Fandom Distorted Mirror [IC]

[MyrtenRose]

"A fortress full of people who we've promised to keep safe from Salem's monsters" she clarified helpfully. "Of which, despite her rugged charm and soft heart, miss Jade certainly numbers among"

"Hmph..." She wasn't appreciating that Snake kept calling her a monster.​

She brightened considerably as Ilia clarified however, and the umbrella that had been subtly hooked around her arms and out of sight against the folds of her dress was swung into her hand and popped open as she started to walk forward, walking slightly to the side in case Ilia shared her aversion to the rain and wanted the cover.

"Fantastic. I will speak to Sienna on behalf of Tock before we leave communication range, but I never make a promise that I cannot keep, and for all her virtues the high leader can be frightfully stubborn. But I will try. In regards to your other question..."

Though she did appreciate that much, both the umbrella and moreso the declaration that the snake would at least try to do so. "Thanks." Ilia replied, if extremeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeely reluctantly.​

She tapped the side of her chin as she looked up, searching for the right words.

"How did she explain this to us again... Tell me; have you ever desperately wanted to understand someone elses perspective? Has it ever been the most important thing in your life?"

"......more than you realize...…" Ilia muttered, her face scrunching up in thought as she tried to figure out where the other faunus was going with this.​

 

[Gus Gungus]

Raven didn’t immediately retaliate either. And despite the grave seriousness of the situation and all the corpses back there...

“...Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!”

Definitely not spiteful petty laughter in response to ridiculous teasing, not at all.​

The mysterious attacker landed in a broad power stance as Qrow stumbled to one knee, her shoulders drawn back with feet set apart at the same distance to cast a shadow far longer and larger than her diminutive frame.

"Oho, so it seems you are NOT that depraved creature. Yet neither are you one of mine. So make yourselves known, lest you be SQUASHED under the boot of Atlesian military authority!"

The woman whipped a fist through the air emphatically from her proud, overbearing stance, but did a double-take at the sight of Qrow nonchalantly walking away with his hands in his pockets.

"HALT!"

"Oh, no. Uh-uh. Nah. This one's all yours, sis. Catch you later."

He was gonna go find James.​

 

[MyrtenRose]

The mysterious attacker landed in a broad power stance as Qrow stumbled to one knee, her shoulders drawn back with feet set apart at the same distance to cast a shadow far longer and larger than her diminutive frame.

"Oho, so it seems you are NOT that depraved creature. Yet neither are you one of mine. So make yourselves known, lest you be SQUASHED under the boot of Atlesian military authority!"

The woman whipped a fist through the air emphatically from her proud, overbearing stance, but did a double-take at the sight of Qrow nonchalantly walking away with his hands in his pockets.

"HALT!"

"Oh, no. Uh-uh. Nah. This one's all yours, sis. Catch you later."

He was gonna go find James.​

"One kick and the veteran Qrow Branwen gives up. Wooooooooooooooooooooooooow." She threw back at him in an echo of a short while ago. Though her gaze didn't linger on him long, as when Cordovin yelled halt, crimson eyes shifted to look over the Atlesian military officer. That demand for Qrow to stop barely got out of her mouth before one of Raven's hands suddenly snatched Cordovin up by the collar, holding the tiny woman in the air and at arm's length with zero regard for anything even resembling politeness or respect for such a distinguished officer of the strongest military in the world.

"Depraved creature? Explain."​

 

[Gus Gungus]

"One kick and the veteran Qrow Branwen gives up. Wooooooooooooooooooooooooow." She threw back at him in an echo of a short while ago. Though her gaze didn't linger on him long, as when Cordovin yelled halt, crimson eyes shifted to look over the Atlesian military officer. That demand for Qrow to stop barely got out of her mouth before one of Raven's hands suddenly snatched Cordovin up by the collar, holding the tiny woman in the air and at arm's length with zero regard for anything even resembling politeness or respect for such a distinguished officer of the strongest military in the world.

"Depraved creature? Explain."

Cordovin damn near bit Raven's thumb off until she was let go, and however Raven dealt with that she eventually straightened up and fixed her collar with a scowl.

"Lay another of your filthy hands upon me at your peril. Indeed, now that you've ceased trying to foolishly surprise me I see you must be the huntsman and huntress in James's company. And what would such a suspicious troupe be doing at my border? Trying to smuggle the former general back into Atlas, are you?!"

Her eyes narrowed sharply with the question, letting it weigh on the air for several moments before even thinking of obliging Raven's own.

"YOU do not make demands of ME! As you're in James's company, I'll assume you're also offering assistance. Before sunrise the facility came under assault by an unstoppable devil of a creature. The hardlight barriers preventing Grimm incursions were all deactivated! No Grimm is capable of that kind of cognitive thought, but whatever's acting against Atlas today CANNOT be human! I've seen it with my own eyes! A devil! A DEVIL!!!"

Her shrieking was approaching deafening in pitch.

"As the massacre unfolded, I took on the solemn duty of fortifying myself in here to await reinforcements. My entire fleet was dispatched to deal with Grimm activity off the coast! Had they been present we would've SMOTE whatever nightmare now assails us!!!!"​

 

[MyrtenRose]

Cordovin damn near bit Raven's thumb off until she was let go, and however Raven dealt with that she eventually straightened up and fixed her collar with a scowl.

more serious post incoming

 

[MyrtenRose]

Cordovin damn near bit Raven's thumb off until she was let go, and however Raven dealt with that she eventually straightened up and fixed her collar with a scowl.

"Lay another of your filthy hands upon me at your peril. Indeed, now that you've ceased trying to foolishly surprise me I see you must be the huntsman and huntress in James's company. And what would such a suspicious troupe be doing at my border? Trying to smuggle the former general back into Atlas, are you?!"

Her eyes narrowed sharply with the question, letting it weigh on the air for several moments before even thinking of obliging Raven's own.

"YOU do not make demands of ME! As you're in James's company, I'll assume you're also offering assistance. Before sunrise the facility came under assault by an unstoppable devil of a creature. The hardlight barriers preventing Grimm incursions were all deactivated! No Grimm is capable of that kind of cognitive thought, but whatever's acting against Atlas today CANNOT be human! I've seen it with my own eyes! A devil! A DEVIL!!!"

Her shrieking was approaching deafening in pitch.

"As the massacre unfolded, I took on the solemn duty of fortifying myself in here to await reinforcements. My entire fleet was dispatched to deal with Grimm activity off the coast! Had they been present we would've SMOTE whatever nightmare now assails us!!!!"​

"Ow you damn motherfu--" Raven suddenly exclaimed in pain, the maiden powers no match for the reliable anime move of biting a weak spot, and flinging the tiny woman with all the force of a bullet out of her grasp and into the nearest wall. Thank god for aura but that still HURT and Raven was silently but INTENSELY glaring at the officer for however long it took Cordovin to straighten up and smooth out her outfit. Filthy hands? FILTHY?? Raven would have taken a step forward at that but she held back to let Cordovin continue. This woman...she was ten pounds of ego and sheer painful screeches in a five pound bag. "Stop SCREAMING at me and calmly explain what the hell you mean, what is it that attacked you?? What left that slaughter back there? Who or what was responsible?" She demanded to know, not caring in the least that Cordovin had told her off for making demands.​

 

[Gus Gungus]

"Ow you damn motherfu--" Raven suddenly exclaimed in pain, the maiden powers no match for the reliable anime move of biting a weak spot, and flinging the tiny woman with all the force of a bullet out of her grasp and into the nearest wall. Thank god for aura but that still HURT and Raven was silently but INTENSELY glaring at the officer for however long it took Cordovin to straighten up and smooth out her outfit. Filthy hands? FILTHY?? Raven would have taken a step forward at that but she held back to let Cordovin continue. This woman...she was ten pounds of ego and sheer painful screeches in a five pound bag. "Stop SCREAMING at me and calmly explain what the hell you mean, what is it that attacked you?? What left that slaughter back there? Who or what was responsible?" She demanded to know, not caring in the least that Cordovin had told her off for making demands.

"I JUST FINISHED TELLING YOU WHAT, A DEVIL!!!"

She exploded back, not one to let a blow be inflicted to her authority even at a time like this as she actually went in the opposite direction of Raven's requested volume.

"...Ahem... As I explained to James only a short time ago. The thing responsible has, of course, taken care to eliminate lights. Or did you honestly think it could wreak such devastation without employing underhanded tactics?! I assure you, it is quite monstrous!"​

 

[Schnee Corp Lawyer]

"......more than you realize...…" Ilia muttered, her face scrunching up in thought as she tried to figure out where the other faunus was going with this.

Snake seemed positively delighted at that answer, and she leveled a coy smirk at Ilia as she replied. "Oh, don't worry, I realize the extent quite a bit. For as diametrically as opposed as you and the real Ilia are- err, rather the Ilia who's real to this world, apologies that's still quite a bit to wrap my head around- you're very similar people." She returned to looking forward, and there was a slightly wistful smile on her face as she continued.

"She, too, had those feelings about someone very important to her. So much so, that it became a core part of Ilia Amitola's soul... and manifested as her semblance. She calls it Walk a Mile, and it allows her to, quite literally, see through someone else's eyes."

They'd reached the halfway point by then, and she turned to judge Ilia's reaction with a patient gaze as they walked

 

[MyrtenRose]

"I JUST FINISHED TELLING YOU WHAT, A DEVIL!!!"

She exploded back, not one to let a blow be inflicted to her authority even at a time like this as she actually went in the opposite direction of Raven's requested volume.

"...Ahem... As I explained to James only a short time ago. The thing responsible has, of course, taken care to eliminate lights. Or did you honestly think it could wreak such devastation without employing underhanded tactics?! I assure you, it is quite monstrous!"​

"DETAILS, WOMAN!!!"​

 

[Gus Gungus]

"DETAILS, WOMAN!!!"​

"AND HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO PROVIDE DETAILS WHEN I JUST EXPLAINED THE CREATURE HAS BEEN METICULOUSLY DESTROYING OUR LIGHTS????"

 

[MyrtenRose]

"AND HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO PROVIDE DETAILS WHEN I JUST EXPLAINED THE CREATURE HAS BEEN METICULOUSLY DESTROYING OUR LIGHTS????"

"I DON'T KNOW, CAMERAS? NIGHTVISION EQUIPMENT?? FAUNUS SOLDIERS??? DOES ATLAS REALLY JUST DUMP ALL ITS MOST PATHETIC TROOPS HERE OR WHAT?!"​

 

[Gus Gungus]

"I DON'T KNOW, CAMERAS? NIGHTVISION EQUIPMENT?? FAUNUS SOLDIERS??? DOES ATLAS REALLY JUST DUMP ALL ITS MOST PATHETIC TROOPS HERE OR WHAT?!"

"EVERYONE WHO COULD HAVE OPERATED ANY SUCH DEVICES OR WITNESSED THEIR READINGS IS DEAD!!!! HAVE I NOT IMPRESSED ON YOU THE SEVERITY OF THIS SITUATION?!?!?!?!?!?!"

Their voices echoed ominously throughout the tomb of a base, a distant clatter prompting Caroline to glance over with a flicker of alarm as her volume was finally brought to heel; not by Raven, but by the reminder that it was no guarantee they were alone.

"...A-and regardless, I've been securely occupying this room for hours. Heed my warning where Ironwood did not, I am the SOLE survivor! The last of the screaming ceased ages ago." A sorrowful, scarred look settled over the woman's face, her haunted gaze staring through Raven like she wasn't really there. "It was the most I could do to lock the entire base down and prevent that monster from escaping into the city. You did seal the entrance behind you, yes?"

As evidenced by Qrow's ability to follow her, she definitely hadn't. It was probably too much of a stretch to assume her brother saw any need to do so, either.​

 

[MyrtenRose]

Snake seemed positively delighted at that answer, and she leveled a coy smirk at Ilia as she replied. "Oh, don't worry, I realize the extent quite a bit. For as diametrically as opposed as you and the real Ilia are- err, rather the Ilia who's real to this world, apologies that's still quite a bit to wrap my head around- you're very similar people." She returned to looking forward, and there was a slightly wistful smile on her face as she continued.

"She, too, had those feelings about someone very important to her. So much so, that it became a core part of Ilia Amitola's soul... and manifested as her semblance. She calls it Walk a Mile, and it allows her to, quite literally, see through someone else's eyes."

They'd reached the halfway point by then, and she turned to judge Ilia's reaction with a patient gaze as they walked

"...……………………...…………………...…...……………………………………...…………………………...Whaaaaaat."

That revelation hit her like a sack of bricks. Yeah, she knew how to fight, she had to growing up. She had a good handle on her aura, or as much as she could, considering. For despite all her years and how much she tried to do so, she still to this day had not unlocked her semblance, whatever it might be. To hear her counterpart had done so...instantly her mind was racing with thoughts, wondering if this meant her semblance was that one too, simply waiting within her. "How did she unlock it specifically, like what did it take? Did she just have to focus really hard on those feelings or was there something else that helped? You know, like an external stimulus or something like that?? When did she discover it--wait..." Ilia ceased her million questions, forehead creasing slightly. "Personal...how you knew I was on the tower..." She thought aloud.

"...She used it on me?"​

 

[MyrtenRose]

"EVERYONE WHO COULD HAVE OPERATED ANY SUCH DEVICES OR WITNESSED THEIR READINGS IS DEAD!!!! HAVE I NOT IMPRESSED ON YOU THE SEVERITY OF THIS SITUATION?!?!?!?!?!?!"

Their voices echoed ominously throughout the tomb of a base, a distant clatter prompting Caroline to glance over with a flicker of alarm as her volume was finally brought to heel; not by Raven, but by the reminder that it was no guarantee they were alone.

"...A-and regardless, I've been securely occupying this room for hours. Heed my warning where Ironwood did not, I am the SOLE survivor! The last of the screaming ceased ages ago." A sorrowful, scarred look settled over the woman's face, her haunted gaze staring through Raven like she wasn't really there. "It was the most I could do to lock the entire base down and prevent that monster from escaping into the city. You did seal the entrance behind you, yes?"

As evidenced by Qrow's ability to follow her, she definitely hadn't. It was probably too much of a stretch to assume her brother saw any need to do so, either.​

"Ahhhhhh...no." Raven answered in regards to the sealing of the entrance. The severity of the situation, on the other hand, yeah, that was something Raven was well aware of. She had been ever since she stumbled upon all those corpses. Could it really be some devilish grimm? The way some of those bodies had been posed, deliberately...it didn't seem likely for a creature of pure hate and destruction to put forth that effort, but she supposed it was technically possible. "You should probably go do that yourself." The maiden stepped back to give some more room between them. "Which way did Ironwood go after you informed him of this?"​

 

[Gus Gungus]

"Ahhhhhh...no." Raven answered in regards to the sealing of the entrance. The severity of the situation, on the other hand, yeah, that was something Raven was well aware of. She had been ever since she stumbled upon all those corpses. Could it really be some devilish grimm? The way some of those bodies had been posed, deliberately...it didn't seem likely for a creature of pure hate and destruction to put forth that effort, but she supposed it was technically possible. "You should probably go do that yourself." The maiden stepped back to give some more room between them. "Which way did Ironwood go after you informed him of this?"

That news drew her attention back to focus in a rapt, sharp way. "What?! But I instructed my two best soldiers to ensure the base remained on full lockdown! Have you the capacity of an infant?!"

She started to rush for the door, but paused the requisite moment to cock her sidearm as she indulged Raven's final question. "He intended to make use of the bunker's communications room. And as a fugitive from Atlesian justice I have FORBIDDEN him from doing so! Should I discover you illegally tampered with any military instruments know that I will have each and every one of you DETAINED AS SOON AS THE REINFORCEMENTS ARRIVE!"

She was already fading from sight, sound and hopefully memory by the time the sentence concluded, which meant she missed what came skidding out of the darkness the next corridor over, where they had glimpsed the eyes. It came to stop a foot or two away from the door to the supply office they were in, plain as day to Raven where she stood, in its fully extended sword configuration and splattered with a few licks of fresh blood.

Harbinger.​

 

[Schnee Corp Lawyer]

If it was any consolation, Mercury found it much worse than the rage too.

A look of alarm flickered across his face as his unwavering tough-love approach elicited a reaction entirely different than the one he anticipated, on some level the one he even hoped for. His eyes were slightly wider, his tone not quite as ironclad, but old man Marcus didn't raise no quitter, and after a moment of uncertain staring he redoubled his efforts with a voice raised to let anger mask any other emotions seeping their way in.

"...What, gonna cry now?! Maybe you can't answer, but I KNOW you heard what I just said! Looking for someone to blame? Why waste the time when we both know he's RIGHT HERE!" A blend of resentment, frustration and genuine pain burst through the front he was putting up to spike his voice with actual, unfeigned emotion, though none of it was actually directed at Neo as he jabbed a thumb into his own chest. "C'mon! Hit me! It's my fault you feel this way, I was supposed to have his back it's my fault he's DEAD, SO HIT ME! I DESERVE IT! I RUINED YOUR LIFE! DON'T YOU DARE CRY JUST HIT ME!"

He never relinquished the grip on her wrist, even gave it an aggressive shake or two in a final desperate bid to shake loose the correct emotions, the ones Neo had every right to be feeling. So long as they were directed at the right person, someone who was actually to blame. Him.

He could face Neo being mad at him, even hating him. He could square his jaw and endure the righteous beatdown she quite frankly owed him.

But when he saw her start shaking, every single atom of Mercury Black knew he couldn't endure what was about to happen next, because of him, because he screwed up, and with a final jerk of the wrist he held he tried desperately to rattle Neo's emotional state back to something he knew how to process, eyes flared wide and stinging.​

A part of Neo wanted that fight.

It wanted it bad.

It'd let her feel something, a pain that she understood, and knew how to deal with, how to fight back against it. That part of her still didn't want to accept that she still thought she was alone in this pain, that no one else could really understand what she was feeling, and that all she had to do was to tear down everything else around her in her rage and put every other person she touched at her level. To pass on this hurt in hopes it would lessen the burden, to let someone else be to blame.

But that ship had sailed. It didn't matter if Mercury had told her to trust him, that he'd keep him safe; if it ended up like this, then it was the wrong decision, her wrong decision. Roman was her tether to the rest of the world, the one thing that let her feel like a person instead of a freak, the one lifeline of communication she had with everyone who life hadn't crippled from the word go. And all he ever asked for in return was to keep him safe. To care for him back, even to half the level that he showed her.

She failed. She failed at both. Two simple requests, and she'd failed. The only reason Torchwick even went to Beacon was her, the only reason he was ever in danger was her, and she wasn't good enough to keep her end of the deal. Beacon should've been enough of a wake up call, when she'd needed her darker half to fend of pyrrha, and only after Torchwick had been beaten into the hospital. But no, she was just as excited as everyone else to take the fight to Ozpin, and all she did at Haven was... nothing.

She was useless.

If she couldn't even defend the only person in the world who understood her, then she couldn't be trusted to defend anyone.

And none of that even felt that important to her. Not when compared to the simple fact that she finally had to accept never see his smile again.

By the time Mercury finished, his words had seemingly had the opposite effect on her he'd been hoping for, and she'd gone completely limp in his hands as she let out a horrible, wretched fascimile of a sob that wracked her entire body as the full weight of her breakdown finally came. Neo shattered, only this time it wasn't an illusion.

Her mouth slowly slid shut, the borderline dead look in her single eye returned in full force and then some. Her gaze shifted from Arthur, to Tyrian, to Hazel, to Mercury, to Emerald, to Neo. Friends, one and all. Good ones, no, great ones. Her eye lingered on each for a good while, as if she was committing every inch of every face to her memory. When her gaze returned to Arthur, her mouth opened after a moment and this time a word did come out. "Okay." She agreed, without even a hint of the incredibly cheerful optimism that her voice normally carried. After the word had completely faded away in the air around them, she turned her back on all of them and started walking away, once again making her way for the gate out of the abandoned bandit camp. She didn't think there was anything left to say, and she...hated goodbyes.

Home?

No, she was never going back there. She couldn't. If she did, what she imagined her dad might do to her for leaving in the first place...she feared that by the end of it, all the things she saw as the best parts of herself might have been gone, forever buried under a mountain of hatred and pain. But as much as she never wanted, never planned to go back there, as shitty growing up there had been...she admitted it had at least given her some things.

One of them being earned from all her years spent hunting on behalf of her parents, going out into the woods on quiet mornings and bringing home the meals for them to stuff their cruel faces with. She knew how to track. She desperately hoped that would be enough to find the other maiden that had just run when her back had been against the wall, having chosen flight over fight. She had to find her. Absolutely had to. Not just for herself, not only for her friends, but for everyone in the world out there who could suffer at his hands, who might have been suffering right this moment even. To all the people that were knowingly or unknowingly counting on her.

She would become strong enough. She would become as tough as necessary to see this through to the end. She'd never be weak again.

She vowed it.

Watts ignored the sound of Neo's muted cry as best he could. He was rather astute when it came to reading people, in some ways. He'd picked his fair share of bullies apart, shredded a few friends verbally when he felt it was required or he just wanted to feel superior, and his sharp tongue was just as useful a weapon as his revolver in many fights. He'd seen this crack in her shell coming a mile away, no matter how much Neo kept it underneath herself in quiet apathy.

The only problem was that he'd never been able to turn that gift the other way around. For all his skill a reading the room and being able to pick someone who'd drawn his ire apart, he'd never been able to reverse engineer a way to put someone back together. It just wasn't something he was any good at. Knowing what he did, about his other self... perhaps thats just who he was.

Which is why there was a deep pit of self loathing in the back of his mind as he found himself turning that weapon onto Cinder in his ire as she started to walk away.

"Okay what, Cinder?! Where exactly are you going? We didn't trek all the way across Anima just to give you a quick hello before you threw your life away like an idiot!" He growled and stood to follow her as she started to leave. "I didn't say I was done. I said we are done. You included!"

 

[Schnee Corp Lawyer]

"...……………………...…………………...…...……………………………………...…………………………...Whaaaaaat."

That revelation hit her like a sack of bricks. Yeah, she knew how to fight, she had to growing up. She had a good handle on her aura, or as much as she could, considering. For despite all her years and how much she tried to do so, she still to this day had not unlocked her semblance, whatever it might be. To hear her counterpart had done so...instantly her mind was racing with thoughts, wondering if this meant her semblance was that one too, simply waiting within her. "How did she unlock it specifically, like what did it take? Did she just have to focus really hard on those feelings or was there something else that helped? You know, like an external stimulus or something like that?? When did she discover it--wait..." Ilia ceased her million questions, forehead creasing slightly. "Personal...how you knew I was on the tower..." She thought aloud.

"...She used it on me?"​

"... She did" Snake answered, the cheer leaving her face as she continued looking ahead. "Sienna wanted to give you a chance. The ilia of our world is dear to her and the Hand, so even though you were obviously a threat who Salem had wrapped around her finger, they let you go. But not without precaution. They knew from the moment you sought out the White Fang that you didn't intend to accept that offer of mercy. Even then, though, they didn't use it to its full potential. Every single person in that White Fang meeting at Haven could've been taken out at once, with a single infiltrator and a few of the explosives diverted from the tower. But they didn't. The only White Fang who were hurt were the ones who fought us, even if that number unfortunately included you." She finished quietly, sporting a taciturn frown by the end.

She forced it back into one of her usual smiles, though it was weaker than normal. "As for your other questions, I'm unsure. I unlocked my own semblance on accident, like most do, But perhaps knowing something your soul is capable of might let you force it; maybe we can try once we get in the air?" She suggested as they neared the ship.

 

[MyrtenRose]

That news drew her attention back to focus in a rapt, sharp way. "What?! But I instructed my two best soldiers to ensure the base remained on full lockdown! Have you the capacity of an infant?!"

She started to rush for the door, but paused the requisite moment to cock her sidearm as she indulged Raven's final question. "He intended to make use of the bunker's communications room. And as a fugitive from Atlesian justice I have FORBIDDEN him from doing so! Should I discover you illegally tampered with any military instruments know that I will have each and every one of you DETAINED AS SOON AS THE REINFORCEMENTS ARRIVE!"

She was already fading from sight, sound and hopefully memory by the time the sentence concluded, which meant she missed what came skidding out of the darkness the next corridor over, where they had glimpsed the eyes. It came to stop a foot or two away from the door to the supply office they were in, plain as day to Raven where she stood, in its fully extended sword configuration and splattered with a few licks of fresh blood.

Harbinger.​

She would have questioned the use of the word best to describe those two, except for the simple fact that technically it was correct. They were the best soldiers, simply by being the only two soldiers Caroline had left. As it was, she let out a sigh of relief once the tiny terror with a large capacity for making Raven even more exasperated, was out of sight. The more pleasant mood barely lasted. Not when that familiar weapon slid across the floor and came to a rest only a short distance away.

Stained with blood.

Were anyone else present, the walls that she put up within, everything she did to distance herself emotionally from family or friends or anyone close enough...all of that would have left her regarding that weapon with a stoic, almost uncaring eye. Just for the sake of appearing strong. To not let anybody see any cracks in her armor.

But nobody was here. Moreover, after the experience that she still kept playing out in her head ever so often, after those brutal words hammered into her very existence...it was impossible to appear more weak than she had in that moment of time. So it was that here, now, all of that was discarded. He was her twin brother. Their bond was a strained one, and that was putting it mildly, but all things considered it was one of the few she had left. And even strained as it was, probably the strongest one remaining.

"Qrow!"

She yelled out in plain worry more characteristic of her counterpart than herself, but it came out anyway. She didn't know what was going on in that darkness, had no idea what could have been lying in wait in those shadows, wasn't sure what condition Qrow was in, but it didn't matter. Judging from the state of Harbinger alone, he needed help. She wasn't about to let him die like those soldiers back there, and not on a strange world like this one. Her helmet was thrown to the side as she rushed into the darkness, both blade and eyes burning intensely as she went to face whatever this devil that left Cordovin so spooked actually was.

 

[Schnee Corp Lawyer]

Harriet had been watching Yang from a distance. She'd figured that if she were assigned to keep an eye on this chick, better she never even know Harriet was around. Then when she messed up or tried doing something she shouldn't have been trying, BAM!

She'd rush in faster than lightning and chew her ass out. Maybe Schnee would even grant her a compliment.

...No way that was happening now.

Whatever anger Harriet may have had quickly faded away and was replaced with a quirked eyebrow.

"If I said yes, would you explain how you managed to trash an entire kitchen? Because, believe me, I'm dying to know-"


Harriet grew stiff as a board as Weiss entered.

Whatever her two cents on the new maiden were, Harriet didn't let them bleed into her work. That'd be unprofessional and she was a goddamn Ace.


Needless to say that it wasn't an easy task however.

"I..."

Nope. Any attempt an excuse would be shot down and she'd be reprimanded for backtalk.

"...You're right. My deepest apologies, Councilwoman Schnee."


Well, at least she wasn't going to get stuck with clean up duty-



With all due respect, Schnee, how is an enemy considered a guest-


-THERE IT WAS!

Ugh, she was a soldier, not somebody's maid!

Still, this was her role and she'd do it. Giving a salute, Harriet held it until she was sure Weiss was gone.


" 'I'll just get right on it, Councilwoman Schnee!' Ugh..."

Harriet sheepishly leaned from one foot to the other.

"Was assigned to keep an eye on you. Just like Schnee said and I was thinking that if I kept an eye on you from afar, things would be good. Guess that didn't exactly pan out." Looking at the bowl of cereal, Harriet sighed.

"...If you need anything, just ask. I'll see what I can do. You still hungry or are you gonna be content with just cereal?"

It pissed Harriet off to have to 'baby' an enemy like this but what choice did she have? She'd never hear the end of it if Weiss complained about her behavior/performance.​

Yang was very mature in the face of Weiss' mockery, and only stuck her tongue out at her after she'd already turned around to leave : |

She huffed and turned to face Harriet as she leaned on the counter, a wry frown on her face as she shook her head. "Nah, I'm good. Also, 'yes' literally doesn't answer my question. It wasn't a yes or no question. So... no, saying yes will literally get me to do nothing."

She let that hang in the air for a few seconds until one of the phantom servants bumped her shoulder, and it sent a shiver down her spine that immediately had her standing up. "Which is a question you should still answer but hey, maybe we do this game of twenty questions somewhere not here!" She suggested before turning and power walking down the hall in the opposite direction Weiss had gone.

 

[MyrtenRose]

Which is why there was a deep pit of self loathing in the back of his mind as he found himself turning that weapon onto Cinder in his ire as she started to walk away.

"Okay what, Cinder?! Where exactly are you going? We didn't trek all the way across Anima just to give you a quick hello before you threw your life away like an idiot!" He growled and stood to follow her as she started to leave. "I didn't say I was done. I said we are done. You included!"

She stopped in her tracks, head angling over to look over her shoulder with her single good eye. Bitter sadness was so overflowing in it that it might as well have been spilling out in the same manner the energy did whenever maiden magic was being utilized. "...That's not your call anymore. Not if team WTCH is over. You're not a leader any longer. If we're history, truly done...you're just Arthur. You might not consider yourself a student of Beacon anymore, a huntsman in training no longer, but I'll always be the Fall Maiden. That's not something I get to wake up and just decide to not be anymore. And I'm not you. I'm not giving up on my duty." She pulled her head back to facing forward after that. The teenager resumed her stride and left it up to him if he actually fired his weapon at her.​

 

[MyrtenRose]

"... She did" Snake answered, the cheer leaving her face as she continued looking ahead. "Sienna wanted to give you a chance. The ilia of our world is dear to her and the Hand, so even though you were obviously a threat who Salem had wrapped around her finger, they let you go. But not without precaution. They knew from the moment you sought out the White Fang that you didn't intend to accept that offer of mercy. Even then, though, they didn't use it to its full potential. Every single person in that White Fang meeting at Haven could've been taken out at once, with a single infiltrator and a few of the explosives diverted from the tower. But they didn't. The only White Fang who were hurt were the ones who fought us, even if that number unfortunately included you." She finished quietly, sporting a taciturn frown by the end.

She forced it back into one of her usual smiles, though it was weaker than normal. "As for your other questions, I'm unsure. I unlocked my own semblance on accident, like most do, But perhaps knowing something your soul is capable of might let you force it; maybe we can try once we get in the air?" She suggested as they neared the ship.

There was no reply to Snake's suggestion as by that point she'd gotten the confirmation she asked for. Ilia had spun on her heel, stomping back in the direction of their fortress, rain falling on her be damned. That was an extreme violation of privacy and certainly had its own place in a discussion, but frankly it was the least among her concerns and questions right this second. Wherever her Shadow Fang double was hiding away in there, Ilia was committed to having a word with her. Several words. Maybe even heated ones. Too soon to tell.​

 

[Schnee Corp Lawyer]

She stopped in her tracks, head angling over to look over her shoulder with her single good eye. Bitter sadness was so overflowing in it that it might as well have been spilling out in the same manner the energy did whenever maiden magic was being utilized. "...That's not your call anymore. Not if team WTCH is over. You're not a leader any longer. If we're history, truly done...you're just Arthur. You might not consider yourself a student of Beacon anymore, a huntsman in training no longer, but I'll always be the Fall Maiden. That's not something I get to wake up and just decide to not be anymore. And I'm not you. I'm not giving up on my duty." She pulled her head back to facing forward after that. The teenager resumed her stride and left it up to him if he actually fired his weapon at her.​

Well he wasn't going to do that because he wasn't a broken with grief teenager or general lunatic.

Also Neo stole his gun

But nor was we willing to just accept that answer with a nod and a wave goodbye in the slightest, and he marched right after her to continue using his other favored weapon instead. "Screw whatever duty you think you have Cinder and look at the facts!" he yelled after her as she tried to walk away. "We are in over our heads! ONE year at Beacon wasn't enough, and frankly its become painfully clear to me that a hundred years more wouldn't make that much of a difference! Vernal could have wiped us out of EXISTENCE WITH A WAVE OF HER HAND JUST NOW!"

He picked up the pace to put himself ahead of her and jammed a finger into her chest with a glare. "And maybe all that just made you think that is that we're dead weight. That you're leaving because we're not good enough for the high and mighty fall maiden to consort with anymore, that you just have a height to apsire to that we can't reach. But even if WTCH is done, I still have a responsibility to keep you safe. Do you know why?" He said, the volume getting dangerously low for just a brief moment.

"BECAUSE YOU ARE STILL A FUCKING CHILD!"

His breathe came out in heaves after he yelled, his glare firm and stance just as steadfast as a knight of old as he kept in front of her. "...And I will not stand by as you throw your life away. Not for some fanciful dreams of being a hero when its already gotten one of us killed with nothing to show for it. I would never forgive myself. So if you think so little of my opinion, then you're going to have to go through this dead weight."

 

[Gus Gungus]

"Qrow!"

"Qrow!"

"Qrow!"

"Qrow!"

Her fierce cry echoed through the silent halls of the base, but the void offered nothing in reply as Raven charged into the darkness and lit the way a furious crimson. At least, not for a few moments.

"Over here!"

The tiny, petrified voice that reached her ears faintly was sniveling so much the words were barely comprehensible, drifting over from the looming wall of darkness that led to yet another pitch black room. Until Raven entered it, that was, the scarlet glow cast by her sword and eyes revealing it to be some kind of mess hall with several more carcasses propped up and posed like they were eating lunch. It was hard to make out what exactly was in their hands in place of food, but maybe it was best not to wonder. The bandit had more pressing sights to address anyway.

The prime example being the one awaiting her at the far end of the hall. Several chairs and tables had been pushed aside, streaks of blood leading up to the makeshift clearing, and in the center of it was a shape. Making it out was nigh impossible at a distance, but as she drew closer it became obvious that the tracks led up to the motionless form of Qrow, aura clearly savaged and bleeding from a jagged wound on the side of his neck.

Over him hunched a tiny, cloaked and hooded figure, their back to Raven as they interrupted the oppressive silence with a soft, despairing weeping, every so often jostling the huntsman meekly in an effort to rouse him. The efforts were in vain, however, and the little girl's voice addressing him was growing more and more breathless in its frantic sobs.

"M-Mister please wake up, please you have to wake up! She could come back any second!"

The approaching glow alerted her to Raven's presence, and the figure stiffened up abruptly before going entirely, eerily still. No move was made to turn around and face her, the only motion at all that of her head slowly raising as she called out in the same small, timid tone; albeit one strained by the panicked and tear-stricken notes of alarm.

"Hello??? You have to turn off the light! She doesn't like the light, you'll bring her back!"​

 

[Schnee Corp Lawyer]

There was no reply to Snake's suggestion as by that point she'd gotten the confirmation she asked for. Ilia had spun on her heel, stomping back in the direction of their fortress, rain falling on her be damned. That was an extreme violation of privacy and certainly had its own place in a discussion, but frankly it was the least among her concerns and questions right this second. Wherever her Shadow Fang double was hiding away in there, Ilia was committed to having a word with her. Several words. Maybe even heated ones. Too soon to tell.​

Snake let out a sigh that was borderline disappointed, but she turned as well and put a hand to her ear. "I'll take that as a desire to have a word with her. I'll see if I can get her to meet us- oh"

She let out a startled stumble as the gate clanked and clanged as it dropped shut, the iron bars humming with energy that did not at all seem archaic. and standing on the other side was Ilia, a furious growl on her face and her fists clenched at her sides.

"Go. Away."

"Ilia, she-"

"SHUT UP SNAKE! I'm not in the mood for your sunshine and rainbows bullshit! And I am sick and tired of knowing this freak is out there, judging me!" She turned her gaze back to Ilia with a dangerous, fragile glare. "Bear should've just killed you while we had the chance, but even though you're just going to go out and get in the way some more, they're still letting you go. Again. So get out. Get out of this fortress, and out of my life."

Snake bit her lip and slowly turned back around to get the airship ready, even her persistent demeanor unwilling to stick her her nose into this conversation.

 

[MyrtenRose]

But nor was we willing to just accept that answer with a nod and a wave goodbye in the slightest, and he marched right after her to continue using his other favored weapon instead. "Screw whatever duty you think you have Cinder and look at the facts!" he yelled after her as she tried to walk away. "We are in over our heads! ONE year at Beacon wasn't enough, and frankly its become painfully clear to me that a hundred years more wouldn't make that much of a difference! Vernal could have wiped us out of EXISTENCE WITH A WAVE OF HER HAND JUST NOW!"

"Yeah, maybe she could have, but she didn't. And facts? You're the one not looking at the facts, Arthur. I'm a maiden, just like she is. If I learn enough, practice enough, improve enough...it won't take one hundred years for me to be as good as her, if not better." She pointed out.​

He picked up the pace to put himself ahead of her and jammed a finger into her chest with a glare. "And maybe all that just made you think that is that we're dead weight. That you're leaving because we're not good enough for the high and mighty fall maiden to consort with anymore, that you just have a height to aspire to that we can't reach. But even if WTCH is done, I still have a responsibility to keep you safe. Do you know why?" He said, the volume getting dangerously low for just a brief moment.

"BECAUSE YOU ARE STILL A FUCKING CHILD!"

That bitter empty look in her eye broke at least a small amount when he poked her with his finger and threw those words at her. "That's...that's not true. Don't you see? We all failed...if any of us is dead weight...then we all are. I'm no better than you. We're all on the same level, none of us were ready. Not for any of it. But that's exactly why I have to do this! Don't YOU GET IT?! I can't be weak! I HAVE TO GET STRONGER. MORE THAN ANY OF YOU, I HAVE TO!" She yelled, some fire returning to her eye.

"I WANT TO, I NEED TO, AND THE WORLD NEEDS ME TO!"

"I WON'T BE A CHILD FOREVER, ARTHUR!"

A few tears edged out of the corner of her eye as she yelled that, but they didn't make it down her face before they were evaporated by the sheer overwhelming heat radiating off her in invisible waves.
​

His breathe came out in heaves after he yelled, his glare firm and stance just as steadfast as a knight of old as he kept in front of her. "...And I will not stand by as you throw your life away. Not for some fanciful dreams of being a hero when its already gotten one of us killed with nothing to show for it. I would never forgive myself. So if you think so little of my opinion, then you're going to have to go through this dead weight."

"............" She looked pained at the very idea of her thinking little of his opinion, but she didn't relent. She couldn't. Her fists stayed at her sides, and no move was made to grab her weapon or lash out with a kick or any attack like that. That was also something she couldn't do. Not now, not ever. Cinder tore her gaze away from him, looking sadly over to the dirt covered ground off to the side. "No. I don't." She whispered in apology.

Bursts of fire shot out of her boots and rapidly lifted her into the air, revealing to all watching that at least she had learned to get a good handle on flight. From there she just shot off, soaring as fast as she could away from them, eyes firmly shut for a while as she did her best to stave off all the tears she could feel coming. This was already hard enough, letting him go off any further...it would hurt even more. She was already at incredible levels of hurt, more than she had ever imagined possible for pain to reach. If she didn't get away, she...it was a certainty that she would have broken down completely.

Only when she was a good distance away did she stop in the air, turning back to look. "I'm...sorry." Then she adjusted her course, going not for the open sky but into the forest surrounding them, disappearing into that mess of trees and leaves.​