RWBY Through Worlds

23: Present Doesn't Mean That You're Here.

"That tongue of yours is going to press your luck too far," Raven said.

"I hang around your brother. I think I'm fine," Shine said, exiting the room.

Raven cautiously followed her.

"Look, it takes some guts to show up and say what you did and then put yourself out there," she said, in the voice Shine knew was her trying to flatter her into a false sense of security. "I'm intrigued, now, but I can't just hang around here, I have stuff to take care of, so if you'd give me what I need, I could move on, and you could do whatever it is you need to do."

"And where's the fun in that?" Shine replied archly. "Nice try. I'm not that easily worked on... The power is down in Mantle."

"Yeah..." Raven said, like "so?"

"So...if you want answers, I'm afraid you'll have to wait till we've found Watts and Tyrian... You remember Watts?" Shine said.

"Not sure how you do still...but yes," Raven said.

"Right, weird guy with a mustache."

"Hates Cinder Fall...hated, I should say," Raven mused.

"I almost forgot that," Shine said. "Yes...about the only thing we have in common is our mutual disdain for that woman. He's here. So, you know, I have different stuff to worry about than you right now."

"You came to me, Princess," Raven said. 

"So I did," Shine said. "And a fat lot of help you were at Beacon, too. I have no reason to think you're not a waste of my time right now. You wouldn't want to be seen here, would you? Ironwood would shoot you before you could even say 'dodge'."

"Don't try to work around me, kid," Raven said. "I'm the best in the business. I see what you're doing."

"Then you should also see that, while it may be transparent, it doesn't make it untrue," Shine said. "Why should I answer any of your questions about how we can bring people back to life? Or frighten Grimm or pose a threat to Salem in any way, if you aren't willing to do a thing to show you actually want to know? I won't let these secrets slip to someone who's just going to vanish and go who knows where with them. Maybe you don't work for Salem, but do I imagine you'd feel any sort of compulsion to spare us if she questions you about it? What are we to you?"

"You want to know where these fools are hiding?" Raven flexed the fingers on one hand. "That good enough for you?"

"I don't really care what you do," Shine said. "As long as I'm not seen talking to you."

She eyed the cameras. "Which is likely..."

"My brother is not to find out I'm here," Raven warned her. "And neither is my daughter."

"Not on me," Shine said.

"I'll think about it," Raven said loftily. "I may just decide to fly home and forget I ever saw this. Sometimes things are not worth knowing."

"Knowledge is power," Shine said. "The Lamp doesn't answer everything, does it? Well, best of luck."

"I'm not the one who's going to need luck." Raven turned into a bird and flew back towards the window.

Shine let out a long sigh. "If I have to keep dealing with these edgy people all day long, I'm going to get a paper cut."

How much time had she spent doing this? She took off.

* * *

But Shine needn't have worried about Winter and the Maiden--as of that moment, that wasn't what was on her mind.