That first full day in Vacuo wasn't much better than the one before it. Grimm attacks kept coming at the edge of the city, but for at least a full 5 hours none of them came inside it... No one knew why this was (outside the main group).
Wally's barriers worked--but at a cost. He felt really drained after putting them up, and sluggish and just tired on the inside.
Shine worried he might have gone too far after all, trying to do a whole city, and she tried to help him with her methods of prayer/singing praise, which seemed to charge their powers up again.
Oscar was the only one who knew why it worked that way, and he did mention it to the others, who thought it was weird--but then, they thought team FNKI was weird too.
That team did work with CVFY and them to do what they could to keep the peace in the new group of people.
Robyn successfully kept Qrow closer to the rest of the group but could do nothing to cheer him up. In fact, he seemed worse the longer he had time to let it sink in.
Getting more temporary housing up for the refugees was the first order of business, but Winter did not forget that they also needed to find the Summer Maiden before Tyrian did.
In fact, they needed to find Tyrian also.
What to do there...
Pietro gathered a lot of the currently unemployed technicians to discuss the potential of getting the tower set up from here, and they argued for hours about how much harder it would be in Vacuo's climate to pull this off, though some said it wasn't really worse than icy tundra and water particles interfering, but they were used to shielding from that, not sand and heat.
Probably they'd find a way sooner or later, they had nothing else to do, but tempers were short in light of the tragedy of the day before, and families were also not enjoying being separated. Not all of them had made it into the same kingdoms.
And some children and parents were separated in the confusion, and this was causing distress--not knowing if they were alive or dead or safe or in trouble, a kingdom away...and no method of ready communication.
Winter, after listening to problem after problem like this all day from Atlas, began to wonder if she really was qualified to handle the situation.
To make matters worse still, Theo, while doing nothing to help them, was watching her.
Not openly, but from a distance.
It didn't seem like a friendly "I have your back, Maiden" watching either.
At least Whitley was enjoying himself. He and Oscar were working on the plan to get dust shipped around once they got the tower up, and signing papers that Willow was helping them get. Luckily she'd found their lawyer in the hubbub.
Jacques and Ironwood were being held in Shade's holding area--which it had, luckily--and it was pretty secure, not as good as Atlas, but where would they go even if they got out? Everyone knew who they were.
But the students guarding them told Winter that both of them wanted to talk to her.
Winter had no desire whatsoever to talk to either of them and declined.
She was then told they said it was important.
Resigning herself to it, she headed down there.
"Winter!" Jacques said. "Finally! You have to get me out of here--it's not safe at all. These ruffians hate me."
"You're safer in here than you are out there," Winter said coldly, "if we owed you any such courtesy. Is this all you want to talk about?"
"Nevermind him." Ironwood was at the end of his cell. "Listen, Winter--"
"It's Lieutenant," she cut him off.
Silence.
"Lieutenant then," Ironwood amended grimly. "I don't know what Likstar told you she saw, but Salem and Cinder have the Relics, and they're coming here. The kingdom has to prepare for an attack--I suppose our army is decimated, but Vacuo has some sort of organized defense, I assume."
"Yes, we're well aware of this," Winter said. "We're doing our best to set things up, I assure you, but your presence here is helping nothing. If that's all you wanted to tell me, I already knew."
"There's more," Ironwood said. "The Summer Maiden, have you secured her yet?"
"Secured her?" Winter said.
"Theo's always been tight lipped about where exactly she is," Ironwood's said. "I wouldn't trust him. He's never liked us and never been that much of a team player. Whatever Qrow says."
Winter was mad now.
"Perhaps this escaped your attention," she said crisply, "but you are no longer in charge. I have no idea who will end up being the leader of what is left of Atlas, but it sure as h--- will not be you."
Jacques was stunned that she used language like that.
"As for us, we have bigger things to worry about right now," Winter said. "We're on thin ice with Headmaster Theodore, and if you say anything to make that worse, I doubt I'll be able to prevent your immediate execution. The people are angry and looking for someone to blame. I've had demands to turn you over to them already."
This was true...another lovely task of her day.
"And to resign myself," she added. "Which I might consider doing if there was anyone to replace me, but there isn't."
"Where's Qrow?" Ironwood cut in. "He's supposed to know about the Relics and Maidens. I don't know what he knows now--I think he held off on some details."
Sore point right there.
"Qrow is not interested currenlty in collaborating further," Winter said. "He's handling the Grimm problem with Robyn."
Ironwood gave her a long look.
"I'm sure you must think this whole thing has proven me wrong, Winter," he said. "That it makes you right. But you'll see that hiding in Vacuo is no solution. They won't tolerate Atlas here--it would have been better to take our chances. Salem will come for you. They won't help you."
Since this was already pretty much the situation, that stung even more, but Winter would not flinch in front of him.
"We'll just have to do the best we can with what's left of Atlas," she said tightly. "If you'll excuse me, I have a kingdom to look after."
"Where's Theo? Why hasn't he come to talk to me?" Ironwood called as she was leaving. "Even if we weren't on the best of terms, this is just irresponsible. Doesn't he care about the Relics?"
Winter made no answer. What was there to say anyway? If she admitted how little Theo was cooperating with them, he'd only have more to criticize. She left, still in a temper.
* * *
"Feeling any better yet?" Shine asked Wally. They were sitting in the shade of one tent, trying to beat the worst of the heat. It was about the middle of the day.
"Not much." Wally was still out of it. "I mean, eating and drinking helped a little, but it's like sandpaper every time I hear those Grimm." He rubbed his chest. "I don't get it--how did drawing a line in the freaking sand, literally, make me so tired?"
"I shouldn't have suggested it," Shine said. "Perhaps if we'd both done it... Even so, that's a big area to cover for only two people."
"But I thought it wasn't our energy that did it," Wally said.
"It is and it isn't. We all have our amount of grace--no one gets infinite power." Shine ruffled his hair slowly. (He had his head in her lap).
"Oh...well, on the plus side, this has to be the most of your undivided attention I've gotten all week," Wally said.
Shine sighed. "Is it starting to feel like we're less of a couple and more of a business partnership?"
"Well, there's nothing wrong with partnering," Wally said. "That is the point."
"Yeah, but it's less romantic," Shine said.
"Oh please, what could be more romantic than slaying gross monsters together in the middle of a desert that's full of people who hate our guts for dumping spoiled rich snobs on their doorstep?" Wally said. "That right there is so much better than dinner and a movie."
"I mean, who needs chocolate and roses when you have Maiden powers to keep track of and towers to summon?" Shine asked dryly. "And who needs sunbathing on a beach when we have sunburning in the desert scorcher?"
"Now you've got it, and hey, instead of bad service at our table, we've got people who just want to shut down emotionally, missing kids, and people we had to lock up because they wanted to bomb a whole city," Wally said. "Cherry on top is, I seriously doubt Ironwood even thinks he screwed this up, but you just had to save him anyway!"
"Shut up." Shine smacked his arm. "Don't tell me you wouldn't have down the same."
"Oh, absolutely," Wally said. "And then I would have yelled at him."
"Give me a chance. So far I've not been permitted to visit him. I think Winter thinks something will explode if I do," Shine said.
"Take your best shot." Winter walked by them right then, looking steamed.
"What's wrong?" Shine asked. "Did you talk to him?"
"Oh, yes," Winter said. "He was so helpful as to point out everything that is going wrong currently is only going to stay that way, our enemies are on their way, and the Maiden is still nowhere to be found. If Theodore knows, he won't tell us... I swear, Miss Likstar, if you hadn't had those letters, we couldn't even be here still--an option that is looking more and more enticing by the hour... Well, are those barriers you put up still holding, West?"
It was about the 5th hour's end right then, and they had not noticed that they'd be maxed out yet.
"Yeah," Wally said. "So far only Grimm are outside... The problem is, the Huntresses have told us they're right on the other side of the line, like they're just waiting for it to evaporate."
"Like Pharaoh's army at the other side of the wall of fire," Shine said.
"So Prince of Egypt," Wally said.
"I have no idea what you're talking about," Winter said. "Why can you draw a line and keep Grimm out? Is it your Semblance?"
"Oh, no," Wally said. "Shine, tell her how it works."
"I don't fully understand it myself," Shine said. "Barriers are something I discovered back in Ever After--I think they fit in the with the idea of praying for protection, but all our gifts take physical shape in places like this. But enough exposure to the darkness, and it'll erode away the grace you left there. If there was no direct attack it might last for weeks. With continued reinforcement, it can last years...but when the evil one is right on your doorstep, trying to get in, you have to keep it up constantly. Unfortunately, Wally and I can't cover the whole kingdom like that; our authority only goes so far."
"I still don't know what you mean by authority," Winter said. "Why do you have authority over Grimm?"
"Over all creatures," Shine said. "But the rebellious ones are the ones who most feel it. And most hate it."
"And humans clearly are an exception," Winter said.
"Sometimes, yes," Shine said. "Rare occasions, perhaps not. Humans have to choose to be under authority usually. We have the most free responsibility."
She noted Neo watching them, suddenly. She'd been hanging around all day, in disguise, but Shine saw through it easily enough; her gift of Insight made all disguises like Neo's useless.
Wally hadn't noticed her, but then, he'd felt too sick to notice much at all.
"Then why does this authority run low?" Winter said.
"Because, like you can't control a whole army of rebellious poeple, we can't possibly keep a whole kingdom's worth of Grimm at bay forever," Shine said. "Our Lord could, but His presence is not strong here, or anywhere in this world, I notice, because none of you acknowledge His authority, and if no one upholds the law, it's forgotten. You expect us to do all the work for you."
"I never said that," Winter said. "I'd be happy to uphold any law that stops Grimm."
"I know, but you're not in the best position to do so," Shine said. "You're carrying magic powers now. That's in conflict with ours also. You bring the power of the gods with you now."
Funny, considering how impressive that sounded, Shine said it like it was a regrettable occurrence.
"Someone has to guard the powers," Winter said, looking strained, "whatever your view on them is. Of course you are not pleased that it is me, but there is no helping it now."
"You didn't hurt Fria, did you?" Wally looked up a little. "She was a nice lady. I really was pulling for her to beat the odds. She reminded me of my grandma a little."
"I did nothing to her," Winter said. "She just...ran out of time...I swear." She looked at him like she thought they'd think she was lying.
"I believe you," Shine said.
"Oh?" Winter said.
"You don't look guilty," Shine said. "You always look guilty when you feel it. Besides, I don't sense malevolence...though I can tell you have the powers. Raven oozes guilt when she uses hers."
"You can...tell that?" Winter said.
"Yes...and don't think for a second it doesn't affect how well they work," Shine said. "Intention always matters. I'm not sorry you got them because I think you're a poor choice, Winter. I'm sorry because they are a burden, and I like you. I would have wished you didn't have to carry it."
Winter didn't enjoy hearing that.
"But who else should have to?" she said. "I started this...and there was no one else."
"Unfortunately, that's mostly true," Shine said. "Better you than Cinder, but, I don't have to like it. I don't think you'll like it either."
Winter looked away. "Thank you for the vote of confidence," she said tightly.
"Oh, that's a good thing," Shine said. "If I thought you were the sort to be tempted by those powers, I'd be very against you having them. But you don't care about that. It's best if you don't like it, like Oscar. Will be harder for you to abuse them. Actually, one thing I can say for both you and Raven is you aren't ones to show off too much. I'd be fine with her bearing them if she was less selfish...but you're almost too far the other way. Have you even rested since yesterday?"
"There is little time for that," Winter said.
"Ladies, I know this is important, but do you think you could whisper? My head is killing me," Wally winced.
"I'm sorry, Babe." Shine lowered her voice.
"No matter, I need to check the Ace Ops' progress anyway," Winter dismissed it.
Hazel and Emerald were with the Ace Ops--because no one in Vacuo wanted her along. The few people who recognized Emerald had spat at her, and Hazel probably just scared them to look at.
Marrow was the only one who was being at all civil to them even out of the Ace Ops. Harriet was only too glad to have people around she could say were worse than herself, as her attitude toward them made clear, and Elm was too sad and distracted to care.
"You want a cold compress?" Shine asked Wally.
"Nah, don't waste water," Wally winced. "Just sing something. That helps. At least it's distracting."
"Easier than talking?" Shine said.
"Well, it's softer," Wally said. "Besides it pumps us up, right?"
"Yeah, okay." Shine took a sip of water, though she had to be careful. Even with an oasis near by, transporting water around took time, and they couldn't drink it too fast.
"In the end, I'm feeling more and more there won't be any end--no ice walls, no frozen firmament, to clearly define the corners and lines, of our divine invention, so paper thin, you see right through it.
"But I bet, when you can't find an edge of a map half written, it could feel like the end to have to keep going.
"...Of our studied hesitation, to shoulder the weight of our bad behaving. Because when Atlas shrugs, whose back is breaking?
"And I know how it feels to the hands, heavy as the heavens, a weight that could fold you, to have to keep holding..."
[This song fits Atlas so well, as well as the characters at this stage of the story.]
Unintentionally, she ended up attracting the attention of some of the refugees, since it had the word "Atlas" in it, and some people came closer to listen--they were hard up for entertainment right then anyway, which was part of the reason they were so crabby with each other.
Some of the kids came to sit next to her also, to Wally's amusement.
"Sing it again," one said.
Shine obliged readily enough. She felt calmer herself with the melody.
Winter and the Ace Ops came back that way in time to catch the tail end of this:
"And I guess it would feel like rebirth out of some kind of dying, to see yourself so glowing."
"Wow," Marrow said. "Look at that, they actually calmed down a little."
"Why do they care about some stupid song?" Harriet asked.
"One thing," Elm said. "People seem to like those two--who aren't us, anyway."
Winter noted this. They did appeal to people who weren't in positions of power...just regular people. Even Whitley seemed to like them... Made her wonder if they didn't just provoke authority figures on purpose. There was nothing to threaten them here.
At least someone was helping keep things more peaceful.
It was short-lived, however, because of two things:
One was that Neo came closer and made a motion at Shine to indicate that she was tired of waiting for an answer.
Shine broke off and wondered exactly how she was going to answer it. They hadn't exactly had time to come to a decision, and she had no leading yet about it.
No one else knew it was Neo and didn't take much note of it.
But, as if on some kind of timer, right after that moment, the first Grimm scratched its way across the barrier.
The edge of the city was only about 20 yards from the encampment, because no one had let them in farther than that--and even the citizens of Vacuo tended to live right on the edge, unless they worked in the dust mining area's higher up positions or the huntsmen academy.
So when the Grimm got in, they were right there, and charged right for the refugees.
"Blast!" Elm yelled, rushing to stop them.
Marrow tried to freeze some of them in place, but he was getting tired already. The lack of rest and harsh conditions weren't helping any of them, who were used to cold, not heat.
Shine got up and went to stand in front of the tents, in case any stragglers got through.
This would be a growing problem, she realized. It would be hard to get anything established while the refugees were in constant danger.... There was no way they could do it. Not without more help from Vacuo's huntmen than they were getting. A handful of them wasn't enough.
Theo had said that he'd leave it up to whomever wanted to help... That wasn't enough people.
"Shine, be careful." Wally sat up, head pounding, and then looked nauseous and laid back down. "Crap..."
Shine pursed her lips. There had to be a solution to this...right?
Then she thought of something.
Rushing back around the tents to where not as many people were, she stepped into the shadow of some hovels and opened a doorway.
To her relief, it worked. Penny came flying out of it.
"Salutations!" she said, seeing Shine. "I had begun to wonder if you'd all forgotten about me."
"Penny!" Shine was so happy she hugged her. "Where were you?"
"Mistral," Penny said. "It was interesting seeing all the people there. The refugees are getting settled nicely also, but I was worried about my father and all of you. I couldn't fly so far on my own, so..."
Behind her, unexpectedly, came Kali Belladonna and Gira.
"Oh..." Shine said.
"This is Va...fascinating," Kali said. "Your portals truly are amazing, Miss Likstar."
"Where's Blake?" Gira asked.
The door shut.
"Um..." Shine wasn't sure how to answer that without freaking them out.
"I sense Grimm," Penny said.
"Yes, Penny, if you're combat ready, Mantle needs protection," Shine said.
"Of course. Duty calls," Penny saluted. "I'm working just fine now, virtually ready." She tooked the air, and she flew out.
Well, that got a cheer from many of the civilians, and she was able to give the tired Ace Ops a bit more of an edge. They were elated when she just showed up, though it was kind of awkward since they'd been fighting her last time they met, but it was no time to be petty.
"Blake isn't here right now," Shine told the Belladonnas. "I didn't really mean for you to come through, but, uh...if you are here, we could use all the help we could get. We're pretty tapped."
"I suppose we could lend a hand," Gira said. "For Blake. Perhaps now would be time to think of moving more of your Faunus to Haven... With no one in the school, we have plenty of room--and in the town. In fact, some of our members are even thinking of just staying there because the people have been so grateful they've gotten attached to them."
"Haven needs a new fighting force," Shine said. "That's great to hear, and you can certainly make your pitch...if we can keep them safe for now. Though I hear Vacuo is nicer for Faunus also."
"Well, it's certainly drier," Kali coughed. "We have a desert around our island also, but we don't venture there ourselves."
Gira rushed out and slammed one Grimm into the ground with his bare hands.
No one knew who this guy was, but they weren't about to turn down help like that.
Kali picked up a tent pole that was lying around and hit one Grimm with it cheerfully.
Blake sure got her fighting skills from her parents, Shine thought to herself.
With their help and Penny's, the Grimm got pushed back a little, but, to Shine's dismay, Winter went off after the ones who were now breaking through the line farther away.
"She can't keep doing this," Shine cried.
"We can't stop her," Harriet said. "Right now we have no choice. Try to understand that."
"Harriet," Shine said, "if you don't want to get eaten by one of these monsters for running your mouth, I suggest you adjust that attitude. I know you're upset, but stop taking it out on everyone else. We need to keep a positive mindset right now."
"Leave me alone," Harriet said. "What do you know anyway?"
"I know that you're upset about Clover," Shine said. "Wally filled me in. I don't blame you for that, but you're letting it make you angry and incautious. If you need a happy thought, his killer is here somewhere, and we can run him in if we make it through the Grimm slaying part. "
Harriet made a face at her, but apperantly that thought pacified her a little, because she quit complaining--out loud.
Shine followed Winter, or tried to.
Neo caught up to her.
[Video by ASL Princess, each line is CC for which one it is in the conversation. All of them are Neo this time.]
:You promised to answer me today.
She signed at her impatiently.
"Did I say what time of day?" Shine asked. "I'm a little busy right now, Neo."
:I don't care, you promised,
Neo replied.
"Excuse me?" Shine said, slowing down.
:You can babysit all of them later, but I want my boss back.
Neo signed this very snippily.
"And I have news for you, woman, you won't get it if you keep up with that attitude," Shine said. "I don't trust you with that kind of gift right now. Has it escaped your attention that everyone here has lost or could lose people close to them today? Do you think you're the only one I care about?"
:Why would I care about them?
Neo signed.
"Why would I care about you?" Shine replied.
Neo raised an eyebrow.
"Are you incapable of feeling compassion for anyone who isn't your personal friend?" Shine said, scathingly. "There is no rubric for what you ask, but I must say, if there was, would you be passing it? Would you help you, if you were me? Or my Lord, more importantly. Why should you get a reward for being part of the reason this happened?"
Neo glanced around and back at her warily.
"You don't care?" Shine said. "But I do. I was willing to consider helping you even so, because I feel your pain...but I wonder if it matters really. It seems to me nothing would help you, if you hate people this much."
Neo began to be afraid she really was going to say no.
:Just tell me what you want me to do, and I'll do it!
She signed at once.
"No one can make you have kindness," Shine said. "And that is all I want. 'I desire mercy and not sacrifice', as the Good Book says. You'd have to want to be that way. If you care about Torchwick so much, he must not have been all bad. I could believe it. I never thought he had the look of someone who was all evil. I'm sorry, Neo, but what is most valuable can never be forced. I have to take care of people right now. Come back later."
She moved onward.
Neo looked at her, slumping.
Kindess!? she thought to herself angrily. Why, that ninny could shove her sword right up her---
But then she recalled that if they had that girl back...then her boss might be just within reach... This was no time not to play nice.
But how to do this? Nothing would please that woman but compassion?
Neo hardly even knew the meaning of the word. She was mean and sometimes sadistic in her violent actions. She didn't care if people got hurt.
Looking around, she saw nothing concerning about this scene. Bunch of snobs all suffering and too pathetic to even defend themselves, hardly.
Maybe if she just waited till later, the woman with the sword would change her mind. Or maybe she could do something to earn it...
She was probably angry about this whole debacle with Cinder--that witch!
Well...Neo supposed she could live with doing something to screw Cinder over after she just tried to kill her.
* * *
Qrow and the huntresses were ready when the Grimm finally broke through.
Qrow probably would have found a bar before that point, if Robyn had let him out of her sight, but she was worse than a mother hen.
Qrow liked Robyn fine, but she was grating on his nerves with her continual optimism and lack of subtlety about keeping him in place. He was certain Shine or Winter had set her to do it.
He took advantage of the Grimm attacking to get farther away from her while she was distracted, and none of the others took notice of it.
The weight of Ruby and Yang's absence was heavy like a stone on him. And he couldn't stop thinking about it.
Were they alive? Were they trying to get home? Or were they trapped somewhere or dead? And one would never know... That was the worst of it. Not knowing, not being able to settle on it.
"Qrow!" Winter's sharp voice cut into his thoughts.
Great, her again.
"Where have you been?" Winter demanded, landing in front of him.
Give a woman the power of flight and after one day she's making dramatic entrances like it's a job requirement.
"Waiting to kill Grimm," Qrow said. "And the wait is finally over, so if you'd stop distracting me, I have stuff to do."
"You do know that we have other issues besides Grimm," Winter said, not letting it go. "The Summer Maiden for one. General Ironwood was of the opinion that you might know something about her."
"All I know about her is that Theo knows her," Qrow said. "And Ironwood is getting an opinion? I didn't think dead men could talk."
"That is not amusing," Winter said. "The General may be right about this. Theodore is holding back. A running theme with every one of Ozpin's employees, I notice."
"Starting to look like there's a reason for that," Qrow said. "If he wants to keep it close to the chest, then he's not going to crack."
"Couldn't you talk to him?" Winter argued. "He must trust you the most."
"He's pissed at me right now. He won't talk," Qrow said.
"He offered to go clubbing," Winter said distastefully. "How pissed can he be? And I certainly won't get anywhere with him."
"I don't know, women usually can get somewhere with Theo," Qrow said, just to annoy her.
It worked.
"This is not the time for your impertinent jokes," Winter said. "Do you not realize that we're hanging by a thread as it is? All of us are pulling double shifts, and you keep disappearing. Which apparently is what you're good at--and not communicating--but at this particular moment, we can't afford to make mistakes."
"Then you should be glad I'm not involved," Qrow said. "And I didn't come out here to get a lecture, I came to fight the Grimm, and I'm not planning to do anything else."
"You should be planning to help," Winter said.
"And if I don't want to help?" Qrow said.
"Isn't it your responsibility?" Winter said. "Isn't this your job? To guard the Maidens? And stay up to date?"
Why did she have to bring that up?
"I can't be everywhere at once. It's been ages since I checked on Vacuo," Qrow said.
Winter put a hand to her eyes like her patience was maxing out. "Surely there is something."
Qrow didn't even bother to answer. Just walked away.
But Winter followed.
"Do not walk away from me," she said.
"I don't recall asking your permission," Qrow said.
"Qrow, I'm aware that you're upset about your nieces--" Winter tried a different tactic. After all, Shine's remarks on it hadn't been forgotten by her.
Qrow stopped.
"Little welcome as support is from me, I do understand, to some degree, your concern," Winter said, as primly as usual--but with a slight catch behind her voice. "Weiss is missing also...but I cannot wait till I know of her whereabouts to do my job. No one can. No one here has not taken losses in the last week. But we'll take far more if we do not get the upperhand now, while we can."
"Upperhand?" Qrow snapped, taking her off guard, and she stepped back. "Have you not been paying attention? None of us had a freaking clue what we're doing. Even Jimmy couldn't save his own people--no, he tried to blow them up. And up until yesterday, you were right there with him."
"I was no--" Winter began.
"And me? I let the whole thing happen," Qrow said. "It got out of hand because none of us had a better answer, and nothing has changed about that. We're worse off than ever now. Vacuo is not going to make it. If Atlas couldn't, no way this hunk of rock and dirt can. We're sitting ducks right now, and Salem knows it. There is nothing we can do. And we can don't know what to do. Sure, dig the Maiden out, make her job easier for her. We're all better off not knowing where she is and hoping that it takes Callows a while to figure it out too. In the meantime, you can try to solve the food problem and the fact that no on here likes Atlas. I can't do a d--- thing about any of that, and I'm frankly not in the mood to try. I'm a huntsman. I kill grimm, and that's where it should stay, if you ask me."
Winter stared at him with something like disdain and something like anger. Maybe a little fear.
"If that's what you want to do," she said coldly, "there is nothing we can do to stop you. Waste time, then. And we're losing our advantage by the hour...but have it your way."
She had turned greyer in the last few seconds, however.
"Pro tip, though, Ice Queen," Qrow said, "stop using those powers constantly. They take months to really get down, and the Aura boost doesn't last forever. It's like adrenaline--once it's gone, you're worse off than before. You'll kill youself if you keep going like this."
"When I want your concern, I'll ask for it," Winter said icily. "I have this under control, and right now I need all the help I can get."
That last line was razor sharp.
"I'm serious. It's not a good idea," Qrow said.
"I--" Winter was on the point of arguing further or else storming off, but she wasn't allowed to do so.
Perhaps due to the negativity, one of the large Grimm quite suddenly sprang at both of them before one of the other huntsmen could do a thing to head it off.
Wind blew dust in their eyes at that most inauspicious moment, and the Grimm also got them.
One of its claws sent Winter sprawling, even so, and her Aura was pretty much gone.