Shine walked out of the dojo and into the entry room.
The team was still setting up--and having an argument about whether or not going out was a good idea.
Yang was tired of sitting around places--and wanted a distraction from thinking about the crisis.
The others mostly felt apprehensive after all the problems they'd had in Vacuo...but Blake thought, since the White Fang's new division was around, it was less likely to happen.
"What do you think?" They called upon Shine to settle it.
Pyrrha noted though that Shine looked upset.
"Maybe we can work this out ourselves," she said.
"It might not hurt," Shine said. "But again, no one goes anywhere alone. Don't be stupid."
"What about them, though?" Weiss glared at Cinder and Mercury--Watts was in another room.
"Aren't we going to lock them up at all?" Neptune said.
"For what purpose?" Shine shrugged. "Tyrian will no doubt find his way here by tomorrow, but I doubt he's beaten us. This might be the last chance you have to go out without trouble...make the most of it."
That wasn't a nice reminder to have, but facts were facts.
Wally followed Shine. "Maybe we should go out too," he said. "After that, I think you need a break."
"We need to plan," Shine argued.
"It can wait a few hours," Wally said. "Come on, please."
Shine wavered. "Well...all right, but can I change first? And get ready?"
"Sure," Wally said.
Shine headed upstairs.
"Hey, Mr. West," Sun said, "can I ask, how did you get her? I mean, you're so different."
"Same way you got Blake, I guess," Wally said. "I followed her home."
"What? No way, you're just messing with me," Sun said.
"I'm totally serious, man," Wally said.
[See Worldcrossed fic.]
"Was it love at first sight?" Nora asked.
"No," Wally said. "I mean, sure, I was attracted to her, but I was kind of still in a different relationship at the time...didn't last long, though."
"Oh, wow," Nora said.
"How do you handle her?" Theo asked, getting in on this. "She's a livewire."
"Hey." Wally frowned.
"I mean, I could see why you might be into that," Theo said. "But full time? You don't seem like the quickest on the uptake, no offense."
"Funny, my friends told me the same thing," Wally said
"I think you need some new friends." Pyrrha thought that was hurtful.
"Well, they don't mean anything by it," Wally brushed it off. "Actually, though, one of them said it made sense. He said that Shine gets me. Still not sure what he meant, but I took that as a good sign. Anyway, Supes did say she made me more serious... But Shine's not hard to deal with anyway."
"Really?" Ren was skeptical about that.
"Really," Wally said. "She's surprisingly pretty laid back about most things. I think actually I lucked out. She never plays those mind games that some girls do--no offense, ladies."
"I see," Ren said. But he was still skeptical.
"That's all surface stuff," Theo said. "Vara isn't like that either. Those are just stereotypes."
"Oh, totally," Wally said. "Isn't it nice that people aren't just stereotypes?"
"I guess," Sun said. "But doesn't she ever scare you with that mind reading thing?"
"Actually, I just thought it was kind of impressive," Wally said. "I have a friend who can literally read minds, and Shine's still sometimes better with people than he is. I thought it was cool--I guess I could see why I'm in a special place there. How many people know mind-readers in real life?"
He got blank looks.
"Yeah, that's not a normal thing," Neptune said finally.
"So we're perfect then," Wally shrugged. "Why are you asking, anyway?"
"I guess we just don't know that much about you," Pyrrha said, "or even how you know each other. But it sounds lovely to me. Really sweet. You two really like each other. That's how it should be."
"Ugh." Mercury, who was laying on one couch and still pretty grumpy from being tired, made a face.
Jaune and Ruby rejoined the group.
"Hey, are you guys okay?" Jaune asked Wally.
"Uh..." Wally hesitated longer than he normally would have. "You know, we're going to try to decompress for a while. Ask me after that."
"Okay..." Jaune said. "Well, you should take a break. You've been working twice as hard because everyone else has been down."
"Ruby, do you want to go with us?" Weiss asked.
"Sure," Ruby said, "as long as everyone else is okay with it... Oscar?"
Oscar was following her.
"Oh...uh...I mean..." he hesitated. "I'm not sure. I'm kind of tired now."
"Oh." Ruby looked disappointed. "Well, you should rest then..."
"I guess if everyone's going, we could go as a team," Jaune said to his teammates.
"Or we could split up," Nora said. "Or double date."
"Isn't our whole life basically that now?" Ren said.
"Wow, Ren, was that a joke?" Nora said. "You're in a good mood. Great! Let's seize the day!"
"Carpe diem." Shine came back down the stairs with makeup and more decorative clothing.
"Hmmm." Vara had just walked in. "I didn't notice before, Likstar, but you're actually not bad looking. Could use a bit more style though."
Shine did not get offended. "I think your styles are something I can't quite grasp." She eyed their clothes. "Not that I don't like Urban Fantasy, but it's so complicated. All those zippers and straps and bandages... Sorry, I think I'll just stick with what works for me."
"I think your clothes are nice," Pyrrha said. "Different, but that's just more like a fairytale anyway, isn't it? It's like peeping into--well, you know."
"Why are you two so out of sync with us?" Theo asked Wally. "It's weird. Did you grow up outside the kingdoms?"
"Yeah," Wally said. "At least that's part of it. Well, later, suckers." He waved. "We gotta paint the town."
He took Shine's hand, and they hurried out the door.
"Disgusting," Mercury said.
"Awww," Nora said instead. "Come on, Ren, let's go."
She grabbed his arm almost before he was ready and beelined for the door also.
"We'll be back before it gets too late," Pyrrha assured Winter, who'd just walked in to see them leaving. "And we'll stay in the public areas. No sense risking anything."
Winter was on the point of saying they shouldn't go out, but they didn't give her the chance--they went for it.
Oscar, tired and also worried about earlier, went up to the room he was using.
"Are you going to do anything other than sulk?" Mercury asked Cinder, who hadn't budged from her spot.
"Don't talk to me," she said, "traitor."
"Big words coming from the person who disobeys Salem constantly," Mercury said. "Unless you're sore about me quitting working for you. But I decided it wasn't good for my health--you choke out people who work for you too often."
"She betrayed me first," Cinder said. "She deserved it."
"That's the smartest thing she ever did," Mercury said. "And honestly, I think you know it."
Cinder looked up, as if suddenly that kind of hit home.
"I'm outta here." Mercury decided to find somewhere else to chill.
Winter eyed Cinder. "Stay out of trouble," she said. "You're on thin ice with us. I don't want to hear about any fights or other trouble from you."
"You have your own problems, Schnee," Cinder said snippily. "I know what I'm supposed to do here. I don't intend to mingle. Why would I want to be around you insipid fools?"
"Good." Winter couldn't care less for her insults.
"But you're planning to get revenge, aren't you?" Cinder added, since she never could leave things on good terms. "For your sister..."
"Actually Weiss is safe," Winter said. "Perhaps your little scheme worked out for us in the long run."
Cinder shot her a look of surprise.
"But if you give me an excuse..." Winter let it hang. "I told Miss Likstar I wouldn't seek revenge, but eliminating any threat to this team is still on the table. I suggest not trying me."
"You couldn't win a fight with a dog right now," Cinder said.
"But could you?" Winter replied.
Cinder didn't want to find out till she was recovered.
She scowled and dropped the subject.
* * *
Shine and Wally had a fun time exploring Mistral... Shine had seen pictures of it, but being here was like Disneyland almost.
She did warn Wally that it wasn't the safest place, so they shouldn't wander down any scary-looking alleys.
Wally dug how the whole place looked a bit more Oriental in style but also still had that fantasy-like quality that made this world so different from this.
"I wish we could spend more time just doing this," he said, looking at some wind chimes that were for sale.
"It'd get old if this was all, but it is fun," Shine said.
"You know, the group was asking me about us earlier," Wally remarked as they walked around.
"Oh?"
"Yeah, about why we're together," Wally said. "I can't believe it's only been, like, 4 or 5 months, counting the time here."
"I guess we settled in fast," Shine mused.
"So far how's the adjustment going for you?" Wally asked.
"No complaints," Shine said. "In fact, much better than I could have imagined--if this whole experience hasn't made you rethink wanting to do this."
"Honestly...that hasn't crossed my mind," Wally said. "Somehow it's not the kind of thing I could see just quitting."
"No...it's not," Shine agreed.
"But aside from the job, I feel like I know you a lot better now than before," Wally said. "I mean, I thought you were cool, and sweet, and kind, and smart, and all that stuff before, but getting this look at it, it's like I have the full picture."
"I think I've seen another side of you also," Shine said. "I understand now why you're suited to this."
"What about just a side of me, as a person?" Wally said. "Anything different?"
"I have learned that when it's not an emergency, you don't feel the need to make as many jokes," Shine said. "Maybe you're more confident in this setting? At least in some ways. No pressure to look like the fastest, strongest person, to do a million things every day--that kind of thing. It's slower, but I think I like that better. I don't see those big differences as that substantial anymore. It feels less like we're from two different worlds, I just feel like we're on the same path...if that makes sense."
"It does, actually," Wally said. "Glad you like it better this way... I admit, I did worry a bit about what it would be like to not be the superhero all the time. I mean, I know you don't really care, but sometimes people can't help but act different even if they don't think it matters. It's just what they expect. But actually you went beyond what I expected there, if anything. I guess I never realized how tough you were."
"Tough?" Shine said. "Because I'm scary?"
"Well, that part is fun," Wally said. "But I mean the pressure. I thought superheroing was a lot of pressure, but this is a different kind. I think I'm starting to get it, but at first it was really hard, and I learned how much time you must have put into it to make it look this easy. It's incredible."
"I think you're going a little far there." Shine was feeling flustered.
"I'm serious though," Wally said. "It's not actually the DJ part, though--that's great too--but I think what's blowing me away the most is that you really care about these people, personally, each in a different way... It's something I always kind of felt alone in, but I don't when I'm with you... I feel like you even push it further than me sometimes."
"I think that's more about you," Shine said.
"But you're awesome," Wally said. "I care, but you understand them...and you still care... I've been told a lot of times that I'm easy on villains because I don't get how bad they are--and that's probably not even the real reason, I bet, but that's what people think--but no one could say that about you. You get it...but you choose to care anyway."
"Isn't that just what we're supposed to do?" Shine said.
"Shine, I gotta say, it's hard to admit this, but the amount of people who know what we're supposed to do and the ones who actually do it is really, really disproportionate," Wally said seriously. "I honestly didn't expect to ever find it."
Shine had no words, she was just surprised.
"I know you feel frustrated too," Wally said. "I'm not oblivious to any of that. More than the team realizes, I bet... I mean, a lot of what they said has been hurtful, and I always thought I was laid back, but being accused of being like some gorgon woman and her cronies, that hurts...but you're still at it. I hope you realize that's really amazing."
[AMV by Holy Schneet, " The Last of The Real Ones".]
Shine glanced at him.
"I'm not saying that for anything, by the way." Wally held up his hands. "You don't even have to answer, but I just had to put it out there. You deserve it, all right? People don't tell you that enough. You're way too good to be true, I think. You don't see it, but that's okay. As long I as I know, I'll just keep trying to talk you into it."
"You'll turn my head," Shine finally managed.
"Maybe it should be turned a little bit," Wally said. "All the abuse we get from other people might have knocked us a little off balance."
Shine started laughing. "That was like the most bizarre way to say that I've ever heard--but it's so true, though..."
"Yeah, they can be kind of jerks," Wally said.
"They can be difficult," Shine said, "but I'm attached now... Well, if any of what you're saying is true, it is that I do care, little as they seem to see it...but I've never been that good at showing it."
"Shine, you're great at it. The problem is on their side," Wally said. "You expect too much of yourself. If they can't see how you put effort into this, they're not trying to. It's not your fault. I can see it. If someone did that kind of thing for me, I'd never want to leave them--oh right, you already did that."
Shine choked on another laugh--that might also have been kind of from stress. "Sort of...I don't think you were the trainwreck these people are. I just pushed you in the right direction. You did most of the work."
"Well, that's because I'm special." Wally gestured at himself. "And I had some great role models already. These poor sods don't...what is a sod?"
"An unpleasant, annoying, or unwanted person," Shine said. "But in slang, also just an unfortunate person I think."
"Right," Wally said. "I knew you'd know that, see? Not everyone is as lucky as me...so I kind of cut them some slack, but they still just don't see it... I think it's like that movie you like with that one guy and the dog and the waitress."
"As Good As It Gets?" Shine asked.
"Yeah...when that mean guy is telling the girl," Wally said, "that all those people just miss that they saw the greatest woman in the world walk by, and he feels good because he gets it and they don't?"
Shine blushed.
"Though actually this goes further," Wally said. "No offense to the ladies here, but I still think you might just be the best out of any world. I've been to a few, and you're still above everyone else."
"Now you're really pushing this too far," Shine said. "I'm going to cry, and I don't even think you're right."
"Well, I was trying to make a point," Wally said. "Anyway someone should be talking you up after that mess back there, but I mean it, really."
Shine sighed, not a sad one, just...like she was letting the stress go.
"I know you say I didn't need to say anything back," she said, "but just one thing: Whatever these people think about us, you're my hero. And that's all that I think matters."
Wally smiled. "That's good enough," he said.
"I'm really glad you came," Shine said, more softly. "I honestly am questioning if I could have done this one alone... I don't think so."
"It looks like we need each other," Wally said. "Shouldn't really take this world to make sure that we need help...but I'm going to be for life after this. I'm never going to think I can handle stuff alone ever again."
"I can't make promises," Shine said. "But I think it'll be very difficult to be that delusional, yes. Life has a way of proving us wrong when we think so."
"I know we're supposed to be having fun," Wally said, "but one more thing I want to say before we quit being serious...I don't care if we beat Salem or not."
"Hmm?" Shine said.
"I care about them," Wally said, "but I want you to know that if we fail and get sent home like Alicia, I'm not going to let it ruin me... This is something I think we're supposed to do--I'm seeing it--and maybe the results aren't guaranteed, but they never are. I don't want you to feel like I'm going to quit if it doesn't end the way we want. Ride or die, right? That's the situation we're in. You're not getting rid of me."
Shine was silent for a long moment--and that meant she was moved, because Shine always had things to say.
Then finally, she shrugged. "Well, there went my plan to be a free woman again."
Wally laughed. "Yeah, sorry about that... Was I overshooting? I don't know if you were all worried about that...but I thought..."
"No, you were right," Shine said. "I didn't quite realize how much till you said that, but I feel like a load has been lifted... I wouldn't quit anyway--I couldn't--but who knows? If my first mission had failed, it might have been different. But you're not a quitter, and I believe that. I agree, whatever happens here, we're going to go on, find something else. It's not the end."
"And even if it was, it's a pretty good end," Wally said. "So no complaints here. I just wanted to clear that up. I'm not blaming you for any of this mess. I think your ideas have worked. They're just scared."
"Thank you," Shine said. "I mean that. I'm not as good at talking about things like that, but I mean it."
"It's okay, I got it." Wally put an arm around her shoulder. "We should try to find some fun now... Maybe they have a carnival or something."
"Probably...or music," Shine said. "I mean...Mistral, right?"
* * *
Qrow had thought about going to a bar after that fight, but after what Jaune said, he felt like he couldn't.
Well...he could have. But he knew it would only make it worse for Ruby.
But having no other way to deal with anything, he ended up sitting on the back balcony of the house instead.
Raven was nowhere in sight, but she wouldn't have gone far in her condition. She was just brooding, no doubt.
Qrow pondered on what he'd said... Yeah, it probably just made it worse... He didn't know how to make it better... Who was he anyway to lash out at them? At least they had a clue what they were doing. But their plan...it would never work, would it?
What if it did? Was he just scared because it was new? But wasn't new what they needed? He just wasn't sure.
Maybe if there was some sign it would ever work...one that didn't just have to do with them... Could it act even if they weren't there?
His thoughts were interrupted when Winter came outside. Either she also wanted to think, or she'd been looking for him...probably the first one.
She should be resting really.
Qrow should have been resting also...but even sitting down was as close as he got usually.
The sun was going down by now...but not as harsh as Vacuo. Qrow might have enjoyed the view if he was in a better mood.
Winter glanced around.
"Well, I can't find Raven anywhere," she said by way of an opener.
"She'll come back when she feels like it," Qrow said. "It's her way. She won't have gone far."
"No, I didn't think so," Winter said. "Almost everyone else left the house...except Oscar."
Pause.
"I don't know what happened to him earlier," Winter broke the silence again, "but I am reminded of Ozpin's warning that he would eventually turn on Oscar if the curse persisted. I wonder if that was the first sign of it."
"Who knows."
Why was she coming to him anyway? This had been happening a lot lately, almost like they were friends.
Well, Qrow wouldn't have minded being friends, but it was about as likely as a flying cat. [You do know a talking mouse now.]
"Mr. Arc is right." Winter was waiting for him to answer. "Handling this differently is imperative now."
"Yeah," Qrow finally spoke. "Maybe. But I don't know how it'll help."
Winter came to stand more parallel to him, eyeing the horizon.
She looked a lot better with ponytail, less uptight--not that this was the time to think about that...
But for some reason Qrow kind of studied her harder.
There was something else different. Winter had always been attractive--anyone knew that--but she had always been rigid, uninviting to most people... There was still something of that in her posture and tone, but a lot of it seemed to have been melted away by the time in Vacuo just spent not doing the same military stuff as before. Come to think of it, she wasn't one to even try to cheer people up in the past--would have been pretty hard to believe. But it wasn't now.
Maybe some people had changed in the team. Qrow didn't think he had, but at least it was helping some of them, become more balanced. He wondered if Winter was pleased with the difference herself, though. She always liked to feel in control. Like James...but not all like him. Thank goodness...
At least he couldn't picture Ironwood even getting in bar fights over petty insults... Good times, there. Things were simpler when that was his biggest problem working for Ozpin. How times had changed.
"I know the idea sounds mad," Winter finally spoke again, "what they said...but perhaps Jaune is right--it may not be quite as drastic as we imagine. Miss Likstar has a grand way of speaking, which suits her well enough in the role of leader, but in practice they're usually more grounded than they sound. I think it's possible it's feasible to do what they want in a certain way."
"I don't know about that." Qrow stared at the sun. "You develop a sense for people after so much time on the field. People who hold back. I get that from them. I have a hunch that we've seen hardly a fraction of what they're truly capable of. They hold back because of that code of theirs, but if it came to it, maybe they could take on powers beyond human...but I don't get the sense they're world-ending level. It's still outclassed."
"But they don't work alone. They have help," Winter countered. "It's possible."
"I wouldn't have pegged you for the type to have faith in something that vague," Qrow said.
"Since Miss Nikos' reappearance, I haven't felt it was vague," Winter said. "It has been very personal."
She folded her arms. "But I have another reason to think so besides the evidence around them."
"Such as...?" Qrow said, when she didn't elaborate.
"You remember while we were trapped in the tunnel?" Winter asked.
Qrow recalled a lot about certain parts of that--and not that much about others.
"Depends on which part," he said. "I was going in and out a lot."
"After we made it up that incline? And I couldn't use my Semblance at all?" Winter specified.
"Yeah, I thought we were dead," Qrow said. "But then you did...a last ditch effort, I guess."
"Normally I'd think so, but it wasn't just that," Winter said. "I was sure I was completely drained. I could feel it. I had nothing left. I remember thinking to that God that this would be the time for help...and immediately I was able to summon that creature...and it lasted much longer than it should have compared on the ones I had done prior to that. Once I was across the chasm, it was gone, as if that was all it was for...but Miss Likstar found us not long after that. I should hope you remember that part. The whole thing was almost too measured to be random. I could conclude it was a mental trick I played on myself in order to go on, but I've never had such a thing happen before. In fact, Raven is right--I do not have high stamina. Our Semblance makes it hard to have that--too much Aura has to go into just controlling it..."
"I've heard that about the Schnees," Qrow said. "But Raven likes to run her mouth. Actually she's not that good at endurance either. She's always been one for speed."
"So I've noticed," Winter said. "But that makes it even more unlikely it was something I did alone. I believe it was help."
"Okay..." Qrow said. "So?"
"So, neither of them were there," Winter said. "If it was just their abilities, that should not have happened. There is something outside them...and I suppose it is willing to help us. I have no other plausible explanation."
Qrow had none better... Huh.
Winter stumbled slightly, like standing this long was taxing her.
"Just sit down before you fall down," Qrow said off-handedly.
Winter glared at him, she sat down at least 3 feet away.
"Blasted Aura..." she muttered to herself.
"Apparently something out there is concerned about us," Qrow mused aloud. "What did we ever do?"
Winter had no answer to that.
"I didn't really mean what I said to them," Qrow finally admitted, rubbing his forehead.
"I figured as much," Winter said, surprisingly.
Not sure how to respond to that, Qrow ignored it. "But there's a problem with what they do--it's in conflict with a lot of things about us all but especially any of us touched by magic. I don't know if that's why it bugs me, or if was Oscar, or if it's just that it's unusual. My opinion doesn't count for much as it is. Dragging them down without me isn't what I wanted."
"I don't think that's what they assumed," Winter said. "Though Miss Likstar might have been offended. But they also know that we are under a lot of strain... Some misunderstanding is going to occur. Not that I'm encouraging it..." She shook her head. "But it's become clear to me that this team has too many different kinds of people on it not to have argument. It's not the military. We're all here for different reasons. But if they don't bother them, it shouldn't bother us. Somehow we've made it this far. So perhaps I don't know everything."
"That's a big concession," Qrow said.
"Is the mockery really necessary?" Winter said more sharply. "I said nothing insulting."
"Well, it's not exactly mockery," Qrow said. "It is a big concession for anyone to admit that who's in authority. And yeah, I never thought I'd hear you say that, but I never thought I'd hear a lot of things I've heard. Don't get so worked up over it."
"That would be easier if it wasn't usually a personal slight," Winter retorted.
"Right now I'm not really in the mood for that," Qrow said.
A pause.
"If it's not actually that you disagree so much, why the hesitation?" Winter asked. "About their idea...we have little to lose anymore."
"Trusting the villains was one thing," Qrow said. "All of that has been something I would never have done. I'll admit, though, I'm not that good at calling the shots. But at some point this is going to get so out there that no one would believe it would work, and we might have hit that point. It's either that crazy is what we need, or it's gonna kill us all. And I don't have luck on my side."
"Surely that has nothing to do with how rational it is," Winter said.
"Rational? I'm not sure either way is rational," Qrow said. "If we decide not to try their idea, this thing could go on another 100 years, assuming Salem doesn't win this year. That's not rational. But neither is charging ahead blindly to fight a foe we're not prepared to fight. They're asking a lot of us."
"A lot has been asked of them." Winter stared at her hands. "Perhaps more than we can imagine. They have asked nothing of us they are not willing to do themselves. To come to this world, they must have left their families (I've heard them speak of them fondly), their friends, their careers. And they may go back to them, but if they die here, with us, I don't think they regenerate. They are not Ozpin. They are mortal. If they fail, then they will have to live forever with that knowledge, and the fate of a world on their minds. That is at least where all of us are. Then, factoring in any affection they may have for some of the members of the team, it is also personal. They have been wounded, hungry, homeless, and exhausted all for our sakes. That astounds me for people who didn't even know us before a couple months ago. But it's no less than Mr. Pine...except that he had no choice, really. And they do. I am forced to take anything said by people who believe that strongly in what they do seriously; and whoever sent them must be powerful, considering that they can do this."
"One of them failed already," Qrow said.
"But what are the rest of us if not the second iteration of something?" Winter countered. "Every person in the team is just an extension of a cycle that Opzin has been in. We all come from our predecessors. Even I wouldn't be in this without the General... They failed... Perhaps it's almost fitting that these two World Walkers are also the second coming of one of their own. All of us are the second chance. That guarantees nothing, but it's on equal footing. From the sound of it, their forebear never gave up, quite. That is why they are here. And Ozpin did not give up, so we are all here. Perhaps this is just how it is supposed to happen. I never believed in fate, really. I'm not sure I'd call it fate...more like it was planned. Like the One who sent them knew that it would fail and had lined up another already... Oscar is, they think, special."
"That's a lot of pressure to put on a kid," Qrow said.
"Age doesn't matter that much," Winter said seriously. "Not when the world is at stake... What if it's not supposed to be bleak? What if they are a sign of hope, at just the right moment? What if all of this is just the right moment?... A window? A chance? In which case, it's not madness to do as they say--it's the only sane thing we could do. The more I think, the more I'm convinced that's true."
A pause ensued.
[Wonder where this is going.]