The sun beat down on the adventurers as they walked across the sand, the sound of laughter mingling with the crashing of waves on the shore. Tai, Pock, Chuck, Alice, Midori, Pip, and Violet all stared in amazement at the vast blue salty waters that stretched over the horizon. They had never seen the ocean before; their awe was justified.
Ozpin took a deep breath in, letting out a sigh. "Oh, I missed that smell..."
Yin couldn't help but agree. He liked the ocean; it was so much different from the rivers and creeks that he and his siblings used to play in just outside of Faralda. With a grunt, he began to climb out of his armor, his friends doing the same. He didn't see much of a need to buy anything other than a pair of shorts. His only issue was that he felt exposed like this - defenseless. He had grown used to wearing his armor all the time.
Jasper floated above him, wearing a tiny, frilly one-piece swimsuit. Because of the nonhuman population in the Secret City, finding herself swimwear wasn't as difficult as they thought. Yin wiggled his bare toes in the sand, trying to relax. Any hope of relaxing was immediately destroyed when Ozpin screamed angrily.
"Vao, what the FUCK are you wearing!?"
"My swimsuit."
Yin rounded his head, immediately regretting that choice. Vao was wearing a bikini. The blonde shrieked in horror, covering his eyes. "For the love of fuckin' hell, Vao! What is wrong with you!?"
Vao looked annoyed. "I think I look good in it."
That was the problem. Vao looked too feminine. He was managing to pull it off. Yin didn't know how to feel, and he didn't want to know how he should feel about his older brother looking good in women's clothing. Jasper blinked. "W... Where's the bulge?"
"Oh, I tucked everything between my legs."
"Please, don't EVER say that again," Salem begged. Salem herself was wearing a bikini, but it was much more appropriate given that she was actually a woman, whereas Vao was not. Midori sighed, rubbing her temples. She was wearing a frilly swimsuit.
"I cannot tell if I have a father or two mothers..."
Tai was looking away, staring at the sky. "... Can you change, please? I'm not very comfortable with how much you look like your mother..."
"Oh piss off, dad. I almost got caught stealing this."
"You stole it!?" Pyrrha gasped. Vao glared at her.
"I have no money, wot was I supposed to do!?"
"Ask one of us! We'd have paid for a pair of shorts!"
Vao crossed his arms, gritting his teeth. "One time I wore a pair of shorts and no shirt while shopping with my Uncle Qrow. He almost got arrested because the guards thought I was a little girl. Uncle Qrow almost got twenty to life."
Chuck hated that he remembered that day. "... That was the day we first met," he muttered. "You stole my wallet."
"Can I wear a bikini?" Pip asked. Alice looked at him in confusion.
"W... W-why do you want to wear a b-bikini?" She stammered quietly.
"Becoz mum and dad are wearing them! Violet and Midori too!"
Yin clicked his tongue. "That's because three of them are girls, and your father is just a crossdressing weirdo."
Vao looked like he was about to snap. And just as suddenly, his face went back to the way it always was. Wearing his signature grin, he sauntered his way towards Yin, pressing his upper body against his younger brother. "Oh, come on mate... Don't you think I'm cute?"
Yin wanted to throw Vao as far as he could. And he knew better than to punch him; to everyone else, it would look like the healer was punching a woman. With a hue of red on his cheeks, he spun around and stomped away, Jasper following after him. Vao snickered confidently.
"Yeah, that's right. I win. Bitch."
Yin walked down the beach, Jasper sitting on his bare shoulder. "Just ignore that loon," she muttered. "He was just messing with you."
"I know, and I hate that it worked," Yin growled. He spun around and started walking back to the others. He really didn't have anything better to do. He tried to ignore Vao as they set down their towels, Tai and Chuck moving cautiously towards the water. Salem and the girls were lying down, with Pip and Violet wrestling in the sand. Pip didn't have arms, and it was costing him a victory. That, and Violet had Vao's strength. There was no winning even if he had arms. Yin didn't bring a towel, sitting down in the sand next to Salem. The princess was reading the back of a bottle, squinting her eyes in the bright sun. Yin looked over her shoulder curiously. "Whatcha got there?"
"Sunscreen," Salem replied. "It's made differently than Remnant."
Yin blinked, furrowing his brow. "Sun... Screen...?"
Salem forgot that Yin wouldn't have any idea what that was. He only remembered the other Timelines, not Remnant itself. "It's to protect you from sunburns," she explained.
"Oh."
Now you'd think that Salem would have Yin apply it to her back. No. She had Pyrrha do it. This isn't that kind of story or chapter. Yin ran a hand through his hair, sighing tiredly. It was too hot. He was already sweating. Standing up with Jasper still clinging to his shoulder, he looked around before he spotted Vao's back. The dullahan had his head tucked under his arm, the jarring sight of his headless body walking around sending a shiver down his spine. He didn't know where Vao was going, nor did he really care very much. Yin sighed, continuing to look around.
Chuck and Tai were practically dancing in the ocean, still getting used to the warm, tropical waters. Ozpin wasn't far away, talking to a group of women.
"You go, old man," Yin mumbled under his breath. He glanced back at Pip and Violet. The eight-year-old had her brother pinned, pumping her fists victoriously. Pip's wings beat against the ground helplessly, trying to free himself from his freakishly strong little sister. And of course behind him, the rest were sunbathing. Except Alice. She sat further away from everyone else, picking at the sand. Jasper pressed her hand against his cheek, catching his attention.
"Sh... Should we talk to her?" The fairy asked quietly. Yin nodded.
"... That's the plan."
The healer approached, waving his hand in front of her face. Alice looked up at him dazedly, like she was barely even there. It was worrying.
"Hey," Yin said softly. "Everything alright?"
Alice looked back down at the sand, her fingers sinking in. "... I'm fine."
Yin sighed, looking around the beach. He vaguely remembered an ice cream shack. He could see the old wooden structure, and momentarily wondered if that peaceable giant still ran it. He nudged Alice with his foot, jerking his head. "C'mon. Let's go."
Alice quietly stood up, looking at the blonde with a slight furrow to her brow. "... W-where are we g-going...?"
"To get some ice cream. It'll cheer you right up."
"U-um... What is... 'Ice cream'?"
Yin didn't say anything, guiding the eighteen-year-old down the shore. He couldn't blame her for not knowing what ice cream was. It was only available in the Secret City; it didn't exist on the other side of the Sea of Sand. As he approached the wooden hut, he could see the giant, bearded face staring out at him.
"Um... Gug remember you..."
Yin smirked. "Yeah. Been what, nine years now? It's me, Yin."
Gug squinted his huge eyes, his quiet voice speaking out. "Um... Brother is... Bao?"
"Vao, but yeah. Why, did he steal something again?"
Gug shook his head as much as he could. "No... Gug mom used to talk about Bao a lot."
Yin blinked, trying to process that. Did... Did Vao sleep with Gug's mother? He wasn't even going to try and guess how the size difference would work. But then again, Vao had a thing going on with Charybdis, deeper in the ocean. And Charybdis was much, much larger than a giant like Gug. "Huh... Whatever. Three cones, please."
Gug smiled warmly, his hand disappearing behind him. "Flavor?"
Yin glanced down at Alice. The short haired woman fidgeted with her fingers shyly. "S-s... S-strawberry... Please..."
She wasn't used to people, even after all this time. Yin wondered if it would be different if she wasn't raised in the Wilds, where all she really knew was her family. But then again, Violet was living proof that the Wilds had nothing to do with her personality. Jasper piped up. "I'll have vanilla."
"Vanilla," Yin muttered. Gug's huge hand returned quickly, the three cones gently pinched between his body-sized fingers. Jasper's cone was much smaller than everyone else's, and it was a miracle that Gug didn't crush them. Yin looked up at the giant curiously. "... How do you get out of that shack?"
"I can't," Gug replied. "It built around Gug. I not leave in long time."
"Sounds boring."
Gug shook his head as much as the shack would allow. "No. Gug get to see people smile. That enough for Gug to be happy."
Gug was a big sweetheart. Yin flashed a grin. "You're just a big ol' softy, ain'tcha?"
Gug smiled again. "Yeah."
Waving goodbye, Yin walked Alice down towards the waters, their bare feet dipping into the warm ocean, the waves gently crashing against their ankles. Jasper looked at her cone, and then Yin's.
"... That guy scammed me," she growled. "Yours is huge compared to mine."
Yin snickered. "Because if it was a regular sized cone, you'd get fat."
Jasper gasped angrily. "Don't joke about my weight, Yin! I'm a girl, you asshole!"
Alice carefully licked at her ice cream cone, the flavors dancing across her tongue. It was surprisingly sweet, but was melting quickly under the sun. Yin sighed, finishing his cone in only a few minutes. He reached into his pocket and fetched a cigarette, striking a match to light it. "... Jasper, can I have a minute?"
The fairy looked up at him curiously, her ice cream nearly finished. "Why?"
"... Just need to talk to Alice. Alone."
Jasper didn't look like she wanted to leave, but with a sigh she stood up on his shoulder. "... Okay. I'm going to hang out with Salem. Be back soon, okay? I really don't want Vao to catch me."
"Yeah."
Jasper's fear of the dullahan was completely justified. Vao had already proven he was out for blood. Her blood, specifically. Yin watched as the ginger flew back to the princess, waiting until she was out of earshot. He breathed in the smoke of his cigarette, exhaling it into the air. Alice was quiet, tossing her melted treat for the gulls. "... Hey, kiddo."
Alice didn't respond. She didn't meet his eyes. Yin took another breath from his cigarette, flicking the ash into the waters. He found his throat to be very dry. He was struggling to ask the important question.
Because it's a hard question to ask. It's something that no one ever wants to assume, or even think. Especially towards someone you know. And even when the signs are there, it doesn't get any easier. It gets harder. But when no one asks that one question when it matters, when they can't get over the difficulty, the uncomfortableness of asking, they would pay the price. They would live in guilt for years, even the rest of their life, thinking if things would have ended differently if they just asked. That was why Yin forced the words out of his mouth, disregarding his own comfort for Alice's sake.
"... Are you thinking about killing yourself?"
His heart twisted when Alice didn't answer. He looked down at her, his face completely still. "... Alice?"
The young woman trembled, her knees wobbling. "I... It's n-none of your business, Yin..."
Yin didn't respond right away. He took a puff off his cigarette, thinking before he spoke. He wanted to choose his words carefully. He couldn't talk to Alice the way he talked to everyone else, even if he wanted to keep her alive. "I'm just worried-"
"Don't."
Alice's tone caught him off guard. He looked back down at her, almost taking a step back when he met her eyes. She was staring at him intensely, her blue eyes brimming with tears. Her arms hugged her thin body tightly, her teeth gritted together like a vise.
"Just... Don't," she almost snarled. "You don't know what that m-monster did... You've never eaten anybody... Sh-she... She made me eat my f-father! She t-tormented me, a-and... A-and I c-can't stop the n-nightmares... S-stopping t-time to bandage me, f-forcing me to drink potions t-to keep me alive, j-just so she could do it all again!"
Yin didn't know what to say. Should he even say anything? Or should he just listen? He wanted to know the answer, to know what option would lead to the best outcome. Or would both choices lead down the same path? He wished the First Yin was here. With everything the First Yin had seen and experienced, he would know what to do in this situation, or at least be better equipped to handle it.
But Yin was the Third. With the reset of the Timeline, his experiences were reset. Even if he remembered the events that happened, he didn't remember the emotions he felt in the First and Second Timelines. He didn't know what to do. He was lost, unable to say anything. Alice clenched her teeth, crystal clear, hot tears trickling down her cheeks.
"M... M-Mono... T-told me s-something," she breathed a shaky, raspy breath. "Th... Th-that you used t-to be in the Ch-Church... A-and that you d-did things that Au-Aunt Verde and U-Uncle Vao wouldn't t-tell us... Th-that you used to b-beat Aunt V-Verde s-senseless, b-because she was d-different... Y-you t-tortured her... Y-you threatened to k-kill her... J-just like you did with U-Uncle Vao..."
Yin stared at her silently. He couldn't tell her that Mono was lying, because she wasn't. Just like their escape from that twisted city of cannibalistic madmen, Mono didn't tell a lie. He didn't say anything at all. There was nothing to be said. Alice stared up at him, an uncharacteristically hateful glare in her teary blue eyes.
"J... J-just s-stay away from me, Y-Yin... Y-you're no b-better than them..."
Alice didn't give him a second glance. She turned and ran away, leaving Yin to stand alone in the shallows. The healer looked down at his cigarette. It had burned to the filter. He let it fall from his fingers, his wet feet collecting sand as he returned to where the women were relaxing. Poppy had long fallen asleep, her skin already burned. Salem and Jasper looked up when Yin stepped next to them, picking his armor up and sliding back into it.
"What are you doing?" Salem asked. And when she saw his expression, her curiosity quickly turned to worry. "Y... Yin?"
"... For a walk..."
Salem tried to stand up to follow him, but the blonde snapped his fingers, not looking at her. He turned his face away, hiding it from view.
"Sit... The fuck... Down..."
The princess slowly sank back down onto her towel, watching as he used his socks to dry and dust his feet off before sliding them on, and then cramming his feet into his boots. Yin straightened out his leather chest piece before heaving a heavy, dark sigh. "... I just... Need some time alone."
Salem and Jasper could only watch in silent shock as Yin stalked away, back to the sprawling city. And when he was sure no one was looking, he took a shortcut through an alley, the hard lump in his throat beginning to hurt, impossible to swallow and force down.
He thought he had left his last behind him. But Alice had struck a wound with a fistful of salt and lemon juice. About the way he used to treat nonhumans and witches, when he thought they were abominations who didn't deserve to be in his presence. Stalking through the alleys, he wiped his sleeve across his eyes, staring ahead.
There was someone he wanted to see, and apologize properly to. Even if she couldn't fully understand anymore.
...
The eternal moon hung over the city, the streets filled with the men and women in black cloaks. And down the road from the bell tower, where the High Priestess trained new Cultists, the nightmarish shack stood, isolated and seemingly abandoned.
But just inside, the man screamed and begged, struggling against the freezingly cold grip of the one who had kidnapped him. His priest robes were torn, the insignia of the Church scratched and chipped on his front.
Grrrooooooowwwwwlllll...
It wasn't the sound of any human's stomach that the priest had ever heard. It was twisted, it was insatiable. The one-eyed woman kicked open a door, nearly breaking it off its hinges, pulling the man to his feet and shoving him inside. The priest stumbled and fell, his elbows breaking his fall. His heart only sank when he heard the door close, the figure looming in front of him.
With a pale, gaunt face with dark rings under her right eye and her missing left, he scrambled backwards, trying to put as much distance between himself and her as possible. But the woman stomped down on his ankle, keeping him in place.
Grrrooooooowwwwwlllll...
The woman's lips twitched, revealing her reddened teeth, drool already beginning to build up at her pale, unnaturally cold lips. The blade of the massive axe gleamed in the moonlight that cast through the window, slamming down into his chest. The man let out an awful gurgle, his hands scratching at the weapon. But with one pull, she lifted it into the air and slammed it back down. Over, and over, and over again until there was nothing recognizable. The man had screamed to the very end, begging her to stop, until he stopped breathing.
The axe fell to the ground with a heavy thud, the First Vao dropping to his knees next to the corpse. His fingers grabbed and picked at what he could get as soon as possible, fitting everything he could into his mouth before swallowing it down, barely bothering to chew. It was chopped enough after Grimm Demise had taken the man's life.
Bones, innards, it didn't matter. The bones were snapped to suck the marrow out, and the guts were devoured like the rest of the priest's flesh. It didn't take longer than ten minutes to devour every last bite, until only a stain and bones remained.
And deeper within the house, Mono was keeping herself busy with her self-assigned duties. She moved gracefully down the halls, her broom catching even the smallest bit of dust. She set her broom aside to drop down on all fours, dragging her finger across the wood and inspect it. Her lips pulled into a pleased smile. Not a trace of filth. She stood back up, her broom snatched back into her grasp as her shoes clicked down the halls, her maid dress fluttering behind her.
The First Vao was no doubt busy with his meal. It was always best to keep a distance when he was eating; that was the time when he was most likely to snap. As much as she wanted to visit, he specifically asked that no one approach him when he was eating for their safety. But she was willing to settle for making the house spotless while he was away.
She stopped in front of a certain door, pushing it wide open. It was her favorite room to clean - the First Vao's bedroom. For the most part, he kept it relatively tidy; there was never any dirty clothes on his floor, and he made his bed every morning. But Mono knew better. She leaned down over his dresser, dragging her finger across the top. And sure enough, her fingertip was coated in a thin layer of dust. The First Vao used his mirror often to brush his hair, but he never dusted anything. Standing back up, she spread her arms out wide.
The Blood pulsed through her veins, tendrils reaching out with feather dusters, and a dustpan. With her broom held firmly in her hands, she almost seemed to dance across the floors, the Blood reaching into the smaller areas she couldn't reach herself, and dusting off the ceiling. In a matter of moments, her dustpan was filled. The tendrils raced out the door and down the halls, Ruby ducking for cover when they nearly speared through her face.
Into the kitchen, Jack didn't even look up from his comic book, pointing to the corner.
"Four feet ahead and one foot to your left, Milady," he said. The tendrils followed his directions, pulling open the cabinets and retrieving a trash bag before returning to Mono, holding it open so she could dump her dustpan. She set it to the side, the tendrils retreating back inside her body.
Without hesitation, she grabbed the First Vao's pillow and pressed it to her face, inhaling the scent. To her dismay, it was already clean. She sighed, fluffing the pillow before setting it back down neatly, tightening the blanket over the bed and tucking it under the mattress. She paused for a moment when something on the blanket caught her eye, her fingers reaching out and plucking the hair from the sheets.
The hair was insanely long, no doubt from the First Vao's head. Mono smiled to herself, coiling the one hundred and fifty-two centimeter long hair around her index and middle finger, slipping it into a plastic bag and neatly sliding it into her pocket. She'd add that to her collection.
It was time for her favorite part. She was the only one who knew just how sloppy the First Vao could get when it came to storing anything away. She moved to his dresser, her lips curling into a smile. He had a habit of just throwing his clothes inside the drawers and calling it a day, never really folding them. She pulled open the top drawer, staring down at his underwear.
And in an instant, her smile faded away. Tourmaline was sitting in the drawer, looking up at her. "O-oh! Boss, I'm just... Um..."
"Get. Out."
Tourmaline scowled, crossing her tiny arms. "No! I was here first!"
That wasn't the point. Mono needed to clean. Tourmaline was just a pervert. The maid grabbed the fairy, lifting her out of the drawer by the collar and holding her up to her one big eye. "I will not let your stink soil Milord's clothes," she hissed. "Go back to whoring around with corpses in the cemetery."
Tourmaline was furious, swinging her tiny arms and kicking her legs in the air. "There is nothing wrong with my attraction to the dead!" She hollered.
Yes, Tourmaline. There is plenty wrong with it.
"Besides, Lord Vao's been prowling around and digging everyone up for a meal!"
Mono's eyelid twitched. "Even still, Milord is plenty alive! Why must you be my rival!?"
"He's cold like a body, but he can move! Imagine the things we could do!"
"And the size difference!?"
Tourmaline smirked. "I could make something work! Besides, I think he'd prefer a pretty, delicate girl like me over a gorilla who could suplex a horse."
She had struck a nerve in Mono and she knew it. The Cult leader didn't hesitate to shake Tourmaline around, dizzying the tiny woman. "There is absolutely nothing wrong with my strength! At least I won't be taken out by a measly arrow!"
Tourmaline's eyes wiggled in her head, the room spinning around her. "Gorilla!"
"Runt!"
Back and forth, until Tourmaline finally swung her feet and bit down on Mono's fingertip. The maid dropped her in an instant, staring at the black blood that welled out of the teeth marks. With a hiss, she spun around to see Tourmaline scampering out the door with the First Vao's boxers in her hands, still unable to fly. Mono growled under her breath, arming herself with her broom. She wasn't about to let that fairy get away with stealing their Lord's undergarments again.
Tourmaline shrieked in terror when Mono slammed out of the bedroom, chasing her down the halls. She ran underneath Ruby's legs, the bandaged High Priestess glancing back in confusion. And when she turned around, she screamed in terror when Mono shoved her out of the way, sending her through the wall.
The broom slammed against the floor, Tourmaline zigzagging in fright. She dove into the kitchen, closing the door behind her. She could hear Mono rattling the doorknob furiously before her footsteps disappeared down the hall. Tourmaline breathed a sigh of relief. At least until she looked at the window to see Mono pushing it open, climbing inside.
Jack sipped his coffee calmly, still not looking up from his comic book as Mono tore through the kitchen, chasing after Tourmaline. Her broom smashed against appliances and countertops, destroying the microwave and breaking the burner off the stove. Tourmaline picked up a fork and hugged it tightly, catching the broom's wooden handle. Mono scowled, opening the silverware drawer and throwing a barrage of steak knives at the fairy. The tiny blonde shrieked, sprinting along the counter, the blades piercing and sticking into the walls. She jumped and used the First Vao's underwear to parachute to the floor, running under the table.
Jack lifted his coffee cup off the surface as Mono followed, the table bouncing up and down. And when the two finally ran out from underneath, he set it back down.
"J'aime les lundis," he smiled. He wasn't even being sarcastic. He was just enjoying his day.
Tourmaline stopped in front of the door, staring up at the handle. She was too small to reach it without flying. She dove to the left when Mono ran at full speed, smashing through the wooden obstacle and tumbling into the hall. Tourmaline jumped on the maid's back and ran back down the hall, laughing at Mono's fluke.
"You idiot!"
Mono slammed her fist into the ground and jumped to her feet, her pupil changing shape and warping into a clock dial. "[Time Stands Still]!"
Time froze in an instant, Tourmaline stuck in mid-run, still smiling victoriously. Mono stomped towards the fairy, squatting down to flick her on the butt once, twice, and then a third time.
"Time resumes..."
Tourmaline suddenly rocketed down the hall, holding her rear end and hopping around. Mono reached under her skirt and drew one of her knives, throwing it at the fairy with the force of a charging rhino. Tourmaline jumped out of the way, the weapon bursting through the wall and bouncing down the cobblestone street outside. Mono lifted her broom again, sprinting for the fairy.
Mono reeled her arm back and threw the broom like a javelin, almost taking Tourmaline out. The duo sprinted past the First Vao just as he stepped out of the back room, wiping his sleeve across his bloody lips. He stared after them, furrowing his brow.
"... Wot?"
He shrugged his shoulders. He needed to brush his hair - it was a mess from his hunt. Trotting down the halls, he stepped through his open bedroom door and stopped. His underwear drawer was wide open, nearly broken off, with boxers and other clothes strewn across the floor. His brush lay in the corner, knocked clear of his dresser. The schizophrenic blinked before picking up his hairbrush, turning around, and walking back out. "... Not even gonna ask."
Tourmaline wailed in terror, the knives pelting the ground at the back of her feet. Without her broom, Mono had resorted to throwing knives. Ruby was stumbling down the halls, clutching her head in pain. She opened the front door, the fairy taking the opportunity to escape. Ruby watched the fairy run down the street, her heart sinking. She turned to see Mono sprinting towards her, the doll-maker's voice crying out.
"N-not again!"
Ruby was thrown out the door when Mono body checked her out of the way, chasing after Tourmaline.
Rinys and Harold were walking down the street, holding hands when Tourmaline ran past them. The poltergeist smiled warmly after her. "Why the rush?"
Like bowling pins they were knocked away when Mono ran past them, her feet slamming against the cobblestone. Her knives rocketed from her hands like a cannon, with the velocity of a machine gun, stabbing into the stone and sticking there. Tourmaline yelped, running behind a stall. The Cultist running the jewelry stand looked down at her in surprise, screaming in shock when Mono vaulted over the counter less than a second later.
Tourmaline rounded the corner and into an alley, Mono's ominous shadow looming over her. Pinching her fingers together, she let out a loud whistle. The swarm blocked out the moon's light, the fairies swooping down to lift the blonde up and help her fly through the air.
"I-is that Lord Vao's underwear!?" One of the boys shrieked. Tourmaline beamed.
"Yup! It's my trophy!"
"Aw, hell no! I ain't having Mono skin me alive! You're on your own, corpse fucker!" One of the girls cried out. In an instant they dropped Tourmaline to the street below, the knives pelting down like rain. Mono had leapt into the air, her silhouette standing out amongst the paleness of the moon. The fairies scattered in terror.
"[Time Stands Still]!"
Time froze again, Mono pushing the fairies out of her way, looming over Tourmaline. She cracked her knuckles, poking the fairy in the forehead at blinding speeds. And finally, she stopped, still squatting down.
"... Time flows again," she growled. Just like the first time, Tourmaline was sent flying across the street. The force that pushed into her forehead was enough to knock her out cold long before she slammed into the garbage cans, the metal bins rattling noisily against the street. A few Cultists looked out the windows of their homes, trying to figure out what had happened. Mono sighed, time freezing a third time.
In an instant, the trash cans were neatly set back to the way they were, with Tourmaline laying face down on the sidewalk. Mono suppressed her murderous rivalry, plucking the boxers from Tourmaline's hand and leaving her in the road.
They had gone in a circle. The shack wasn't far away. Her shoes clicked against the ground, the fabric gripped tightly between her fingers. It wasn't until she had stepped through the open front door and closed it behind her that she thought about it. She looked down at the undergarments, her face growing hotter, her eye growing hazy.
"Mi... Milord's..."
She clutched them to her chest, her lips curling into a small smile. It wasn't like Tourmaline was even awake to see her, and Jack was probably still reading his comic book. Ruby was likely unconscious too, after being body checked twice, once through a wooden wall and once down the street. Without hesitation, she pressed the soft piece of clothing to her nose, inhaling deeply. She planned to keep it.
"Oh, Mono! Have you seen Ruby? She was supposed to... Give me... A-a report..."
Mono's chest felt like it had popped, the maid turning around. The blush on her cheeks had faded, going a ghostly white. The First Vao stood behind her, staring at the boxers she still clutched in her hands. Her hands trembled, the First Vao taking a step back.
"... I... I-is that my...?"
"M-Milord, i-it isn't what it looks like... I was..." Mono stammered, searching for an excuse. "... Doing laundry. I was ensuring they were clean."
The First Vao stared, the hallucination of Summer laughing behind his shoulder, invisible to Mono. "... I'm going to pretend this never happened," he whispered. He snatched the boxers back, holding them up. "... I'm confiscating these."
He stepped around her and into the house, walking away from Mono. Fast.
The maid stood at the door, her knees wobbling. Jack poked his head around the corner, his smile as big as ever.
"Bonjour, Milady. Would you mind helping me clean the mess in the kitchen?"
Mono only covered her face, walking away. Jack watched her leave, his yellow eyes turning back to the destroyed kitchen. "... Oh la la..."
...
Yin's boots grinded against the sand, coming to a halt in front of the old wooden door, the sun beating against his back. But even with the heat, he felt a shiver run down his spine. He didn't really want to be here after what Alice said. Despite his personal feelings, he pushed the door open, and stepped inside.
The pool stretched before him, his eyes slowly adjusting to the dim light. He could hear someone splashing in the water, his gaze locking onto Glynda. The siren looked at him from the depths, Verde at her side on the landing, her robes freshly cleaned. Glynda frowned, swimming closer to the healer. "... You shouldn't be here."
Yin scoffed, shaking his head at her. "I'm just here for a visit."
"You aren't understanding me," she continued. "I don't want you here by yourself."
He finally looked into her eyes, making an effort to read her. He could see it almost instantly. Glynda didn't trust him. "... And why is that?"
The siren swam back to Verde, the witch struggling to stack a few wooden blocks. Glynda must have been trying to get her to at least do some physical therapy. "... Not only do I remember the fear she held for you nine years back," she said quietly. "But Vao stopped by early in the morning. After spending time with Verde, he told me something... Concerning."
Yin could feel his blood beginning to boil. He thought he was done with that. "The fuck's his problem now?"
Glynda shot a sharp glare at him, sending a shiver down his spine. For a moment, he vaguely remembered that look; a teacher he hadn't met here, but met in a different time. "... He said he didn't think you were sound of mind. He also explained what led to him attempting the impossible, and throwing away his humanity."
"We dealt with it," Yin growled. "I'm just here for a visit. I've got something to say, and that's it."
Glynda sighed, shaking her head. "I do not want you to do that. Even from here, I can hear your heart. You may not align yourself with the Church, and yet you harbor so much anger within you. You're desperate, and in your desperation, you lash out. You hurt others, and believe you are right."
Yin had never felt so called out before. It irritated him more than Vao causing problems. He stepped forward, glaring down at her. "... Shut up, and get out of my way. Let me talk to my sister-in-law."
Glynda was silent for a moment. Heaving another, heavier sigh, she climbed out of the water, slipping into her wheelchair. "I will not change my mind. You will not be-"
"He's with me."
Yin jumped with a start, his heart accelerating. He spun around and nearly stared straight up at Sasha, the tall elf standing behind him. Her missing ear was visible; bits of what hadn't been torn off by that killing machine stuck out from her red locks, the deep hole dark in the dim light. The tomboy crossed her muscular arms, raising an eyebrow. "It's fine now that someone else is here, right?"
Glynda still looked like she didn't want Yin around Verde. But the siren sighed yet again, moving her chair backwards and allowing them to approach the witch.
Verde's fingers were moving awkwardly, trying to squeeze down on the wooden block and failing. Each time she got it in the air, it almost immediately fell back to the floor. Glynda leaned forward in her wheelchair, propping her elbows against her fish-like tail. "... I've started with trying to restore her basic motor functions," she explained softly. "From what I've gathered, she's capable of understanding others. I've instructed her to stack three wooden blocks, but..."
She trailed off. It was obvious that Verde wasn't doing very well. She hadn't even stacked one. It was a miracle she could even sit upright. Sasha nudged Yin closer to the witch, nodding her head slowly. The blonde wondered how he didn't notice her following him. He shook the thought from his head, kneeling down beside her.
"... Like this," he grumbled quietly. He took one of the blocks and placed it on top of the closest one. "See? It's easy."
"... Vao tried that," Glynda mumbled. "She can't do it. Just hurry it up."
"Fuck off," Yin growled. He was growing annoyed with the doctor. Sasha kicked him in the butt.
"Don't make this worse," the elf hissed. Yin appreciated the reminder, but he'd never say that aloud. He turned back to Verde, cautiously tapping her shoulder.
"... Verde?"
"Buoooh?"
It was like staring into a husk, he realized. Was the damage irreversible? He couldn't heal mental injuries, and he had hoped that Glynda would be able to do something. He looked at the siren for answers, but she shook her head slowly.
"... I've never seen a case like this. It's as if a piece of her brain was removed, but it's still intact," she explained. "I can barely even read her heart. To put it in simple terms, her head is like mashed potatoes."
The Blood. Yin's fist instinctively clenched, his jaw tensing. He didn't rember the Blood giving anyone special powers in the First Timeline. In the Second, it could be used physically as a weapon. But it had given Saril the ability to destroy people with ease.
That brought up another worrying question in his mind. Just what did it do for the First Vao? He had more of it than anyone else. Mono even said that he beat her in a fight while she used [Time Stands Still]. But Mono also said that the ability to stop time couldn't be granted by the Blood. Just how powerful was he? Could they even beat him, nevermind kill him? He almost didn't notice Glynda trying to get his attention.
"Yin?"
"... What?"
Glynda seemed displeased with his hostile tone. "I was asking how this happened. When I tried to get an answer from Vao, he wouldn't say anything."
Yin looked away, not meeting her eyes. "... It's really hard to explain..."
Next to him, Sasha agreed. They couldn't explain the Blood. By nature, it was unfathomable. Verde's hands scratched against the floor, turning her palm up the moment she had the block. It looked like she would manage to finally stack one. But as her hand trembled under the small weight, it slammed back down, making no progress at all. Yin took a deep breath. He wondered if he could even do it. He knew that when it came to owning up to things he did, he tended to be a coward.
"... I'm sorry, Verde."
The witch looked at him blankly. He really couldn't read her. She was a shell of a human being. Sure, she could understand others. But it was just as Glynda had said; her mind was nothing but potatoes now, a fragment of the genius she used to be. She just... Existed. Was an existence with broken thought an existence at all? Being unable to control even your own mind, doomed to just watch everything happen without much of an understanding? Yin wasn't much of a philosopher. He sighed, and stood up.
"... That's all I came for," he growled. He pushed his way past Sasha, making his way to the door. But Glynda's voice stopped him.
"... Wait."
"Fuck off. I'm done."
He could hear the squeaking of Glynda's wheelchair, but he didn't turn around. His hand tightened on the doorknob, his knuckles turning white. "... I'm about to throw that chair into the pool-"
"I'm part fish. Do you really think that will have much of an effect on me?" Glynda asked. "... There's something bothering you. Why not talk about it? This is a safe place, and even if you have a... 'history'... It isn't good to hold it in."
Sasha didn't look up, but she was listening carefully. She remembered the person Yin had started to show nine years ago, when he began to accept nonhumans. Even if he wasn't the best person, she knew firsthand that no one was perfect. Even now, she still considered him something of a friend.
Yin's free hand clenched into a fist. "... I don't talk about my feelings," he snarled. "I'm a man."
"That is the stupidest thing I have ever heard," Glynda muttered. "Just tell me what's on your min-"
"Shut the fuck up."
Sasha looked up, almost bewildered. She remembered that tone. And when she met his eyes, her suspicions, her reason for following after she saw him leave the beach, were proven. Holding everything in was beginning to break Yin. The healer glared at Glynda, his muscles tensed like he was going to hit her.
"Tell me, Fishy. You ever watch your friends die, because of some psychotic prick with a twisted dream?" He hissed. Glynda was taken aback.
"I... Can't say I ever have-"
"Exactly," Yin interrupted. "So how about this? You mind your own business. Focus on your fucking self."
He didn't wait for an answer. He yanked the door open and slammed it shut behind him, storming down the sandy street. He lit a cigarette and took a long drag, letting the nicotine soothe his mind. He almost didn't notice when Jasper flew over his shoulder, calling his name.
"Hey! Yin!"
The healer spun around, a glare startling the fairy. "What?"
The ginger held her hands up defensively. "I was looking for you. You just left the beach and didn't come back, so we were worried. Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," Yin growled. Jasper frowned.
"... Can you come with me?"
Yin didn't answer. He only followed her down the streets, and back to the inn. The others were in the main lobby, with Vao drinking tea at the bar, dressed in his usual leather armor and black scarf, his hood pulled down. The dullahan raised an eyebrow when he saw his brother.
"... Where've you been-"
"Fuck off."
"Cunt."
Jasper tugged Yin up the stairs, feeling like she was trying to lift a horse. But the healer didn't put up much of a fight. He followed her into their empty rented room, Jasper locking the door behind them.
...
The dull, dreary darkness hung over the decrepit old towers of the ancient academy, mold and miss having long stained the once-beautiful marble walls. Deeper down the halls patrolled by the soldiers, in an old dorm room that had been renovated into an office, the artist sat at her old desk, a metallic prosthetic aiding her only remaining biological arm as she typed away at a computer.
Struggling with a complicated equation, a tanned face squinted at the bigger words, word green eyes rereading them constantly. Her lower half was made out of the same metal as the artist's arm, her fingers flipping through the pages.
And just outside the rotted door, a feminine man with long black hair and twin red eyes stood guard, pacing back and forth as he waited for their final member.
Team FRSB. That's who they were. The Second Verde, the Second Sasha, and the Second Vao. The Second Yin had still not returned since he was taken by the constant tremors that plagued the Graveyard, and with the Second Vao's low intellect, he had offered to stand watch for his brother's return.
The Second Verde's fingers clacked against the keys rhythmically, the gears in her head turning as the genius worked. The First Verde was helping her too, but she worked in a different room; Ozpin's old office with Ironwood and Winter. She and her First Timeline counterpart, being the most intelligent out of everyone in the desecrated remains of the untended Beacon Academy, were leading the effort to figure out the cause of the tremors and the seemingly inconsistent travel between the Graveyard and the Third Timeline's world of Twist, dubbed 'The Collapse'.
The Second Verde scratched her head, finally scooting her chair back to stressfully rub her hands across her face. "I can't..."
The Second Vao glanced back into the room, looking at her from the door. "You can't wot, Love?"
"I can't figure out the source," she answered quietly. "These readings... They just don't make any sense. Whatever is the source of the Collapse should be something immense, like one of the Gods..."
Sasha bit her lip, furrowing her brow. She didn't look up from her equation. "... What did you see?"
The Second Verde looked back at her screen, shaking her head. "... My studies point to the source of the Collapse being human. But that isn't possible. No human that has ever existed could hold that kind of power. Even Salem when she was infected with the Blood didn't come close..."
"Then who could it be?"
The Second Vao jumped a mile into the dorm room when the Second Yin spoke behind him, the blonde Hero stepping inside. The Second Verde stared at him, her face as expressionless as always. "... Yin. You took an awful long time."
The Second Yin scoffed. "After I got pulled by the shaking, I was in the middle of a burning forest saving my own ass. Uh... My Third Timeline ass, that is."
"Burning forest?" The Second Sasha echoed. The Second Yin nodded.
"Yeah. Ruby was attacking the Third Yin. Just as Verde said, she reeks of Blood."
The Second Verde nodded, turning back to her computer. "I knew I was right. Everything I find is almost always correct. But this source... It just can't be true."
No one said a word. Not until Sasha spoke. "... Didn't the First Yin say that the First Vao was like... Leagues more powerful than the First Timeline?"
The Second Verde nodded, not looking up from her computer. "He did, but think about how many people the First Vao has eaten by now. He's eaten billions, and we know that when he eats someone, he takes their Soul. That Soul power is likely the case, as well as how long he's had the Blood in his body. So many years that his blood runs black, and not red. And again, this is backed by his training and experience with fighting to kill. He has a mastery over his Darkness, but even then he doesn't come anywhere close to either of the Gods. The source of the Collapse just... Can't be human. Or mortal, I suppose, with Twist being similar to one of your odd games."
The Second Yin hummed, turning around. "... I'm going to get something to eat. How about you guys?"
The Second Sasha sighed, standing from her chair. "Yeah, I'm starving."
"I could go for some grub," the Second Vao agreed. "Wot about you, Love?"
The Second Verde was quiet for a moment, staring at her computer screen, trying to make sense of the nonsensical readings. And finally, she stood up quietly. Thinking on an empty stomach wasn't a smart choice. "... Very well. Is Vao cooking?"
The Second Vao looked startled. "W-wot's wrong with my cooking?"
The Second Yin winced as they started to walk down the halls, armed soldiers patrolling the corridors with a few Beacon students here and there. "Nothing really. It tastes good, but... Well... It looks like you threw an abomination in a pot and cooked it up."
"A-are you saying my cooking looks like an eldritch monster!?"
"Yeah," the Second Sasha answered. "I couldn't tell if that was supposed to be stew or soup yesterday-"
"IT WAS CHICKEN!"
"Since when is chicken a brown liquid!?"
The Second Verde let out a content sigh. She enjoyed these small moments they had together. Even with her and Sasha's new injuries, nothing had changed in their team dynamic.
But at the back of her mind, the strange, cryptic answers she received from her studies nagged at the back of her mind. The source of the Collapse couldn't be human. It just couldn't be true.
She'd need to look into it more.
...
Jasper spun around in the air, her wings buzzing and her small hands planted on her tiny hips. "Alright," she growled. "You're gonna spill everything on your mind. I ain't taking no for an answer, either."
Yin stared at her, annoyed. "If I wouldn't tell my father, why would I tell you?"
"So you aren't fine!"
Yin mentally punched himself. He didn't want to have this conversation. "Look, can we just have a beer instead?" He sighed in exasperation. Jasper shook her head.
"Alcohol doesn't solve problems, Yin."
Yin groaned, lighting a cigarette and sitting down on his bed. "Why do you even care? It's not your business, it's mine."
Jasper frowned, flying down and landing on his knee. "Because I care. You went out of your way to save my skin, and you even protect me from Vao!" She growled. She stopped, her green eyes averting from his own. "... I didn't do anything small to you. I killed your friend, helped turn your aunt into an abomination, and even tried to kill you... I know you're a good person, Yin. You gave me a second chance that I don't deserve... Even though only Salem and Ozpin stand by your decision, everyone else either wants me to leave, or kill me. That's why I want you to talk, even if you get angry and yell. I just... I just want to make sure you're okay..."
Yin blinked. He could feel the honesty in Jasper's voice. Even if she was arrogant, egotistical, and maybe a bit narcissistic, she told him how she really felt. He didn't even feel angry anymore.
"... I can handle it," he replied in a softer tone. Jasper glared at him.
"No, you can't. None of us can. And as much as I hate to even think of complimenting that girly idiot, even Vao talks about how he feels with Verde, and lets his kids talk to him! You're the only one who pushes everyone away, and..."
She trailed off. Yin already knew what she was going to say. She was going to say it hurt. He knew that Jasper liked him, and so did Salem. He sighed, snuffing his cigarette into his ashtray on his nightstand. He trusted Jasper. He was the only one who did, especially after seeing her Soul, the terror she held when she nearly turned into an abomination.
"... I'm scared, alright?"
Jasper looked up at him, her green eyes meeting blue. Yin chewed on his tongue, forcing the words out.
"I'm scared that... If we get lazy, if we don't put effort into getting this over with, someone else is going to die. If we had searched a little harder in Grimmore instead of focusing on our own feelings, my mom might still be alive. Pock and Tim might still be alive. So there you go. That's how I feel. I'm scared shitless of that monstrous cannibal."
He could feel the lump growing in his throat, the warmth in his eyes. But he didn't shed a single tear. He held it all in. Jasper's small hands rested on his own, the fairy looking up at him.
"... I'm scared too... I know what the First Vao can do. He doesn't see a point in life because of the Timelines... He doesn't take too kindly to traitors, either. If he ever caught me, he'd leave me with Mono," she said quietly. "... If we're going against someone like him, then we can do it together."
Her tone told Yin that she wasn't giving him a choice. The healer blinked, locking eyes with Jasper. With no distractions in the room, they got lost in the moment, the fairy's wings beating through the air, flying closer to his face. She scowled, her cheeks burning red.
"... Stop looking at me like that, ass."
Yin gulped. He hadn't been so close to a girl before. This wasn't a field he had any experience in. He thought about what he should say, momentarily thinking about his brother. For the first time, following Vao's example didn't sound like a bad idea. "... Is it wrong to look at cute things? And besides... Together, right?"
Jasper's scowl fell, her cheeks growing darker. Yin held up his hand, the fairy landing in his palm. Their faces drew closer together, Jasper's lips pressed against his bottom lip. He didn't think it would be a smart choice to try and kiss back, given how tiny she was. Puckering his lips was enough to cover her entire face.
His fingers curled gently around her body, taking care not to crush her in his grip. It wouldn't be too difficult; Jasper was only four inches tall. It would actually be too easy for him to break one of her ribs. He let himself fall back, his head landing on his pillow. Jasper bounced on his chest from the force of his landing, dizzily lifting her head up.
"You dick!" She hissed. "Don't do that shit!"
Yin smirked. "... You've got a mouth just as foul as Vao- YAH!?"
Jasper had yanked one of the small hairs out of his chin, making him jump. "Don't compare me to that empty-headed klepto," she snickered, waving the hair in front of Yin's face. He responded by poking her in the forehead, almost knocking her over. Jasper tossed the blonde strand to the side and jumped at him, clinging to his cheeks and delivering the tiniest angry punches Yin had ever felt in his life. Compared to her dead sister, Jasper really wasn't that strong.
Then again, Sapphire was capable of throwing full-grown humans around like feathers. She had been strong, especially for a fairy. He blew out a breath, Jasper's fingers digging into his skin like tiny pins to keep hold. The fairy gasped when her short skirt blew around, her cheeks growing darker. Yin blinked, meeting her eyes again. And finally, his hand moved for her again, his finger gently rubbing the top of her head.
Did he love Jasper? He didn't know. He didn't focus on these things. Jasper rubbed the tip of his nose, her lips pressing together.
"... Can we... Relax together...?" She asked quietly.
Yin was inexperienced, not stupid. And besides, he had grown up watching his brother walk away with special partners. He picked up the hint in an instant. But there was an issue.
"... You're too tiny."
Yin thought to himself for a moment. He recalled the time they spent in the Secret City when they first visited. He remembered yelling at Vao for relaxing with nonhumans, and one of them had been a fairy. He raised his hand and looked at his little finger. His hands weren't as thin as Vao's, but maybe they could work?
He sat up, watching as Jasper fell into his lap. "... You know what? Fuck it."
Jasper jumped, slowly getting undressed. Yin waited, trying not to look. His finger poked and prodded her, but he didn't feel any different. And eventually, Jasper spoke again.
"... Y... You're not..."
"S... Sorry," Yin grumbled. "I've never exactly done this sort of thing..."
Jasper stopped, looking at him in shock. "Wait... How old are you?"
Yin furrowed his brow. He didn't understand what that had to do with anything. "I'm twenty-six..."