After a day had passed of trying to pick up the pieces of Menagerie, Raven wanted to go back to Argus.
She'd tried to do damage control with the furious Faunus who'd begun to blame this whole thing on Argus already.
Gira and Kali tried to convince them that it wasn't the heroes fault, and some of them believe it, but others were too angry or grief stricken to listen to reason.
Cinder wisely stayed on the ship in all this time, and so did Roman and Neo. They knew the White Fang wouldn't welcome the sight of them.
The captured bandits cooperated as well as could be expected. Mino was salty about Hypnosia letting him get caught, but she told him it was to save his ungrateful life, and that seemed to shut him up for a while.
She treated the whole thing with an air of resignation.
The finned Faunus, who they caught easily since she'd been too out of her mind to hide, remained in shock from the effects of the Deimos... In fact it was as if it was worse for her than for the others. She hadn't said a word and didn't eat either.
Some of the natives identified her as Dolly Fina, a newcomer to the island as of several months ago. Presumably she'd been spying for the tribe that whole time, but since she didn't speak, no one knew anything more about her.
Hypnosia claimed that she didn't know much about her either, that she didn't know a lot of the ex-Fang members of the tribe. Mino refused to answer any questions.
But they did finally tell Blake where Illea was. Turned out the answer really wasn't that complicated. She'd been kidnapped and hidden in a storage shed by one of the empty houses left by the Faunus who moved to Mistral. They'd intended to set her free later, perhaps even taking her with them. Mala thought she could be quite useful.
Illea was hungry, tired, and cramped, but otherwise none the worse for the wear aside from the bump on her head. She was pretty mad she'd been captured so easily though, and that she'd not figured out that Dolly was suspicious.
"But who suspects a nurse?" She shrugged.
The news about Blake expecting did cheer her up a little.
Pyrrha and Jaune both decided that they would just take their kids back home.
"Since this was a trap," Pyrrha said, "there's no reason to stay... I'm kind of glad actually. I would hate to be away for so long...and they can't handle more people here now anyway."
"Yeah, I just wish I was convinced that Argus is still not a target in some way," Jaune said. "Even if it's not how we thought, it doesn't feel safe there either. But then, nowhere is really safe if they keep expanding."
"I'm sure we'll find a way," Pyrrha said. "Besides...clearly the kids can handle themselves."
Ben had won some new respect from the other kids on board for actually fighting the Grimm, and Polly was enjoying the attention also.
"Pyrrha, what are you teaching those kids?" Yang asked her at one point after she'd heard them tell the story again about how they'd "taken the criminal lady back to her cell."
"I just made sure they knew how to fight," Pyrrha said. "Every child should know that, don't you think?"
"They're already like mini huntsmen," Yang said. She looked thoughtful. "I liked how they call you 'mama' and 'dad' now. That's cool."
"They didn't for a while," Pyrrha said. "And we didn't want to make them do anything they didn't feel comfortable with, but as we got closer, it felt like they were always ours, somehow, even if it's only been a year or two. And...most of them are old enough to be my siblings, not kids, but still...well, we said they could call us that if they wanted. The little ones did first, but then even Ben started. I just melted." She smiled.
"You know, some of Shine's other students call her that," Yang remarked. "I guess in the cultures she's been in, it's normal to refer to some adults by that title as a form of respect, but she said she melted too. I gotta admit, I kind of thought the whole taking in kids who weren't yours permanently thing was weird." She shrugged. "But you guys did seem really natural together. Don't you ever feel like it's too much responsibility, though?"
"No," Pyrrha said. She paused. "Well, sometimes, I get overwhelmed. I suppose anyone would. But I don't regret it. I know, everyone tells us we're too young to take them in, but I think that's kind of a funny thing to say. There was a need. If you can fill it, you should. Who cares about age when people are starving and alone? We had the means, so Jaune and I decided not to let any silly inhibitions that people had about it stop us. And I suppose people think I'm wasting the best years of my potential, but I don't know if that matters to me now. I enjoy being a huntress--I was born with all that ability...but that's not all there is to me. I found that I like teaching and caring for people a lot more than I even liked slaying Grimm. I want to have both, but it's not a bad trade, is it, if I did have to pick?"
"No, you seem happy," Yang said. "I can't believe I ever envied you your talents. But maybe I just envied you how happy helping other people makes you. It doesn't do the same for me. Maybe I'm more selfish."
"Yang, I'm sure that you enjoy that people get stronger," Pyrrha said. "Shine was right about that. That's what really brings the spark into your eyes. That's still helping them. We're just different. Nothing wrong with that, is there?"
"Yeah, well, maybe you have a point," Yang said. "Still, branching out might be nice. I wonder if I'm ready to be a mom. Blake's gonna be one now... I don't know if Sun is ready."
"He'll be fine...eventually," Pyrrha said lightly.
"But you know, I keep thinking, it'll be Weiss soon," Yang said. "She's eager. And Ruby will get married and have a family before long. Maybe I'm thinking too small. Neptune and I get along fine, but things can be a little too tame when we're at home alone."
"Too tame? With you?" Pyrrha said.
"Well, we don't fight, you know," Yang said. "And we're both pretty self sufficient. It's weird, I always thought I'd like not being the big sister all the time, but since Ruby and I don't share space, and I don't need to take care of anyone, I kind of feel...a little like I miss doing that."
"Of course you do. If you truly hated it, you wouldn't have taken care of Ruby so much," Pyrrha said. "Maybe it was good to take a break, so you could evaluate if you liked it, but I think it's normal to miss it. But Ruby's grown up now, and she doesn't need you to take care of her. Maybe it's time to think of letting some other people in."
"I could babysit for you," Yang said. "Emerald can't have all the fun."
"Oh...I suppose," Pyrrha said nervously.
"You just hesitated," Yang said. "What, you don't trust me?"
"Oh, no, it's just that, well, the last time you watched the kids, I caught them trying to cook food on the patio using a fire starter."
"So I might have shown them my trick with the Semblance, big deal," Yang said.
Pyrrha shook her head.
* * *
"Well, this is nice," Roman said, when he and Neo had set up a tea table on the sun deck. Neo had her umbrella over her shoulder. "Nothing like a little relaxation after all that hard work."
"You did one thing." Cinder was watching them while leaning on the side.
"On the contrary, Cinder, we did plenty," Roman said. "Don't get all high and mighty just because you keep ending up in the right place at the right time. How do you plan that anyway? It's like you got drugged just so that you'd have a chance to linger around and be part of the action."
"Oh, that was my plan the whole time," Cinder said flatly.
Neo motioned at her to move to a chair.
"Neo thinks that you're making her nervous by standing there," Roman said. "Just sit down already. Have some tea."
"I don't drink tea," Cinder said.
"What are you, a savage?" Roman feigned shock.
Neo motioned at Cinder sharply.
"Perhaps Neo has something important to discuss?" Roman suggested.
Cinder sat down.
"Well?" she said.
Neo stirred her tea.
"Well, perhaps this might be of interest." Roman tilted his hat. "That Hypnosia chick? She used to work for Miss Malachite, back at the same time we did."
Cinder stirred a spoon in her teacup. "You worked for Miss Malachite?" She looked up.
"Does that really surprise you?" Roman said. "It was brief, but yes. Then we went solo...or duo, I suppose. I didn't care for being bossed around. Didn't you know that?"
"No." Cinder frowned. "But having an in with the information ring of Mistral, when that was going to be a target later, would have been nice for you to mention."
"Oh, dear me, did I not help the bad guys enough?" Roman said sarcastically. "I'll have to kick myself."
Neo tittered.
"Dawkins knew Mino," Cinder said. "Whatever his last name is."
"Oh, it's Toro," Roman said. "We asked around the White Fang members here. One of them finally figured it out. Turns out, he was an active member of Adam's division for a while. Before your time, I would say. But I guess he got picked on even there for being a freak. Also, I guess people knew his parents, so that couldn't have been good."
"He's from Menagerie then?" Cinder picked up her tea subconsciously and started to sip it.
Neo shook her head and projected: "He's from outside the kingdoms."
"She's right," Roman said. "Some tight, little district no doubt. That has to explain how his...uh, origins had to happen without anyone batting an eyelash. You know how backwoods towns are."
"I'm from a backwoods town, Roman." Cinder frowned at him.
"Join the club, sweetheart, and believe me, I know what I'm talking about," Roman said.
Neo made a face.
"Well, anyway, no one knows much about him beyond that, but they knew he left Taurus' after some split with some of the Fang's ideology. Maybe it was what we were doing. I think they didn't like to work with humans."
"But you said it was before my time," Cinder said.
"Well, perhaps. I think you didn't meet the Fang chapter he was a part of," Roman said. "Him or Dawkins, right? But the word that they were working with humans must have spread, so they ditched. Dawkins, as you know, went his way to the small villages of Mistral and then found his way to the capital. That's where he and Mino connected. Mino must have found the Baba tribe in that time and been looking for new recruits, people who would resent the Fang for changing its ideals, as well as Argus for uniting the kingdoms...sort of. And voila, that's where Malachite's group must have come in. He and Hypnosia hit it off, I guess. She's quite talkative to us, you know. She said that at first Mino and Dawkins both didn't like to work with humans, but once they saw how organized the tribe was, and how they treated everyone just as badly as anyone else, it grew on them. Strange people, aren't they?"
"Yes..." Cinder said flatly. "Who could imagine that?"
"I really love how you always act so superior to other criminals," Roman noted. "What makes you think you're so much better than them?"
"Don't you find them a little dull by now?" Cinder said. "There's never anything new about them. Spite, hate, greed, it's all the same."
"And I suppose you think the goody two-shoes we're working with are all staunch individuals?" Roman said.
"Can you think of a more diverse group of people who have weirder experiences?" Cinder said.
Neo clasped her hands, and the words appeared: "AWW, they've grown on you."
"Shut up," Cinder said.
"It comes to this," Roman said. "Mino knows where the tribe's hideout is but swears he will never let it slip. Seems what they do to people who do is unthinkable... In fact it's never happened, but they know it would be bad. Mala likes to keep order by killing anyone who displeases her in the slightest."
"Classy," Cinder said. "How does she keep anyone around?"
"I guess the same way you did: hiring new recruits. More and more people are intrigued by the idea of using Grimm as weapons," Roman said. "After all, we were."
Pause.
"But don't they see that if it ended the way it did for us, they can't possibly..." Cinder began.
"Cinder, I really think sometimes, for someone who was so deep into the evil side of the world, you are quite naive about it," Roman said. "Do you think that would stop them? People like that never learn from others' mistakes. No doubt they think we've gone soft, not come to our senses."
Neo made the "cuckoo" gesture.
"Hypnosia told us to pass along a message to you also." Roman sipped his tea. "She said that Mala wants you alive."
Cinder almost choked on her tea--and then realized she was drinking it.
"Why?" She put it down.
"She didn't say that part. Perhaps you should ask her yourself while you still can. The tribe will probably have them eliminated soon. They always will find a way," Roman said. "I gotta say, she really has a lot of potential with that Semblance of hers. If I was still in the game, I'd recruit her myself."
Neo frowned at him.
"What?" he said.
"I thought they just wanted me dead because of what happened to Atlas," Cinder said strangely.
"Maybe they have something worse planned," Roman said. "I can't think why she'd even mention it to me at all unless it was to scare you, since we know what they do to their hostages."
"I would never allow that," Cinder said. "I'd kill them first."
"Perhaps that would play into their hands," Roman said. "I'd watch myself if I were you, Cinder. Not only do they hate you for what you did to some of their homes, but now you've thwarted their plans several times. If I were them, I'd be putting you at the top of the hitlist. And your royal bodyguard can't fight them all off. If I were him, I'd quit. You're too dangerous to protect."
Cinder stood up and glared at him before walking away.
Neo folded her arms at Roman.
"What?" he said. "A little uncertainty adds spice to a relationship, Neo."
Neo raised an eyebrow.
"Not ours of course," Roman said. "But other people's. It's fun to mess with them."
Neo got up and walked away with an annoyed flounce.
"What did I say?" Roman wondered.
* * *
Before they could leave, Winter had to officially gather the Faunus, and humans, and explain what happened all over so that they all knew.
She also said she was sorry for their losses.
"Sure you are," someone said.
"Your Argus people didn't have losses," someone else said.
"Stop," Blake spoke up. "We were trying our hardest. And that storm was a miracle."
"Why couldn't it come before those monsters attacked at all?" someone else said.
"Oy vey," Yang groaned to Oscar. "They sound like the Isrealites literally every time something went wrong."
"I remember us being like that once," Oscar said. "It's so easy to only see it your way."
"I kind of get it," Neptune said. "I'm wondering the same thing--why did it only happen once it was too late? Why do these things have to happen first? Is there some quota of suffering that has to be met?"
"What if there was?" Oscar asked. "Would that change what our answer is? Our hope? Even if there had to be suffering in every life, would it matter? The truth is we still have to deal with it and we still need help. I don't understand it either. But I know that, even though...I faltered."
"Well, no one's perfect, Oscar," Yang observed.
Royal was listening from the bottom of the plank to the ship, while Winter was at the edge of the dock addressing everyone.
Neo and Cinder came that way.
"What's happening?" Cinder asked, thinking Winter was having some kind of meeting without them.
"I think she's trying to take leave of the place," Royal said. "On good terms."
"Well, good luck with that." Dew was sitting on the edge of the dock a few feet away. "I wish I'd never come on this. I can't wait to go back to Vacuo--that's ended up being the safest place in the world."
"You do know that's because of the efforts of the people standing here right now?" Royal said to her.
She shrugged like she didn't care.
Neo made a face at her behind her back. Then she motioned at Cinder that they should go listen.
"I don't know what there is to say to make this any better," Cinder muttered sourly.
But she followed Neo down the plank.
Neo slyly tripped her right before the bottom so that she pitched forward.
Royal caught her easily enough.
"Neo!" Cinder knew Neo did it.
Neo gave her a falsely innocent look and then shrugged.
"What was that for?" Royal asked Neo, confused.
Neo shook her head at him like he was an idiot.
"Put me down," Cinder said, reddening again.
"Right," Royal said, doing so. "Sorry, she started it."
"Don't apologize for what she did," Cinder grumbled. She turned to Neo, who was smart enough to know to run right then.
"She's such a pill," Cinder told herself, hurrying to follow her.
Meanwhile, Winter was trying to quiet the crowd, but that wasn't her strong suit.
"Why don't you all calm down and listen to her?" Meridian tried to help.
People quieted a little.
"Listen," Winter said, "I know we all have unanswered questions, but I assure you all that we're still looking for the real culprits behind this. We've apprehended some more of them. Any day, one of them is bound to be the lead we need to find the tribe behind this. In the meantime, I am thankful that this disaster was not as bad as they intended it to be. We can rebuild. I assure you, Argus will do its best to help with that as far as Miss Branwen and myself can influence it."
"They don't care about us," said one bitter woman. "Even if you were sincere."
Raven rolled her eyes.
"Hey, that's not fair," Mercury spoke up from behind them. "The whole reason the bandit tribe exploited you people was because they knew that Sustrai and Belladonna were doing some real good. They were trying to help you when other people didn't bother."
"That is true," one of the staff from the orphanage spoke up. "We can't really say it was their fault."
"Perhaps this is just a sign then that humans and Faunus should not be trying to live together," said someone else.
"What? That's a step backwards," Blake said angrily.
"Yeah, come on, the Baba tribe just wants us to divide ourselves," Sun said. "It's the same tired trick as before."
"But we can't fight them," said a man. "If they have forces like what we saw, then even if you held it off, this time, barely, then next time they want to attack, we'll die. No one could hold that off forever."
"I'm convinced an attack on that scale can't be the work of a day to build up," Raven spoke. "I'm sure it cost them. They won't be able to mount another one like that so soon. We have a window to catch them before they plot their next big move. That means we need to not play into their hands."
"How do we know you can do that?" said someone else.
The mood was dark.
Neo glanced at Cinder and made a gesture that indicated they were stupid fools.
Cinder was tense. She didn't like where this was going.
Qrow had heard enough.
"All right." He stepped forward next to Winter. "Everybody, settle down."
"That's Qrow Branwen," said some people.
Qrow was still a big name, even here.
There was more quiet.
"We get how you feel." Qrow held up his hands. "But Schnee and Branwen here have been working constantly to track down the tribe. We have a lot of things on our side, insider information, people who know how these guys think. We've made a lot of breakthroughs in this time. This was a major setback, but the worst thing to do right now is panic. That's what they wanted, literally. We've got all the pieces in place, and once we locate them, we're not going to let any of them get away. They can run, but they can't hide forever. We'll destroy all the Grimm they have with them also."
"Yeah!" Meridian cheered.
Some people brightened a little.
Winter gave Qrow a grateful look.
"And no one is more angry about what they did to the kids than I am," Emerald said, stepping forward also. "I can't believe they did that. But we're not just going to let them get away with it. This got personal for all of us a while ago, but now they've gone way too far."
"Even some of their own people admit it," Pyrrha offered. "That's encouraging. One of them may help us find them."
"We can't do it alone," Ruby said. "But we have help." She pointed upward. "I think, with that, we can do anything."
"I have a statement," Gira spoke up, "to all of the Faunus, and humans, who they tried to make an example of here: Don't let this be the bandits using you as an example of what they can do to anyone they like. Instead, make it an example of the unflinching spirit of people who've had enough of being used by anyone as their targets. We wanted to preserve a peaceful way of life in Menagerie, and this tribe of scoundrels has threatened it, I think, for the last time. I think that when the world asks us what we think after this, we should tell them that we think we've had enough."
"Yeah, all their power comes through fear," Blake spoke up, encouraged by his view of it. "If we don't fear them, they can't bully us into doing what they want. Come on." She gestured at them. "Isn't that what the White Fang used to be about? I thought that's what we were for, now."
"And we know," Jaune said, "that they've hurt your children and your friends with this, and they hurt ours too. I mean, my kids were attacked too and almost injected." He winced. "But that's why we have to end this. Our own families are in danger, just like yours. We're not giving up yet on fighting these guys. If we turn tail and let them scare us, they've already won. We're still going to fight them, and we'll go alone, if no one else has the courage."
"Just like before," Blake said. "I'll stand alone if I have to, with my allies, that is. All of us will. Even if it's just our team again and no one else."
"Like old times," Meridian said cheerfully.
"Not alone," Illea spoke up. "If you find these guys, I want to go with you." She clenched a fist. "They tried to level my home. I wouldn't be any kind of fighter if I didn't retaliate. Just say when."
Some more people began to agree with her there.
Finally, Winter spoke again when they'd settled.
"Well, I think we all agree then," she said, firmly. "We've all lost things. Menagerie is only the last country to be hit by people like this. Thankfully it has fared better than Atlas or Vale did. We can still fight back. I believe if we stop this group now, it will send a message to any other in the future that it will not be so easy to upset the world's order again. We have survived the gods, Salem, and the Grimm attacks thus far. I wouldn't let a pack of thieves be the reason we crumble."
She was getting more into it this time.
"Hey," said one person, who'd been complaining just minutes ago, "when you find that tribe, you give them what for, from all of us."
"Yeah, send them our regards," someone else agreed. "No one gets to do this to Menagerie, not again."
"This is our home. We don't want anyone to overrun it."
"I think they've actually turned this around," Roman noted, joining Neo. "That is miraculous. If we were on the other side, I'd be angry about their PR."
Neo rolled her eyes at him.
"Still in a mood?" Roman was clueless about women.
"They're making sense," Cinder observed. "It's easier to spread fear and doubt than courage, but that was what the tribe wanted. They're getting arrogant, thinking the world should take a bandit tribe as a serious threat. We should take them down a few pegs, but it won't work if they've got this island whipped by their big stunt."
"Aren't you inspirational now?" Roman said. "You should go make a speech with them."
"The only speech I'm going to make is the one when I tell that tribe that this is over for them," Cinder said, with a fierce look at him. "I prefer to win the old fashioned way."
"Hmprf." Roman shrugged.
He moved back towards the ship.
Neo motioned at Cinder to ignore him.
"How unusual for you not to be in sync," Cinder noted. "I would ask why, but I don't actually care."
Neo made a rude gesture at her. Then she leaned on her umbrella jauntily and projected these words: "Don't act on what Dum-Dum said."
"What do you mean?" Cinder asked.
:"About before, with your 'royal guard'." Neo made air quotes even though she was writing this out in the air. "If you have a chance with anyone who really cares about you, take it. Life is too short to waste opportunities. Roman is just being an ass."
"I can't believe this. Are you trying to give me advice about this?" Cinder said. "And did I ask you? And was that what that tripping me stunt was about? That's stupid. Do you think this is a stupid rom-com?"
:"Didn't know you watched those., Neo said with a sly smirk.
"I know the general plot," Cinder shot back. "I have more important things to deal with right now. Like the psychopaths who nearly wiped out a whole island yesterday! Do you think I care what you or your boss/partner think about my life?"
Neo made a gesture that looked like "la-di-da" if it was a hand sign.
Then she pranced away.
The whole thing was too weird for Cinder to think about.
Anyway, the group was gathering now to leave.
"I assume no one wants to wait for the ship to leave again?" Raven said. "The press will be here in their stupid copters in no time, and I frankly don't want to make a statement while we're in this condition."
"Dad and Mom will handle that," Blake said. "But I have to wait here. I can't portal...remember?"
"I'll stick with her," Sun said. "The rest of you go on. Let us know if the bandits tell you any more."
"Better see if Robyn's free," Qrow said.
"Nice speech, Mr. Branwen," Royal said, joining them.
"Don't call me Mr. Branwen," Qrow said. "No one does that. Even my class used to just say Mister Qrow."
"I wonder how they took you seriously," Winter said.
"We didn't," Ruby joked.
Qrow playfully grabbed her and pinned her arms.
"Help! Yang!" Ruby cried.
"Whoa, the old man wants to get rough?" Yang tackled Qrow. "Take that!"
"Ow! Two to one isn't fair," Qrow said. "I still have you outmatched though."
"Hey!" Yang cried as she was thrown off.
"How do they have the energy to goof off after all that?" Raven wondered.
"Don't stand too close," Oscar said. "They tend to pull other people into their fights."
"Speaking of which--" Weiss turned to Emerald and Mercury, who were holding hands. "--what's this?" She pointed at them. "Did you two finally make up?"
"We might have," Emerald said, with a smirk.
"Maybe not," Mercury said. "I don't know. We could just be messing with you."
"I don't think so," Weiss said. "Wow, I'm really happy to hear that." She clasped her hands. "It took forever."
"Hey, what's that supposed to mean?" Mercury said.
"We all knew you wanted to, but you were just so stubborn," Meridian said.
"Shut up," Mercury said.
"Hold up?" Yang let go of Qrow and looked at them. "For real? Oh, wow, there is a silver lining to this after all. I guess all it took was a big, romantic gesture like running into a burning building."
"Dang, Emerald, you're a genius," Neptune said. "I wish I'd thought of that as a way to get someone's attention."
"That was my goal, yeah," Emerald said, but then she frowned. She was still upset about that.
"Oh, back off, Blue Hair," Mercury said.
"Let's just go." Raven opened a portal. "This is making me sick."
"Cheerful as always, sis," Qrow said, moving, with Ruby still trying to get him in a chokehold.
"Miss Rose, aren't you a little old for this?" Winter said.
"Not as old as Uncle Qrow is, and he's still doing it," Ruby said.
Winter had no defense for that.
[You're never too old to roughhouse with your kids, come on.]
"Men never grow up," Blake observed. "Well, see you guys soon."
They left, taking their newly captured criminals with them.
* * *
"Don't worry," Qrow said to the captives when they were at the base. "We've got a nice, comfortable spot for you next to your old pal, Dawkins."
"Shut up," Mino grumbled.
Hypnosia cast a strange look back at Cinder as they were being led away, and Dolly Fina just stared at the ground with the same dead expression as before.
"I'm worried about her," Oscar said. "I've never seen anyone so affected long term by those things."
"She was bitten after taking those nightmare injections," Ruby noted. "Maybe that was it...but none of the kids were that bad."
"They didn't take it willingly though," Yang said. "And can I just say, ugh. I'm so pissed thinking about that. I'm glad we got it out of them fast, but it's...so sick. I'm not gonna sleep well for days thinking about it."
"I'll be thinking about how the orphanage thing blew up in our face," Emerald said. "I just...we wanted to do something good, and they took it from us."
"I'm sorry." Pyrrha put a hand on her shoulder.
"This is what you guys felt like when we destroyed Beacon, huh?" Emerald said dully. "I keep finding new ways to experience that. Are we sure karma isn't a thing?"
"Well, there is a difference between attacking a school of armed fighters and an orphanage of kids," Raven said helpfully. "Not much of one, maybe, but if it helps you sleep at night."
"Whatever we did, it's over now," Mercury said. "And thinking about it won't help us stop the new problem that's actually happening. So it's useless."
"I don't know, I think sympathy is a good thing," Jaune said. "But yeah, you can't change it now. I think we're past caring about it. I'm glad you guys are on our side now."
"What's our next move?" Yang asked Raven.
"For now, we'll recuperate," Raven said. "And then I'm sending some people to Vacuo to check in. On the way, they can take you back to Vale."
She meant Ruby and Oscar.
"Why?" Oscar said.
"Because when we find that tribe, we're going to need backup, and Vale has the nearest well trained fighters," Raven said. "Vacuo can't spare all that many. I don't want to get caught off guard again. I'm tired of it. I think it's time we started thinking about how to set a trap for these guys. Now that we know the kind of target they're after, we have something to work with. We'll need Watts for it though. So he better be ready."
They all looked somber.