Grimm Petals

Part 2

Salem led me to a larger room. There was nothing inside except a long table with five people. Cinder walked over between a girl with mint green hair with red eyes and a young man with silver hair. Salem gestured for me to sit down. I hesitatingly sat by the green-haired girl. I watched as Salem took a seat at the very front and spoke.

"Starting today, we have a new colleague. Her name is Summer Rose. You might know her as the mother of Ruby Rose."

I watched as a man with a cut off scorpion tail pounded his fists on the table.
"Are you out of your mind, Your Grace?! You mean to tell me that you hired the mother of that BRAT?!"

Salem shot a glare at him. "Tyrian...are you doubting my judgment?"

Tyrian looked down quietly. "...No. of course not, Your Grace."

"Good. You've already disappointed me once. Now...as for the rest of you..."

Salem started giving orders to various people. I wasn't really paying attention until she said my name.

"Summer Rose," she said.

My head turned to her. "Yes?"

"I would like you to go to Vaccuo and locate the summer maiden there. My mission for you is to take her maiden powers for your own. I would like you to become the Summer Maiden in her place."

I nodded, but hesitantly. "Of course, Your Grace."

Salem nodded and turned to Cinder "Cinder, I would like for you to accompany Summer on this mission. She will also require training from you if she succeeds in this task. Do you understand?"

Cinder responded without hesitation. "Yes. May Emerald and Mercury accompany me as well?"

"...If they must. Just make sure they don't get in the way."

The young man with grey hair, who I assumed was Mercury, just shrugged silently. The green-haired girl, Emerald, simply just nodded.

"Yeah," Mercury said, "we gotta problem reaching Vacuo. We don't have any transportation."

Salem waved her hand dismissively.
"Not to worry, young one," she told him. "Arthur Watts is waiting on standby with an airship. He too shall accompany you on this mission. But for...different reasons. You all have your orders. I expect you to follow them. You may be dismissed."

I watched as everyone rose from their seats and set off their own ways. Cinder beckoned me to come to her. I stepped forward slowly.

"Yes?" I asked her.

"There's not a second to waste," she snapped. "Emerald and Mercury are already headed towards the ship. Let's get going. Now."

I was put off by her sudden demanding personality, but I did as told and followed her outside of Salem's castle to find that there was a huge airship just outside.

Emerald and Mercury were already waiting. Along with a gentleman in his late thirties to early forties. His black hair was greying somewhat, and he had a nicely trimmed mustache.

"I assume you all have everything ready?" he said.

I saw Cinder nod. "Yes, Watts. Everything is in order. We're ready to head towards Vacuo now."

The man known as Arthur Watts smiled and climbed into the airship pilot seat, while Cinder climbed in and sat next to him. That left me in the back with Emerald and Mercury.

"So," I said, trying to start a conversation, "have any of you visited Vacuo before?"

"For short missions for Salem," Emerald said. "Now that we know who the Summer Maiden is, it shouldn't be that hard to track her down. As for fighting...that'll be more difficult."

"What do you mean?"

Arthur Watts was the one who spoke up.
"There are four maidens in Remnant: Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter. Each can use magic, so they can be especially dangerous. Do be cautious. But with Cinder, the Fall Maiden by your side, it shouldn't be too much hassle."

I nodded and sat quietly for the next few hours until we had reached our destination. The desert of Vacuo. From what I could see from above, most of it was a desert, except an oasis that was not far away. Some Grimm roamed the area, looking for prey no doubt...

"So," Mercury asked me," you ready to visit the Kingdom of Thieves?"

I sighed. "As ready as I can be."

The airship made it slow decent onto the ground and after a few minutes we all got off board. The blistering sun didn't feel too pleasant...

"We should head into the kingdom," Arthur Watts said, "this heat will start draining our aura soon."

We were all quiet as we stepped into the kingdom of Vacuo. ...The Kingdom of Thieves...

"I've rented a place where we can stay for a few weeks," Watts told us, as he lead the way to the house we would be staying in.

The place wasn't huge, but it would do for now until our mission was complete.

"So... who is the Summer Maiden, then? We need to find her," I said.

Arthur unlocked the door of the house and lead us inside. Once we were all comfortable, he took out his scroll and showed us a picture of a young woman.

She looked to be in her mid twenties, with long wavy blonde hair, and striking bright blue eyes. She had tanned skin that was nearly a bronze color. She was beautiful.

"This is Dahlia Dylily," Watts told us, "she is quite capable of her powers already. Her location is still unknown, but if I had to take a guess... I'd say she's guarding the Summer Vault. After all, Salem wants what's contained inside..."

I was confused. Salem never mentioned these vaults...

"What's in there that's so important?" I asked.

Cinder shot a glare at me. "We can tell you more once you've completed your mission. Arthur, where is this vault?"

"Below Shade Academy," he replied. "But you're going to need Headmaster Theodore's key to the vault in order to gain access inside."

Cinder nodded and gestured for Mercury, Emerald, and me to follow her outside.

"Alright. I'll go and get the key with Summer," Cinder said. "You two are to remain at the academy in case things go awry. Do you understand?"

Emerald and Mercury nodded without question.

Cinder smiled a cold smile. "Good. Come on, Summer. There's work to be done."

And with that, the four of us split and went of on our different ordered.

I really hope I can pull this off, I thought. For The Queen...