Fandom Distorted Mirror [IC]

[MyrtenRose]

"Oh, I've been under the skin of humans like you long before either of us were around. You huntsmen and huntresses and your neverending sanctimony, knowing full well the fragile institutions you fight to protect are what keep my people under the heel. You think turning your back is supposed to faze me, silence me? It's just what your people have been doing to mine ever since you first discovered us. And I promise you, turning your backs has never shut me up before."

The harsh words from Eve got Raven to only briefly stop on her way into the inside of the train station, the professional huntress slowly glancing over her shoulder. There was no insulting retort, no moving to take Eve's bait and pick a fight. Just one thing she made clear. "...I fight to protect much more than just fragile institutions." Raven left it at that, resuming her walk. Partially because it was hard to deny that Eve's words had a ring of truth to them. She was just one individual huntress, still committed to the good fight after her team fell apart. Society in general, on the other hand...there was no denying that the faunus were marginalized to an absurdly cruel degree. Hate and prejudice just weren't things she could so easily slay with a slash of her blade, no matter how much she wished they could be.
​

Showed how much her word was worth. She turned and wandered off for the treeline. "...I need some space. I'll be back in a bit."

Before Yang could get too far, Ruby handed her back her scroll. The least she could do...after quietly watching all that with an increasingly more dismayed expression. That much done, she let Yang go take the time she needed. Ruby turned to look over at Qrow leaning against a tree and loudly cleared her throat, clearly in an attempt to get his attention...before she repeatedly nodded her head over to so subtly point at the train station where Raven could clearly be seen beyond the doors. Yeah she was still annoyingly 100% all about that life. :|

Nevertheless before he could head over that direction or more likely, fly away somewhere else...Ruby turned away herself and strode closer to where she had been, looking towards Mercury and Emerald.

"...You didn't see any of those pics, did you?" She asked, not at ALL worried about what answer she'd get. That would just be ridiculous.​

 

[Gus Gungus]

"...tch"

Showed how much her word was worth. She turned and wandered off for the treeline. "...I need some space. I'll be back in a bit."

It only took Qrow one look at Yang's expression to sigh and close his eyes again, taking the opportunity to brood for a bit. There he went with his sensitive way of words again. He had a feeling Yang wouldn't let him live that down any more than she had his encouraging choice of phrasing the first time he saw her after her Vytal tournament scandal. He hated to admit it, but it was the tribe in him, that little voice in the back of his head that was constantly warring with his ticker when he was around his nieces, constantly blurring what constituted 'good familial behavior' in his mind. As mentioned, it was a small voice, one that lost out most of the time. But...

Sometimes he agreed with it. Only sometimes, when he really thought it over and concluded it was the best thing for them. People turned into their best selves when you applied just the right amount of pressure to sharpen their focus, clarify their thoughts, the kind of forthright social bluntness kingdom dwellers tended to find rude. Qrow had entered Yang's dorm that day not sure what to believe and left knowing that she was innocent. Sometimes, even when the thing you wanted in a situation was to reach out and reassure somebody and tell them it was going to be okay... sometimes it was kinder to cut to the core.

And Qrow... Qrow was concerned with getting the relic. It was getting harder, boiling it down to those terms in his head, but all this just wasn't a sequence of events they were ever meant to be a part of. They had their own fight to win. All the people here, the ones that it hurt so much to look at, those were the people waiting for them back in their own fight, the faces who were probably worried sick, who couldn't pull it off without them. The more they got entangled with the situation here, the more it became their situation, and with things heading for such a tipping point back home they just couldn't have that. Those months defending Atlas had been pretty easygoing, but it was an ease he was all too familiar with. The kind he could taste in the air, could feel on his skin.

The calm before a storm.

Whatever it was, they had to be ready for it. The more invested they got in all this, the less they would be. In his mind it was that simple. Oz probably had some new players back on the board, but in terms beyond that he was willing to stick to his guns. This changed nothing.

It only took one look at Yang's face for him to grasp she wasn't quite on the same wavelength when it came to that point, and he gave another heavy sigh. That was what worried him.

Ruby turned to look over at Qrow leaning against a tree and loudly cleared her throat, clearly in an attempt to get his attention...before she repeatedly nodded her head over to so subtly point at the train station where Raven could clearly be seen beyond the doors.

Was this kid still hassling him? :|

In spite of his earlier conversation with Ruby and everything his inner monologue had just established, Ruby successfully badgered him into pushing off the tree and heading over for the station building in a relaxed, ambling walk, looking vexed as a hand lightly tousled the back of his hair.

Or maybe he just completely tuned her out and decided this next conversation was strategically necessary. Since he gave no indication he heard her, it wasn't clear. He pushed open the doors and strolled through, hands nonchalantly in his pockets as he observed his sister from behind.

"That'll bump right out," he remarked dryly with regards to the dent, idly touching his own fist with a quiet ding to it to see if it fit. Only a little too big.

"Guess maybe the lunatic in the grimm mask did us a favor after all. Sorry, that other lunatic in the grimm mask," came his quick clarification, the jab light despite itself. "Even if Blake's back in play, they missed their chance to spring that other Ruby by a couple hours. Dunno how much it's worth here, but from what I remember the White Fang tired themselves out after Haven. Ozpin's still missing his right hand and then some."

The harsh words from Eve got Raven to only briefly stop on her way into the inside of the train station, the professional huntress slowly glancing over her shoulder. There was no insulting retort, no moving to take Eve's bait and pick a fight. Just one thing she made clear. "...I fight to protect much more than just fragile institutions." Raven left it at that, resuming her walk. Partially because it was hard to deny that Eve's words had a ring of truth to them. She was just one individual huntress, still committed to the good fight after her team fell apart. Society in general, on the other hand...there was no denying that the faunus were marginalized to an absurdly cruel degree. Hate and prejudice just weren't things she could so easily slay with a slash of her blade, no matter how much she wished they could be.

Eve kept her shoulders held high and squared as she watched Raven go in the wake of her remark, whether or not her own reached the huntress frankly of little consequence to her as she gave it anyway, every bit as ferocious and unwilling to give an inch as Yang had been at the end of their earlier exchange.

"Likewise."

She had little tolerance for human excuses. She just stood there in silence for a while after that, parsing what her own word meant if this new information was indeed true. She knew she believed her own words. They were the ones she fought to protect, those faunus the kingdoms had turned their backs on just as readily as Raven had her. She considered the life of a single faunus with hope worthy enough to trade her own ugly, scarred, broken existence for; That was what she fought for. What gave her her drive.

What did that mean in a world where someone she loved was an asset to the Schnees? What did that require of her?

She knelt beneath the tree and raised a hand to her mask, making sure the cloth stayed tight against her eyes to capture any tears threatening to escape, to expose her weakness.

"Why didn't you just say yes?"

"...You didn't see any of those pics, did you?" She asked, not at ALL worried about what answer she'd get. That would just be ridiculous.

"Emerald remembered your sister's password and scrolldropped 'em, so now everyone has copies." Mercury informed, holding up his own scroll to demonstrate.​

 

[MyrtenRose]

Was this kid still hassling him? :|

Absolutely. :|​

In spite of his earlier conversation with Ruby and everything his inner monologue had just established, Ruby successfully badgered him into pushing off the tree and heading over for the station building in a relaxed, ambling walk, looking vexed as a hand lightly tousled the back of his hair.

Or maybe he just completely tuned her out and decided this next conversation was strategically necessary. Since he gave no indication he heard her, it wasn't clear. He pushed open the doors and strolled through, hands nonchalantly in his pockets as he observed his sister from behind.

"That'll bump right out," he remarked dryly with regards to the dent, idly touching his own fist with a quiet ding to it to see if it fit. Only a little too big.

"Guess maybe the lunatic in the grimm mask did us a favor after all. Sorry, that other lunatic in the grimm mask," came his quick clarification, the jab light despite itself. "Even if Blake's back in play, they missed their chance to spring that other Ruby by a couple hours. Dunno how much it's worth here, but from what I remember the White Fang tired themselves out after Haven. Ozpin's still missing his right hand and then some."

"Hnh." She grunted dismissively at the evidence of where she had punched the wall . "They can bill me for all I care. Got bigger problems to deal with." Raven shook her head, ignoring his jab outright. "Yeah. Missing his right hand...for now. Leonardo, Weiss...a headmaster and an Atlas councilwoman. If the information you gave us is accurate and his reach has actually gone that far, then there's no telling who else he could have gotten to. He's already got pawns in the Shadow Fang and the criminal underworld. Who's next?" She asked, a question as rhetorical as it was bitter. Her eyes narrowed as she focused on Qrow.

"You knew that those kids out there...that they're on the wrong side of things back in your world. Right? And you know that Ruby, Blake, Weiss and Yang are all a team where you're from, and that the three of them that live here are criminals and terrorists. If we'd known that..." She shook her head again. It was in the past, no point dwelling on it now. "Is there anything else useful we should know, Qrow?" ​

"Emerald remembered your sister's password and scrolldropped 'em, so now everyone has copies." Mercury informed, holding up his own scroll to demonstrate.

How could she remember, what...how could this...no!!! Ruby rushed forward in a blink, practically jumping at that scroll to swipe it briefly and delete EVERY TRACE of any copies on it.​

 

[Gus Gungus]

"Hnh." She grunted dismissively at the evidence of where she had punched the wall . "They can bill me for all I care. Got bigger problems to deal with." Raven shook her head, ignoring his jab outright. "Yeah. Missing his right hand...for now. Leonardo, Weiss...a headmaster and an Atlas councilwoman. If the information you gave us is accurate and his reach has actually gone that far, then there's no telling who else he could have gotten to. He's already got pawns in the Shadow Fang and the criminal underworld. Who's next?" She asked, a question as rhetorical as it was bitter. Her eyes narrowed as she focused on Qrow.

"You knew that those kids out there...that they're on the wrong side of things back in your world. Right? And you know that Ruby, Blake, Weiss and Yang are all a team where you're from, and that the three of them that live here are criminals and terrorists. If we'd known that..." She shook her head again. It was in the past, no point dwelling on it now. "Is there anything else useful we should know, Qrow?"

"...There's no manual for this mess we're in. Doesn't seem wise to take anything for granted." He admitted quietly, feeling obligated to address the implicit accusation in her words even if she was willing to let it lie. He didn't think it right to just ignore it. Not when they had no real excuse; save for one. "But not just that. These names, they're all... Friends. To me too, but to Ruby and Yang those girls're just as much family as me or Tai." His gaze fell. "This reality isn't one my nieces should've ever had to confront. They have their brave faces on, but... I know it's hurting them. Bad."

It was obvious from his shift in tone that he considered that just as compelling a motive to find out who was responsible for this, to make them undo it, as any shadow war against Salem was. If not more so.

"So don't yell at Yang. And if you're gonna pin this on anybody, it should be the right person—Me. This slipped through the cracks 'cause I've been focused on our problems, keeping my distance from you and Salem both. So there's no confusion, that's why this happened. You know this is just how it goes with me, right?"

It took a special blend of happenstance for a miscommunication this big to occur; a spoonful of wariness. A pinch of mistrust.

And a whole lot of bad luck.

"...I'll do what I can to keep it from happening again. Thing is, I don't know what's a useful piece of info and what isn't... but we got time while we wait for this train, so here's... Everything. From the top."

And so, unless Raven had any objections so commenced the recounting of a story still ongoing. One of bandits and heroes, huntsmen and huntresses, of light and shadow, of four simple souls and the day they met a man called Ozpin, and the day that happened again. It didn't start with the heroes though.

Just a little crew named STRQ.

How could she remember, what...how could this...no!!! Ruby rushed forward in a blink, practically jumping at that scroll to swipe it briefly and delete EVERY TRACE of any copies on it.

"Just kidding, by the way. I've got the only copies right here."​

 

[MyrtenRose]

"Just kidding, by the way. I've got the only copies right here."

"...Ow." Ruby wasn't sure what hurt more, that kick or him having copies of those pics.​

 

[Gus Gungus]

"...Ow." Ruby wasn't sure what hurt more, that kick or him having copies of those pics.

"Must be pretty valuable to you that these little pictures never make the rounds, huh?"

His thumb hovered over the share button. "Say... 'all the lien in your pockets' valuable."​

 

[MyrtenRose]

"...There's no manual for this mess we're in. Doesn't seem wise to take anything for granted." He admitted quietly, feeling obligated to address the implicit accusation in her words even if she was willing to let it lie. He didn't think it right to just ignore it. Not when they had no real excuse; save for one. "But not just that. These names, they're all... Friends. To me too, but to Ruby and Yang they're just as much family as me or Tai." His gaze fell. "This reality isn't one my nieces should've ever had to confront. They have their brave faces on, but... I know it's hurting them. Bad."

It was obvious from his shift in tone that he considered that just as compelling a motive to find out who was responsible for this, to make them undo it, as any shadow war against Salem was. If not more so.

"So don't yell at Yang. And if you're gonna pin this on anybody, it should be the right person—Me. This slipped through the cracks 'cause I've been focused on our problems, keeping my distance from you and Salem both. So there's no confusion, that's why this happened. You know this is just how it goes with me, right?"

It took a special blend of happenstance for a miscommunication this big to occur; a spoonful of wariness. A pinch of mistrust.

And a whole lot of bad luck.

"...I'll do what I can to keep it from happening again. Thing is, I don't know what's a useful piece of info and what isn't... but we got time while we wait for this train, so here's... Everything. From the top."

And so, unless Raven had any objections so commenced the recounting of a story still ongoing. One of bandits and heroes, huntsmen and huntresses, of light and shadow, of four simple souls and the day they met a man called Ozpin, and the day that happened again. It didn't start with the heroes though.

Just a little crew named STRQ.

"Pfft. Yes, that would be helpful, wouldn't it? An idiot's guide to otherworldly messes." Raven let a bit of levity return to her voice despite herself. The moment passed quickly, however. "Can't say I relate to having to deal with some twisted reality, but I understand. Doubt I'd be having a good time if I was in your world and had to meet my counterpart...on top of everybody else." She'd do her best to keep the yelling down to a minimum from now on. After that she was completely quiet as Qrow began his long long tale.

Their first day at Beacon. How team STRQ all met, their landing strategies, the encounter of the partners. Their favorite teachers. Their hated ones. Qrow in a skirt. Graduation day. Too many missions to count, plenty of Grimm slain. The secrets entrusted to their team. The magical gift of avian transformation imparted onto the twins. The births of Yang and Ruby, the abandonment, the death of Summer... him saving Yang and Ruby from certain death when they were kids. The attack on the fall maiden, Amber. Team RWBY's days at school. The Vytal festival. The Fall of Beacon...the deaths of Penny, Pyrrha and Ozpin among many others. The loss of Yang's arm(which had her angrily glare out the doors towards Taurus).

The trek across a continent, a near fatal fight with Tyrian. A much needed campfire talk. Meeting Oscar. The thwarted attack on Haven, the trouble with her other self and the retrieval of the relic. A train ride to Argus. The uncovering of more secrets thanks to the relic of knowledge. The disillusionment towards Ozpin and his mental disappearance. An encounter with grimm straight out of a horror movie. Meeting a once legendary huntress. Stealing an Atlesian shuttle. A fight with a colossal Atlas mech...silver eyes petrifying a Leviathan long enough for a kill. The ride to Atlas, meeting the Ace Ops and reuniting with James...being there to witness RWBY and the other three get their huntsman licenses. And then...here.

"..........Damn." Not the most eloquent of words to say when he finally finished, but that was a metric ton of crap to take in and process.​

 

[MyrtenRose]

"Must be pretty valuable to you that these little pictures never make the rounds, huh?"

His thumb hovered over the share button. "Say... 'all the lien in your pockets' valuable."

"You...you can't be serious. You're sticking me up???"

"That is so not cool, my dude."​

 

[Gus Gungus]

"You...you can't be serious. You're sticking me up???"

"That is so not cool, my dude."​

"It's character building. Besides, it can always be yours again... if you can figure a good way of getting it back."

Their klepto antics were much more than team MTEN's favorite way to pass the time, they were a carefully constructed training exercise. If you weren't on top of your game at all times then you didn't eat.​

 

[MyrtenRose]

"It's character building. Besides, it can always be yours again... if you can figure a good way of getting it back."

Their klepto antics were much more than team MTEN's favorite way to pass the time, they were a carefully constructed training exercise. If you weren't on top of your game at all times then you didn't eat.​

She shot his scroll with Crescent Rose.

"This is emotional blackmail. Theft! You suck." She grumbled quietly, reaching into her pocket to get her wallet and grabbing hold of the lien that was there before she just wildly threw it into the air, letting it all scatter around. He'd may get her lien but she refused to simply hand it over.​

 

[Gus Gungus]

She shot his scroll with Crescent Rose.

"This is emotional blackmail. Theft! You suck." She grumbled quietly, reaching into her pocket to get her wallet and grabbing hold of the lien that was there before she just wildly threw it into the air, letting it all scatter around. He'd may get her lien but she refused to simply hand it over.

"No no, pick it all up and give it in a neat pile or I send."​

 

[MyrtenRose]

"No no, pick it all up and give it in a neat pile or I send."​

"Do it then! I'm not picking any of it up!"​

 

[Gus Gungus]

"Do it then! I'm not picking any of it up!"​

He chuckled with an approving smirk, fully respecting the first signs of a backbone the little ball of cutesy energy was showing. "Kay, then. You can go now."

He made a little 'shoo-shoo' motion with his hand.​

 

[MyrtenRose]

He chuckled and gave a smirk, fully respecting and approving of the first signs of a backbone the little ball of energy showed. "Okay, then. You can go now."

He made a little 'shoo-shoo' motion with his hand.​

"......but the pics though...…delete...."​

 

[Gus Gungus]

"......but the pics though...…delete...."​

"Hey, I promise I will. Soon as all that lien's in my pocket and you're too far away to speed anything out of my hands."​

 

[MyrtenRose]

"Hey, I promise I will. Soon as all that lien's in my pocket and you're too far away to speed anything out of my hands."​

"..." She just burst into rose petals and went for it again.​

 

[Gus Gungus]

"..." She just burst into rose petals and went for it again.​

 

[MyrtenRose]

"WILL. YOU. CUT. IT. OUT. AND. JUST. DELETE. IT. PLEASE?!" Ruby shouted from where she laid sprawled out on the ground.​

 

[Gus Gungus]

"WILL. YOU. CUT. IT. OUT. AND. JUST. DELETE. IT. PLEASE?!" Ruby shouted from where she laid sprawled out on the ground.​

Boop

"Deleted." Merc relented with a what-can-you-do shrug, tucking the scroll away and going about the process of collecting his earnings and counting through the stack. "Now you're starting to get the hang of it. This is fun, I swear. You'll get it soon. Later!"

He threw back a cheery two-fingered wave, quite literally making off like a bandit.​

 

[MyrtenRose]

Boop

"Deleted." Merc relented with a what-can-you-do shrug, tucking the scroll away and going about the process of collecting his earnings and counting through the stack. "Now you're starting to get the hang of it. This is fun, I swear. You'll get it soon. Later!"

He threw back a cheery two-fingered wave, quite literally making off like a bandit.​

"Victory shouldn't feel this painful..." She muttered to herself as he went, both from the kicks and the aching pain of her poor wallet. Oh well. A small price to pay so long as those embarrassing childhood pictures were gone for good.​

 

[Schnee Corp Lawyer]

'or were they?'

 

[Indolent]

He hadn't an inkling as to what to make of their new allies barring Eve, a separate deal that necessitated just as much unpacking as the first. Hazel supposed that in matters of first impressions, that Ruby, Yang, and their Uncle were a veritable mix of eclectic personalities that meant good; it's just that the presence of the native iterations of themselves made it difficult to appreciate that about them. The Red Masque, the epitome of everything that could go wrong in a kid's development if the Ruby Rose he met (more observed and deftly avoided by, maybe) sufficed as a basis of upbringing gone right. The same for Yang, maybe, with difference in being an enforcer for Ozpin over a huntress on a mission to save the world while cracking a fusilade of corny jokes. Then there was Qrow. Man was a legend saturated in infamy and booze, or at least, the bandit king was and what little Hazel derived catching bits and pieces here, it seemed this Qrow was more like the Raven who worked under Salem though their circumstances and history were intrinsically different. He couldn't help but wonder if that meant there was a bandit queen Raven... either way, the reality or the notion sucked. Then the incident of the two Neos came to mind, secondhand accounts leaving him astounded at the differences furthermore.

But there wasn't really a point dwelling on these things, he hadn't all the pieces on the board for himself intriguing as it all was. The knowledge was left in the hands of these doppelgangers and more and more it was seeming the entire affair was contingent on the same thing he professed towards Cinder earlier. A bit of faith, faith justifiably earned in part thanks to the destruction of Beacon-- their Beacon-- being averted.

All of this flashed through his mind at lightning speeds, his features fixed in a pensive stare reminiscent of statuary.

"Uh." The unfortunate soul manning the news kiosk was a teenager whose job description had never involved interacting with a seven foot tall huntsman whose contemplatory expression was akin to both heads of a King Taijitu staring at its prey in tandem. The presence of the scorpion faunus languidly perched upon his shoulder probably didn't help the matter.

"Oh, yes." Came his response, his tone and words monotone and automatic, as he managed a smile whilst retrieving his scroll. His genial personality shone through again, an apologetic expression on his face with a single corner of the mouth crooked. "What's the latest news from Haven and if you can, I'd like a message hand-delivered to an address--"

The sound of an aura-enhanced fist embedding itself into a wall was a common one to Hazel and before he turned, he simply sighed out. "Not again, Cinder..." He turned and-- oh. He was wrong. And he probably should turn back around before he elicited the attention of a huntress that was clearly irate. "Sorry. So, the news?" He'd urge the probably gobsmacked kiosk attendant on, setting his scroll down before them.

"Uh. Typical chatter's still on about what happened at Beacon, I'm sure you've heard of that. Heh, who hasn't, live under a rock if you haven't. There's talk from folks back in Mistral about a sudden holiday for the academy, seems sudden, unusual, but maybe not out of the ordinary considering the academies' relationships. Maybe out solidarity with Beacon and to give time for the student body, families and all that. Grimm activity seems to be the same but you know Mistral, too many communities to keep track of. Umm..." They glanced down at their own monitor and a notebook sidelong, strewn with rough scribbles that looked to be a repository of word-of-mouth news and personal inferences. "Oh yeah, there seems to be a string of cabbage theft lately. Don't know what that's about but it works as a segue-- kinda-- the Market's set in the next few days so if you're headed to Mistral, keep an eye out. S'fun, kinda festival slash buyers meet--"

"I know what it is. Thanks."

"No problem, the message and address's on your scroll?"

"Yeah." While that was being facilitated, there was a certain look to the huntsman that Tyrian definitely recognized, a halfway lost look with the eyes widened a scant that spoke to him having forgotten something apparently important. "That's happening soon, how could I have... shit." He muttered to himself.

 

[MidwayLives]

He hadn't an inkling as to what to make of their new allies barring Eve, a separate deal that necessitated just as much unpacking as the first. Hazel supposed that in matters of first impressions, that Ruby, Yang, and their Uncle were a veritable mix of eclectic personalities that meant good; it's just that the presence of the native iterations of themselves made it difficult to appreciate that about them. The Red Masque, the epitome of everything that could go wrong in a kid's development if the Ruby Rose he met (more observed and deftly avoided by, maybe) sufficed as a basis of upbringing gone right. The same for Yang, maybe, with difference in being an enforcer for Ozpin over a huntress on a mission to save the world while cracking a fusilade of corny jokes. Then there was Qrow. Man was a legend saturated in infamy and booze, or at least, the bandit king was and what little Hazel derived catching bits and pieces here, it seemed this Qrow was more like the Raven who worked under Salem though their circumstances and history were intrinsically different. He couldn't help but wonder if that meant there was a bandit queen Raven... either way, the reality or the notion sucked. Then the incident of the two Neos came to mind, secondhand accounts leaving him astounded at the differences furthermore.

If you asked someone like Tyrian for his opinion on things, you'd get total honesty. With the life that he'd lead, nothing was gained from sugarcoating things. Keeping that in mind, his hot takes on the three that accompanied them were as such: Yang looked as though she could hold her own in a fight. Tyrian had partially been tempted to annoy her to try and egg a fight out of her. But after his team banded together to stop him from fighting Eve, he passed on the idea. Eve seemed like the tougher out of the two anyway. As for Ruby, she was amazing! Quick on her feet and not serving the forces of darkness like her other! She'd even said his tail was cool. But cool she may be, she hardly look fit to throw a punch, let alone go without her weapon. Gaze upon her noodle arms and behold. Therefore, Tyrian concluded that they could be friends but sparring partners? No way. Then there came him : Qrow. Tyrian loved all he knew of this other Qrow. He seemed like a warrior through and through. Just the kind of person Tyrian could look up to!~

Of course, you'd never surmise any of this from Tyrian's expression as he perched on Hazel's shoulder.

"Doo dooo doodooo!~"

Tyrian hummed aloud to the music in his head.
​

The sound of an aura-enhanced fist embedding itself into a wall was a common one to Hazel and before he turned, he simply sighed out. "Not again, Cinder..." He turned and-- oh. He was wrong. And he probably should turn back around before he elicited the attention of a huntress that was clearly irate. "Sorry. So, the news?" He'd urge the probably gobsmacked kiosk attendant on, setting his scroll down before them.

Tyrian saw the whole thing and grinned from ear to ear.

"Such strength! ...I do wonder who's stronger , her or her brother..."
​

"Oh yeah, there seems to be a string of cabbage theft lately. Don't know what that's about but it works as a segue-- kinda-- the Market's set in the next few days so if you're headed to Mistral, keep an eye out. S'fun, kinda festival slash buyers meet--"

"I know what it is. Thanks."

"No problem, the message and address's on your scroll?"

For once Tyrian's ears perked up.

"Hazel, if we do find time, strenuous as it is, we should take up this cabbage related heist..."

Tyrian had to fight to earn money to buy food for himself. Those who would steal food from others were despicable and in need of a good thrashing!
​

"Yeah." While that was being facilitated, there was a certain look to the huntsman that Tyrian definitely recognized, a halfway lost look with the eyes widened a scant that spoke to him having forgotten something apparently important. "That's happening soon, how could I have... shit." He muttered to himself.

His desire for cabbage justice stemmed, Tyrian turned himself around so he'd be looking forwards rather than back. "Hm? My good friend Hazel, what seems to be up?"​

 

[Indolent]

Tyrian saw the whole thing and grinned from ear to ear.

"Such strength! ...I do wonder who's stronger , her or her brother..."

Hazel replied without second thought, practiced in his partnership with Tyrian as he was.

"I would say they're evenly matched, allowing for certain circumstances."

Though this indirectly made him consider how he might fare against his sister now... nah, he'd definitely win.

For once Tyrian's ears perked up.

"Hazel, if we do find time, strenuous as it is, we should take up this cabbage related heist..."

Tyrian had to fight to earn money to buy food for himself. Those who would steal food from others were despicable and in need of a good thrashing!

"We have more serious matters to look after, Tyrian. Besides, it could be kids playing a prank or a spat between merchants or even..." He trailed off, considering the nuances of even suggesting the following of it being the destitute, the unfortunate. He grimaced and shook his head.

His desire for cabbage justice stemmed, Tyrian turned himself around so he'd be looking forwards rather than back. "Hm? My good friend Hazel, what seems to be up?"

While the kiosk clerk handled the simple task of putting together a physical package for a carrier headed to the same destination, Hazel gingerly cocked his head as he hesitated to say. Thinking on it, he came to a formulated reply. "You're aware of my background somewhat, I come from a farming family. The Market is something of a seasonal gathering to ply your wares; livestock, crop, even advice is a commodity to be sold. My family always attends, the extended side come along and make it a grand something or other, it's always a mess."

He drew a long and slow breath, holding it as if he were ruminating it like his steer of old, before he added with a somber finality.

"I wouldn't be welcome."

 

[MidwayLives]

"I would say they're evenly matched, allowing for certain circumstances."

Tyrian merely nodded his head.

But he was really thinking who'd be willing to train him...
​

"We have more serious matters to look after, Tyrian. Besides, it could be kids playing a prank or a spat between merchants or even..." He trailed off, considering the nuances of even suggesting the following of it being the destitute, the unfortunate. He grimaced and shook his head.

"Or, ooor a villainous vegetable cabal!"

Tyrian gave it a thought.

"Nah. Too outrageous."
​

While the kiosk clerk handled the simple task of putting together a physical package for a carrier headed to the same destination, Hazel gingerly cocked his head as he hesitated to say. Thinking on it, he came to a formulated reply. "You're aware of my background somewhat, I come from a farming background. The Market is something of a seasonal gathering to ply your wares; livestock, crop, even advice is a commodity to be sold. My family always attends, the extended side come along and make it a grand something or other, it's always a mess."

He drew a long and slow breath, holding it as if he were ruminating it like his steer of old, before he added with a somber finality.

"I wouldn't be welcome."

Tyrian, for all of his energy and friendliness hadn't gone in depth on his past. Not that he was ashamed, far from it! He loved the fighting, the crowd roaring his name, the thrill of it all. But , all of that came with it's own prices. One being that neither Tyrian or his family could openly discuss the fight club. The other price being far more serious.

The urge to hurt, to even...kill. It lingered within him even now.

He'd never used his tail in all his years of fighting underground. He'd never be able to look his parents in the eyes if he killed a fellow faunus for money.

"I'm not welcome back home if it's of any consolation, my trusted partner. Parents worry I'd get into trouble with the law looking for a fight."

..."

"Is it because you've chosen the life of a huntsman?"

​