The dance was tonight.
It was a black-tie affair in Beacon's very own ballroom. Team AXRN had been the one in charge of the event, if Jaune's moaning and complaining about it during their practice sessions were to be believed. Although, the moaning and complaining probably had less to do with arranging the event, and more to do with whatever was going on between him and one Yang Xiao Long.
"I can't do this," Jaune said, his fists almost crushing the suit they had painstakingly picked out. "How can you be so calm?"
Would his semblance have sufficed as an answer?
Probably.
But it would have been useless to Jaune, anyway.
Nex shrugged, munching on his hotdog. He had a fresh midnight-blue suit tucked under his elbow as they strolled through the suburbs of Vale. The station would close in an hour. They would make it in ten minutes.
He had it all planned and timed, at the insistence of Weiss—who went ahead with the other girls to do their hair. Or something like that, anyway. He tuned out the moment their talk went to shampoos and flat irons. Better him than Ren who failed to escape the clutches of Nora.
"You're not ignoring me, are you?" Jaune said, his teeth clattering.
Vomit Boy must have been feeling worse than he thought.
"Just don't throw up," Nex said. "If you do, don't do it on her hair."
Considering that his date was Yang, then it was perfectly solid advice.
Jaune gulped something down.
"Don't keep it in either," Nex said. "Might come back at a really bad time."
"Thanks," Jaune said, the plastic wrap of his suit crunching as he rubbed it on his stomach.
"No problem," Nex said. "What's going on between you and Yang?"
"Nothing," Jaune said. "I mean, you're like my closest guy friend—second to Ren, actually, and I don't really know how to ask this, but—"
"Slow down," Nex said. "Deep breaths."
Jaune huffed and puffed, the red sun glimmering off his breastplate. "Weiss knows, doesn't she?"
"Knows about what?" Nex raised an eyebrow.
"That you're friends with that orange-haired guy," Jaune said. "You know, the one who let me into Beacon."
Nex clicked his tongue. "Yep. I told her."
Then she did the complete opposite of what he expected her to do. Sometimes, the woman known as Weiss Schnee held far too many surprises. Too many for even his semblance to predict.
"Right. Of course you did," Jaune said. "Of course you did." He chuckled, staring at his mismatched shoes. One of them was red and the other one was orange. "You're strong, mysterious, confident—heck! You're practically the perfect guy that any girl would want."
Nex rolled his eyes. If only Jaune knew how fucked up he really was. Fucked up in a way that the military's shrinks would probably label him a sociopath and call it a day. Something that Weiss knew very, very well. But maybe they were both fucked up. Damaged in some way. Beyond just the personas they showed their friends—or the world outside their aquarium.
"That's not why we're together-together, you know," Nex said, licking his lips. "It's not about being perfect. It's about making things work even if they're not perfect."
What he said would have no doubt irked the old Weiss—the one who glared at his extra pair of ears and fussed over everything. Just so it could be perfect. Or appear perfect.
In hindsight, it was exactly what drew the yawns and the eye-rolls from him.
"Well, we're not together," Jaune said. "But good advice, anyway."
"I've got something even better," Nex said. "Just tell her you like her."
"You mean just be confident?" Jaune said. "You know, that's what dad says too."
"Nope. Not confident," Nex said. "Honest. That's been working out for me lately."
Maybe a little too well.
"But I can't tell anyone else about my, you know," Jaune said. "I'll get kicked out of Beacon."
Nex dropped the remains of his hotdog in a bin, the corner of his lips twitching into a smile. "Unless you're secretly a criminal plotting the destruction of Vale and Beacon—then, nope. I think you're good."
"Designation: Developer Shade," one of the military's tin soldiers said as they stopped before a crosswalk. "Good afternoon."
Jaune blinked, eyes caught between him and the robot. "Did it just talk?"
"Uh..." Nex scratched the back of his head, the red light ticking down from forty. "I don't remember this feature."
Last he checked, the street-bots only had stuff like we are here to help and you are under arrest. Not good afternoon or whatever.
"This unit is part of the Chivalry test," the robot said. "Good afternoon. May I have your feedback?"
"Tell whoever's in charge you need a better voice," Nex said, stroking his shaved chin. "Something that sounds less mechanical maybe."
"Designation: Head Scientist Polendina will be informed," the robot said, its arms shaking as it gave him an awkward salute. "Thank you for your feedback."
It was about six when they arrived at Beacon. The party was at eight—two more hours away. Nex tossed and turned on his bed, contemplating the number of dots on their ceiling. Which meant he was half-asleep when his team barged into their dorm.
Well, Ruby and Blake—still in their combat outfits.
"Where's Weiss?" Nex yawned, sitting on the edge of his bed.
"She's been called to the headmaster's office," Blake said. "Goodwitch took her."
"Yep," Ruby said, shutting the door. "Eheh. I'm sure she's fine though."
To the headmaster's office. Into the heart of whatever conspiracy Ozpin, Ironwood, and his father were stuck in. A conspiracy that most definitely involved Cinder as well.
Shit.
Nex raised an eyebrow, the bedpost digging into his palm. "Did Goodwitch say why?"
If they did anything to her. Anything at all. Anything that would have put her in danger. Then—
"She didn't say anything," Blake said. "You're thinking something's wrong."
"Because something is wrong," Nex said. "You think Ozpin's clean? You think Ironwood's clean? Hell, you think your uncle's clean?"
Ruby flinched. "Uncle Qrow? What—"
He swiped at his watch. The blinds went down, the door clicking shut as soft, pale blue light illuminated their room. Metal panels sprang from the floor and covered the walls, sealing them off from the rest of the school.
"Newsflash," Nex said. "They're not."
A video—recovered after dumpster-diving through Beacon's digital garbage—streamed across the hard light from his watch.
The bullhead landed in Beacon's station in the dead of night. It was blurry. But anyone with a decent pair of eyes could make out Qrow Branwen chugging down a bottle of liquor, watching a group of masked huntsmen as they wheeled a coffin to Ozpin's tower. It bore the emblem of Atlas Academy, along with Ironwood's very own.
The timestamp on the recording coincided far too well with his father's super secret mission, all those months ago. Too well for it to be just a coincidence.
The video faded into static.
"That doesn't prove anything," Blake said.
"Yeah!" Ruby said. "Maybe they're just... you know." She frowned. "Moving some stuff."
Nex rolled his eyes, popping the kinks in his back. "Sure. Because moving bodies around is something you just do before you go to bed. It's definitely not a conspiracy or something."
"You don't know that," Ruby said. "You don't even know if it's a body."
"No, we don't," Blake said. "But Nex has a point. What if there's really something going on?"
"Then we'll go save Weiss," Ruby said. "We'll charge into the headmaster's office, guns blazing and—"
Someone rapped on the steel pane concealing the door.
"Hello? Are you still there?" Weiss' voice rang out. "Are you hiding from aliens?"
Nex heaved a sigh of relief. He tapped his watch, the metal panes shrinking into the floor.
"You never told us you turned our room into a bunker," Weiss said, marching in and letting the door hinge close. "What was it about keeping secrets again?"
Nex groaned. "You never asked?"
Weiss arched an eyebrow. "Really?"
"Sorry," Nex said, wincing.
"I think it's super cool." Ruby chuckled. "It's like that cartoon with the mad scientist in it."
The air conditioner hummed—and seemingly considered what Ruby just said.
"Right, the show that we all know and love of course," Blake said. "What did Ozpin say?"
Weiss parked a hand on her hip. "I can't tell you. The headmaster said I couldn't."
"What was it about keeping secrets again?" Nex said.
"You said it." Blake nodded.
Weiss crossed her arms, raising her chin. "Well, excuse me if I have to keep something to myself. It's not like I'm in a room with a retired thief and a reformed terrorist."
Nex sighed quietly, his extra pair of ears flattening, even as Blake's very own cat ears bristled.
"That's not fair, Weiss," Ruby said. "You know that's not fair."
Weiss scoffed. "Life isn't fair."
"Says the girl who's had everything handed to her," Blake said.
"You think being heiress is so great, huh?" Weiss said. "I don't know if you've noticed, but my mom's drinking herself to an early grave while my father is out there making an ass of himself."
"But you still got the lien," Blake said.
"It isn't about the lien," Weiss said, her voice shaking. "My childhood? My family? My friends? No amount of money could buy any one of those."
Her arms fell to her sides, her shoulders sagging. She looked small. Too small. Smaller now that she was in armour.
Nex closed his eyes. He dragged himself to the door, taking his suit with him. "I need some air. I'll pick you up at eight?"
Weiss shuddered, laying a clammy hand on his arm. "Don't. I need some air too."
They slid out of their dorm, leaving the BR of their team behind. Outside, the hallway was livelier than usual. Everyone was getting wrangled into suits and dresses by their more fashionable peers. One guy even managed to rip his collar in two. Apparently, he was not the only one who hated ties.
Nex chuckled as he led her to the grounds, the fountain glimmering under the moonlight. "So what did Ozpin say?"
"I really can't tell anyone, lover boy," Weiss said, leaning against him. "I'm sorry. I know that it's unfair, especially after what we've promised each other, but—"
"It's fine," Nex said, parking a hand on his sword. The hilt clanked. "Not your fault that the headmaster and his posse are knee-deep in some conspiracy."
"Conspiracy?" Weiss said, her eyes widening a smidge. "What conspiracy? There isn't a conspiracy..."
His deadpan stare stopped her in her tracks.
"You already know," Weiss said. "I can't believe you already know."
"My father is part of it," Nex said. "I'm not a moron, Weiss."
"Then you should know that your father was in the office too," Weiss said. "Along with Professor Goodwitch and General Ironwood."
"No shit," Nex muttered. "So if I blow the tower up right now..."
It would be easy. Too easy.
"You're not seriously considering that," Weiss said. "That's just another one of your dark jokes, right?"
Nex fingered his watch. "They're the ones who got mom killed."
And now, they were trying to involve his partner.
"I... I didn't know," Weiss said. She took his hand in hers and gave it a soft squeeze. "I'm sorry."
The wind blew, tussling her locks. Her eyes shimmered as they sat on the fountain aisle, patting the dust off it. The water drummed his extra pair of ears. Pitter. Patter. Pitter. Flowing down the chipped, white stone.
"I don't want you putting yourself in danger," Nex said. "Whatever they want from you... Better think about it first."
"I will," Weiss said, resting their hands on her lap. "But I really think that what they want me to do is for the greater good."
Nex found his jaw clenching. "The greater good fucked up my life."
"It's not just about you, Nex," Weiss said. "What the headmaster's group is doing involves the safety and security of Remnant. It's... admirable work."
"So that's how they brainwash people into joining their little cult," Nex muttered. "Start them young and fill their head with dreams."
It was a small wonder Ozpin did not come to Ruby Rose first.
He laughed, chucking a stone at the fountain.
It shattered the water's edge.
"Well, fuck it," Nex said. "I guess I've got myself a new mission."
A new war. Another front to fight. Cinder Fall, the White Fang, and now Ozpin...
There was no way he could fight all three at the same time. It would be like a rat cornering itself.
The realization hit him like lightning. Maybe he was doing it wrong.
What he really needed was a friend. Or a couple of them. To have his back when it all inevitably went to shit.
"What's going through your head?" Weiss mumbled.
"Your father asked me to keep you safe," Nex said, shoving his hands into his pockets. They brushed cold steel. "I'm prepared to do whatever is necessary."
And he meant what he said. He was prepared, more than she realized. Far more. Oh, far, far more admittedly—in the darkest corners of his mind. He was prepared to forge the alliances that would have shattered even a kingdom, no matter how damning they might have been. Prepared to throw himself into the shadows once again. Prepared to do whatever it took to accomplish the task before him.
All for the woman he loved.
"You're starting to sound just like father," Weiss said.
"Maybe your dad's right about us," Nex said, his eyes lingering on hers as he strode away. "I'm sorry. But I'm not letting you die for Ozpin."
Weiss frowned. "I'm not going to die—"
"You don't know that!" Nex stomped on the wet grass, his aura bursting into light. It scorched the patch away.
Weiss stared at him. Her jaw slacked. "Nex, your eyes..."
"I have to go," Nex said. He squeezed his suit like a lifeline, his chest sinking against it. "See you at the dance."
He loped his way to the edge of Beacon's plaza, staring at the sea below. One more and he would plummet right off. Not to his death. He had aura.
Nex reached into his pocket, pulling out his scroll. It weighed more than usual. More when he dialled Roman's number. It rang three times before his friend picked up.
"Well, look who's calling," Roman said. "Finally through your hero phase, huh?"
"Capes don't suit me," Nex said. "I'm in. What does Cinder want?"
Neo smirked, pointing at the janitor ahead—just as he stepped on the metaphorical x.
The poor guy had no chance to react as she flickered behind him, knocking him out with a stab of her umbrella. Tipped with some tranquillizers no doubt. Just like the old days.
Nex chuckled, dodging the CCT's cameras as he moved out of his cover. He already looped the footage with a quick hack, but old habits died hard. Old habits picked up after tripping dozens of alarms, even more so.
Neo tapped the janitor's shirt with her umbrella. She pinned the fabric against the tiles.
"Can't you just put an illusion on my clothes too?" Nex said.
Neo feigned a gasp, scratching her temple.
"Stop playing," Nex said, his gloved hands clenching. "The party's already started."
Weiss would simply have to forgive him for being late. And getting his hands dirty again.
Neo handed him a mirror, snapping her finger at it.
One look at it confirmed that he was the spitting image of the unconscious janitor, down to the clothes and the extra pair of ears.
Nex shrugged, snatching the guy's ID. "Thanks."
Neo flickered out of existence, taking the janitor and his bucket along. But Pareidolia placed her somewhere near. Watching. Just in case something went to shit.
"Well, here I go again," Nex said, gripping Cinder's thumb drive.
It took him five minutes to run into his first snag. A pair of janitors in the elevator. Sneering at him. Or his newfound dog ears anyway.
"Dude, you stink," the tall one said, his nose wrinkling.
"Dog's scared of baths," the shorter one said. "Stop being so racist."
They laughed, clutching their stomachs. The harsh noise bounced off the metal walls, stinging his extra pair of ears and making him wish he had his sword. Instead, what he had was one of those crappy mass-produced dust sabres from the market.
"Hey, you deaf or something?" the taller one said, spitting on the back of his neck. Cloying warmth slid down his spine.
Nex rasped his voice, his jaw clenching. "Uh, sorry. What did you say?"
"We said you stink," the shorter one said, banging on the buttons. "Now get the fuck out."
"Yeah," the taller one said. "We don't wanna smell like wet dog."
Neo giggled somewhere above them.
"What was that?" the shorter one said.
"Must have been the wind," the taller one muttered.
The doors parted, revealing a hallway lined with chairs.
They grabbed his shoulders and started shoving him out.
"I didn't wanna do this," Nex said, sighing.
"What are—"
Nex tapped his watch, glitching the lights for a second. And that second was all it took for Neo to fizzle into the elevator, knocking them out and whisking them away with her.
Nex whistled a jaunty tune. As far as he knew, those two got off their stop never to be seen again.
Not his problem.
"Whoops," Roman said into his earpiece. "Little red just wandered into the wrong closet."
Yep. Apparently, Neo did it again. Would it kill her if she stopped stacking bodies?
"Little red?" Nex muttered. "Friend of yours?"
"More like a friend of ours," Roman said. "Red hood? Red dress? Stupid scythe? Ringing any bells yet?"
Nex stifled a groan. He dumped a metric fuckton of aura into his semblance, stalking out into the server room. The one with a locked windowless door—a solid block of tempered metal at least four inches thick. No wonder they needed him instead of just having Neo port into it.
Nex popped the knots in his neck. "I'll need some time to—"
"Bullshit," Roman said. "There's no lock in the world you can't pick."
To be fair, he was right.
"You owe me two favours," Nex said, kneeling before the terminal. His watch beeped as data streamed across its screen. "I'm planning to collect."
"You're sounding more murdery than usual," Roman said. "Which dumbass shat in your plate?"
"Ozpin," Nex said, working his magic on the door. "Cinder. The White Fang. You take your pick."
"You're gunning after the elderly now?" Roman snickered. "Can't say there's profit to be made from robbing a school principal—"
"It's not about that," Nex said. "I need you and your little empire backing me up when shit hits the fan."
The lock clicked, the terminal flashing as the door swung open.
"Is that the favour?" Roman hummed.
"I'm asking as a friend," Nex said. "We both know you can't trust Cinder. Not with your left nut."
Roman snorted. "And I can trust you?"
"Well, I'm not the one making you do leg work," Nex said, skulking through the rows upon columns of computers around him. "And I'm not the one threatening you with spontaneous combustion."
"Hard to argue with that," Roman said. "But I'm risking a little more than just my left nut here."
"Don't worry," Nex said. "Remember Vacuo? Just roll with it."
He plugged Cinder's thumb drive into the right box. It fizzled as soon as it went in. Neo's semblance. A simple illusory precaution, nothing more.
"Uh oh," Roman said.
"Uh oh?" Nex whispered, his semblance straining.
"Hello?! Is anybody there?" Ruby yelled, her heels clacking over the floor. Something crashed into it. "Stupid lady shoes..."
Neo cackled, steel echoing through the room.
"Is she insane?" Nex hissed.
"Is that a rhetorical question?" Roman sighed, sucking on his cigar. "Whatever. Just beat her up. Between you two, I'm sure it won't take a sec."
Nex rolled his eyes. He drew his sabre, lightning sparking around it.
"Best leader ever, huh?" Nex mumbled, his heart pounding in his extra pair of ears. "Sorry, Rubes."
He dashed out of the shadows, hacking at her back.
Roses fluttered. The scythe came at his flank, seemingly on instinct.
No shield to flick it away. The best choice was to predict and dodge, then.
Nex ducked under it, lashing out at Ruby's spine—where it would be in a second.
But then she slowed down, roses swirling around her. His sword missed her by an inch. An inch that would have cost him a limb without his aura.
Nex gritted his teeth. The scythe's blunt smashed against his other arm.
Bad move. Against anyone else, it would have been a simple block. But not against him—who studied exactly how Crescent Rose worked during one of their training sessions.
Nex grunted, thunder surging from his sword. The brilliant gold snaked over his arm and crawled into Crescent Rose, poking just the right wires and circuits.
Ruby yelped. Her scythe fired a shot into the floor. The recoil slammed the shaft into her stomach. Her entire frame shook as she sliced at him—more out of panic than anything else.
He leaned a little bit to the left, letting the scythe brush his arm.
And letting Neo plant a foot into the small of her back.
Ruby cried out as Neo straddled her from behind, nails digging into her eyes and smashing her face against the floor.
Once. Twice. Thrice—
Nex snarled and kicked Neo away. He knelt before Ruby, wiping some blood off her forehead. Her eyes were swollen shut, her chest barely rising.
"You went too far." Nex licked his lips, glaring at Neo. "She's no good to us dead."
Or blind for that matter.
Neo yawned, fanning herself with her palm.
"Alright. Great going, crew," Roman said. "Kindly collect your payment by the door and be on your way—"
"Shut up," Nex muttered, checking Ruby's pulse.
There. Still alive. Her aura would take care of it as soon as she recovered her reserves.
"Don't tell me you're screwing her too," Roman said. "White rose threesome, anyone?"
Neo giggled and wagged her eyebrows at him.
"That's fucking disgusting," Nex said, inching away from Ruby.
"We're all coping here," Roman said. "Besides, one guy and three girls? I know someone who'd kill to be that guy—"
"Just shut up," Nex said, wiping the blood off his gloves.
It took him ten minutes to get dressed in Beacon's public washrooms. Well, it took him two minutes to wash the blood and thunder off him, and eight minutes to put the suit and tie on. And then it took him another five to keelhaul his way to the ballroom.
All in all, he was, in a word—
"You're late," Weiss said, her arms folded as she stared at him. The Emerald Forest swayed behind her—below the balcony. "Mind telling me where you've been?"
"Doing stuff," Nex said, fidgeting with his tie. The fucking fabric itched around his neck.
"Stuff that you'll be keeping secret?" Weiss said. "I didn't realize you liked the old status quo so much."
"You started it," Nex said.
"So we're just going to bicker like children then." Weiss scowled as their shoulders bumped, her elbows digging against the railing. "Should I get you some ice cream so we can kiss and make up?"
Nex tossed a look at the ashen skies. "I don't need the ice cream."
"You don't need the kiss either," Weiss said.
"Fine," Nex said. He leaned in, whispering into her ear, "We may have almost killed Ruby."
"What?" Weiss hissed.
"Calm down," Nex said, sweeping his eyes around the empty balcony. "I stopped my colleague before she could do any permanent damage."
"Oh, that's good," Weiss said. "Except for the part where Ruby's injured and alone somewhere."
"She tried to stop us," Nex said. "I had to sabotage the sabotage so the kingdom doesn't go balls-up. I couldn't exactly explain that to her without giving it away to my colleagues."
Along with burying any chances he had of getting Roman on his side.
Weiss breathed a soft sigh, hooking her arm around his elbow. "Will she be alright?"
"She has aura," Nex said. "Remember the sap?"
Besides, he already tipped the CCT off—anonymously of course. No doubt they were already wheeling Ruby into Beacon's infirmary. Or maybe even into Ozpin's office.
Weiss pressed herself against him, her warmth seeping through her glittering blue dress. "You'll have to apologize to her."
Nex swallowed a thick ball of spit. "I will. I'm not an asshole."
Even though turning over a new leaf was harder than he thought it would be. Running from his past when the past was just one phone call away. When it was inside him, beating. How naive could he get?
"I don't think I can do this," Nex muttered.
"Do what?" Weiss said. "Apologize? You know apologizing is as simple as saying I'm sorry and actually meaning it."
Nex chuckled, grinning at the wry smile on her lips. "I meant I don't think I can be a good person."
No matter what he did—no matter what problems he faced—it always came back to him turning to the shadows. It was in him. The darkness. Ingrained into every fibre of his being. Down to his name.
Weiss' chest flared out. "No. Don't say that. Look at me." She cupped his cheek, her ring hot on his skin. "I said, look at me."
"I'm already looking at you," Nex whispered. "In fact, you're the only woman I've ever looked at."
The speakers inside crooned out a classical song. A romantic one—one of her secret favourites. He could almost see the crowd of students swaying to the cello.
"That's not what I—" Weiss stammered, pink staining her face. "Stop trying to distract me."
"I'm not," Nex said. "I'm just being honest."
"Oh? That does seem like you're trying to be a good person," Weiss said. "Maybe you're not as bad as you think you are."
"I am," Nex said. "If I didn't do all those things—"
"If you didn't, then I'm sure everything would be perfect," Weiss said. "But you did. You made mistakes. You can't change that."
She was right. Even if he could travel back in time, he would do it all over again in the same way as he did before. It was simply who he was. Changing that—too early—would have made him not him.
He would just have to live with it.
Weiss stole a quick kiss, giggling as she shot the ballroom a glance. "We're not letting our disagreement ruin the night, are we?"
"Nope," Nex said. "I'm sorry about earlier."
"I'm sorry too," Weiss said. She poked his nose, smiling. "Now we're acting like kids after we stubbed each other's toes."
"We quit being kids the moment we picked up a sword," Nex drawled.
"Oh, don't be such a downer, Mr Shade," Weiss said, guiding him back into the ballroom—and down the stairs and into the dance floor. "We have only a few moments before we need to get Blake and find Ruby. I, for one, intend to make those precious few moments count."
Nex held her waist, easing her into a slow waltz. "Where's Blake anyway?"
"She's..." Weiss giggled, her eyes darting to their left. "Monkeying around."
Nex followed her eyes and found Blake doing exactly that—dancing with a blonde guy who had a monkey's tail coming out of his ass. A student from Vacuo, judging from his utter lack of a suit and the messy tie around his neck.
"Monkeying around." Nex chuckled. "That's a good one."
"Why, thank you," Weiss said, placing her palm on his chest. "I'm glad someone's appreciative of my attempts at humour."
"Wow!" Yang said as she twirled around them, clutching a green-faced Jaune. "That was a really Weiss pun!"
"Unlike some others here," Weiss said. She winked at him, her fingers curling over his suit. "Shall we show your cousin how to dance?"
He would have said yes. But something about her words made his stomach churn. He glimpsed the yellow mane dragging over the carpet of red—and it socked him in the gut.
"I'm not feeling well," Nex mumbled, resting his head on her shoulder. Her scent flitted through his nose. Strawberries caught in the Atlesian rain. "Can you..."
Weiss nodded. She pursed her lips as she led him through the ballroom, leaving him by the giant double doors.
"Wait here," Weiss said, a thin smile on her face. "I'll get Blake and maybe we can still salvage the evening."
Nex grimaced. "I'm sorry."
"I think what you meant to say is thank you," Weiss said. "Should I get Yang as well?"
"Let her enjoy the night," Nex said, his teeth grinding together. The cold seeped through his tux and into his bones. "Pretty sure she's fought Nora to get here."
When the hell did the dance turn into a disaster?
Nex hung his head, the migraine coming on like the buzzing of a thousand bees. "Fuck my life."
A pair of familiar boots rasped over the tiles.
Oh, gods. Not now.
"Nexus Shade," Ozpin said, cradling a mug of coffee. "A penny for your thoughts?"
Nex clenched his jaw, static racing through his mind as he glanced at the headmaster's cane. "Nothing."
"Nothing?" Ozpin said. "You don't look like a man thinking of nothing."
"I'm not in the mood for cryptic and philosophical talks," Nex said. Or even a recruitment pitch. "My teammate's lying on a bed with a concussion."
"And as team leader, you have chosen to eschew pleasure in favour of responsibility," Ozpin said. "Very well. I shall leave you to it. Good night, Mr Shade."
"Huh," Nex muttered, watching the headmaster slink away. "Good night to you too."
To be fair, it was less about being responsible and more about being liable. But the headmaster did not need to know that.
Weiss craned her head as she passed the headmaster on her way out, Blake already in tow.
"Now you're the one talking to Ozpin," Blake said. "You really are made for each other."
"He didn't say anything to you, did he?" Weiss said.
"He told me that fairy tales are real and we're all gonna die someday," Nex said, padding down the grassy path. "Like he needed to tell me that. It's common sense, really."
Weiss' breath hitched for a moment, her heels catching on a root.
Blake chuckled as her footsteps ghosted behind him. "Sure. Common sense."
When they arrived at the infirmary, it was to the sight of a lone Ruby Rose lying on a bed, bundled up in white sheets and half her face pressed against an icepack.
"Hey, guys," Ruby said. She scratched her neck. "Looks like I did it again, huh?"
"I'm sorry." Nex stepped forward, sitting beside her. "I'm the one who did this to you."
"I know," Ruby said. She grinned at him, wincing. "You're the only one who can fight like that and make my baby malfunction."
Nex stifled a sigh, even as Weiss kneaded his shoulders with her small hands. "You must be mad then."
"Not really," Ruby said. "It's what spies do, right? The double cross, the triple cross, the quadruple cross, and then you end up saving the day?"
"Probably," Nex said. He did succeed at what he set out to do, with neither Roman nor Cinder any wiser.
He could even count it as a win—a pyrrhic victory.
"You guys can go back to—yuck—dancing in high shoes or whatever," Ruby said, yawning into her fist.
Blake shrugged, flipping open a book and sitting at Ruby's bedside.
Weiss clicked her tongue. "Somehow, I think you're actually enjoying this."
"Meh," Ruby said. "I'd rather fight Nex and his lady friend again than go back to the ball."
"Lady friend?" Weiss said. "Care to explain?"
Nex shivered. "Just an old colleague."
"An old colleague, is she?" Weiss said, her fingers digging into his shoulder.
Nex groaned. He palmed his forehead, cold sweat soaking his palm. "You just had to say it like that, huh?"
Ruby stuck her tongue out, her eyes twinkling with mischief.
And so, that was how their team spent the dance—in the infirmary, watching the stars flit across the sky.
Chapter 58
Nex twisted his shoulder, loosening the strap of his pack. Goodwitch told them to bring provisions that would last them at least a month before they went to the notice board to look for the senior huntsman assigned to their team. A Beacon tradition, apparently, no matter how inefficient it was compared to simply sending the name to their scrolls—much like how the rest of the details of their first mission arrived.
Thankfully, out of the four of them, Weiss was the one shouldering her way through the crowd—using biting words and cold, hard steel—just to take one glimpse at the holographic board. She panted as she waded back out, sweat dripping down her temples. Her hair, having been styled into an awkward wolf cut, neither short nor long, fell in messy waves around her face.
"So I have bad news," Weiss said, "and good news. Which one do you wanna hear first?"
"The bad news?" Nex said, licking his lips.
Ruby whistled. "The good news"—Nex rolled his eyes—"sorry, team leader."
"Either way's fine for me," Blake said, her book snapping shut.
"Oh, well, that's great," Weiss said. "Because the good news and the bad news are sort of the same."
"Really?" Blake said.
"I think that's him actually," Weiss said. She handed him her pack, sighing. "Here. At least you'll have something to squeeze."
Nex did just that, his jaw clenching. "Fuck. My. Life."
Qrow Branwen hobbled across the bridge. He almost tipped over the railing as he chugged at his flask. Believe it or not, the almost was not the worst part. The worst part was that the bastard was walking towards them, grinning and raising an arm.
"Uncle Qrow!" Ruby laughed, dashing off with a stream of roses. "Did you miss me? Did you miss me?!"
Nex held on to Weiss' pack with his right hand, the left one darting to Oathkeeper, now in a fancy sheathe—midnight blue and smattered with golden vines. His teeth gnashed as Ruby hung off Qrow's arm, rubbing her face against his chest like a damned puppy.
"Yep," Qrow said, mussing her hair up. "Is that a bandage on your nose?"
"Oh, uh." Ruby scratched the thin scabs on her cheek. "It's nothing. I ran into a little trouble. Huntress stuff."
Yep. Sure. Where little meant a four-foot, pink-haired midget who had a couple of loose screws in her head.
"Eh, what am I talking about?" Qrow smirked as he let Ruby fall on her butt. "You'll walk it off. You're a big girl now, right?"
"Ow." Ruby pushed herself to her feet. "I mean, yeah! I drink milk! Lots of it!"
The bastard stopped before him, swirling his flask around.
"Hey, kid," Qrow said.
"Why are you here?" Nex said, his grip on Oathkeeper tightening.
Qrow chuckled, leaning a little bit on his left foot—probably so he could draw his broadsword quick if it came to it. "I'm your unlucky huntsman."
"Weiss?" Nex said.
The nod she gave him only confirmed what his father was saying.
"Look, I'm only here to follow you around," Qrow said. "Make sure you don't get yourselves killed."
"Bullshit," Nex said, meeting his red-eyed stare with one of his own.
"Nex!" Weiss gasped.
"I'm keeping an eye on you," Nex said. Pareidolia squirmed at the back of his neck. "Do anything even slightly suspicious and I'll finish what I started. Remember what happened in Atlas?"
"What happened in Atlas?" Ruby blinked. "Uncle Qrow?"
Qrow looked away, playing with the ringed cap on his flask. "Just men being men. Don't worry your pretty little head about it."
A yellow blur tackled Qrow's flank, sending him skidding on his shoes.
"Drunkle Qrow!" Yang said. She parked a hand on her hip. "You traitor! I can't believe you're taking Ruby's team!"
Ruby stuck her tongue out at Yang. "Losers weepers, big sis."
Yang cracked her knuckles, a grin on her face. "I'm so gonna make you regret that."
"Chill, you two," Qrow said. He raised his hands as if in surrender. "There's plenty of me to go around."
"Not in pieces, unfortunately," Nex muttered, glaring at Qrow.
Weiss elbowed his rib.
"What's your problem?" Yang said, placing two hands on her waist.
"What do you think?" Nex said. "Can we trade? You get your precious uncle and I get minus one thorn up my ass."
Qrow sighed and shook his head.
"You!" Yang smacked her lips together. "You're so damn ungrateful!"
"And you're fucking blind," Nex said. "Stop searching for the people who weren't—aren't there for you. Then we'll talk."
"What did you say?!" For a moment, Yang's eyes bled crimson as her fists clenched. "Come over here and—"
Someone cleared her throat, tapping Yang's shoulder with a silver sword, curved like his mom's.
"That's enough," Winter Schnee said, their unwanted audience scurrying away from her. "This behaviour is simply unbecoming of a huntress. If you are to follow my commands, Miss Xiao Long, then I expect you to follow them with proper decorum, and not as if you were a vagabond in one of Mantle's pubs."
Yang drew deep breaths, her irises fading into lilac. "Yes, ma'am…"
"Oh, great," Qrow said, sloshing his flask. "They got you too, huh?"
"Winter!" Weiss beamed, gasping as she held her hands to her breastplate. "It's so nice to see you!"
Nora hovered behind Winter, flailing her arms around and mouthing, she's really Weiss' sister? She pinched the air in front of her chest, grinning.
Blake giggled and hid her face behind the dark cover of her book.
"It's been only a month since you returned to Vale," Winter said, sheathing her sword. "Surely you haven't missed me that much, little sister."
Ren sighed softly and yanked Nora back, the ginger giggling and nodding to herself as she groped at thin air.
Weiss coughed and fidgeted with the hem of her skirt. "I find myself in need of your counsel. Perhaps when we return, we might find time to share a cup of coffee?"
No doubt she wanted advice regarding what Ozpin said—solicited in abstract terms without anything explicit. Well, he already made his voice heard. It was her decision whether to heed it or not.
As for him, it was his choice—his silent oath—to stay by her side. Till the end if need be.
"Very well," Winter said. "I trust that you'll perform your duties to the letter?"
Qrow winced. "If there's a hair out of place, feel free to stab me in the ass."
"I'll hold you to that," Winter said. She nodded at them—in greeting. "Miss Belladonna. Miss Rose. Nex."
"Winter," Nex said. "Did Ironwood get the prints?"
Winter gave him a soft smile. "Without fail. You don't need to go through me every time, you know."
Nex shrugged. "Force of habit. Sorry."
"No, no, it's quite alright," Winter said. "It was a pleasure seeing you four. But we really must be going. The Grimm in Mistral won't slay themselves."
"Goodbye!" Weiss and Ruby waved at Team AXRN—plus Winter—as they made their way to their bullhead.
"So, it's just us," Qrow said. "Anyone have a map?"
"I got your map right here," Nex said, tapping his temple. "We need to take an airship then hike all the way to some fishing village. The one that's being attacked at night. Uh, let's see." His brain spat out the name—out of a hundred others. "Tanis. Yep. That one."
"Tanis, huh?" Qrow said. "Attacked at night. By Grimm, bandits, or something else?"
Nex raised his eyebrows. "You haven't even looked at the job?"
Weiss shut her eyes for a moment—definitely in exasperation. She let out a hard groan, pinching the bridge of her nose.
"Eh, figured it'd happen eventually," Qrow said. "Besides, that's your schtick, right?"
"Gods, why couldn't we get Winter," Nex muttered, pinching his nose too. "Tell me why mom spread her legs for you again?"
Qrow smirked as he took a sip of his flask. "It's a hundred per cent my charm, kid."
"Yeah, sure, charm," Nex said, snorting. "Fuck it. Let's go."
They slogged through the crowd of a hundred or so huntsmen—the ones boarding their own bullheads. He walked beside Weiss, bringing up the rear of their little group while Blake and Ruby chatted with Qrow about something, their voices swallowed by the clamouring in the air.
"Tanis is at the border, isn't it?" Weiss said.
Nex smiled. "Looks like you're getting baked again."
Weiss hmphed, already reaching for a bottle of sunscreen. "I won't get baked if I have my secret weapon."
Nex laughed as they climbed into their ship. "Secret weapon. Yep. That's one way to call it."
The day passed in a flurry of making themselves as comfortable as possible. Lines were drawn, and battle plans were drafted. The four-day flight made it necessary. Gods forbid that Ruby and Qrow's mess spilled onto their side. Blake was lucky, having had the foresight to call shotgun.
Nex laid his head on Weiss' shoulder, watching the dark clouds through the window across them. She smiled and stroked his hair, her fingers brushing his eyes. They drooped close as the ship swayed, bobbing. It ploughed through the pinkish sky as if it were an ocean.
"Sleep." Weiss giggled, planting a kiss on his cheek. "I promise I'll still be here when you wake up."
"'Cause you're sleeping too?" Nex said. He flattened his extra pair of ears, tuning out the 8-bit orchestra from Ruby's game.
Weiss huffed. She smiled and shut her eyes, saying, "No, it's because I'm not leaving you. Obviously. Duh."
"Promise?" Nex murmured, taking in the fragrance of her vanilla sunscreen.
"Promise." Weiss yawned. "Now close your eyes."
And when he did, the darkness came and fell upon him—twisting around his soul. Nexus Shade flailed, his trusty sword wrenched out of his grip. Shattering like glass. Flames crackled, staining the shards orange. White walls towered in the distance, black washing around it in waves of ink. Red shone through the darkness. And then the wind came. It whistled in his ears, the dead earth rushing towards him, just as the white-haired girl reached out, electric-blue eyes—
"Wake up, lover boy," Weiss said, nudging his bicep. "You've been squirming for the past minute."
Nex stifled a sigh. His eyes pierced through the dim light, spotting Ruby sprawled across a sleeping, drooling over Qrow's lap.
"Just a nightmare," Nex said. "Sorry."
"Tell me about it," Weiss said.
"Well, it's a recurring nightmare," Nex said. "I think I've had it five times already."
Almost as if it—maybe his semblance—was trying to tell him something. Even though there was no way it could actually see the future. Fuck. Maybe Weiss was right. He was getting as messed up as Jacques. Being more paranoid and all.
"Really?" Weiss said.
"There's always this girl," Nex said. "She's trying to reach me, I think. Rescue me from falling. Funny thing is, I can't even remember her face."
Weiss snickered. "I'm kind of jealous. Dreaming of some other girl now, are you, Nexus Shade? Getting tired of little old me?"
"She has white hair and blue eyes," Nex said, licking his lips. "I think it's you."
"Hmph. You better hope it's me," Weiss said, winking as she flashed him a smile. "Do you remember anything else?"
"There's this city with white walls," Nex said. "It's burning. Swallowed by thousands of Grimm."
"That turned morbid pretty quickly," Weiss said. "Hmmm… A city with white walls. Let's see…"
"Atlas, Vale, and Vacuo all have white walls," Nex said. "It's to make Grimm easier to spot, remember?"
"I seem to recall that you're the one who slept through History," Weiss said, "and not me. Of course I remember."
"Point." Nex chuckled. "Well, it's just a dream. No need to get so worked up over it."
They had more pressing things to worry about, than whatever terrors his brain cooked up.
It was on the third day when Ruby Rose came with a peace offering—her scroll displaying the bright and overly saturated title of some game. Apparently, she wanted him to play with them, ignoring all the times he said no before.
How did the saying go, again? Doing something over and over again and expecting different results was the definition of insanity. Doubtful she was insane though. In fact, between the two of them, he was probably the one who was a little off his knockers.
Nex shrugged, offering her a smile. "Sorry, Rubes." He shook his scroll in her face, the prints to something the ACD had him working on flashing across it. "I got a job to do."
"That's okay, I guess," Ruby said, though the glint in her eyes betrayed her disappointment. "Eheh. When are we gonna work on Crescent Rose?"
"We?" Nex raised an eyebrow.
"I've got lots of ideas," Ruby said. "I kinda need your help modding them into my baby."
Nex scratched his cheek. More like she needed help deciding which ones were feasible and which ones were a pipe dream. Well, not like he could say no to her. Definitely not after he helped Neo send her to the infirmary.
The fourth day came and they got off the ship, leaving the station. It was to the sight of a desert, the steep ocean of sand swirling under their little dune. Weiss yelped when the breeze blew and almost sent her flying off their perch.
"Careful." Blake caught her by the wrist, pulling her onto solid dirt—or what passed for it anyway. "There's no telling what's down there."
Nex nodded, grabbing his longsword. "We should probably find some way to go over it."
Such as Weiss' glyphs or his hoverboard. Damn. Had they known about the shitty terrain that led to Tanis beforehand, then they could have gotten some of those crappy, mass-produced, and overpriced boards off the market.
"Kid's got the right idea," Qrow said, taking a long sip of his flask.
"The map says Tanis is half a day south," Weiss said. She groaned, sweat already glistening on her neck—the sweltering, Vacuo sun taking its toll. "Let's just get this over with."
She brandished her rapier. Brown glyphs spun over the sand. Boulders fashioned from earth crashed into them, forming three little islands—just big enough for two of them to stand on one.
Weiss panted, black glyphs straining to hold the rocks together and keep them afloat. "I think three is enough."
"I got a hoverboard, so we only need two," Nex said. He glared at Qrow. "Hell, we only need one."
That was, if the bastard had the balls to pull out his magic trick and bare it for the world to see.
Qrow licked his lips, shoving his flask back into his pocket. "Sure. We can squeeze into one of those and you can take your girlfriend on your flying carpet. Everyone happy with that?"
Nope. No balls at all.
Nex scoffed. "What, too scared to fly over a desert?"
"Don't have the wings," Qrow said, thumbing the golden band on his finger. "We gotta go if we're gonna make it before dark."
Nex rolled his eyes, tapping Hrunting and Vigilance. It crashed onto the sand. Its engines groaned as it expanded into a board, just a few inches away. He stepped into gear. Hrunting's hilt snapped towards his hands, the hard light barriers—along with a recently added functional HUD—just waiting to be engaged.
Weiss wrapped her arms around his stomach, the island and its passengers floating beside them. Hrunting's pipes whirred, and then they were off, the whooshing of rock cutting through the desert wind filling his ears. Columns of sand rose in their wake, unearthing whatever ruins they concealed.
Evidently, that was enough for a swarm of Lancers to erupt from the cracks in the earth, their bone-white tails dripping with purple. Poison. A nick from one of their stingers would have sapped the average huntsman of their strength.
"Rubes! A little sniper action!" Nex said, flares popping out of Vigilance. They fried three of the damned bugs out of the race. "Weiss, you're on defence!"
Weiss held on to him with one hand, the other wielding Myrtenaster, weaving pale blue glyphs—glyphs that blocked the Lancers' path whenever they made a move for their teammates.
Nex grinned. She totally got the idea.
Crescent Rose fired off a shot. It tore through a Lancer's eye. The bug shrieked as it crashed into a dune, the sands swallowing it all up. It could have been them had they been a little more unprepared.
Qrow blasted a Lancer with his shotgun, the shell tearing through its chest just as Blake clipped its wings with her gun.
Nex huffed. He squinted at the lone Lancer ahead. An Alpha. A bigger one with more armour. It charged at them, zigzagging through gusts of sand and dirt. The drill on its tail spun, ready to poke a hole through his shields—if he let it make contact.
Luckily, he had his personal cannon upfront.
"Can you make it stay still?" Nex said, the Alpha Lancer rapidly closing in. His board's reticule kept fizzling all over the place—the algorithm trying to get a bead and failing. "Just for a moment."
"No, but I can do this." Weiss thrust Myrtenaster past his head, white glyphs creeping through the air. It boxed the Lancer in a maze of glimmering ice.
The bug crashed through its walls, careening into another one. Then another, failing to notice that Weiss was angling its flight directly towards them.
Huh. Clever.
The bug ripped through the final wall—into a collision with his board.
"Gotcha," Nex said, squeezing the trigger.
Golden light gathered over the mouth of his cannon. The engines whirred, and—
It stuttered, turbulence rocking their flight. Weiss yelped as the golden light faded. His semblance poked the back of his neck, telling him the most probable cause of its failure.
"The fuck?" Nex said, gritting his teeth as the Lancer smashed against their shields. The impact sent cracks crawling all over it.
The Alpha Lancer swerved for a dive, the drill on its tail slowly poking a hole into the dome.
"You had that," Weiss said. "What happened?"
"Sand in the cannon." Nex grunted as he pulled his stick back. They flipped over the island, peeling the Alpha Lancer off their shields. "Fucking bad luck."
His HUD blinked red, displaying the exact same thing. Not how it happened though. Damn. It was statistically impossible. He had fail-safes in place and—
Blake peppered the bug with dust rounds, fire exploding over its carapace. Before it could recover, Ruby shot one of its eyes off, smearing the breeze with blood.
The bug let out a shrill shriek, more of its kind shooting out of the barrens like fucking termites.
The cloud of Lancers buzzed under them. No. Not just there. They were everywhere. Above, below, and to the sides, blotting out the sun.
"Shit." Nex mashed the buttons on his stick. His extra pair of ears flattened. Hrunting and Vigilance barked, concentrated fire mowing down a line of bugs. Light streamed through the gap in the black. "There! We gotta run!"
"I think what you meant to say is that we have to fly!" Weiss screamed, her skin burning. Her aura surged and singed his back. The familiar fire in her soul pried a rumble from his throat.
Fire gushed around them, rising above the buffeting winds. The world streaked past his eyes as roses fluttered in the sand. They blazed a hole through the swarm, leaving the bugs to chase after them—at the horizon like a cloud of locusts, the flapping of their wings still ringing in his extra pair of ears.
"Do you think they'll catch up?" Weiss said.
Nex shrugged as she leaned against him, the others flying distance to their left. "We can't land if we don't lose them."
Because if they did, it would lead the Grimm straight to the place they were supposed to protect.
Weiss frowned. "You're right. Do you have a plan?"
"Ruby!" Nex barked.
Ruby grinned, cocking Crescent Rose. "Yes?!"
"Can you do that thing again?" Nex said. "Speed us up?"
"I'll try," Ruby said. "I can't do it long though."
"Yang?" Blake said.
Ruby gave her a clipped nod. "Yang."
"What are you talking about?" Qrow said.
"It's my semblance," Ruby said. "It's—"
"Not important," Nex said, his grip on his stick tightening. Could Ozpin's cult also know about her semblance? They definitely knew about her silver eyes. "Shut up and focus on the mission."
"Someone's extra snippy today," Qrow muttered.
Nex rolled his eyes. Whose fault was that?
Ruby sat cross-legged on their little island. A red glow washed over her. Roses blew in the wind, the petals grainy with sand.
And then they zoomed off, even faster this time, a spiral of roses spinning after them as they left the swarm of Lancers behind. Ruby channelled her semblance in short bursts throughout the trip, saving them hours of flying under the sun.
When they arrived at Tanis, it was at a village sitting on the shore. Gentle waves lapped against pearl-white rocks, the salt-stained breeze teasing his nose. The hissing of water filled his extra pair of ears as they dismounted on the outskirts, the townsfolk eyeing them with suspicion. Three of them—the guards no doubt—had swords strapped to their belts and crossbows hanging from their backs.
"Stop!" a guard—the one with the moustache—said. "Who are you?"
"Hey, it's just us," Qrow said, flashing them his scroll. "We're the team Beacon sent."
"Beacon, huh?" another guard said, looking more youthful than the rest. "You'll be wanting to go to the mayor's house then."
The guards stepped aside, letting them enter the village.
Qrow rocked his flask over his mouth, the last drops of amber dripping onto it. "Damn. I'm out."
"Good riddance," Nex said, laying a hand on Hrunting. "Wouldn't want you passing out drunk."
"I can hold my drink, kid," Qrow said. "I ain't no lightweight."
"No shit," Nex said, his nose wrinkling at the reek of week-old booze. "You're a fucking heavyweight."
Ruby pointed at the shack at the centre of the village. It was larger than the rest. "Eheh. I think that's the mayor's house?"
The front had blue paint flaking off, the wood chipped and cracked in places. Apparently, it was that kind of village—the kind the ones on top only paid lip service to. Just like his hometown. No wonder they got students from Beacon instead of an entire squad of professional huntsmen.
Nex found himself walking beside Weiss, the two of them trailing behind Qrow, Ruby, and Blake as the three jogged to the mayor's house. They rapped on the door, Qrow taking the lead. A thin man in his fifties, with white hair growing from the back of his bald head, emerged from inside.
"Welcome! Welcome!" The mayor smiled, ushering them in. "You must be the ones Beacon sent."
"Yep," Ruby said, smiling. "That's us."
"Nice place." Qrow leaned against the doorframe, his cape catching on the splintered wall. "What's the job?"
The mayor went on for what must have been an hour, talking more about the job—beyond just the vague description of the village being attacked at night, by some Grimm or another.
"So you're saying that this Grimm," Qrow said, "only attacks faunus? At night?"
Weiss took a sip of her coffee, her eyes darting to Blake.
Blake shot him a glance.
Vale's slums. Murders of the faunus kind. That assassin with the scorpion's tail. Something about the Resolutionists. A cult that targeted faunus.
Nex shrugged. It was far too early to jump to conclusions.
"Yes," the mayor said. "It's caused quite a bit of stir. You see, aside from regular townsfolk, we also have fishes living by the shore."
"Fishes?" Ruby said.
"Aquatic faunus," Blake said.
"That's right," the mayor said. "Four of them already died. Bird food by the time we found the bodies."
"Something happen to your huntsman?" Qrow said, looking around the house. "Don't remember seeing him."
"He..." the mayor said. "The Grimm got him. Ripped him to shreds like an animal."
Qrow cracked his neck. "The body?"
"We put him where everyone else goes," the mayor said. "I'll get one of the guardsmen to take you if you want to see him."
"Have you seen the Grimm?" Qrow said. "A little sketch might help."
"No one has," the mayor said. "It moves fast. Faster than old Hart."
Their late huntsman, no doubt.
"How can you be so sure that it's a Grimm then?" Weiss said.
The mayor frowned. "We're simple folks, with hardly anything to take. Bandits aren't lining up to—"
A bell rang five times.
"—attack us," the mayor finished. "Well, as they say, there's a first time for everything."
"Right," Qrow said, sighing as he grabbed his sword. "Be back in a few."
"Wait," Weiss said. She laid her cup on the table. "This is supposed to be our mission."
"Your mission is the Grimm," Qrow said. "Mine is to deal with shit like this."
Three eyes looked to Nexus Shade as Qrow Branwen left the mayor's shack. Gunfire roared outside, along with the shrieks of men and women. Blades clashed, wood thudding over dirt.
"Ohhhh!" Ruby said. "Uncle Qrow's probably kicking their butts so hard—"
The door exploded into sawdust. Qrow rolled into the shack. His head hit Ruby's boot. The mayor squealed, his knees shaking under the table. He bolted and scurried deeper into the shadows of the shack like a rat.
"That's one way to say hello, sis." Qrow glared at the intruder.
At one Raven Branwen, her hand resting on the remains of the doorway.
"What an unexpected reunion, little brother," Raven said, smirking as she stepped onto the tattered carpet. "'Tis almost like fate, wouldn't you say?"
Blake, Weiss, and Ruby had their weapons out in an instant, brandishing them against Raven.
Nex dragged himself to his feet, keeping a hand on Oathkeeper. "Auntie Ray-Ray. Good to see you're still alive."
"Auntie Ray-Ray?" Weiss hissed, her eyes practically smouldering. "What? She just blasted a hole into the mayor's house!"
Nex grinned. "And… she's done worse?"
Weiss puffed up. She looked almost ready to explode.
Raven laughed, patting her mask—the one on her belt. "Fret not, heiress of Schnee. We had plans to plunder and pillage, but I've decided to postpone those plans for now. You can even look outside and see that we're making reparations."
She was right. Her men were fixing the slight mess and even trading supplies with the frightened villagers. Vernal was among them, her scarred face the only one familiar in the crowd.
"That's pretty generous of you," Qrow said as he stood up. "What gives?"
"We're on the hunt for a certain lunatic," Raven said. "Perhaps we might do an exchange, little brother?"
Nex hummed. She was probably referring to the man with the scorpion's tail. Right now, there was an extremely high probability that the Grimm attacking Tanis was no Grimm at all.
"Last I checked, you ducked out of the fight," Qrow said.
"This is personal satisfaction, nothing more," Raven said. "Is that not right, godson of mine?"
"I dunno," Nex said, licking his wet lips. "You'll still be helping you-know-who."
Raven scoffed. "Bah. Ozpin's goals are of no concern to me. Let him scheme in the shadows while we bask in what little remains of the light."
Now it was Weiss' turn to glare at her.
"The headmaster only wants what's best for the kingdoms," Weiss said. "That's certainly better than your so-called plans."
"Like mindless little sheep he adds one more to his flock," Raven said. "What say you, scion of Shade?"
"I say Ozpin's a fucking shithead," Nex said, his grip on Oathkeeper tightening. "Give me one chance and I'll stick this sword up his ass."
Raven let out a small chuckle.
"Nex!" Weiss said. "You don't mean that!"
"You don't know what you're talking about, kid," Qrow said.
"Oh, yeah?" Nex said. "All I need to know is that mom's dead because of you and Ozpin." He eyed Ruby. "Here's a bonus. Summer's dead because of them too."
Qrow flinched.
Ruby gasped, her eyes widening. "Uncle Qrow?"
"Yes, Uncle Qrow," Raven said, placing a hand on her hip. "Do tell."
"Don't—don't listen to them," Qrow said. "Ozpin didn't kill—"
"Yep, that's right," Nex said, scoffing. "Ozpin didn't lift a damn finger. He just strung them along until they fucking died for him!"
The heat pooled around his stomach, almost consuming him, until his semblance doused it with the coldest of ice.
Ruby's mouth tightened, taut until the bones of her jaw were white through her skin, her fists crushing the red frills of her skirt. "Are you telling the truth, Nex? No spy business? No double-cross?"
"I don't have a reason to lie to you, Rubes," Nex said. "When you asked about your semblance, I explained. When you asked about literally anything else, I tried my best to explain. And now, here I am, trying to explain to you how our moms died because of fucking Ozpin, and your uncle didn't bother to tell you because he's the one who left them to die."
Ruby's fists trembled. Roses spun in her place. She screamed. A crimson blur smashed into Qrow, sending him into the wall. His cape dragged over the floor as Ruby hurled him back across the shack, a guttural roar spilling from her lips.
"Ruby!" Weiss said, black glyphs tinkling. They tried to pin the silver-eyed girl down. And failed. "Stop it! You're gonna hurt him!"
"Isn't that the point?" Raven said. "Hmph. I say it's about time."
"You said you didn't know!" Ruby sobbed, kicking Qrow's stomach. Alcohol-tinged vomit sprayed from his lips. She growled, her eyes wet and shimmering silver as she screamed, "But you did! You lied to me! To us!"
Nex sighed, even as his semblance etched the moment into his brain. "Wanna know the best part?"
"Nex." Blake shook her head. "You're not helping."
"Fine," Nex said. He placed a hand on Ruby's shoulder and gave it a soft squeeze. "He's not worth it. Let it go."
"He—he let mom die…" Ruby cupped her face with both hands. "All those years and he…"
"Lied to you, yes," Nex said. "Truth hurts. Don't waste your tears over it."
Ruby shuddered and snatched Crescent Rose. She left without a word, fading into a string of rose petals.
"I'll talk to her," Blake said. "We'll regroup at the inn."
The ghost-ninja jogged out of the shack, bursting into shadows.
"Well, that was brilliant," Weiss said, thrusting a finger against his breast. "What do you have to say for yourself, Nexus Shade?"
"I'm simply being honest," Nex said. "Unlike you ever since Ozpin got into your head."
Raven smiled, her teeth daggers in the darkness of the shack. "A liar's curse often spreads like a plague."
Weiss' nostrils flared. "That's—"
"What? Raven's right, you know," Nex said, looming over her. "We made a promise."
Weiss grimaced, shrinking back. "I know, and—"
"You're not doing a very good job of keeping it," Nex said. "A promise is a promise, Weiss." He drew a deep breath. "And I… I… I love you. I just want you to remember that."
Pale blue stared into gold. And she collapsed into his arms, tears streaking her cheeks. Her chest trembled as she buried her face in his neck. She sniffled, warm snot sticking to his skin.
"I'm sorry," Nex said, rubbing her back. "I'm making you cry again, huh?"
"I'm not—" Weiss giggled. It hitched in her throat. "I'm not crying. Ice queens don't cry, remember?"
Nex chuckled, planting a kiss on her forehead. "But sometimes they do."
And they did. Like he did. Like Ruby did. After all, they were only people.
Raven groaned, rolling her eyes. "I didn't come here to see a soap opera."
"What did you really come here for then?" Nex said. "Don't you have a hunt to get back to?"
"You sound so very interested, godson of mine." Raven tilted her head. "Perhaps you've considered my offer?"
"Maybe, if the offer's negotiable," Nex said, glancing at the unconscious Qrow. "Let's talk more about it outside?"
"Huh, negotiable," Raven said. A smile tugged at her lips. "A wise choice of words. Shall we, then?"