Fandom Distorted Mirror [IC]

[MyrtenRose]

If and when the Ruby she knew and loved and idolized and baby just a bit but it was only because she wanted to protect her cherished little sister and had a bit of a bad case of mobile empty nest syndrome picked up, Yang couldn't help but grin as she answered.

"Heya sis!"

"...Yang?!" Ruby didn't manage to keep the incredulous surprise out of her voice, having come to an abrupt stop in the middle of helping Nora make a snowman(truly the best use of their time) in order to answer the call. "How are you calling...did you escape from evil Weiss on your own?? Or are you calling from her place and if so is she standing right behind you, leaning over to listen with a cold pout? You know, the type that says she wants to listen but she also doesn't want anybody to comment on SAID listening? Or...did something else even crazier than that happen???" That would be par for the course lately.​

 

[MidwayLives]

"Think they'll still be there?" The words borne intense uncertainty, punctuated with a sigh as she gave the roll of the head to indicate anyway.

Neo had been so caught up in trying to comfort Emerald she'd forgotten about that.

They probably weren't going to wait for a couple of bad bitches like them.

Whoops.
​

"Should get back and see I guess. If they're still there, meh. If not, meh."

Neo gave a 'I dunno' shrug and that was that.

Whatever Emerald decided to do, Neo would be by her side.​

 

[MidwayLives]

She froze before she could finish. That... was a lot to take in. Again. She frowned and quietly scooted over to take Ruby's hand. "Hey. Just because you lost a bet doesn't mean we can't still talk hun. I actually did meet Maria. We can talk about her and this Weiss stuff after the call, ok?" She said as she gave her not sister's hand a squeeze and a warm smile before she finished dialing and scooted back over to lean against the stairwell's wall.

"....Thanks. Really."

Oh, how different things might have been if her Yang was like this.

Ozpin would probably have asked the Masque to kill her if that was the case.
​

If and when the Ruby she knew and loved and idolized and baby just a bit but it was only because she wanted to protect her cherished little sister and had a bit of a bad case of mobile empty nest syndrome picked up, Yang couldn't help but grin as she answered.

"Heya sis!"

"..."

The Masque slumped against the railing and didn't say another word.

She had her own thoughts and feelings about her other self.

Didn't mean she was happy to see her or hear her.​

 

[Schnee Corp Lawyer]

"...Yang?!" Ruby didn't manage to keep the incredulous surprise out of her voice, having come to an abrupt stop in the middle of helping Nora make a snowman(truly the best use of their time) in order to answer the call. "How are you calling...did you escape from evil Weiss on your own?? Or are you calling from her place and if so is she standing right behind you, leaning over to listen with a cold pout? You know, the type that says she wants to listen but she also doesn't want anybody to comment on SAID listening? Or...did something else even crazier than that happen???" That would be par for the course lately.​

"Yeeaaaaaaaah, its not Weiss, but there is someone else here. She's got orders to follow me. I think it was supposed to be like, covertly, but we just played go fishs so. Say hi to uh, Ruby, Ruby." She said, tilting the scroll towards the mask for a moment before she tilted it back whether she obliged. or not.

"Anyway, I got out, yea. Just wanted to make sure you guys were okay yourselves. Ilia's here two, I've been crashing with her. Problem is, I wanna come meet up with you guys, but I got what you might call a parting gift from Weiss, and I'm not sure if its being tracked or traced or whatever word I'm supposed to use there somehow. Was hoping you or someone else in the resistance could shoot me an assist, maybe meet me somewhere neutral?"

There was an unspoken addition to the problems of just heading to the resistance base she hoped was obvious enough for her sister to pick up

 

[MidwayLives]

"Thank you. Are you sure you're not a parrot faunus? Because you've done a remarkable job parroting my very own thoughts on that matter." It was hard to divulge if Gwen's words were meant to be seriously taken or were sarcastic in nature. The tone of voice said the former, but the look on her face pointed to the latter. Whatever the case, the Special Operative swiftly moved on from that.

"..."

He didn't laugh or give any real reaction to the parrot comment.

Just silent indignation.
​

"What? Got something to say?"

"Oh, nothing. You and your synthetic friend are doing a nice job."

The fact that she'd named this soulless machine was absolutely pathetic. It was about as much of a 'partner' as Magenta's revovler 'Peace and Quiet' was his.

Paradise for his part thought Jennings looked cool as all get out but...

Magenta's mind was made up and the last thing the rookie wanted was to go against his friend's beliefs.

Even if he didn't agree.
​

"Yes, yes. Welcome to the hunt and all that." By now her attention had returned to the pair of trespassers in the distance.

"We've got this...We've got this by the ass!"

Hyping himself up was the best way to deal with his nervousness.

He didn't have a special rank like Helios or have the freedom that Magenta did.

But he wanted to make an impression all the same...

These trespassers wouldn't know what hit them!
​

 

[MidwayLives]

"-so check it out, pardners! If y'ever wanna make a snow angel in quicksand, y'just gotta dig yer heels in a li'l deeper, make sure you's all covered up so's no critters take a bite outta ya, then do THIS!"

"Hmm...What excellent form..."

 

[MidwayLives]

Say hi to uh, Ruby, Ruby." She said, tilting the scroll towards the mask for a moment before she tilted it back whether she obliged. or not.

"Hi."

It sounded like the most reluctant hi in the world.

Probably didn't help either that the Masque had pulled her shirt over her head to mask her face as the scroll was turned towards her.

It'd smudge her makeup and there wasn't much point to hiding when you both had the same face but...She just wasn't ready to sit down and talk with her other self.​

 

[MyrtenRose]

Yes, it was all smooth sailing, right up until they exited out a dilapidated section of the city's walls into the Solitas wastes. They slowed to a halt, and Penny's smile faltered into a thoughtful frown.

"Hrm. It seems that there is no posted speed limit here."

It took her longer than most to process that fact, but eventually, that same unconcerned and bright smile returned. Then she gunned it.

The van's shocks were good, but for the most part it was still an entirely offroad trip out to the abandoned mine, and the van's jostling was... noticeable.

"I-i-it re-eall-ly i-is s-o-o g-g-g-ood-d-d t-to see you ag-g-gain, Cinder. T-t-the last we heard y-y-you'd been k-k-kidnapped!" I w-w-as-s so w-worried-d-d-d!" Penny managed to state through vibrations.

Despite having her seatbelt securely fastened, the sheer speed at which Penny gunned it thanks to the lack of any defined speed limit and the bumpy as hell nature of the ride across the vast open snowy fields of Solitas? Those two things definitely had Cinder reach out with one arm to hold on to Penny tightly. Not that she was too genuinely concerned about anything bad happening, the drive earlier had been just fine and there weren't many vehicles that made their way out like this so any chances of a crash or something like that should be nil, but even so, the gesture comforted her. Even if by some freakish act of chance something did swerve in front of the van, and the seatbelt somehow came undone or broke...she just instinctively knew Penny would do all she could to keep her safe. One friend to another. That sent a guilty twinge of regret coursing through her as she thought of others, but she pushed it down as best she could.

"T-t-technically I w-w-was, but I managed-d-d to m-make the kidnapper in-n-t-to a..." She hesitated for a bit for reasons that had nothing to do with the shaky vibrations. What had Vernal been, really? Definitely not friend. Mentor? Companion? Traveling acquaintance? "W-w-well someone-e-e less hostile, any-y-yways-s-s. And y-yeah!" She finished with a happy grin, throwing up a thumbs up with her free hand. "It is s-s-so great to see y-y-ou again too!" ​

 

[MyrtenRose]

"Yeeaaaaaaaah, its not Weiss, but there is someone else here. She's got orders to follow me. I think it was supposed to be like, covertly, but we just played go fishs so. Say hi to uh, Ruby, Ruby." She said, tilting the scroll towards the mask for a moment before she tilted it back whether she obliged. or not.

"Anyway, I got out, yea. Just wanted to make sure you guys were okay yourselves. Ilia's here two, I've been crashing with her. Problem is, I wanna come meet up with you guys, but I got what you might call a parting gift from Weiss, and I'm not sure if its being tracked or traced or whatever word I'm supposed to use there somehow. Was hoping you or someone else in the resistance could shoot me an assist, maybe meet me somewhere neutral?"

There was an unspoken addition to the problems of just heading to the resistance base she hoped was obvious enough for her sister to pick up

"Hi."

It sounded like the most reluctant hi in the world.

Probably didn't help either that the Masque had pulled her shirt over her head to mask her face as the scroll was turned towards her.

It'd smudge her makeup and there wasn't much point to hiding when you both had the same face but...She just wasn't ready to sit down and talk with her other self.​

"Oh, um. Hello, me." That sounded painfully awkward. Ruby couldn't help but wonder: Why isn't there a manual or something for how to deal with evil versions of yourself?

She got over that pretty quickly though with her attention returning to her big sis. "Oh! Well tell Ilia I said hi then!" Ruby had only briefly met the faunus before all this crazy other Remnant stuff, but she had seemed nice and well, any friend of Blake's was an honorary friend of hers as well as far as she was concerned. "And oh." She repeated as she digested those words. "Funnily enough, we're kinda already at a meeting place? I think you could meet us here too if you want. I can text you the directions!" There was a few seconds of hesitation on the other end of the line before Ruby spoke again.

"...What kind of gift?" She inquired. It didn't sound like much of a gift if it had a tracker or anything like that inside.​

 

[MyrtenRose]

"Hmm...What excellent form..."

"Please share a copy of that if you make any."​

 

[MyrtenRose]

"Oh, nothing. You and your synthetic friend are doing a nice job."

"Good."​

"We've got this...We've got this by the ass!"

"...……..Come again?"​

 

[Schnee Corp Lawyer]

Despite having her seatbelt securely fastened, the sheer speed at which Penny gunned it thanks to the lack of any defined speed limit and the bumpy as hell nature of the ride across the vast open snowy fields of Solitas? Those two things definitely had Cinder reach out with one arm to hold on to Penny tightly. Not that she was too genuinely concerned about anything bad happening, the drive earlier had been just fine and there weren't many vehicles that made their way out like this so any chances of a crash or something like that should be nil, but even so, the gesture comforted her. Even if by some freakish act of chance something did swerve in front of the van, and the seatbelt somehow came undone or broke...she just instinctively knew Penny would do all she could to keep her safe. One friend to another. That sent a guilty twinge of regret coursing through her as she thought of others, but she pushed it down as best she could.

"T-t-technically I w-w-was, but I managed-d-d to m-make the kidnapper in-n-t-to a..." She hesitated for a bit for reasons that had nothing to do with the shaky vibrations. What had Vernal been, really? Definitely not friend. Mentor? Companion? Traveling acquaintance? "W-w-well someone-e-e less hostile, any-y-yways-s-s. And y-yeah!" She finished with a happy grin, throwing up a thumbs up with her free hand. "It is s-s-so great to see y-y-ou again too!" ​

"W-w-w-wow, t-that's incred-d-dible!" Penny said in surprise at the news. "T-t-to think, you m-m-managed to n-negotiate your own r-r-release w-w-with a d-d-d-dangerous b-band-dit-t-t. I-I w-wonder-r-r if t-t-that is sim-m-milar t-to w-what Yang t-trying to d-d-do!"

She babbled to Cinder as they drove, giving her a basic run down of how things in the resistance were and peppering her with questions about what had happened after Beacon. She was distraught at the mention of Torchwick's fate if it was brought up, but otherwise maintained her cheer. Any more direct questions about her were met with oddly nervous deflections, hiccups spattered throughout blatant excuses.

A short time later they finally arrived, screaming towards the dust mine like a bat out of hell at full speed.

 

[Schnee Corp Lawyer]

"Oh, um. Hello, me." That sounded painfully awkward. Ruby couldn't help but wonder: Why isn't there a manual or something for how to deal with evil versions of yourself?

She got over that pretty quickly though with her attention returning to her big sis. "Oh! Well tell Ilia I said hi then!" Ruby had only briefly met the faunus before all this crazy other Remnant stuff, but she had seemed nice and well, any friend of Blake's was an honorary friend of hers as well as far as she was concerned. "And oh." She repeated as she digested those words. "Funnily enough, we're kinda already at a meeting place? I think you could meet us here too if you want. I can text you the directions!" There was a few seconds of hesitation on the other end of the line before Ruby spoke again.

"...What kind of gift?" She inquired. It didn't sound like much of a gift if it had a tracker or anything like that inside.​

"Sure! I dont' like, have any transportation or anything, but I'm sure I can figure something out!" she said with a dizzying amount of confidence. "I also dunno if my own scroll's being tracked, so like, make sure its cool with the resistance egg heads before you do that, but I'm definitely game. And trust me-" she added with a wry grin "-You'll know it when you see it."

She drummed her fingers against the stairs for a few seconds after that.

"And... I guess that's it, really. Its... good to hear your voice!" She offered, a nervous lilt to her words. "Been a whole month and a half since I saw you while we weren't siblingsicles."

 

[MyrtenRose]

"W-w-w-wow, t-that's incred-d-dible!" Penny said in surprise at the news. "T-t-to think, you m-m-managed to n-negotiate your own r-r-release w-w-with a d-d-d-dangerous b-band-dit-t-t. I-I w-wonder-r-r if t-t-that is sim-m-milar t-to w-what Yang t-trying to d-d-do!"

She babbled to Cinder as they drove, giving her a basic run down of how things in the resistance were and peppering her with questions about what had happened after Beacon. She was distraught at the mention of Torchwick's fate if it was brought up, but otherwise maintained her cheer. Any more direct questions about her were met with oddly nervous deflections, hiccups spattered throughout blatant excuses.

A short time later they finally arrived, screaming towards the dust mine like a bat out of hell at full speed.

"YANG GOT KIDNAPPED?!?"

The look on her face returned to damn near the exact same one it had been just a short while ago as she shouted out that question to Penny. It was only after Penny explained that she relaxed some and likewise engaged in catching up the robot on certain things. That was only fair. And through it all, Penny was her regular cheerful self...save for an occasional moment when she became uncharacteristically nervous...but the Fall Maiden didn't press to discover why. As soon as the speeding not-death machine screeched to a halt, Cinder looked around from inside the van before she made any attempt to depart. "Is...this really it?"​

 

[MyrtenRose]

"Sure! I dont' like, have any transportation or anything, but I'm sure I can figure something out!" she said with a dizzying amount of confidence. "I also dunno if my own scroll's being tracked, so like, make sure its cool with the resistance egg heads before you do that, but I'm definitely game. And trust me-" she added with a wry grin "-You'll know it when you see it."

She drummed her fingers against the stairs for a few seconds after that.

"And... I guess that's it, really. Its... good to hear your voice!" She offered, a nervous lilt to her words. "Been a whole month and a half since I saw you while we weren't siblingsicles."

"I have faith you'll manage." Ruby wholeheartedly agreed with Yang that she would figure it out. "Yeah, course I will ask them first. Just....man, how many potential tracking stuff do you have on you??? Don't you have anybody around that could like, maybe get rid of those?" She shook her head, still not exactly sure what the heck Yang had gotten up to while a prisoner. "And yeah..." Ruby fell into a far more solemn mood as that got brought up. "I...I'm sorry we failed to get you away from evil Weiss. I mean, Weiss is good, great even...but that many people?" She had a hard time wrapping her mind around it. "I just hope she wasn't...extra evil towards you after that or anything. Guess that would be one more reason for you to escape on your own though, huh?"​

 

[Gus Gungus]

"W-w-w-wow, t-that's incred-d-dible!" Penny said in surprise at the news. "T-t-to think, you m-m-managed to n-negotiate your own r-r-release w-w-with a d-d-d-dangerous b-band-dit-t-t. I-I w-wonder-r-r if t-t-that is sim-m-milar t-to w-what Yang t-trying to d-d-do!"

She babbled to Cinder as they drove, giving her a basic run down of how things in the resistance were and peppering her with questions about what had happened after Beacon. She was distraught at the mention of Torchwick's fate if it was brought up, but otherwise maintained her cheer. Any more direct questions about her were met with oddly nervous deflections, hiccups spattered throughout blatant excuses.

A short time later they finally arrived, screaming towards the dust mine like a bat out of hell at full speed.

"YANG GOT KIDNAPPED?!?"

The look on her face returned to damn near the exact same one it had been just a short while ago as she shouted out that question to Penny. It was only after Penny explained that she relaxed some and likewise engaged in catching up the robot on certain things. That was only fair. And through it all, Penny was her regular cheerful self...save for an occasional moment when she became uncharacteristically nervous...but the Fall Maiden didn't press to discover why. As soon as the speeding not-death machine screeched to a halt, Cinder looked around from inside the van before she made any attempt to depart. "Is...this really it?"

Those among the resistance had been instructed to get out of sight in the event of a vehicle's approach, so the abandoned site Penny pulled into looked just that: abandoned, with the exception of several very ambitious snowman projects and some snow angels that had been so eagerly made they looked more like perfect circles. The sole sign of life was immediately apparent to only Penny, whose sensory instruments were able to detect Winter perched high up above the facility on some of the mining equipment in spite of her and her mount's natural camoflage against the backdrop of the frozen wasted. It nearly looked like the specialist meant to curl her fingers up in a prim wave if the robot was overt about looking up at her, but she seemed to think better of it.

"HOWDY, Y'ALL!" Cobalt suddenly hollered, exploding one of Nora and Ruby's snowmen from the inside out in a grand entrance the moment any of those emerging from the van passed too close by. "Miss Fiona, miss Polendina, who the heck made you gals think it was okay to roll outta bed lookin' so gosh dang adorable this mornin'?! 'Cause I wanna slap em! Slap em FIVE for good judgment, that is! Penny, are my receptors on the fritz or did I see you DRIVIN' just now?! That seems SUPER DANGEROUS!"

They didn't seem to think that was a bad thing, nor did it put so much as a chink in the impenetrable armor that was the gunslinger's exuberance as they trudged through the snowdrifts towards the group with hat brim pulled low and cloak whipping in the breeze. The LED light patterns taking the place of their eyes squinted with interest and sharp delight when it took in Cinder and the Reinharts.

"Boy howdy, that is one BIG FELLER! Mosey on over this way, fine folk, the general's waitin' for ya just inside." Unless otherwise prompted they started leading the group for the site's primary facility, other resistance members beginning to emerge from hiding in less bombastic ways than the cowperson did as some of the White Fang and Ironwood's loyalists glared at the former students suspiciously. "So if y'don't mind my inquirin', which one of y'all is the Fall Maiden, and which are the gruesome twosome from another Remnant who the general warn't too sure about and set up this whole 'remote meetin' at an inaccessible location' affair SPECIFICALLY to get a bead on?!"​

 

[MyrtenRose]

"HOWDY, Y'ALL!" Cobalt suddenly hollered, exploding one of Nora and Ruby's snowmen from the inside out in a grand entrance the moment any of those emerging from the van passed too close by. "Miss Fiona, miss Polendina, who the heck made you gals think it was okay to roll outta bed lookin' so gosh dang adorable this mornin'?! 'Cause I wanna slap em! Slap em FIVE for good judgment, that is! Penny, are my receptors on the fritz or did I see you DRIVIN' just now?! That seems SUPER DANGEROUS!"

Did...did that person just burst out of a snowman...? Cinder thinking about the important questions here as she stared down at the robotic looking cowboy approaching the van. Though the longer she looked, the more her expression grew more and more amused by the guy. By the time she was out of the van, her amused smile had reached its peak, and Cinder leaned over closer to where Penny was. "Is this person a good robot friend of yours?" The description she'd gotten from Penny during her explaining of how the resistance was going, it told her that this guy was one of the leaders of said movement. Made sense to her, with how...welcoming the cowboy seemed.​

"Boy howdy, that is one BIG FELLER! Mosey on over this way, fine folk, the general's waitin' for ya just inside." Unless otherwise prompted they started leading the group for the site's primary facility, other resistance members beginning to emerge from hiding in less bombastic ways than the cowperson did as some of the White Fang and Ironwood's loyalists glared at the former students suspiciously. "So if y'don't mind my inquirin', which one of y'all is the Fall Maiden, and which are the gruesome twosome from another Remnant who the general warn't too sure about and set up this whole 'remote meetin' at an inaccessible location' affair SPECIFICALLY to get a bead on?!"

And that accent was simply precious. The amused smile stayed on as Cinder began to follow and she would have immediately replied to his question of who the fall maiden was by clearing her throat and announcing that she was...but that second question came right on its heels and before she answered, she couldn't help but wince and shoot Penny a worried look. Nevertheless after another moment or two passed, she went with her original answer. Her throat cleared followed right after by "Yo. Fall Maiden here." and a raised hand.​

 

[Indolent]

Neo had been so caught up in trying to comfort Emerald she'd forgotten about that.

They probably weren't going to wait for a couple of bad bitches like them.

Whoops.


Neo gave a 'I dunno' shrug and that was that.

Whatever Emerald decided to do, Neo would be by her side.​

"Yup."

The singular word brimmed with all of the expectation of the complete and total absence of those they'd arrived to this dilapidated hole with, plus one, the thief favoring one leg in a lean with her right hand placed on her hip. It was a languid pose she maintained, her eyes lidded halfway indicating the whole affair was tiresome though much of it stemmed from her emotional kneejerk of a reaction but she didn't so much even think that. It was overall a major inconvenience for them as it was going to be for the Polendina android once she returned to Ironwood with company.

"Wellllllllll," the final consonant elongated sufficiently enough it droned into a sardonic hum before it came to an abrupt stop, "I have no idea whatsoever where to go, lost as we are within the exciting city sister to the great city of Atlas. Whatever shall we doooooooooooo."

Neo received the grandiose gesture of a flourish of one hand, as if to indicate the spotlight's focus to rest on her as she delivered a simple, poignant question.

"Whatever. Shall. We do?" Emerald reiterated the question, plainly rhetorical in her utterance as her words dimished to a pleading whisper, her crimson eyes flaring as they flickered to the surveillance cameras tucked within corners with protruding features that served to obscure them from the gaze of the errant eye. She absolutely noted their position on the way in, way out, and way back in.

She kinda figured someone was interested in them.

 

[MyrtenRose]

"Yup."

The singular word brimmed with all of the expectation of the complete and total absence of those they'd arrived to this dilapidated hole with, plus one, the thief favoring one leg in a lean with her right hand placed on her hip. It was a languid pose she maintained, her eyes lidded halfway indicating the whole affair was tiresome though much of it stemmed from her emotional kneejerk of a reaction but she didn't so much even think that. It was overall a major inconvenience for them as it was going to be for the Polendina android once she returned to Ironwood with company.

"Wellllllllll," the final consonant elongated sufficiently enough it droned into a sardonic hum before it came to an abrupt stop, "I have no idea whatsoever where to go, lost as we are within the exciting city sister to the great city of Atlas. Whatever shall we doooooooooooo."

Neo received the grandiose gesture of a flourish of one hand, as if to indicate the spotlight's focus to rest on her as she delivered a simply, poignant question.

"Whatever. Shall. We do?" Emerald reiterated the question, plainly rhetorical in her utterance as her words dimished to a pleading whisper, her crimson eyes flaring as they flickered to the surveillance cameras tucked within corners with protruding features that served to obscure them from the gaze of the errant eye. She absolutely noted their position on the way in, way out, and way back in.

She kinda figured someone was interested in them.

Ugh. This had gone on way too long as it was, straining her patience beyond belief. If the pair weren't going to lead her to the others, whether because they couldn't or they just chose not to, so be it. Getting called out that directly, witnessed through her interfacing with the camera systems, it was insulting. "I suppose I'll have to settle for a lesser hunt. Perhaps we can gain some information from them once they are in custody...or we could use them as bait for the others." She glanced at Magenta and Paradise briefly, before dismissively turning away from both in favor of looking towards her best companion. "Jennings, are they in position?"

"Affirmative. A deployment of AK-200s are already closing in on the targets. Omega-272 squad deployment is further off, but on stand-by as well and awaiting your command."

"Excellent. Omega squad are to be our reinforcements, just in case we are not enough." The sound of her voice made it very clear that she doubted that would be the case, but it did not hurt to be prudent. Gwen waited for her bot friend to grab hold, at which point her jet boots lifted them both into the air. "Try to keep up." She addressed over to duck lips and the hanger-on before she swiftly soared for where Emerald and Neo were standing outside the messy building. There was no subtlety in her approach, loud and visually striking as it was. She didn't seem to care one tiny bit if they noticed it. As soon as she was within range to casually talk, Jennings released his hold and dropped to the ground below with a heavy metallic thud.

Gwen did not follow suit, electing to remain hovering in the air as she addressed the two trespassers.

"Attention, morons!" She called out to them. Not that she believed she needed to say anything to further get their attention, but simply to make them aware of how exactly she viewed them. "Maybe you missed the signs on the way in, but we're not fond of intruders at this time. Come quietly, and you will be spared any harm. Do not and...well..." Her eyes glinted dangerously, in the very same moment as a number of AK-200s rushed around a corner towards the duo with rifles already drawn and aimed. "I can't promise you'll leave without a scratch." ​

 

[Indolent]

Despite that omission, the drive was the most lawful and smooth drive that any of them had ever been on in their lives. Their speed never inched over the limit, every turn was properly done, and their route gracefully weaved through the resistance's surveillance roadmap. Yes, it was all smooth sailing, right up until they exited out a dilapidated section of the city's walls into the Solitas wastes. They slowed to a halt, and Penny's smile faltered into a thoughtful frown.

"Hrm. It seems that there is no posted speed limit here."

It took her longer than most to process that fact, but eventually, that same unconcerned and bright smile returned. Then she gunned it.

The van's shocks were good, but for the most part it was still an entirely offroad trip out to the abandoned mine, and the van's jostling was... noticeable.


"I-i-it re-eall-ly i-is s-o-o g-g-g-ood-d-d t-to see you ag-g-gain, Cinder. T-t-the last we heard y-y-you'd been k-k-kidnapped!" I w-w-as-s so w-worried-d-d-d!" Penny managed to state through vibrations.

"C-c-c-o-nven-tio-nal wis-dom dic-ta-t-es cru-is-i-n-g speed!" Fiona forced the words through the reverbations that threatened to neutralize her words' intonations, the seatbelt doing little to assuage her fears as she clasped the head of the seat empty to her left with her right broadly placed across Gretchen in a protective maneuver, feet squarely placed against the flooring in a brace. "P-p-penny!" She'd cry, her words ultimately falling on deaf ears as they drove across the expanse of the tundra wasteland.

Gretchen, for her part, pressed herself into the seat tighter, her armrest experiencing the terrible power of the Rainarts' vice-grip hand-strength with her opposite errant hand clasping Fiona's knee in a self-assuring bid, a mute mantra passing on the lips.

"we're gonna die we're gonna die we're gonna die."

Brosel, on the other hand, merged seamlessly into the scarf, his bastion of sanctity and peace in these trying times.

Hazel was cool as a cucumber.

As soon as the speeding not-death machine screeched to a halt, Cinder looked around from inside the van before she made any attempt to depart. "Is...this really it?"

Everyone was pretty comfortable with the idea of exiting the van's interior posthaste, Fiona sliding out with ease as she shuddered, the last of the vibration finally leaving her. She exhaled, her breath turning visible in the cold breeze brushing past, as she pushed aside her newfound appreciation for automobile safety, her hands squarely on her hips as she nodded, speaking to the maiden sequestered still within the van as Gretchen shakily crawled out.

"Yep! It isn't much to look at but it's serviceable and at least comfortable considering our other options. Home away from home away from home."

Those among the resistance had been instructed to get out of sight in the event of a vehicle's approach, so the abandoned site Penny pulled into looked just that: abandoned, with the exception of several very ambitious snowman projects and some snow angels that had been so eagerly made they looked more like perfect circles. The sole sign of life was immediately apparent to only Penny, whose sensory instruments were able to detect Winter perched high up above the facility on some of the mining equipment in spite of her and her mount's natural camoflage against the backdrop of the frozen wasted. It nearly looked like the specialist meant to curl her fingers up in a prim wave if the robot was overt about looking up at her, but she seemed to think better of it.

"HOWDY, Y'ALL!" Cobalt suddenly hollered, exploding one of Nora and Ruby's snowmen from the inside out in a grand entrance the moment any of those emerging from the van passed too close by. "Miss Fiona, miss Polendina, who the heck made you gals think it was okay to roll outta bed lookin' so gosh dang adorable this mornin'?! 'Cause I wanna slap em! Slap em FIVE for good judgment, that is! Penny, are my receptors on the fritz or did I see you DRIVIN' just now?! That seems SUPER DANGEROUS!"
​

"Hey, Colbat!" The faunus threw her greeting into the wind, a dainty gesture deserving of his compliment made in her handwave as she beamed, "Aw, thank you. I'd say it isn't easy but, well, I'd be lying! And also, yes, Penny is scary behind the wheel but she has room for improvement! You're still rocking your aesthetic, I love it. Oh, didja do work on your eyes while I was gone?"

The manner in which she carried herself in spite of the spontaneous snowman 'splosion suggested a mix of familiarity and expectation, making for a smooth transition into a conversation between two comrade in arms.

They didn't seem to think that was a bad thing, nor did it put so much as a chink in the impenetrable armor that was the gunslinger's exuberance as they trudged through the snowdrifts towards the group with hat brim pulled low and cloak whipping in the breeze. The LED light patterns taking the place of their eyes squinted with interest and sharp delight when it took in Cinder and the Reinharts.

"Boy howdy, that is one BIG FELLER! Mosey on over this way, fine folk, the general's waitin' for ya just inside."[/font]

Hazel's reaction was fairly simple. Hence:

Unless otherwise prompted they started leading the group for the site's primary facility, other resistance members beginning to emerge from hiding in less bombastic ways than the cowperson did as some of the White Fang and Ironwood's loyalists glared at the former students suspiciously. "So if y'don't mind my inquirin', which one of y'all is the Fall Maiden, and which are the gruesome twosome from another Remnant who the general warn't too sure about and set up this whole 'remote meetin' at an inaccessible location' affair SPECIFICALLY to get a bead on?!"

If Gretchen hadn't suffered at Penny's hands, she would have been more than proud to enact a witty rejoinder by claiming that it was they, her and her brother, that were the gruesome two. Though she eminently confident the elder Rainart was liable to smack her for it and assert otherwise but what better means to enlighten the mood than some poorly timed comedic maneuvering? As it was, she was content to breathe through the adrenaline that was only beginning to subside, observing those that made up the welcoming committee as it were, a mix of the natives and the holdovers from the white fang. It only served to emphasize the severity of, well, everything transpiring within the continent of Solitas.

The big feller was courteous enough to answer, "Separated from us after an infarction of some kind, I don't know why. They didn't say." But he knew who could elaborate further more, his hazel eyes swiveling to the ginger haired android in their presence.

 

[Schnee Corp Lawyer]

"HOWDY, Y'ALL!" Cobalt suddenly hollered, exploding one of Nora and Ruby's snowmen from the inside out in a grand entrance the moment any of those emerging from the van passed too close by. "Miss Fiona, miss Polendina, who the heck made you gals think it was okay to roll outta bed lookin' so gosh dang adorable this mornin'?! 'Cause I wanna slap em! Slap em FIVE for good judgment, that is! Penny, are my receptors on the fritz or did I see you DRIVIN' just now?! That seems SUPER DANGEROUS!"

Penny hopped out of the van with a light and airy looking step that belied how heavily her feet sunk into the snow. Despite how far up her knees it was though, she trudged through with no noticeable difficulty as she beamed up at Winter and shot her a very rapid wave. This new world had been very strange for Penny; so many people were nothing like they were back home. Weiss, Ruby, the bundle of concerning body chemistry errors that were the inseperable duo of Yang and Blake, all of her dear friends were so... dangerous here. Weiss in particular was confusing; her new memories painted her in a very favorable light right up until they didn't. Everyone seemed very sure that she was a dangerous enemy, and the few combat encounters she'd been assigned seemed to certainly imply the same, if they truly got their orders from Weiss. It made her heart hurt to think about.

That her sister, the calm and collected Winter Schnee, her erstwhile partner in the General's plans to take the fight to Salem, was still an ally in this world was a massive relief to the android. The special operative was too professional and blunt for Penny to presume to call her a friend, but she was kind to Penny, and she was glad to know that in either world, she wouldn't have to fight Winter right haha, ha.

She covered a giggle as the Solitas bounty hunter suddenly burst out of the snow in front of them. While much of this world had been startling and surprising in bad ways, meeting Cobalt was the opposite. "Greetings Cobalt! I will be sure to report to father that you complimented his craftsmanship. And it was not!" she said proudly in response to the driving as she planted her fists on her hips heroically. "I observed every safety law while simultaneously getting us to our destination in record time!"

"Hey, Colbat!" The faunus threw her greeting into the wind, a dainty gesture deserving of his compliment made in her handwave as she beamed, "Aw, thank you. I'd say it isn't easy but, well, I'd be lying! And also, yes, Penny is scary behind the wheel but she has room for improvement! You're still rocking your aesthetic, I love it. Oh, didja do work on your eyes while I was gone?"

The manner in which she carried herself in spite of the spontaneous snowman 'splosion suggested a mix of familiarity and expectation, making for a smooth transition into a conversation between two comrade in arms.

"Wait, really?" Penny asked, taken a back, though seemingly just confused rather than any sort of offended . "But I was very careful. I did not even go over the speed limit once!"

Unless otherwise prompted they started leading the group for the site's primary facility, other resistance members beginning to emerge from hiding in less bombastic ways than the cowperson did as some of the White Fang and Ironwood's loyalists glared at the former students suspiciously. "So if y'don't mind my inquirin', which one of y'all is the Fall Maiden, and which are the gruesome twosome from another Remnant who the general warn't too sure about and set up this whole 'remote meetin' at an inaccessible location' affair SPECIFICALLY to get a bead on?!

If Gretchen hadn't suffered at Penny's hands, she would have been more than proud to enact a witty rejoinder by claiming that it was they, her and her brother, that were the gruesome two. Though she eminently confident the elder Rainart was liable to smack her for it and assert otherwise but what better means to enlighten the mood than some poorly timed comedic maneuvering? As it was, she was content to breathe through the adrenaline that was only beginning to subside, observing those that made up the welcoming committee as it were, a mix of the natives and the holdovers from the white fang. It only served to emphasize the severity of, well, everything transpiring within the continent of Solitas.

The big feller was courteous enough to answer, "Separated from us after an infarction of some kind, I don't know why. They didn't say." But he knew who could elaborate further more, his hazel eyes swiveling to the ginger haired android in their presence.

Penny's infectious smile finally faltered, her hands clasped together tight as her eyes drifted to watch her legs digging through the snow rather than look at Cobalt or the other resistance members directly.


"...I apologize, but I failed that part of the mission entirely. I... would prefer to wait to explain until we reach the general, so I do not have to do so twice." She murmured as close to quietly as she got.

 

[Schnee Corp Lawyer]

"I have faith you'll manage." Ruby wholeheartedly agreed with Yang that she would figure it out. "Yeah, course I will ask them first. Just....man, how many potential tracking stuff do you have on you??? Don't you have anybody around that could like, maybe get rid of those?" She shook her head, still not exactly sure what the heck Yang had gotten up to while a prisoner. "And yeah..." Ruby fell into a far more solemn mood as that got brought up. "I...I'm sorry we failed to get you away from evil Weiss. I mean, Weiss is good, great even...but that many people?" She had a hard time wrapping her mind around it. "I just hope she wasn't...extra evil towards you after that or anything. Guess that would be one more reason for you to escape on your own though, huh?"​

"Nnnnnnnnope. Not unless.... huh." She frowned, scratching at the side of her chin. If there was anyone she knew apart from the somehow more annoying than his evil self Watts who might know how to isolate a tracking thingamajig on a scroll, it was prooooooobably the girl who snuck into Weiss freaking Schnee's manor who she kicked through a wall three days ago and snapped at ten minutes ago.

"I'll... get back to you on that one, eheh" she finished as she rubbed the back of her head. "But nah, she wasn't that bad, insofar as hostage takers go. Had a bed, had food, had like twenty corgis to play with, coulda been way worse. I'll tell you more about it when we meet up, kay? Just let me know where to go and there is where I'll be!" She said with a firm grin. "I'll hopefully see you soon sis. Stay safe, don't kick too much butt without me, a'ight?"

 

[MyrtenRose]

Penny's infectious smile finally faltered, her hands clasped together tight as her eyes drifted to watch her legs digging through the snow rather than look at Cobalt or the other resistance members directly.


"...I apologize, but I failed that part of the mission entirely. I... would prefer to wait to explain until we reach the general, so I do not have to do so twice." She murmured as close to quietly as she got.

Her show of support by means of a hopefully comforting hand on Penny's shoulder came so swiftly it could easily have been assumed that Cinder straight up teleported to her friend's side.​

 

[Gus Gungus]

And that accent was simply precious. The amused smile stayed on as Cinder began to follow and she would have immediately replied to his question of who the fall maiden was by clearing her throat and announcing that she was...but that second question came right on its heels and before she answered, she couldn't help but wince and shoot Penny a worried look. Nevertheless after another moment or two passed, she went with her original answer. Her throat cleared followed right after by "Yo. Fall Maiden here." and a raised hand.

"Yo!" The augmented cowpoke chirped right back, eye patterns configuring even further into an elated squint somehow as they threw the maiden a fingergun with a quicker draw speed than any those gathered had ever seen. "Boy, is James gonna be relieved to see YOU! A whole maiden up an' vanishin's been one of his BIGGEST worries these last couple weeks! I ain't seen the man so stressed in... ever! Why, seein' you safe and alive might just be enough to make 'im do a li'l dance, by my reckonin'. I ain't sure he's done that since our graduation ball!"

Their eye bulbs all lit up at once in gleeful recollection. "He was REALLY BAD! An' that was before the two o' us got all ironed up to the nines, hehe. I can't imagine what a sorry sight he'd be now. Sure is one I'd love t'see, though! He hardly ever smiles anymore!"

"Hey, Colbat!" The faunus threw her greeting into the wind, a dainty gesture deserving of his compliment made in her handwave as she beamed, "Aw, thank you. I'd say it isn't easy but, well, I'd be lying! And also, yes, Penny is scary behind the wheel but she has room for improvement! You're still rocking your aesthetic, I love it. Oh, didja do work on your eyes while I was gone?"

"Oh, Fiona! You 'n your goshdarn nicknames!" They lilted with an affectionate flap of the hand, just happy to be included on the running joke of her messing their name up every single time they spoke since the day they first met. "Nope! The emotional corresponders are more jacked up than ever! I can't go takin' em into no shop any time soon, though! My targeting calibration's just how I likes it!"

Hazel's reaction was fairly simple. Hence:

She covered a giggle as the Solitas bounty hunter suddenly burst out of the snow in front of them. While much of this world had been startling and surprising in bad ways, meeting Cobalt was the opposite. "Greetings Cobalt! I will be sure to report to father that you complimented his craftsmanship. And it was not!" she said proudly in response to the driving as she planted her fists on her hips heroically. "I observed every safety law while simultaneously getting us to our destination in record time!"

Cobalt gave a fervent nod, seeming genuinely impressed. "Wow! Hey, did you know though that we're technically an armed militia who break the law just by existing? In fact, we're breakin' the law just by BEIN' here!" They threw their arms wide and executed a grand, dizzy twirl, proudly gesturing around at the frozen hellhole Ironwood had assembled them all at.

"But it never hurts to be safe!"

Penny's infectious smile finally faltered, her hands clasped together tight as her eyes drifted to watch her legs digging through the snow rather than look at Cobalt or the other resistance members directly.


"...I apologize, but I failed that part of the mission entirely. I... would prefer to wait to explain until we reach the general, so I do not have to do so twice." She murmured as close to quietly as she got.

"Oh."

Cobalt's odd, jury-rigged eye and vocalizer setup always betrayed their true emotions no matter what input they actually wanted to give them, so the sad drone and doleful eyes that glanced over Penny's way briefly were never the most reassuring sight. They made sure not to leave them on the poor girl for long, though.

"...Well, I'm sure the general ain't like to be all that mad! It's not like he's ever been too upset about wastin' time and resources before, right?? 'Sides, I'll just be the one to break the news to 'im! Yeah! That big tin lug can't stay mad at me!"

They seemed genuinely assured by their rationale, reflected by their voice and visage picking back up to their usual cheerful crescendo as they bounced on through the facility doors and made a big show of kicking the snow from their boots.

Less than a minute later, they led the posse on into the factory's dilapidated main floor, where a good number of Ironwood's loyalists held down a loose perimeter with rifles gripped at ease. James himself stood in the center by a table littered with short-range comms equipment, Robyn to one side of him; though the initial look on his face upon turning was one of relief, that subtle indicator of feeling dispersed like a breaking wave back to its typical sternness when Cobalt clomped up to whisper something in his ear. Whatever the cowboy said prompted nothing more than a sharp exhale of dismay, and the creases and shadows on his aging features seemed just a little deeper than usual as he strode forward to meet them with hands clasped behind his back during the last few steps of their approach.



"Penny... What's the meaning of this? You're aware Sustrai and Neopolitan were the biggest unknowns. Is there a good reason they aren't with you?"​

 

[MyrtenRose]

"Nnnnnnnnope. Not unless.... huh." She frowned, scratching at the side of her chin. If there was anyone she knew apart from the somehow more annoying than his evil self Watts who might know how to isolate a tracking thingamajig on a scroll, it was prooooooobably the girl who snuck into Weiss freaking Schnee's manor who she kicked through a wall three days ago and snapped at ten minutes ago.

"I'll... get back to you on that one, eheh" she finished as she rubbed the back of her head. "But nah, she wasn't that bad, insofar as hostage takers go. Had a bed, had food, had like twenty corgis to play with, coulda been way worse. I'll tell you more about it when we meet up, kay? Just let me know where to go and there is where I'll be!" She said with a firm grin. "I'll hopefully see you soon sis. Stay safe, don't kick too much butt without me, a'ight?"

"...Huh. That sounds more like home than prison to me...if home had 19 more corgis that is." Ruby shook her head to clear her mind of thoughts about getting dogpiled by that many Zweis. "You got it sis, I'll text you the locale after I talk to the bosses here. And nope!" She pointedly refused. "I'm going to kick so much butt, Yang. If you don't want to get so permanently left behind in the butt kicking department that'll you never be able to catch up, you better hurry!" Then, unless Yang had any more last words to say, Ruby hung up and she herself hurried over to someone in particular.

"Cobalt boss sir ma'am, I have a question! If it is possible, could my sis join us here too? As in, I send her the location?"​