Fandom Distorted Mirror [IC]

[MyrtenRose]

"...It's about Yang..." He started off heavily, never one to be the most tactful or delicate about breaking bad news. He favored the quick and honest approach. Always had.

"She's okay, we're pretty sure." His eyes flickered guiltily towards his less agreeable of sisters. "But Weiss... has her."

Thinking about what kind of inhumane treatment that egomaniac might've had in store for her made him grit his teeth.

"...….Oh."

Ruby hadn't missed the fact that Yang was not around, but the youngest one in the room had simply thought that she had gone with the others. To help them out with their task in the same way it seemed the two reptilian faunus were going off to do their own thing. Not that...not that this world's version of Weiss had her.

There was a worried frown at the news, obviously, but......it wasn't as bad as it could have been. The fact that he believed Yang was okay, despite the situation, it helped a lot to ease the concern for what could be happening to her sister right now. "Okay." She slowly nodded. "Then that's just one more important reason for us to get to Atlas as soon as we can. Hopefully she'll still be as okay by the time we do."​

 

[Schnee Corp Lawyer]

The door across from it was ajar, crack just wide enough to make out a study that broke from the rest of the house's arctic decor with its dark oak floor and walls. It was the only room among the house's numerous that looked genuinely comfortable, bookshelves fully stocked, and the room at large was decorated with numerous dust-based artifacts and ornaments that matched well with all the awards, deeds, and distinctions that hung from the walls. Their recipient sat at the desk towards the far end, Weiss framed by a portrait of her knight summon and scribbling something down on a ledger in cursive with chin resting daintily on her knuckle.

Yang liked to think she was pretty smart, but by the time she ended up in le room el piano grande sized, she had totally lost how she'd even gotten to this point, and the frustration was starting to seep into her bones. The frustration was definitely with the building's maze like corridors, and not the thought that was nagging at the back of the brain the farther she got into this building without feeling the glow of her aura bloom from her soul like it always did.

When she entered the study and saw Weiss there, she'd put two and two together well before that point, and leaned against the door frame with a dull frown and arms crossed.

"Y'know, if it was a sleep over you wanted, y'coulda just asked. Sent an invite. Had a whole day to use Facebook before you knew the CCT was gonna blow."

 

[MyrtenRose]

The croc led the whole way, past the broken hole where there had once been a door(totally separate from the gaping hole in another one of her walls), and down through several main streets and veering off into a couple of side roads. Ilia kept pace behind her the whole time, so intently following that she might as well have been Tock's shadow. The girl almost stepped in exactly the same places she did, even. Something that slightly amused Tock, bringing a light smirk to life. Eventually their walk brought them to a building that was on the larger side tucked away in a relatively isolated spot. The crocodile shifted through screens on her scroll for a few moments until she got to the one she wanted and tapped the screen. The big garage door in front of them started to slide open, gradually revealing what rested inside.

"...You have your own airship??"

"Eyuuuuup." Tock remarked, complete with a cracked grin. "A gift from the government of Mistral for some work way back. I've been around." She offered in way of explanation. "Had to make a few adjustments, natch." The ship stood out more than the standard airship, given that rather than the standard brown, the hull and much of the support for the wings were painted a dark green. The wings themselves were a light grey and the pointed bow of the ship, well...it had been spray painted to match up with Tock's own razor sharp teeth, a jagged bunch of lines that criss-crossed into a rough, fierce looking grin of sorts.

"That's...quite a...unique design."

"Ain't it?" The croc sounded extremely proud of her beaut. "Flies like a champ too. Was plannin' to use it to drag those other kids where they needed to go, after surprisin' the lot of 'em with the reveal. One hell of a first impression, eh? But things didn't quite go to plan and so they decided to go at it their way. Can't fault 'em for that." Tock strode over to the ship, one hand reaching up once she was close enough to rub some dust off the lowest point of the aircraft, the black letters also spray painted there standing out more clearly now.

"What's GTR?"

"...…Nothin'." Tock answered. After a second or two she turned back to the chameleon. "Alright, get on. Never been too fond of all the pre-flight checks. Once I'm done with that I prefer we get goin' immediately."

"If...if you don't mind me asking, where is it we're going, exactly? I mean, you could use this to get into Atlas along with the guys back there, right?"

"No." The croc instantly shut down that idea with a harsh growl, though she relaxed after a couple moments passed. "I mean, yeah, I could have suggested that...but I kept my mouth shut about this for a reason. As far as most of them know, I completely wrecked this thing a couple years ago in a...less than smooth landing. Took a long time to get it back into great condition. They don't know about it being repaired and I would rather not even slightly risk any further damage by screwing around with an Atlesian blockade. Let them use a more disposable airship for that."

"...Fair enough."

"And as for where we're going, well...the Shadow Fang were the ones responsible for the bombing up there. Got a lot of people killed and left a lot more with a much harder time of tryin' to contact the rest of the world. They've become a major problem. Plannin' to have a serious talk with 'em bout that."

"...Oh."

"Yeah."

"You know where they are?"

She snorted. "Course I do. I've been all over Remnant, I know my fair share on keepin' my ear to the ground. I go to places and travel in circles more than a few of them back there would blend into just as well as a cat in a sea of dogs would. Just think bout it. Who'd fit in with the dregs of the criminal underworld better, our former esteemed general, James Ironwood..."

"...or me?"

"Point taken."

"Now get on already!"

"But...won't they just try to shoot you down if you approach?"

She just snickered. "They're welcome to try. I'm one hell of a pilot. Anyways, better them tryin' than an Atlesian fleet, y'know? So hurry the hell up!"

Ilia hesitated for a bit before mentally shrugging and starting forward. There was another question she wished to ask, namely how the woman was still walking and talking completely normal as far as Ilia could tell, despite having been cut to shreds multiple times...but that could wait until they were in the air.

————

It didn't take too long for Tock to go through everything she needed done. The very second that was all over with, she went right for taking off. Her airship lifted into the sky, and as the view shifted from the city around to the wide open sky, she heard the soft footsteps of Ilia approaching from behind. "What do you want now?"

"Well um, you know, I saw you get sliced to bits by that one guy, and I'm just super curious so...how are you alive?"

"Long story, kid. I told a bunch of the others: the students and your fellow otherworldly visitors...but...suppose I got some time to kill." Her eyes stayed on the horizon as she began to tell the tale again.​

 

[Gus Gungus]

Yang liked to think she was pretty smart, but by the time she ended up in le room el piano grande sized, she had totally lost how she'd even gotten to this point, and the frustration was starting to seep into her bones. The frustration was definitely with the building's maze like corridors, and not the thought that was nagging at the back of the brain the farther she got into this building without feeling the glow of her aura bloom from her soul like it always did.

When she entered the study and saw Weiss there, she'd put two and two together well before that point, and leaned against the door frame with a dull frown and arms crossed.

"Y'know, if it was a sleep over you wanted, y'coulda just asked. Sent an invite. Had a whole day to use Facebook before you knew the CCT was gonna blow."

"Please knock before you enter my study." Weiss cut across the last syllable leaving Yang's mouth impassively, not looking up, ceasing her writing or otherwise acknowledging Yang's presence in any way until she did.

Assuming she eventually complied, the inheritor of the Schnee fortune set her pen down and clasped both hands on the table with an overtly formal manner, at least when ranked next to the semi wine drunk perkiness Yang had witnessed before. Her designer coat was vaguely reminiscent of the kind the heiress wore during certain Beacon outings when they had all been at their most fly, though the collared fur trimmings were a bit more weather appropriate and added an air of dignified ruggedness to the whole affair.

"I intend to address it personally when your associates try to make a grab for you again. I'm too busy to be spending all my time sitting around on a prison ship waiting for a portal to open."​

 

[Schnee Corp Lawyer]

"Please knock before you enter my study." Weiss cut across the last syllable leaving Yang's mouth impassively, not looking up, ceasing her writing or otherwise acknowledging Yang's presence in any way until she did.

​

"...Really."

She stepped back out and very gently closed the door almost all the way. Then proceeded to boot it open hard enough that a few of the ornaments around the room rattled

"Honey, I'm hoooome~!"

She ambled over to one of the other chairs near the center of the room and dropped into it with a flumph, resting her own chin in her hand in an impressive mirror of Weiss' own position.

Assuming she eventually complied, the inheritor of the Schnee fortune set her pen down and clasped both hands on the table with an overtly formal manner, at least when ranked next to the semi wine drunk perkiness Yang had witnessed before. Her designer coat was vaguely reminiscent of the kind the heiress wore during certain Beacon outings when they had all been at their most fly, though the collared fur trimmings were a bit more weather appropriate and added an air of dignified ruggedness to the whole affair.

"I intend to address it personally when your associates try to make a grab for you again. I'm too busy to be spending all my time sitting around on a prison ship waiting for a portal to open."

"They can't" she replied, somber tone at odds with her lounging. "Raven's portals only work with someone she's bonded with. I'm not on that Raven's list."

She drummed her fingers on the side of her face a few times before she sat up and leaned forward.

"...So... thanks for not tossing me in some prison cell. Really. It's been ages since I've been in a bed that doesn't suck, but I do gotta ask... Why? Why here? DIdn't get enough of me on the airship?"

 

[Gus Gungus]

"...Really."

She stepped back out and very gently closed the door almost all the way. Then proceeded to boot it open hard enough that a few of the ornaments around the room rattled

"Honey, I'm hoooome~!"

She ambled over to one of the other chairs near the center of the room and dropped into it with a flumph, resting her own chin in her hand in an impressive mirror of Weiss' own position.

".........."

"The audacity!" She exclaimed with the prissily disguised laughter of someone who knew they shouldn't have found that funny but did, deciding to allow the insolence pass because of it. This time. "You're bad."

"They can't" she replied, somber tone at odds with her lounging. "Raven's portals only work with someone she's bonded with. I'm not on that Raven's list."

She drummed her fingers on the side of her face a few times before she sat up and leaned forward.

"...So... thanks for not tossing me in some prison cell. Really. It's been ages since I've been in a bed that doesn't suck, but I do gotta ask... Why? Why here? DIdn't get enough of me on the airship?"

"Yes, obviously I'll just take for granted that that's true. Along with anything else you may have to tell me about any prospective escape attempts."

She flatly stated, returning her composure to its proper icy levels with a roll of the eyes. A small, defensive crease appeared in her brow at the follow-up, wintry eyes narrowing at the huntress sharply. "I just told you why. Portals or no portals, I fully expect anyone who didn't get the message after Carnelian finished with them to come for you at some point. Why should I bother going to them when that happens? As I said, I'm a busy woman."

As if to exemplify the point, along with how insignificant a threat she considered Yang in that moment, she picked up her pen and continued writing. Her next words were spoken coyly, distant as if to say it ranked fairly low on her list of priorities.

"Besides, I haven't decided what's to become of you yet. Technically speaking, the most value you have to offer me other than as live bait for your friends would be to turn you over to Ozpin so he can torture you to death."

The indifference in her tone gave the sense it was in no way a possibility she'd ruled out, still mulling it over along with who knew how many others. Her pen came to a stop, hovering over the next line for a moment or two before she proceeded.

"Oh, but I don't know... sounds a bit wasteful. His conduct with the last prisoner I brought him was quite distasteful, and absolutely nothing even came of it in the end. It's as if the man's more fallible than he seems to comprehend."​

 

[Schnee Corp Lawyer]

"...uh huuuuhh..." Yang replied, her brow furrowed with a bit of antsy confusion as she put her elbow on her knee so she could rest her chin in her hand again.

"Well. I super appreciate not being tortured-" She said honestly "-but even if your main concern was using me as bait and you hate the whole murder commute you'd have to make to whatever other prison options I had for this staycation, if you're gonna tell me that throughout the years of the great and terrible Schnee dynasty you yanked out from under your dad none of them built a dungeon cell or thirty then I really will roll over :|"

She leaned back again with at least a slightly cocky smirk as she closed her eyes.

"I'm a 'dangerous brute', y'know. Never know what could go wrong if you let this dog wander without a leash, right?"

She cracked an eye back open, and the smile didn't fade so much as lose its dangerous edge.

"Not that I'm asking for one or anything; again, appreciating the bed, lack of change, no sharp objects currently in my guts, and so on. Just... I dunno, Weiss, even if you are a maiden, I'm not that below you in terms of firepower. What gives?"

 

[Gus Gungus]

"...uh huuuuhh..." Yang replied, her brow furrowed with a bit of antsy confusion as she put her elbow on her knee so she could rest her chin in her hand again.

"Well. I super appreciate not being tortured-" She said honestly "-but even if your main concern was using me as bait and you hate the whole murder commute you'd have to make to whatever other prison options I had for this staycation, if you're gonna tell me that throughout the years of the great and terrible Schnee dynasty you yanked out from under your dad none of them built a dungeon cell or thirty then I really will roll over :|"

She leaned back again with at least a slightly cocky smirk as she closed her eyes.

"I'm a 'dangerous brute', y'know. Never know what could go wrong if you let this dog wander without a leash, right?"

She cracked an eye back open, and the smile didn't fade so much as lose its dangerous edge.

"Not that I'm asking for one or anything; again, appreciating the bed, lack of change, no sharp objects currently in my guts, and so on. Just... I dunno, Weiss, even if you are a maiden, I'm not that below you in terms of firepower. What gives?"

She didn't even know where to begin with all that, and exhaled sharply through her nose as she continued to scribble. "Brute, yes. I keep dogs who are more dangerous. You don't lack in strength or skill by any means, but one similarity you and your other self do share is you're both far too one-note to pose a significant threat to me. And that was true even before I was given these powers."

Her phrasing was more dismissively candid than anything born of a need to establish superiority, Weiss simply giving what she saw as a simple, honest appraisal of the comparison. Of Ozpin's other high-ranking enforcers, she only counted Pyrrha and perhaps Blake in certain circumstances as opponents she might have any sort of trouble with; bruisers like Yang and the dearly departed Valkyrie weren't very difficult to shut down. She set her pen down and rested her hands on the table again, fingers steepled as she looked up to affix the huntress with an indulgently raised eyebrow.

"So keep barking and we'll get to the rolling over, dear. I assure you. You might even get a belly rub for the..."

"Okay, the dog thing has run its course."

The eyebrow lowered, diameter of her eyes narrowing to once again hold Yang in a harsher glare. She considered just what undisclosed truth the blonde thought she might have been trying to poke at, and eventually decided to further explain with a wholly indifferent shrug, like she thought the remainder of her rationale didn't merit discussion.

"My mother and brother were sent elsewhere for their own protection. My work doesn't give me the opportunity to keep much company, and in this city an honest perspective is a rare one. Plus, you have some clownish bumpkin attributes, which could be entertaining at the very least. As for why the possibility of your escape doesn't concern me..."

She held up one finger.

"Next time you walk by a window, count the guards."

Two.

"My cybernetics specialist is only just commencing work on a replacement arm."

And three.

"...Surely you're developed enough to have noticed your aura is gone?"

She held the stare expectantly, apparently intent on leaving it there until it became obvious Yang required further clarification. She shook her head slightly, as though puzzled as to what about the statement was so difficult to understand.

"It's gone."​

 

[MyrtenRose]

Ilia had fallen into complete silence after she'd had that absolute bombshell of knowledge dropped on her throughout Tock's explanation. Truthfully? A large part of her wasn't sure if she should believe a word of it. Didn't want to believe it. But...she couldn't figure any reason why the other faunus would lie. And, well, she'd seen it with her own eyes multiple times. Tock kept getting back up/pulling herself together, no matter how badly she'd been put down, she didn't stay down for long. There was proof for what the croc had said. It was really difficult to wrap her mind around.

Something that didn't escape Tock's notice, even with as much as she was focused on piloting. "Yeah. First time hearing it is pretty crazy." There was a whole lot more that Tock could have said, but she didn't. Even the relatively small bit that only related to her personally was enough to stun the chameleon into silence. And to be honest, Tock wasn't sure if she should burden Ilia with any more of that. She might have been from the same world as Ruby and Yang and Qrow and Raven, but she didn't seem quite as in the know as any of them. As it were, the crocodile faunus was just fine with appreciating the quiet. It gave her more time to think, to try and come up with some idea of what she was going to say...

She wasn't anywhere close to a gifted orator. Not like Salem could be, even at the worst of times. Somehow the headmistress usually knew the right combination of words to inspire somebody, or to deescalate a tense situation...or whatever. Maybe it was from living as long as she had but Tock wasn't sure about that. She certainly didn't feel she'd ever be like that no matter how long she lived. Screw it, I'll play it by ear.

Some time later...

"Hey kid, wake up. We're almost there." She side-eyed the other seat where the faunus was resting, seemingly not having heard her. A second later Tock kicked that seat and Ilia jolted awake in shock. "Better." Tock smirked, much to Ilia's annoyance. "Nearly there." In a few minutes the Shadow Fang palace would be in sight on the distant horizon, nestled between two mountain peaks. And she still had no idea how they would respond.

Both had some level of concern, but Ilia definitely seemed far more worried. The last time she had been here...​

 

[Schnee Corp Lawyer]

She didn't even know where to begin with all that, and exhaled sharply through her nose as she continued to scribble. "Brute, yes. I keep dogs who are more dangerous. You don't lack in strength or skill by any means, but one similarity you and your other self do share is you're both far too one-note to pose a significant threat to me. And that was true even before I was given these powers."

Her phrasing was more dismissively candid than anything born of a need to establish superiority, Weiss simply giving what she saw as a simple, honest appraisal of the comparison. Of Ozpin's other high-ranking enforcers, she only counted Pyrrha and perhaps Blake in certain circumstances as opponents she might have any sort of trouble with; bruisers like Yang and the dearly departed Valkyrie weren't very difficult to shut down. She set her pen down and rested her hands on the table again, fingers steepled as she looked up to affix the huntress with an indulgently raised eyebrow.

"So keep barking and we'll get to the rolling over, dear. I assure you. You might even get a belly rub for the..."

"Okay, the dog thing has run its course."

All Weiss got from her confidence in being able to put Yang down in a straight fight was a snort, not all that indicitive of whether Yang was amused that Weiss saw through such a lopsided matchup so quickly or that Weiss was underestimating what Yang thought'd be a much closer matchup. The amusement faded into a mock somber frown at the death of the dog metaphor as she put her hand to her heart.

"You mean we gotta take it behind the shed, ma?"

"My mother and brother were sent elsewhere for their own protection. My work doesn't give me the opportunity to keep much company, and in this city an honest perspective is a rare one. Plus, you have some clownish bumpkin attributes, which could be entertaining at the very least. As for why the possibility of your escape doesn't concern me..."
​

That part of this whole exchange got deposited in the Xiao Long National Bank of Important Memories for later. Unfortunately, Whatever ruminations she might have had or voiced aloud about it were quashed before she could finished thinking them.

And three.

"...Surely you're developed enough to have noticed your aura is gone?"

She held the stare expectantly, apparently intent on leaving it there until it became obvious Yang required further clarification. She shook her head slightly, as though puzzled as to what about the statement was so difficult to understand.

"It's gone."

"..."

Yang let out a long, whispy huff of air as she leaned back in her chair to stare at the ceiling. She didn't look completely shocked.

"...Atlesian aura tech's been a thing for a while now, right? Putting it in robot bodies, using it to transfer maiden powers..."

No, it wasn't really surprising that this was something that could be done. But surprised was far from the only emotion she could've felt at that news, and there was a quiet rawness to her voice after she broke a long silence without moving her gaze back to Weiss.

"...Is it just... gone? Nowhere?"

 

[Schnee Corp Lawyer]

"Hey kid, wake up. We're almost there." She side-eyed the other seat where the faunus was resting, seemingly not having heard her. A second later Tock kicked that seat and Ilia jolted awake in shock. "Better." Tock smirked, much to Ilia's annoyance. "Nearly there." In a few minutes the Shadow Fang palace would be in sight on the distant horizon, nestled between two mountain peaks. And she still had no idea how they would respond.

Both had some level of concern, but Ilia definitely seemed far more worried. The last time she had been here...

The airship's communicator suddenly crackled to life, well before the fortress had come into view. The feminine voice on the other end was soft as silk against the ears despite the clarity and firmness of its tone

"Welcome, most esteemed guests, to the heart of the new faunus empire. Please, land your ship at the dock, and an escort will be with you shortly for your meeting with the High Leader. Land anywhere else, and well.. you may find you might have preferred testing those skills of yours against that Atlesian fleet."

The voice cut out, and no further hails were made or accepted

 

[Gus Gungus]

All Weiss got from her confidence in being able to put Yang down in a straight fight was a snort, not all that indicitive of whether Yang was amused that Weiss saw through such a lopsided matchup so quickly or that Weiss was underestimating what Yang thought'd be a much closer matchup. The amusement faded into a mock somber frown at the death of the dog metaphor as she put her hand to her heart.

"You mean we gotta take it behind the shed, ma?"

That drew a small, permissive roll of the eyes, though whether the hum Weiss gave sounded amused or not was anyone's guess. "It's in the doghouse."

"..."

Yang let out a long, whispy huff of air as she leaned back in her chair to stare at the ceiling. She didn't look completely shocked.

"...Atlesian aura tech's been a thing for a while now, right? Putting it in robot bodies, using it to transfer maiden powers..."

No, it wasn't really surprising that this was something that could be done. But surprised was far from the only emotion she could've felt at that news, and there was a quiet rawness to her voice after she broke a long silence without moving her gaze back to Weiss.

"...Is it just... gone? Nowhere?"

The councilwoman had risen by the time Yang looked back over, a pair of wine glasses in one hand and a calm, assured gait to her stride as she moved to the chair opposite Yang and sat down. She set both glasses on the table and crossed one leg over the other with hands resting primly on the knee, offering clear, comprehending eyes and an inscrutable stare that was if nothing else devoid of any malice or enjoyment of the huntress's plight.

But it didn't hold much sympathy either.

She took a bottle that had clearly seen some use the evening prior from under the table dividing her from Yang and uncorked it, letting a generous amount pour into her own glass. She didn't assume Yang wanted any, but instead gave a wordless, vague gesture in the direction of the other glass as she settled back into her seat, giving her the option to partake if she so desired.

"...I have no reason to give you that information, Yang."

Her tone, while firm, also verged on regretful as she made use of the brawler's name for the first time, something quiet and dignified about the way she let her eyes drift down to watch the wine swish around in her glass before they met Yang's again. It was simply something they both knew, and she let it hang heavy in the air for a beat or two before continuing.

"Except... I have no particular wish for you to feel distressed during your stay here. Or for you to carry on treating me like I'm some sort of cartoon supervillain with, what was it, a 'dungeon'?"

She wrinkled her nose with a faint, derisive smirk, taking special care to make the notion sound as absurd as she considered it to be.

"So, I'm torn. I'd like to tell you, but I'm going to need something from you first to make up for the advantages of keeping you in the dark. Right now you're an enemy, one whose threat I've neutralized in a safe, humane way. You're probably wondering if it's permanent. There are benefits to simply letting you keep wondering. It's what most people in my position would do."

Her smile was much more kindly and benevolent as she took a sip of the wine, or rather something that looked like a sip but actually ended up imbibing the contents of an entire mouthful. That was just what class looked like.

"As you know, I'm anything but most people. So here's my proposal. Tell me something I don't know, something I can use, and I'll consider it. You get to pick, but I get to decide if it's actually useful or not. If I saw you sharing information you shouldn't be with someone you unfortunately must count among your enemies, then I'd be inclined to feel much better about doing the same."

"And who knows what kind of healthy two-way line of communication that might lead to?" She finished brightly, letting the faint note of suggestion carry on her tone.​

 

[MyrtenRose]

The airship's communicator suddenly crackled to life, well before the fortress had come into view. The feminine voice on the other end was soft as silk against the ears despite the clarity and firmness of its tone

"Welcome, most esteemed guests, to the heart of the new faunus empire. Please, land your ship at the dock, and an escort will be with you shortly for your meeting with the High Leader. Land anywhere else, and well.. you may find you might have preferred testing those skills of yours against that Atlesian fleet."

The voice cut out, and no further hails were made or accepted

"..." Tock's eyes widened as she was stunned into temporary silence this time. So much of that message, brief as it was, managed to put the croc on edge. The inflection on the word esteemed, how they had used the phrase 'new faunus empire' instead of extremist faction, or resistance fighters, or force of revolution...neither of those gave Tock a good feeling. And it only compounded the worry in Ilia. But it wasn't those two things that had Tock most concerned. No, it was that final statement. That was quite clearly alluding to what she had said earlier to the chameleon. But how could they have...?

Tock looked over her shoulder, deeper into the interior of the ship. She quickly unbuckled herself and slipped out of her seat, scanning the cockpit. "Take over, kid. Land where they said, use auto-pilot if necessary. I'm goin' to sweep this ship for bugs." Ilia nodded, and the crocodile strode out of sight away from the cockpit to hurriedly look over every inch of the vessel in the short time she had left. What the shite, when the hell could they even have placed one of those on my beaut???

She returned just as they were landing, and it was with a frustrated glare that she admitted that she couldn't find a single small device planted, nothing that indicated the craft was bugged and someone was listening in. Not a thing. Yeah, she was in a hurry but this was not that big a ship, the spots where a bug could be, they...well...that was a problem for later. The ship came to a complete stop and Tock stomped out of the cockpit with a huff as Ilia followed behind.

By the time Tock was exiting the ship however, the frustration was gone as she awaited whatever escort was coming with a cool and calm demeanor.​

 

[Schnee Corp Lawyer]

"..." Tock's eyes widened as she was stunned into temporary silence this time. So much of that message, brief as it was, managed to put the croc on edge. The inflection on the word esteemed, how they had used the phrase 'new faunus empire' instead of extremist faction, or resistance fighters, or force of revolution...neither of those gave Tock a good feeling. And it only compounded the worry in Ilia. But it wasn't those two things that had Tock most concerned. No, it was that final statement. That was quite clearly alluding to what she had said earlier to the chameleon. But how could they have...?

Tock looked over her shoulder, deeper into the interior of the ship. She quickly unbuckled herself and slipped out of her seat, scanning the cockpit. "Take over, kid. Land where they said, use auto-pilot if necessary. I'm goin' to sweep this ship for bugs." Ilia nodded, and the crocodile strode out of sight away from the cockpit to hurriedly look over every inch of the vessel in the short time she had left. What the shite, when the hell could they even have placed one of those on my beaut???

She returned just as they were landing, and it was with a frustrated glare that she admitted that she couldn't find a single small device planted, nothing that indicated the craft was bugged and someone was listening in. Not a thing. Yeah, she was in a hurry but this was not that big a ship, the spots where a bug could be, they...well...that was a problem for later. The ship came to a complete stop and Tock stomped out of the cockpit with a huff as Ilia followed behind.

By the time Tock was exiting the ship however, the frustration was gone as she awaited whatever escort was coming with a cool and calm demeanor.​

The metal of the airship dock should've been entirely at odds with the blackened stone of the palace it jutted from, yet whoever had designed it clearly didn't wish for any changes to be a rush job; the metal was sculpted in much the same way as the castle's own architecture, and a long walkway between it and the castle gates spanned over the yawning abyss of the valley far below. What little sunlight normally reached the shaded fortress was blocked by stormy clouds above, and as the exit of the ship opened, it was only their faunus eyes that let them see more than vague shadows standing at the edge of where the walkway began.

One of those shadows would've been particularly huge. A behemoth of a man stood flanked by two other shadow fang members, easily seven feet tall and somehow almost as wide. His dark tan skin was almost impossibly stretched across the muscles of his arm that was free from the sleeves that had clearly been ripped off of his robes. The other arm was bare as well, but it was colored with the dull grey of metal and heavy tubing that snaked across it, and where a hand should've been instead a massive, two pronged claw existed instead. Despite the maintenance it'd clearly gotten, the arm looked ancient; nothing like the sleek metal and natural curves of modern prosthesis, yet somehow more at odds with the archaic robes the shadow fang wore than such an arm would've been. It looked like someone had grafted a piece of construction equipment directly onto his torso. When their eyes finally completed the journey all the way up the man to his face, it was hidden behind a mask wholy unlike the black, red, and white of normal shadow fang members; it was a stylized bear face, black and brown with white where the eyes should have been.

Despite the imposing figure he cut, his arms crossed and stance firm like a warrior monk of old, his rumbling voice was calm and gentle as his head tilted in a subtle nod to the new arrivals.

"...Tock. If that is still the name you go by in these days."

 

[MyrtenRose]

The metal of the airship dock should've been entirely at odds with the blackened stone of the palace it jutted from, yet whoever had designed it clearly didn't wish for any changes to be a rush job; the metal was sculpted in much the same way as the castle's own architecture, and a long walkway between it and the castle gates spanned over the yawning abyss of the valley far below. What little sunlight normally reached the shaded fortress was blocked by stormy clouds above, and as the exit of the ship opened, it was only their faunus eyes that let them see more than vague shadows standing at the edge of where the walkway began.

One of those shadows would've been particularly huge. A behemoth of a man stood flanked by two other shadow fang members, easily seven feet tall and somehow almost as wide. His dark tan skin was almost impossibly stretched across the muscles of his arm that was free from the sleeves that had clearly been ripped off of his robes. The other arm was bare as well, but it was colored with the dull grey of metal and heavy tubing that snaked across it, and where a hand should've been instead a massive, two pronged claw existed instead. Despite the maintenance it'd clearly gotten, the arm looked ancient; nothing like the sleek metal and natural curves of modern prosthesis, yet somehow more at odds with the archaic robes the shadow fang wore than such an arm would've been. It looked like someone had grafted a piece of construction equipment directly onto his torso. When their eyes finally completed the journey all the way up the man to his face, it was hidden behind a mask wholy unlike the black, red, and white of normal shadow fang members; it was a stylized bear face, black and brown with white where the eyes should have been.

Despite the imposing figure he cut, his arms crossed and stance firm like a warrior monk of old, his rumbling voice was calm and gentle as his head tilted in a subtle nod to the new arrivals.

"...Tock. If that is still the name you go by in these days."

"...Bear." She returned the greeting, sounding completely at ease as she stepped closer to the trio, all with a faint smile on her face.

The man dwarfed her in the same way a boulder would a pebble, but she didn't seem all that threatened by either his stature or his presence. The latter of which would have assuredly unnerved many others. This seven foot tall behemoth alone made for an intimidating sight. Everything you could tell about the big guy at a glance, none of it pointed to somebody who would be assigned to menial escort duty. Not unless you were expecting trouble from the somebody being escorted. That was why Tock figured he'd personally been sent, at least, and that thought was only further cemented in her mind by the fact that he was flanked by two others as well. "It is." She confirmed the matter of her name. "Lovin' the arm, ya do work on it recently?" The croc questioned with a friendly smirk. Her eyes shifted to the side briefly after before returning to that bear mask and asking another question.

"We free to go in now or what? Don't want to keep ya from oh so important Talon business."

Ilia, on the other hand, was not as carefree as Tock either legitimately was or was making an effort to seem to be. She was even more dwarfed by the man than the other reptilian faunus, and she decidedly stayed behind Tock at all times, mind idly wondering if the escort was solely for the croc or if her own presence required more of them for that job.​

 

[Schnee Corp Lawyer]

That drew a small, permissive roll of the eyes, though whether the hum Weiss gave sounded amused or not was anyone's guess. "It's in the doghouse."



The councilwoman had risen by the time Yang looked back over, a pair of wine glasses in one hand and a calm, assured gait to her stride as she moved to the chair opposite Yang and sat down. She set both glasses on the table and crossed one leg over the other with hands resting primly on the knee, offering clear, comprehending eyes and an inscrutable stare that was if nothing else devoid of any malice or enjoyment of the huntress's plight.

But it didn't hold much sympathy either.

She took a bottle that had clearly seen some use the evening prior from under the table dividing her from Yang and uncorked it, letting a generous amount pour into her own glass. She didn't assume Yang wanted any, but instead gave a wordless, vague gesture in the direction of the other glass as she settled back into her seat, giving her the option to partake if she so desired.

"...I have no reason to give you that information, Yang."

Her tone, while firm, also verged on regretful as she made use of the brawler's name for the first time, something quiet and dignified about the way she let her eyes drift down to watch the wine swish around in her glass before they met Yang's again. It was simply something they both knew, and she let it hang heavy in the air for a beat or two before continuing.

"Except... I have no particular wish for you to feel distressed during your stay here. Or for you to carry on treating me like I'm some sort of cartoon supervillain with, what was it, a 'dungeon'?"

She wrinkled her nose with a faint, derisive smirk, taking special care to make the notion sound as absurd as she considered it to be.

"So, I'm torn. I'd like to tell you, but I'm going to need something from you first to make up for the advantages of keeping you in the dark. Right now you're an enemy, one whose threat I've neutralized in a safe, humane way. You're probably wondering if it's permanent. There are benefits to simply letting you keep wondering. It's what most people in my position would do."

Her smile was much more kindly and benevolent as she took a sip of the wine, or rather something that looked like a sip but actually ended up imbibing the contents of an entire mouthful. That was just what class looked like.

"As you know, I'm anything but most people. So here's my proposal. Tell me something I don't know, something I can use, and I'll consider it. You get to pick, but I get to decide if it's actually useful or not. If I saw you sharing information you shouldn't be with someone you unfortunately must count among your enemies, then I'd be inclined to feel much better about doing the same."

"And who knows what kind of healthy two-way line of communication that might lead to?" She finished brightly, letting the faint note of suggestion carry on her tone.​

Yang closed her eyes and took another deep, steadying breath that only sort of served its purpose, her hand balled into a fist in her lap.

Life just... kept taking things from her.

She'd lost two moms. Taurus took her arm, and Blake whisked her self worth along with her to Menagerie. Her school years had been snatched by Salem, along with good friends like Pyrrha. She hadn't taken any of it lying down. She'd filled Summer's shoes as best she could, she'd hunted Raven down and gotten at least some measure of closure along with it. She'd clawed out of the hole Beacon had left her spirits in, reunited with Blake, and had spent every day since Beacon working towards ensuring Salem didn't get her way any more. When life smacked her down, she got right back up and hit back, harder. It was the core of who she was, to the point that it'd coalesced into her semblance.

Except now that had been taken too.

It was different than it being suppressed. That felt like the fire in her soul was doused in water, but still there. Now she reached for the sparks and found nothing in response. Someone took something from her, again, ostensibly for her own good, again, just like Raven and Blake had. She knew she was supposed to get right back up again, that its who she was, but... this one hurt. Bad. For someone as young as she was, she was really starting to get sick of this whole cycle.

But it didn't matter if she was sick of it. She wasn't going to go so far as to think her life was worthless without her aura, but she couldn't fight. It'd mean never going into battle alongside Ruby, Weiss, and Blake again, and more painfully, never able to make sure that those three came out of those fights safe and sound. She wouldn't be able to protect her baby sister, her best friend, or the shadow to her sun ever again. So she told herself whatever. Get over the hurt, suck it up, and cry about it later. The important thing right now was to get back up, like it always was.

For the first time since this bizarre setup began, Yang didn't meet Weiss' congenial tone halfway, and when she finally looked back down it was with a hurt glare. She sullenly snagged the wine bottle and started to move to pour it before she gave a concerted frown.

"...Uh... Can't hold the glass, would'ja mind..."

She put the bottle back down, and regardless of if Weiss obliged, closed her eyes and racked her brain. Something to pass on, that Weiss could use, but wouldn't put her baby sister or uncle qrow or those kids in any more danger than they already were from this lady.

"...How much do you know about how the relic of knowledge actually works?" she eventually ventured.

 

[Schnee Corp Lawyer]

"...Bear." She returned the greeting, sounding completely at ease as she stepped closer to the trio, all with a faint smile on her face.

The man dwarfed her in the same way a boulder would a pebble, but she didn't seem all that threatened by either his stature or his presence. The latter of which would have assuredly unnerved many others. This seven foot tall behemoth alone made for an intimidating sight. Everything you could tell about the big guy at a glance, none of it pointed to somebody who would be assigned to menial escort duty. Not unless you were expecting trouble from the somebody being escorted. That was why Tock figured he'd personally been sent, at least, and that thought was only further cemented in her mind by the fact that he was flanked by two others as well. "It is." She confirmed the matter of her name. "Lovin' the arm, ya do work on it recently?" The croc questioned with a friendly smirk. Her eyes shifted to the side briefly after before returning to that bear mask and asking another question.​

"The only thing that's kept it working for so long" He answered, his own voice nonconfrontational if not exactly reaching the lofty heights friendly.

"We free to go in now or what? Don't want to keep ya from oh so important Talon business."

Ilia, on the other hand, was not as carefree as Tock either legitimately was or was making an effort to seem to be. She was even more dwarfed by the man than the other reptilian faunus, and she decidedly stayed behind Tock at all times, mind idly wondering if the escort was solely for the croc or if her own presence required more of them for that job.

"Salem's immortal enforcer deciding to pay us a visit is important Talon business, Tock." He replied, a bit of reprimand creeping into his tone. He nonetheless nodded his head towards the walkway and turned, his heavy footsteps as he started his way in that direction not nearly as loud as they should've been as he made to lead them onward.

"I can't guess as to why you've thought to come here, but you are welcome as any faunus who is not our enemy is." He continued calmly as they walked, the low rumble of thunder from the clouds above accompanying his words. "So long as you behave yourself."

Ilia herself was, so far, ignored. The other shadow fang stepped to the side and waited for the pair to follow, intent on taking up position behind them if the followed

 

[MyrtenRose]

"The only thing that's kept it working for so long" He answered, his own voice nonconfrontational if not exactly reaching the lofty heights friendly.

"Uh-huh. Makes sense." ​

"Salem's immortal enforcer deciding to pay us a visit is important Talon business, Tock." He replied, a bit of reprimand creeping into his tone. He nonetheless nodded his head towards the walkway and turned, his heavy footsteps as he started his way in that direction not nearly as loud as they should've been as he made to lead them onward.

"I can't guess as to why you've thought to come here, but you are welcome as any faunus who is not our enemy is." He continued calmly as they walked, the low rumble of thunder from the clouds above accompanying his words. "So long as you behave yourself."

Ilia herself was, so far, ignored. The other shadow fang stepped to the side and waited for the pair to follow, intent on taking up position behind them if the followed

"...Fair enough, man. When ya put it like that, fair enough." Tock remarked, shoving her hands into her pockets and falling into a slouched walk after him. Her eyes fixated on his hands for a few moments before flitting back up and staying steady on his back as they went. Ilia fell in line just behind her, lightly rubbing her wrists as the other two brought up the rear of this faunus procession. "Really? No guesses at all? Huh." That was an impossible pill to swallow, considering they had alluded to something she had said to Ilia when the two were alone. If they were somehow aware of that...them not being aware of the rest was pushing it. "And hey, behavin' myself? No need ta worry. Good behavior is my middle name." She scoffed.​

 

[Schnee Corp Lawyer]

"Uh-huh. Makes sense."



"...Fair enough, man. When ya put it like that, fair enough." Tock remarked, shoving her hands into her pockets and falling into a slouched walk after him. Her eyes fixated on his hands for a few moments before flitting back up and staying steady on his back as they went. Ilia fell in line just behind her, lightly rubbing her wrists as the other two brought up the rear of this faunus procession. "Really? No guesses at all? Huh." That was an impossible pill to swallow, considering they had alluded to something she had said to Ilia when the two were alone. If they were somehow aware of that...them not being aware of the rest was pushing it. "And hey, behavin' myself? No need ta worry. Good behavior is my middle name." She scoffed.​

"None that I hope you make me entertain. As for you, little one..."

His head craned backwards as they walked, just as they passed the halfway point on the bridge, so that one of the mask's yes was just visible over his shoulder. His voice had a graveness to it that wasn't there while he addressed Tock.

"...Why have you come? You were warned, when last you were here, of what those who bite the hand earn for their actions. Be very careful what you say."

 

[MyrtenRose]

"None that I hope you make me entertain. As for you, little one..."

His head craned backwards as they walked, just as they passed the halfway point on the bridge, so that one of the mask's eyes was just visible over his shoulder. His voice had a graveness to it that wasn't there while he addressed Tock.

"...Why have you come? You were warned, when last you were here, of what those who bite the hand earn for their actions. Be very careful what you say."

"...To help." She replied, keeping it purposefully vague as she stared boldly and unflinchingly up at that eye. It was true that the guy was much bigger than she was, but regardless of the initial surprise upon seeing him, she didn't let it get to her all that much. She had stared down this world's Blake, this world's Weiss and even held a gaze on the nightmarish individual they worked with. That guy and that fortress of horrors made this guy and this place look like preschool in comparison. If they wanted to punish her for anything they deemed worth such an action...they could damn well try.​

 

[Gus Gungus]

Yang closed her eyes and took another deep, steadying breath that only sort of served its purpose, her hand balled into a fist in her lap.

Life just... kept taking things from her.

She'd lost two moms. Taurus took her arm, and Blake whisked her self worth along with her to Menagerie. Her school years had been snatched by Salem, along with good friends like Pyrrha. She hadn't taken any of it lying down. She'd filled Summer's shoes as best she could, she'd hunted Raven down and gotten at least some measure of closure along with it. She'd clawed out of the hole Beacon had left her spirits in, reunited with Blake, and had spent every day since Beacon working towards ensuring Salem didn't get her way any more. When life smacked her down, she got right back up and hit back, harder. It was the core of who she was, to the point that it'd coalesced into her semblance.

Except now that had been taken too.

It was different than it being suppressed. That felt like the fire in her soul was doused in water, but still there. Now she reached for the sparks and found nothing in response. Someone took something from her, again, ostensibly for her own good, again, just like Raven and Blake had. She knew she was supposed to get right back up again, that its who she was, but... this one hurt. Bad. For someone as young as she was, she was really starting to get sick of this whole cycle.

But it didn't matter if she was sick of it. She wasn't going to go so far as to think her life was worthless without her aura, but she couldn't fight. It'd mean never going into battle alongside Ruby, Weiss, and Blake again, and more painfully, never able to make sure that those three came out of those fights safe and sound. She wouldn't be able to protect her baby sister, her best friend, or the shadow to her sun ever again. So she told herself whatever. Get over the hurt, suck it up, and cry about it later. The important thing right now was to get back up, like it always was.

For the first time since this bizarre setup began, Yang didn't meet Weiss' congenial tone halfway, and when she finally looked back down it was with a hurt glare. She sullenly snagged the wine bottle and started to move to pour it before she gave a concerted frown.

"...Uh... Can't hold the glass, would'ja mind..."

She put the bottle back down, and regardless of if Weiss obliged, closed her eyes and racked her brain. Something to pass on, that Weiss could use, but wouldn't put her baby sister or uncle qrow or those kids in any more danger than they already were from this lady.

"...How much do you know about how the relic of knowledge actually works?" she eventually ventured.

The raw emotional potency in Yang's glare hadn't so much as elicited a bat of the eye from Weiss, but when the huntress pointed out her difficulty in pouring herself a glass her eyes did get that little bit wider, hand flying to her mouth in what seemed like a sincere expression of mortification.

"That was unacceptably rude of me! I'm sorry."

There was a haste in the way she set her own glass down and leaned forward to oblige, that same awkward, uncertain feeling of overcompensation Yang had had to get used to from her friends on Patch in the first few months after she lost her arm as she poured her glass for her. It was just as full as the one she'd measured out for herself, using up the remainder of the dark liquid in the bottle and producing a glyph to slide it back over where it'd be easier for Yang to grab.

"I was only a little girl when my mother ordered this shipment. It's a vintage port from Vacuo. Aged in our cellar for longer than you've been alive, I'd wager. Most people don't ever get to taste anything this exorbitant in their entire lifetime."

She explained, doing that thing Weiss did sometimes where she started to recite the minute details of something as if anyone actually cared when everyone knew she was just trying to look smart. She settled back comfortably into the chair again, taking another deep sip and waiting for Yang to do the same before she continued.

"It's not great, is it?"

Her appraisal was simple and candid, curl of her lower lip communicating plenty on her opinion of her mother's spending habits as she sighed and continued to drink it anyway. A few moments passed before she replied to Yang, eyes brimming with intrigue when they flicked back up towards the huntress.

"Practically nothing, given Ozpin views his collaborators as little more than disposable tools to posture to and vent his frustrations on whenever things don't go his way. Or simply whenever he wishes to remind us how scary he is for the thousandth time."

The light, mocking tone she took was a good indicator as to how successful those efforts had been on her. Something midway between a laugh and a harrumph came from her lips, approving and a little taken aback as she lidded her eyes at the huntress.

"I'm pleasantly surprised, Yang! That is a good suggestion. I half expected you to say something silly or try to throw me with another dazzling display of false bravado."​

 

[MyrtenRose]

"I know. And we will. I wish you luck in At-"

The edge of the range was hit, and the call cut off. Watts glanced down at the screen and gave a shrug before he swapped it back to the navigation app.

"...If everyone in this car still wishes to help with Cinder's rescue, then we might as well get started in that direction."

*thud*

"Though I might suggest we get another vehicle. Perhaps one built to seat at least four instead of two and a half." He added with a dry frown as Tyrian inadvertently kicked him in the back of his head as he went through those dreams.

Their journey, presumably eventually in a more suitable vehicle than the cramped hot rod, went quite uneventfully. The hours of the days they spent traveling passed by quickly, any stray packs of grimm that ended up crossing their path were minor roadblocks at best to the group. No match for them. Certainly nothing even close to the alpha monstrosity they'd encountered while taking the train to Mistral. The nights of rest went by just as swiftly, evening meals around campfires and the like, plus the sleep needed for all of them. After several days of this pattern more or less going the same, as they reached the crest of one particularly steep hill, they could spot their target in the distance, even in the fading sunlight as night approached.

The vantage point gave them a clear line of sight of a lot of the camp below and to the east. The large sharpened wooden stakes chained together to serve as a rough jury-rigged wall meant to ward off lesser grimm and potential intruders, the giant gate that served as the only way into the camp without jumping over the wall, and even a few of the scattered tents within that weren't obscured by the aforementioned walls.

The more observant and eagle-eyed among them could make out the faint glow of orange that lit up a couple of the tents and the faint trails of smoke that wafted up into the sky above, though there was no obvious signs of any movement. In truth, save for that, it would have been easy to take the complete lack of activity as evidence that the whole place was entirely abandoned.​

 

[Schnee Corp Lawyer]

The raw emotional potency in Yang's glare hadn't so much as elicited a bat of the eye from Weiss, but when the huntress pointed out her difficulty in pouring herself a glass her eyes did get that little bit wider, hand flying to her mouth in what seemed like a sincere expression of mortification.

"That was unacceptably rude of me! I'm sorry."

There was a haste in the way she set her own glass down and leaned forward to oblige, that same awkward, uncertain feeling of overcompensation Yang had had to get used to from her friends on Patch in the first few months after she lost her arm as she poured her glass for her. It was just as full as the one she'd measured out for herself, using up the remainder of the dark liquid in the bottle and producing a glyph to slide it back over where it'd be easier for Yang to grab.

"I was only a little girl when my mother ordered this shipment. It's a vintage port from Vacuo. Aged in our cellar for longer than you've been alive, I'd wager. Most people don't ever get to taste anything this exorbitant in their entire lifetime."

She explained, doing that thing Weiss did sometimes where she started to recite the minute details of something as if anyone actually cared when everyone knew she was just trying to look smart. She settled back comfortably into the chair again, taking another deep sip and waiting for Yang to do the same before she continued.

"It's not great, is it?"

Her appraisal was simple and candid, curl of her lower lip communicating plenty on her opinion of her mother's spending habits as she sighed and continued to drink it anyway. A few moments passed before she replied to Yang, eyes brimming with intrigue when they flicked back up towards the huntress.

"Practically nothing, given Ozpin views his collaborators as little more than disposable tools to posture to and vent his frustrations on whenever things don't go his way. Or simply whenever he wishes to remind us how scary he is for the thousandth time."

The light, mocking tone she took was a good indicator as to how successful those efforts had been on her. Something midway between a laugh and a harrumph came from her lips, approving and a little taken aback as she lidded her eyes at the huntress.

"I'm pleasantly surprised, Yang! That is a good suggestion. I half expected you to say something silly or try to throw me with another dazzling display of false bravado."​

If Yang took any offense to either Weiss' faux pass or the pity that came of it, it didn't show on her face as she picked up the glass and leaned back into the chair to stare at it as she idly swirled it around like she'd seen people do on television before. There was still a storm of frustrated anger as Weiss went on about wine, mothers, and monsters, but when she gave the backhand in compliment form, she closed her eyes and took a long sip of the glass herself, before giving an easy shrug and a smirk to match.

"Okay, one-" she said, raising her stub in lieu of letting go of the glass "None of my bravado is false, I'm just that brave and stubborn, so write that down. And there'd be a two, but, well. Yea." She finished with a small waggle before she lowered it and looked down into the glass. The smile weakened as she swirled the wine a bit more, watching the liquid ebb and flow with her reflection distorted.

"You literally have my soul hostage, Weiss. Not really the time to be playing softball."

 

[Schnee Corp Lawyer]

“Sometimes the best help one can offer is to stay out of the way.”

The lumbering faunus’ calm baritone was tinged with regret as he continued to stride forward, leading them into the depths of the fortress. The cavernous halls were just as pitch black as Ilia remembered them, dim overhead lights scattered throughout to give faunus eyes just enough light to see. Yet even with those eyes, the crocodile and the chameleon felt gazes on them everywhere they walked, their aura fluttering with warnings of danger despite how empty the massive structure seemed. Occasionally they’d catch a glimpse of robes or a bit of a tail disappearing around the corner, and the tiniest sound in the rafters above them, but nothing so concrete; it was more akin to being haunted than being followed.

They reached the hall that Ilia remembered led to the throne room’s massive doors and continued right past it, continuing onward a short way to a smaller door. While also made of wood, it had none of the castle’s well maintained age to it; it was sleek and new, a pair of large double doors with five circles on each that bore the faces of animals; the one that stood out immediately was the one at the top of the right door, a dead ringer of the mask that Bear wore himself. He placed his hand on it as he went to open them, pushing the heavy wood open with casual ease as the two shadow fang on either side halted and turned to stand guard.

Within was a grand space that was nonetheless modest compared to the austere, towering ceiling of the throne room. Its center was taken up by a large, round table of metal, with the same ten faces on the door emblazoned in front of ten of the chairs, with two slightly larger chairs at either end of the table that were nonetheless almost comically small compared to the one that had the bear face in front of it. It was not a seat Bear intended on taking it seemed, as he instead took a step to the side and crossed his arms, tilting his head for the other two to continue their way forward. They were not the only ones in the room; Seated at the head of the table was the tiger faunus they knew so well, effortlessly regal even seated somewhere besides her throne as she listened to the woman who sat beside her with an unfocused interest. A few seats down the other way, a faunus who’s face was masked in a stylized hunting dog’s sat with his feet up on the table and a spear resting against one shoulder, the slow rise and fall of his shoulders showcasing either the epitome of relaxation or just being passed the fuck out. A fourth faunus was also in the room, who I will not describe because I am not playing her.

As the lizard sisters made their way forward, Sienna and her conversation partner both turned their attention onto them. The other woman was dressed in an elegant dress of dark and pastel blues with white accents, trimmed with fur in atlesian style that was a vibrant clash with the bright orange of her hair. She wore no mask to hide what was a genuinely gorgeous face, and it was wholly difficult to discern what kind of faunus she was from looks alone. The only hint was the pin in her hair, a crystalline serpent that coiled up from the apex of her graceful ponytail and seemed to be staring directly at them both. The subtly was lost entirely as she smiled as they approached, the warmth of the gesture offput by the two sharp fangs that showed from her teeth. The lady stood and gave an refined, deferential curtsy to Tock.

“Miss Jade! We’re honored to have a faunus of your reputation as our guest. Please, take a seat, if you’d so like.” Her voice was a balm to the ears, like silk brushing against their soul as she gestured to the chair opposite of Sienna, the only one not to bear the mark of an animal on it. "I apologize for any stress our earlier conversation caused; we simply wanted to ensure you didn't arrive with any ill intentions. These are dangerous times, after all."



Sienna’s gaze was far less warm, one leg crossed and two of her sharpened, claw-esque nails idly rubbing against one another as she leveled a calculated frown at Tock.

 

[Gus Gungus]

If Yang took any offense to either Weiss' faux pass or the pity that came of it, it didn't show on her face as she picked up the glass and leaned back into the chair to stare at it as she idly swirled it around like she'd seen people do on television before. There was still a storm of frustrated anger as Weiss went on about wine, mothers, and monsters, but when she gave the backhand in compliment form, she closed her eyes and took a long sip of the glass herself, before giving an easy shrug and a smirk to match.

"Okay, one-" she said, raising her stub in lieu of letting go of the glass "None of my bravado is false, I'm just that brave and stubborn, so write that down. And there'd be a two, but, well. Yea." She finished with a small waggle before she lowered it and looked down into the glass. The smile weakened as she swirled the wine a bit more, watching the liquid ebb and flow with her reflection distorted.

"You literally have my soul hostage, Weiss. Not really the time to be playing softball."

"That is so dramatic. Most humans live their entire lives without ever unlocking their aura." Weiss dismissed with a terse sniff, though rather than the biting defensiveness one might expect she delivered the statement with the affability of a friendly debate and one eyebrow raised in slight bemusement, as if she wasn't even understanding what Yang was so upset about. After all, what did she think the alternative would've been?

She continued, affecting much the same benignly dulcet tones as if consoling Yang over some trivial setback. "Look at it this way. Play your cards right and the worst-case scenario is you settle down. Find a trade, put some distance between yourself and a lifestyle that you've clearly already given more than you ever owed to—"

The glacial frigidness of her eyes was thawed ever so briefly by the warming rays of actual sympathy, Weiss biting her lip as her gaze flickered briefly from Yang's eyes to her lack of arm then back again.

"—and just live. There's no shame in that. You could still take care of your sister, your uncle, your friends... You even seem like the kind of girl capable of starting her own family before long. I bet you'd make a wonderful mother."

She glanced down, fingertip lightly tracing the rim of her glass.

"I've inflicted far worse on my enemies with far less provocation. I'm trying to be lenient because of your... unique circumstances. I know right now your heart's telling you I'm the monster, but who knows?"

"Age offers clarity. Maybe one day you'll understand I was doing my best for you."

Her sigh was wistful, but it didn't sound particularly hopeful. She let a moment or two pass before steering things back to the matter at hand.

"So. You were about to tell me how to operate the relic?"​