave Qrow to his own devices.
"Get in touch when you find something."
He gave a two-finger salute before jumping backwards out of the Bullhead. She calmly walked over to the door. Before closing it, she looked out. There was nothing but green tops and grasslands below.
/ / /
"Today, the Kingdom of Atlas confirmed that they have dispatched a special envoy to Vale. The Council, along with the heads of Vale's security services, will receive the envoy at City Hall. This will be the first gathering of the so-called 'Gang of Eight' since-"
Csenge hit the mute button on the TV. "The news is always so bleak, don't you think? Feels like the world is coming unglued."
Her host stared vacantly into space. She moved her chair around to be in front of him. His eyes instinctively tried to focus on her face but could not quite come together.
They sat together in a comfortable yellow room. He was bed-ridden, propped up by two thick pillows. An untouched tray filled with soft foods was at his side. She had taken a bite of applesauce earlier and was pleased with the taste.
"I suppose everyone thinks that about the era they live in. All those people who survived the Great War or Mountain Glenn probably believed it was the end of history too. Yet life continued on."
If this message reached the man, he showed no sign of understanding. A bit of drool dripped from the corner of his mouth. Csenge wiped the leakage away with a nearby towel.
Her Scroll rang.
Displayed on the screen was a number she did not recognize. This was her work Scroll. A direct business line purposefully kept private from marketers and randos. Only premium clients had the details. Even if she was on break, she knew she had to answer.
"Hope you do not think this is rude of me." She said before turning the Scroll to audio only and pitching her voice slightly higher. "La Maison Ta-Ta. Amyah speaking."
"Uh, hi Amyah." The voice of a nervous young man began. "Not sure if you remember me, but-"
She did, indeed. "Torchwick's Courier."
"Wasn't aware I left that much of an impression…"
"It is my job, sir, to keep track of the Madam's contacts."
"Is she available? Not to be rude, but I was kind of hoping to get in touch with her."
"One moment." She said before placing him on hold.
A year ago, Csenge would not have been able to pull off an impromptu meeting. But she had been getting better. She coughed into her fist before speaking.
"Darling… No, that was not quite right." The voice was not sensual enough. "Darling. Hmmm, I almost had it there."
She paused when she noticed that her host's clouded eyes had cleared. Mouth still agape, his eyebrows were knitted. He was concentrating on her blurry visage, thinking of the horrible things he would do if only he were able.
That would not do. "Back to sleep."
Once more, Csenge touched his face. Siren's Call activated. His sight once more went grey.
Nodding, she returned to her Scroll to speak. "Darling! So good to hear from you. My assistant says you wanted to… touch me?"
The boy sputtered at the word play. She let out an honest titter. His inexperience was fun to play around with.
"Y-yes. Leroy passed along your message. You said you have information for us?"
"Straight to business, then? No time for a little pleasure? I don't even know my gentleman caller's name."
"Oh… It's Jay."
"Jay. Jay." She rolled the name around sensually. "Like the bird?"
"Uh, yeah."
As far as names went, Csenge liked it. He was intriguing, to be sure. Susceptible to her charms yet resistant to her Semblance.
Or maybe 'resistant' was the wrong word.
A better term could have been 'resilient.' Her power was addictive. She could ruin someone with a word and a touch. Break them into a million pieces and either rebuild them or leave them destroyed. Yet under her tender care, Jay bent but did not break.
That made him far more interesting. "Now that you've shown me yours, I'll show you mine."
She opened her Scroll to access the main screen. Looking through her messages, she found her VPD client's latest electronic missives. Ignoring the declarations of love and lust, she forwarded the most pertinent section to Jay.
There was a ding, indicating his receipt. "What's this?"
"The reason for our meeting. Review the attachment."
"There's a-" Jay's voice broke. "-a picture of a naked woman..."
Freddy was a naughty girl. "The other attachment."
The next time he spoke, he was calmer. "What am I looking at? A calendar?"
"Not just any calendar. That is VPD Commissioner Nadder's work calendar. I would direct your attention to a series of meetings he has at the end of every week."
"Uh, let's see… There is one with the Council. Staff meetings. Doctor's appointments-"
"You'll know it when you see it."
And then he found it. "No way."
What he was seeing was an afternoon meeting. It was categorized as a simple one-on-one. Completely innocuous, except for the name of the other attendee: 'C. Fall.'
"I have it on good authority that the 'C' does indeed stand for 'Cinder.' Now, I can't confirm that this is your Cinder, but it would be a strange coincidence to-"
"No. That's her." Jay interrupted. "We learned the hard way that they were working together. I just wouldn't have thought he'd be brazen-faced enough to pencil in a recurring meeting with her."
To be fair to the Kingsnake, the mystery woman was a virtual unknown. There were no records of a 'Cinder Fall' anywhere in Vale. The only reason she was on Csenge's radar at all was because Jay had asked her to look.
Which raised an important question. "Who, exactly, is Cinder Fall? Someone with the ear of the Commissioner of Police is a powerful person indeed."
Maybe someone Csenge should know as well.
"Cinder." He went quiet, likely weighing how much to tell. "As far as we can tell, she works as an off-the-books mediator for VPD and the White Fang. They are coordinating to stay out of each other's way. Why? We don't know, but it can't be good."
"Truely?" Given recent news reports, Csenge found that difficult to accept.
"Ask Leroy. He's seen it all."
"Perhaps I shall." She had not spoken to Leroy since he had joined the Torchwick Outfit, except to arrange this exchange. "Regardless, I hope this information will suffice until I uncover more."
"Yes! This is the first real lead we've had! Thank you!"
"You're welcome. But remember, I'm not doing this for free." She purred.
They discussed payment details before she let him go. Jay appeared eager to report back to Roman with the provided intel. Csenge was more than happy to let him go, though not without some more light teasing and innuendo.
Finally switching off the Scroll, she frowned. The call had left her with much to think about. Her first thought was that she made a mistake getting involved.
This whole business was rotten. If there really was some sort of elaborate shadow play going on between the police and some foreign terrorists, Madam Amour wanted no part. At least, that would ordinarily be her character's motivation.
But that was before Atlas became involved. Their sudden arrival had thrown everything into chaos. If they caught wind of official collusion between Vale's government and the Fang, they were likely to take over administration of the city.
If that happened, no one would stop them. No one could.
Atlas had the only standing military in Remnant. They need only snap their fingers and Vale was theirs. The only thing that stopped them was the lack of will to use their might.
That will would materialize when faced with the reality of their greatest ally in bed with their mortal enemy. Like any jilted lover, they would lash out. Violently.
Patriotism did not drive Csenge to continue assisting Torchwick. She felt no affinity for her homeland. Were the worst to happen, she would abandon the kingdom in a heartbeat.
It was self-interest that would propel her. Atlas was a notoriously prudish kingdom with extensive laws against sensual entertainment. In the event of a takeover, her business concerns would be shuddered. Therefore, it was better for Cinder Fall to cease her operations.
Permanently.
As she resolved to continue, an orderly knocked on the door. They informed Csenge that it was bath time for her host. She, of course, stood up to let them close.
"It's so nice of you to visit." The long-term care provider walked over to their charge. "He doesn't get many visitors."
"It's no trouble." Csenge smiled reassuringly.
"But to come so often! You must be busy."
"I am." She stood before pressing her lips to his forehead. "But that is no hindrance. I'll always make time for family."
