RWBY Through Worlds (End)

BC87: Consumed (Menagerie)-6

"Hey, aren't you supposed to be resting?" he said.

"You're lucky she's still here," the medic said, venting his frustration. "She's the worst patient I've ever had. It was all I could do to get her to stay here till morning. Good luck with this one. I have to go."

He took his bag of supplies he'd been assembling in this time and pushed past Mercury.

Awkward silence.

Emerald sank onto the cot again. "Well...uh...did the kids make it?" she asked.

"All of them are alive," Mercury said. He frowned at her. "I hope you're happy."

"I am happy to hear that," Emerald said.

"Good, because after the chance you took going back in there, you're lucky to be alive." Mercury was all set to chew her out.

But of course Emerald started crying, so that kind of ruined that.

"What the...? What are you doing?" he said.

"Sorry." Emerald wiped her eyes. "I guess it just hit me how close it came. I was holding back until I heard if they were okay or not. I didn't want to break down, but, now that it's over...I just can't believe all that happened...and Mino got away."

"Oh, no he didn't." Mercury made a fist. "We caught him later. You're not gonna believe how that worked out actually. I wanted to kill him, but his partner, the creepy hypnotizing woman, came on with this sob story routine, and then I didn't, but she captured him all over again for us. I guess she realized the bandits weren't coming to save their a---s and she wanted to bargain."

"I'm surprised that worked on you," Emerald said.

"Well, it wouldn't have, but it was kind of a bad time to be hung up on it," Mercury said.

"I kinda thought you'd be gloating," Emerald said. "Because I was kind of proven wrong. I thought maybe I could reason with him, but it didn't work. Maybe if I'd just taken him out right away, the house wouldn't have been set on fire. I was afraid of what he'd do to the kids if I pushed him, but it went just as bad with trying the other way." She rubbed her arms.

"Well, yeah, that was stupid," Mercury agreed. "But it doesn't matter anymore."

"Really? No 'I was right, these people can't be reasoned with' speech?" Emerald said.

Mercury looked uncomfortable. "Well, that wasn't entirely true...I think... I guess we'll see. Maybe you were half right."

"Half right?" Emerald said. "Wow...geez, what happened since yesterday? This isn't like you."

She didn't really think he'd be offended by her saying that, but suddenly Mercury got a lot more upset.

"Is that really what you think I'm like?" he said, much more emotionally than before.

"I--" Emerald wasn't ready for that.

"I know you think I'm an ass, but I didn't know you thought I was that cruel," Mercury said, stormily. 

"No, no, not cruel." Emerald held up her hands. "Just figured you thought I was foolish, like you usually do."

"I don't think you're foolish." Mercury had been pushed to his limits enough to blurt out his real thoughts without as much of a filter. "Reckless, stubborn, and overly forgiving, but not foolish."

"Oh...wow, thanks," Emerald said sarcastically.

"I can't do this," Mercury said.

"Huh?" Emerald said.