RWBY Through Worlds (End)

BC17: Gold (Kip and Penny)-2

While Wally was giving Ruby a driving lesson, Penny decided to ask Oscar for some advice about the upcoming expedition.

"I really don't know anything about dust," Oscar said.

"Hmm," Penny said.

She projected a map using her eye. "Maybe you could just suggest somewhere to look, as the Spirit moves you."

"But Penny, it would be putting a lot of faith in that," Oscar said.

"It would be just as good as not having any clue at all," Penny said.

When she put it that way...

Oscar studied the map, gripping his staff that he still had--though by now he'd modified it a little more. It was still a spear also.

No visible Aura shimmer--after a certain amount of time most of them never gave any sign of what they were doing, unless it was to activate a special amount of shielding, as Cinder had when fighting the Irasci.

But after a few studious moments, Oscar nodded.

"There," he said.

The area he pointed to was in a section of hills and mountains that had been searched before.

"I think they're pretty much tapped out," Penny said.

"Try the other side," Oscar said, pointing again.

Penny locked in the coordinates of where he pointed.

"I don't know," she said. "How would the previous explorers have missed it? But if you say it, I'll do it.... The nice thing is, it's not that far from where we were looking before, so it won't be much of a flight."

Oscar could tell she was trying to put a good spin on it and didn't really think anything would be there.

He didn't know why he thought that was the right spot.

That side of the mountain had a valley in it that was called "The Great Depression" because it sunk so low. It was said that travelers called it depressing even to think of getting across it and up the other mountains.

Of course with planes that wasn't as big of an issue, but before those it would have been a place most people would have avoided going through if at all possible.

The floor of the valley was so low in fact that if it was closer to the ocean, it would have been a lake.

That said, Penny was pretty sure Oscar's coordinates were either in the valley or along the side of it, but the whole area should be checked.

* * *

"You sure look down in the dumps," Yang told Mercury.

Why he was even still here she didn't know. Maybe he hadn't wanted to appear to go after Emerald.

"Go away, Blondie," Mercury said sourly.

"Gosh, rude much?" Yang pouted. "You are antisocial."

"Sure," Mercury said flatly.

"Is this about Emerald?" Yang put her foot firmly in her mouth.

She got a glare.

"Screw off," he said.

"Right...sorry." Yang was more sympathetic than you'd think. "Touched a nerve.... I guess she left early anyway. Awkward."

"And I really don't want to talk about it with you. I bet your mom told you everything." Mercury was wrong to think Raven would have told everything.

"Actually she didn't say much," Yang said. "Just that you got reassigned.... You're going to work with Penny for a bit, right?"