Fandom Distorted Mirror [IC]

[MyrtenRose]

Trifa burst out laughing.

Tyrian....didn't.

"She's not my-she isn't-She's just my friend!"

He didn't deny the other charge though.​

"I mean...are you sure? She's pretty cool looking, it seems like she thinks she is that, and you said she's a childhood friend who helped you out by making you a new tail...pretty personal that. Intimate? Kinda? Moreso when you're both faunus and have that in common. I mean, nothing wrong in trying to find love where you can and the whole childhood friend thing, well...back when I was stuck with my parents, reading was one of the few escapes I had. A chance to escape the world even for just a little while. And I gotta tell you, the whole childhood friend becoming a lover idea was something I read more than a couple times among those. Don't have to feel embarrassed if it is true." Cinder said with a smirk.​

 

[MidwayLives]

"I mean...are you sure? She's pretty cool looking, it seems like she thinks she is that, and you said she's a childhood friend who helped you out by making you a new tail...pretty personal that. Intimate? Kinda? Moreso when you're both faunus and have that in common. I mean, nothing wrong in trying to find love where you can and the whole childhood friend thing, well...back when I was stuck with my parents, reading was one of the few escapes I had. A chance to escape the world even for just a little while. And I gotta tell you, the whole childhood friend becoming a lover idea was something I read more than a couple times among those. Don't have to feel embarrassed if it is true." Cinder said with a smirk

Tyrian rubbed at his face and then at his temples.

"I'm....just not in the market for 'love' right now, Cinder."

He turned and sat down, his back to his fellow teenager.

"....Got too much I need to focus on."​

 

[MyrtenRose]

Tyrian rubbed at his face and then at his temples.

"I'm....just not in the market for 'love' right now, Cinder."

He turned and sat down, his back to his fellow teenager.

"....Got too much I need to focus on."​

"Uh-huh." She still didn't sound convinced by the denial but the specifics of Tyrian's dating life were not the most important things to discuss, so she let it slide and dropped the matter entirely. Cinder strode up and dropped to sit down right beside the scorp. "So hey, if she's smart enough to make you a whole new tail, then how come she...you know...does that job? I mean shouldn't she be like...doing engineer work or big brain jobs somewhere or something...you know? And uh, more importantly, what stuff do you mean you gotta focus on?" ​

 

[MidwayLives]

"So hey, if she's smart enough to make you a whole new tail, then how come she...you know...does that job? I mean shouldn't she be like...doing engineer work or big brain jobs somewhere or something...you know?

Tyrian shrugged.

"You'd have to ask her to get an exact answer. She helps out the police and stuff back home. I guess she does.... 'that' because it helps work off stress. Least that's why I'd do it." Tyrian suggested. Before he quickly waved a hand in protest. "...Not that I WOULD but you get what I mean, right? Save Vale's people and enjoy herself in the spare time she's got."
​

And uh, more importantly, what stuff do you mean you gotta focus on?"

Tyrian closed his eyes and sighed.

"...I don't think I ever actually told you or Watts how I grew up. Figure it's probably about time."

He looked over his shoulder and noticed a lack of Hazel standing beside Watts.

He didn't want to ask.

"....My family used to work in the mines to make ends meet. Wasn't glamorous, we got treated poorly, and the pay was just enough to keep the lights on but that was it."

His stinger relaxed and rested against the floor as he continued.

"....So we're all workin one day and I'm pulled aside by a guy in a suit. He says there's a guy going around looking for faunus to recruit into this thing he's trying to get off the ground. All he has to say is that it pays great and I was onboard. I didn't care what it was. The suit brings me to this old guy named Ichabod Crane. We talk, I introduce myself, and for the first time in my life it'd felt like a human actually cared about what I had to say. We shook hands and the agreement was made. Only thing was that I couldn't tell my parents about any of this. They...They wouldn't understand it." Tyrian reached over and grabbed a piece of cracked tile and pulled it free and held it in the palm of his hand.

"Turns out the place Ichabod was talking about was a fight club. On the outside it looked like just a typical sports bar. You come in, get drinks, see some entertainment, then leave. Only we were the entertainment. I spent most of my life there growing up and saving money to help my folks. ...Until I wasn't allowed back anymore. Stuff happened, my folks found out, and Ichabod refused to let me back. That's why I ended up at Beacon/ran into you guys. My parents thought I'd avoid trouble like that by getting out of the neighborhood." Looking down at his weapons, Tyrian sniffled. "I couldn't rejoin the club no matter how much I wanted to...but Ichabod agreed to help make my weapons for Beacon."

"That was the last time I saw him. I'd heard that somebody tipped the White Fang off and they stormed the place. Killing any human they could find." He let that implication rest where it did. "....So. Trifa and I have been trying to find information on the Shadow Fang, figure out who killed him. That's what I'm doing and why I can't rejoin the team. Sorry." He only noticed then that he'd crushed the section of tile in his hands to pieces.​

 

[MyrtenRose]

Tyrian shrugged.

"You'd have to ask her to get an exact answer. She helps out the police and stuff back home. I guess she does.... 'that' because it helps work off stress. Least that's why I'd do it." Tyrian suggested. Before he quickly waved a hand in protest. "...Not that I WOULD but you get what I mean, right? Save Vale's people and enjoy herself in the spare time she's got."

"...Gross." She said at the very idea of that. The thought it brought to mind, namely the imagining of Tyrian popping out of a wedding cake wearing only--NOPE NOPE NOPE NOPE NOPE.​

Tyrian closed his eyes and sighed.

"...I don't think I ever actually told you or Watts how I grew up. Figure it's probably about time."

He looked over his shoulder and noticed a lack of Hazel standing beside Watts.

He didn't want to ask.

"....My family used to work in the mines to make ends meet. Wasn't glamorous, we got treated poorly, and the pay was just enough to keep the lights on but that was it."

His stinger relaxed and rested against the floor as he continued.

"....So we're all workin one day and I'm pulled aside by a guy in a suit. He says there's a guy going around looking for faunus to recruit into this thing he's trying to get off the ground. All he has to say is that it pays great and I was onboard. I didn't care what it was. The suit brings me to this old guy named Ichabod Crane. We talk, I introduce myself, and for the first time in my life it'd felt like a human actually cared about what I had to say. We shook hands and the agreement was made. Only thing was that I couldn't tell my parents about any of this. They...They wouldn't understand it." Tyrian reached over and grabbed a piece of cracked tile and pulled it free and held it in the palm of his hand.

"Turns out the place Ichabod was talking about was a fight club. On the outside it looked like just a typical sports bar. You come in, get drinks, see some entertainment, then leave. Only we were the entertainment. I spent most of my life there growing up and saving money to help my folks. ...Until I wasn't allowed back anymore. Stuff happened, my folks found out, and Ichabod refused to let me back. That's why I ended up at Beacon/ran into you guys. My parents thought I'd avoid trouble like that by getting out of the neighborhood." Looking down at his weapons, Tyrian sniffled. "I couldn't rejoin the club no matter how much I wanted to...but Ichabod agreed to help make my weapons for Beacon."

"That was the last time I saw him. I'd heard that somebody tipped the White Fang off and they stormed the place. Killing any human they could find." He let that implication rest where it did. "....So. Trifa and I have been trying to find information on the Shadow Fang, figure out who killed him. That's what I'm doing and why I can't rejoin the team. Sorry." He only noticed then that he'd crushed the section of tile in his hands to pieces.

"That is as stupid a thing to say as it is absolutely ridiculous. That makes no sense at all." Cinder stated bluntly. She stared at Tyrian in silence for a few more seconds, her eyebrow raised up the whole time. "Well, not the growing up part. That sucks and isn't stupid. I'm sorry to hear you had a rough past too, sorry that this Ichabod guy recruited you into some shadowy, illegal sounding fight club. I mean, only recruiting faunus for that? Like...cockfighting? And using kids for it too? Disgusting." She didn't know exactly how long Tyrian was recruited for that but he was still only 17 now. Maybe around 13 or 14 or even 12? Jeez. Using child labor to entertain drunks at a bar...reprehensible. That did explain how he knew how to fight so well though, the entrance exam must have been a breeze for him. "And I'm glad your parents got you out of that and to Beacon. Glad to hear your parents actually cared." Cinder flashed a pained smile, though it was gone within a blink.

"Nah, the stupid part is you thinking you can't rejoin the team? Like, dude, what are you even talking about? Why would that...we stopped the Shadow Fang train assault. We fought against them at Beacon and at Haven. They came for me in Argus, they were involved in the mess we got into up in Atlas. The targets we must have on our backs by now...I mean, come on. If you want to find out stuff about the Shadow Fang or maybe get somebody to interrogate, seems pretty obvious sticking with us is the best way for you to do that. Belladonna and the rest are bound to cross our path again. That's better than you two just stumbling around and throwing up random rocks trying to find information!" She pointed out, exasperated.

"C'mon Art, back me up here." She directed over at Watts. "Tell Ty he should stay. We can be a team again."​

 

[MidwayLives]

"Well, not the growing up part. That sucks and isn't stupid. I'm sorry to hear you had a rough past too, sorry that this Ichabod guy recruited you into some shadowy, illegal sounding fight club. I mean, only recruiting faunus for that? Like...cockfighting? And using kids for it too? Disgusting." She didn't know exactly how long Tyrian was recruited for that but he was still only 17 now. Maybe around 13 or 14 or even 12? Jeez. Using child labor to entertain drunks at a bar...reprehensible. That did explain how he knew how to fight so well though, the entrance exam must have been a breeze for him. "And I'm glad your parents got you out of that and to Beacon. Glad to hear your parents actually cared." Cinder flashed a pained smile, though it was gone within a blink.​

"It wasn't all bad."

Tyrian stood up and shook the flakes of crushed up tile out of his hand.

"...I got pretty much whatever I asked for. Money-I got enough to get by. Actual clothes and not just hand me downs. I had people who'd cheer when I'd fight. I was even the champion once."

At the mention of only faunus though, Tyrian shook his head.

"Humans joined up every now and again. Mostly to try and show off. That's actually...why I had to leave. One of the suits who helped Ichabod finance the place had a human fighter he was supporting. If I didn't throw the fight then they'd...they'd kill Ichabod. So. I did." Tyrian rubbed at the side of his head. "It kinda became obvious after a while and when my parents showed up it almost caused a riot. My parents didn't want me anywhere near the place after that and Ichabod respected their wishes."

"...But I had fun. For what it's worth."
​

"Nah, the stupid part is you thinking you can't rejoin the team? Like, dude, what are you even talking about? Why would that...we stopped the Shadow Fang train assault. We fought against them at Beacon and at Haven. They came for me in Argus, they were involved in the mess we got into up in Atlas. The targets we must have on our backs by now...I mean, come on. If you want to find out stuff about the Shadow Fang or maybe get somebody to interrogate, seems pretty obvious sticking with us is the best way for you to do that. Belladonna and the rest are bound to cross our path again. That's better than you two just stumbling around and throwing up random rocks trying to find information!" She pointed out, exasperated.

"We actually fought one of them in Mistral. A member of the Shadow Fang I mean." Trifa chimed in to the convo, having held her tongue all this time. "I went to the same club that Tyrian did, trained under Ichabod, and then quit when I wanted to do other things. Tyrian asked for my help to find out who could have killed him and lo and behold the first one we run into-"

"They nearly killed us. I wasn't strong enough. That's why I've been training with Neo. That's why I've been focusing on improving myself. I want to find wherever the Shadow Fang are holed up and find out which one of those bastards killed him!!! Ugh!" Taking a step or two back, Tyrian clutched at his head.

"....Just so aggravated all the time. Only time I feel like I'm getting anything accomplished is when I fight with Neo. No leads, no nothing. Agh...." ​

 

[MyrtenRose]

"It wasn't all bad."

Tyrian stood up and shook the flakes of crushed up tile out of his hand.

"...I got pretty much whatever I asked for. Money-I got enough to get by. Actual clothes and not just hand me downs. I had people who'd cheer when I'd fight. I was even the champion once."

At the mention of only faunus though, Tyrian shook his head.

"Humans joined up every now and again. Mostly to try and show off. That's actually...why I had to leave. One of the suits who helped Ichabod finance the place had a human fighter he was supporting. If I didn't throw the fight then they'd...they'd kill Ichabod. So. I did." Tyrian rubbed at the side of his head. "It kinda became obvious after a while and when my parents showed up it almost caused a riot. My parents didn't want me anywhere near the place after that and Ichabod respected their wishes."

"...But I had fun. For what it's worth."

"Tyrian, don't take this the wrong way but that just sounds like a man showering his prized fighter, a kid no less, with gifts. That still sounds wrong. You might be fond of this Ichabod guy but I don't think...he doesn't sound nice to me. Kids shouldn't be...we shouldn't have had to..." Cinder stammered over her words. "Maybe it's just me, having grown up with my family the way I did but that just seems so wrong." Cinder shook her head. The cruelty of some people. She gave Tyrian a long, scrutinizing look as she stood up too. She wondered if the fight club life had a big hand in making Tyrian more than a little unstable, but she shook her head again and didn't speak on those thoughts.​

"We actually fought one of them in Mistral. A member of the Shadow Fang I mean." Trifa chimed in to the convo, having held her tongue all this time. "I went to the same club that Tyrian did, trained under Ichabod, and then quit when I wanted to do other things. Tyrian asked for my help to find out who could have killed him and lo and behold the first one we run into-"

"They nearly killed us. I wasn't strong enough. That's why I've been training with Neo. That's why I've been focusing on improving myself. I want to find wherever the Shadow Fang are holed up and find out which one of those bastards killed him!!! Ugh!" Taking a step or two back, Tyrian clutched at his head.

"....Just so aggravated all the time. Only time I feel like I'm getting anything accomplished is when I fight with Neo. No leads, no nothing. Agh...."

"..." The goal of trying to get stronger, more powerful, and the thought of leaving everyone else behind to do it...well, suffice it to say that struck a familiar chord with Cinder. "I know how that feels, Ty. I do, I get it. But speaking as somebody who made that mistake...you don't have to leave us behind to do it. I had to get it smacked into my head but being with friends and teammates is a strength all its own, and one that can't be matched by one person alone, no matter how strong they get." The teenage maiden reached out and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "I don't know how or when, but if this guy meant that much to you...I think if you just stick with us, you'll get the chance to find out what you need to know."​

 

[MidwayLives]

"..." The goal of trying to get stronger, more powerful, and the thought of leaving everyone else behind to do it...well, suffice it to say that struck a familiar chord with Cinder. "I know how that feels, Ty. I do, I get it. But speaking as somebody who made that mistake...you don't have to leave us behind to do it. I had to get it smacked into my head but being with friends and teammates is a strength all its own, and one that can't be matched by one person alone, no matter how strong they get." The teenage maiden reached out and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "I don't know how or when, but if this guy meant that much to you...I think if you just stick with us, you'll get the chance to find out what you need to know."

"...."

Tyrian sniffled and kept his back to Cinder.

"Aw Tyrian don't cry...." Trifa pleaded sympathetically. She'd been worried about her fellow faunus but seeing him upset was the second worst thing in the world.

The first was worrying how far he'd go to avenge a man that wasn't the great guy Tyrian had built him up to be.

"I just want to...avenge him....I wasn't there. I could...I could have changed things if I had been. I know it."

The faunus sniffled again and placed a hand over his eyes.​

 

[MyrtenRose]

"...."

Tyrian sniffled and kept his back to Cinder.

"Aw Tyrian don't cry...." Trifa pleaded sympathetically. She'd been worried about her fellow faunus but seeing him upset was the second worst thing in the world.

The first was worrying how far he'd go to avenge a man that wasn't the great guy Tyrian had built him up to be.

"I just want to...avenge him....I wasn't there. I could...I could have changed things if I had been. I know it."

The faunus sniffled again and placed a hand over his eyes.​

"Tyrian...don't. That kind of thinking...I may be young, but I know this much. Thinking too hard about what-ifs can really mess someone up inside. I know. The past can't be changed. Not saying you should forget what happened, absolutely not...but you shouldn't let yourself feel guilty like that. I...I did. That, when you guys broke the news to me in that camp, about Roman. Yeah, I did a lot of thinking, if I'd just been there. If I hadn't let myself be taken out or taken away. If I'd just been stronger. That thought and Arthur saying we were done and just...everything, it all came together and I...ran. I was convinced that the right path forward was getting stronger, like you, and that she was the best way to get there." Cinder shook her head and wrapped her arms around Tyrian in a hug from behind.

"I was wrong. So please, don't think about the what ifs. Don't blame yourself. And don't think you have to run off alone to do this yourself. We can help you do it, bring whoever to justice and avenge this guy too. All of us, together as friends."

"As...family." ​

 

[Schnee Corp Lawyer]

Watts had been ready to snap back at Tyrian that, obviously, the mute girl hadn't said anything to him about it, but he bit is tongue. As the pair talked it out, he found himself slowly drifting backwards to lean against the wall where they'd come in, her brow furrowed slightly as he crossed his arms and listened. This wasn't his forte, by a country mile, leader or no. He was chosen to lead WTCH for his mind, not his spirit, he was certain. Risk analysis, combat tactics, grimm studies, these were the sort of skills he offered as a leader. Emotional support.... well. He did his best, whatever a third party might've graded such

"... If you're spinning your wheels in this little investigation of yours, Tyrian, Cinder is right. The Shadowfang work directly with Ozpin. More to the point, you can't avenge the man if they destroy or rule the world. Whatever other faults Salem's little crusade may have, the stakes are real. Why do you think we're in Vacuo?" He asked, before he side eyed whoever was closest.

"...We are in Vacuo still, right?"

 

[Schnee Corp Lawyer]

View attachment 872955

"—totally obsessed, like she's some big bad executioner now and she can just kill her issues away and that's what moving on is. Pft. She has no idea, dude. No idea."

Mercury shook his head, readily accepting his beer as it was slid across the countertop his elbows were propped against and instantly bringing it to his lips for a swig. The network of caves and tunnels was home to exactly one bar, a dingey speakeasy built across a number of rickety bridges interconnecting throughout the main tavern; its main use being illicit meetings and the like. They served house ale, spirits and occasionally information, and currently Mercury sought a very specific sort.

He lowered his drink, breathing a satisfied exhale as he gulped the bubbly amber down and turning to affix his current drinking buddy and most valued source of life advice with a seriously vexed stare marred by his seriously foamy mustache.

"Lupin, you're old. You got your whole life behind you. What am I supposed to do with a chick like that, man?"​

Lupin idly swirled his gin glass, already half gone, formerly filled to the very brim with iced apple juice as he mulled the question over with apparent seriousness.

"Have you considered getting a divorce?"

 

[Gus Gungus]

Lupin idly swirled his gin glass, already half gone, formerly filled to the very brim with iced apple juice as he mulled the question over with apparent seriousness.

"Have you considered getting a divorce?"

"Many times, my guy. Many times. They don't let you do it unless you get married first, though."

Perhaps surprisingly, Mercury answered the question without a trace of irony, sarcasm or disrespect, scrubbing his wrist across his upper lip before he shifted his weight back on the barstool and knocked back another quarter of the beverage, leaving just another similarly sized gulp left of the pint despite the fact that he was only two deep. When he was done, he let out a satisfied huff of air and turned to ask his kindred spirit another, much more solemn question.

"Hey, man. You've killed people, right?"​

 

[Gus Gungus]

"...We are in Vacuo still, right?"

"Prolly." Emerald answered with a listless, sour-looking shrug, suddenly right next to him. "Seems kinda desert-y for a cave, but no one really knows except Morgiana. Speaking of which, I ran into her. Says it's cool if you guys crash for the night. There's an empty room right across the way from ours."

Her tone was somewhat droll at the sense of deja vu, but otherwise she kept her sentences short and inexpressive, adopting as casual a stance as she could muster with one hand propped on her hip.

"She has a job for me, Merc, Tyrian and Neo in the morning, though, and she wants a look at you two before we head out. She's not gonna let you take one of the doorways back to the city til she gets it, soooo..."​

 

[MidwayLives]

"I was wrong. So please, don't think about the what ifs. Don't blame yourself. And don't think you have to run off alone to do this yourself. We can help you do it, bring whoever to justice and avenge this guy too. All of us, together as friends."

*sniff*

Tyrian's tail wrapped around Cinder's waist and gently lifted her off him before recoiling back around him.

"You're right."

"She's right."

"He's right?"

"I'm right?"

"Shut up!" Tyrian yelled at the two hitmen.
​

"... If you're spinning your wheels in this little investigation of yours, Tyrian, Cinder is right. The Shadowfang work directly with Ozpin. More to the point, you can't avenge the man if they destroy or rule the world. Whatever other faults Salem's little crusade may have, the stakes are real. Why do you think we're in Vacuo?" He asked, before he side eyed whoever was closest.

"...We are in Vacuo still, right?"

"You're right...I just..."

Tyrian kicked another piece of cracked tile.

"....I'd known the guy since I was a kid. Just hurts to think he's gone."

But before things could get any more depressing, Tyrian got on all fours and sprinted over to wrap his team's former leader in a hug.

"....Sorry for being a pain sometimes, Watts. I'll try to work on it."​

 

[Schnee Corp Lawyer]

View attachment 873489

"Many times, my guy. Many times. They don't let you do it unless you get married first, though."

Perhaps surprisingly, Mercury answered the question without a trace of irony, sarcasm or disrespect, scrubbing his wrist across his upper lip before he shifted his weight back on the barstool and knocked back another quarter of the beverage, leaving just another similarly sized gulp left of the pint despite the fact that he was only two deep. When he was done, he let out a satisfied huff of air and turned to ask his kindred spirit another, much more solemn question.

"Hey, man. You've killed people, right?"​

"Only thing that's ever worked for me." He answered the first part morosely as he stared off at the wall behind the bar with a hard sigh. Despite the subject matter, life had been surprisingly good for Lupin with this scenery change; Moreso even than the lawless disaster zone that Mistral had briefly been, Vacuo was a place well suited for his skills; he was more than capable of filling his share of the ledger for whoever this 'Morgiana' was (He had met her, and merely already completely forgotten her face), and on the extremely rare occasion (twice a week, tops) that he got in over his head with a level of violence that was outside his personal skill but far too small for the destructive capabilities of his terrible, awful, ground shattering semblance, the thieves guild he'd founded in Mistral was already paying dividends, as these little hunter tykes were incredibly good at hurting people. They just needed guidance on the finer points in life, and he was there to provide it, in fair trade. He'd seen it all in his years. You didn't get this old in this profession if you weren't good.

He was 32.

thirty two.

He blinked at the second question, and turned to regard Mercury, though there was a faraway look in his eyes as he did so.

"I have. I have. The snake stlye passed down by the Lupin family isn't a method of combat you use if you're going for knockouts; Its for drawing blood. I've looked a man in the eyes and told him he didn't have enough money for groceries and watched his spirit die. I don't let spiders outside once I find them. Its a heavy burden, taking a life, but sometimes its necessary. Why?" he asked, finally giving Mercury his full attention.

 

[MidwayLives]

"Prolly." Emerald answered with a listless, sour-looking shrug, suddenly right next to him. "Seems kinda desert-y, but no one really knows except Morgiana. Speaking of which, I ran into her. Says it's cool if you guys crash for the night. There's an empty room right across from ours."

"Have you ever heard of Morgana before?"

"Morgiana, that's what she said Char."

"I know. What did I say?"

"Nevermind man." Blanche waved it off. "I wonder if she's got any work for us. Remember? We save up, you help these kids and we go about-"

"Hey, does she have any...uh..work for us?" Char asked.​

 

[Schnee Corp Lawyer]

View attachment 873493

"Prolly." Emerald answered with a listless, sour-looking shrug, suddenly right next to him. "Seems kinda desert-y for a cave, but no one really knows except Morgiana. Speaking of which, I ran into her. Says it's cool if you guys crash for the night. There's an empty room right across the way from ours."

Her tone was somewhat droll at the sense of deja vu, but otherwise she kept her sentences short and inexpressive, adopting as casual a stance as she could muster with one hand propped on her hip.

"She has a job for me, Merc, Tyrian and Neo in the morning, though, and she wants a look at you two before we head out. She's not gonna let you take one of the doorways back to the city til she gets it, soooo..."​

When Emerald's voice just suddenly manifested into the air next to Watts, he didn't jump or even flinch, but every muscle in his back and shoulders tensed up in the way that said the exact same thing as flinching except with the additional knowledge that the victim was trying to save face. He let out a long breath through his nose and turned to regard Emerald with a leery stare.

"...Trapped in a den of thieves with one of... these-" was what he eventually settled on as he drummed the lantern hanging at his hip "-isn't exactly what we signed up for, Emer-"

*sniff*

Tyrian's tail wrapped around Cinder's waist and gently lifted her off him before recoiling back around him.

"You're right."

"She's right."

"He's right?"

"I'm right?"

"Shut up!" Tyrian yelled at the two hitmen.


"You're right...I just..."

Tyrian kicked another piece of cracked tile.

"....I'd known the guy since I was a kid. Just hurts to think he's gone."

But before things could get any more depressing, Tyrian got on all fours and sprinted over to wrap his team's former leader in a hug.

"....Sorry for being a pain sometimes, Watts. I'll try to work on it."

-he let out a wheeze somewhere between pain and vexed amusement as he was suddenly assaulted, and eventually coughed out from the hug.

"Thats... stellar... Tyrian, but... the hugging... rule... hasn't changed."

What? He was team leader, or had been anyways; he could set as many arbitrary rules as he pleased, irregardless of whether his more boistrous teammates paid them any heed.

Assuming he was let go, he unruffled his collar with a huff before he levelled his eyes directly at Tyrian with a frown.

"...Look. We did not leave things on a good footing, I know. Even before the camp. But I am glad to see you Tyrian."

 

[Gus Gungus]

"Only thing that's ever worked for me." He answered the first part morosely as he stared off at the wall behind the bar with a hard sigh. Despite the subject matter, life had been surprisingly good for Lupin with this scenery change; Moreso even than the lawless disaster zone that Mistral had briefly been, Vacuo was a place well suited for his skills; he was more than capable of filling his share of the ledger for whoever this 'Morgiana' was (He had met her, and merely already completely forgotten her face), and on the extremely rare occasion (twice a week, tops) that he got in over his head with a level of violence that was outside his personal skill but far too small for the destructive capabilities of his terrible, awful, ground shattering semblance, the thieves guild he'd founded in Mistral was already paying dividends, as these little hunter tykes were incredibly good at hurting people. They just needed guidance on the finer points in life, and he was there to provide it, in fair trade. He'd seen it all in his years. You didn't get this old in this profession if you weren't good.

He was 32.

thirty two.

He blinked at the second question, and turned to regard Mercury, though there was a faraway look in his eyes as he did so.

"I have. I have. The snake stlye passed down by the Lupin family isn't a method of combat you use if you're going for knockouts; Its for drawing blood. I've looked a man in the eyes and told him he didn't have enough money for groceries and watched his spirit die. I don't let spiders outside once I find them. Its a heavy burden, taking a life, but sometimes its necessary. Why?" he asked, finally giving Mercury his full attention.

"Spiders are good luck, dude. But, whatever." He sighed, thinking back on his passionate, torrid love affair with one such arachnid hailing from Mistral in particular. No, not Tyrian's girlfriend. Or a faunus at all. It was more an occupational thing.

Oh well. He took another, more measured sip of his remaining drink and fell silent, mulling over his next words with an uncharacteristic broodiness. When he spoke again, it was with eyes distant and transfixed on the row of colorful spirits displayed on the bar shelves, a quiet blankness falling over his features as he knit his brow in remembrance.

"...Does it ever get any easier? I just... I dunno, I guess." He thought over his message carefully, thinking back on his time at Beacon and weighing it against what had come before. "I mean, me, I've done two, now. My old man—He was like the best assassin in Anima, don't worry—and some... some guy. A bad guy, for sure, totally had it coming, but..."

He thought back on those moments, the brutal murder of one of his teammates and what had come afterwards, the healer he'd watched heal the very one who carried out the act and who refused to do the same for someone who mattered way, way more.

"...I dunno. I guess I just thought 'cause I'd be doing the world a favor it'd be easy, or whatever, but sometimes I still think about their faces, you know. In that last moment. Which I think makes me screwed, since I'm pretty sure this might be the only thing I know how to do. Any advice on that?"​

 

[MidwayLives]

-he let out a wheeze somewhere between pain and vexed amusement as he was suddenly assaulted, and eventually coughed out from the hug.

"Thats... stellar... Tyrian, but... the hugging... rule... hasn't changed."

Tyrian's tail swayed from side to side.
​

Assuming he was let go, he unruffled his collar with a huff before he levelled his eyes directly at Tyrian with a frown.

"...Look. We did not leave things on a good footing, I know. Even before the camp. But I am glad to see you Tyrian."

"...I'm glad to see you too."

Tyrian took a step back.

"...I was in the wrong too. You were trying to lead and I don't like being lead. But I'm so happy to see you again..." ​

 

[MidwayLives]

"Spiders are good luck, dude. But, whatever." He sighed, thinking back on his passionate, torrid love affair with one such arachnid hailing from Mistral in particular.

"achoo!"

"Eh? You sick or somethin?" Char asked.

"What? No. Just do you get that feeling sometimes where it's like you think someone's talking about you?
​

No, not Tyrian's girlfriend

"Oh. Nah, not at all."

​

 

[MyrtenRose]

*sniff*

Tyrian's tail wrapped around Cinder's waist and gently lifted her off him before recoiling back around him.

"...So is that a--"​

"You're right."

"She's right."

"...I guess it is." She finished her own thinking out loud with a satisfied nod.​

"....I'd known the guy since I was a kid. Just hurts to think he's gone."

But before things could get any more depressing, Tyrian got on all fours and sprinted over to wrap his team's former leader in a hug.

"....Sorry for being a pain sometimes, Watts. I'll try to work on it."

...Awwwwwwww! That's the spirit guys! Her actual thought-thoughts went, a smile popping onto her face as she stood up and--​

View attachment 873493

"Prolly." Emerald answered with a listless, sour-looking shrug, suddenly right next to him. "Seems kinda desert-y for a cave, but no one really knows except Morgiana. Speaking of which, I ran into her. Says it's cool if you guys crash for the night. There's an empty room right across the way from ours."

Her tone was somewhat droll at the sense of deja vu, but otherwise she kept her sentences short and inexpressive, adopting as casual a stance as she could muster with one hand propped on her hip.

"She has a job for me, Merc, Tyrian and Neo in the morning, though, and she wants a look at you two before we head out. She's not gonna let you take one of the doorways back to the city til she gets it, soooo..."​

Gah!

The sudden, spontaneous appearance of an Emerald she had not at all expected, popping up right there and then got Cinder to jump up in a small amount of fear. Just a tad bit. Not much. Definitely not a lot of spooked. She shouldn't have been that startled, not after getting a crash course in re-familiarity with it already today but she was just not ready for it at all. She said nothing about it though, hoping greatly that Tyrian was too wrapped up in the hug and Watts too flustered by the hug and Emerald just too amused by it all for any of them to notice she had jumped like that.

"A job, huh?" She remarked, briefly wondering about it, but her thoughts turned elsewhere almost immediately as she straightened back up.​

"Thats... stellar... Tyrian, but... the hugging... rule... hasn't changed."

What? He was team leader, or had been anyways; he could set as many arbitrary rules as he pleased, irregardless of whether his more boistrous teammates paid them any heed.

Assuming he was let go, he unruffled his collar with a huff before he levelled his eyes directly at Tyrian with a frown.

"...Look. We did not leave things on a good footing, I know. Even before the camp. But I am glad to see you Tyrian."

"...I'm glad to see you too."

Tyrian took a step back.

"...I was in the wrong too. You were trying to lead and I don't like being lead. But I'm so happy to see you again..."

Now that Tyrian seemed better and more on the same page, there was still someone else to get to. Cinder's head turned towards the exit that she'd rushed through, lingering for a couple seconds before she whirled back to look at Ty and Art and coughed out that she'd be back, before striding right for that exit. Her hand rose up to cup her chin as she walked through. "Now if I was a mischievous tiny girl who didn't want to be found, where would I be..." She thought out loud again, her one good eye searching the area around.

Truth was, she wasn't sure of the answer to her own question and she gave a low sigh. Had no idea where to start but it needed to happen so...she picked a direction to start with and took a right to head that way, head constantly in motion and taking in literally almost every inch.​

Tyrian's tail swayed from side to side.


"...I'm glad to see you too."

Tyrian took a step back.

"...I was in the wrong too. You were trying to lead and I don't like being lead. But I'm so happy to see you again..." ​

"So, hey-" A certain voice called out, the faunus still seated in the stands having decided this was the best time to point out that she was still here. "-this has been pretty amusing to watch but if you're still interested in some sparring, I'm in for breaking a sweat." Sun offered, thumbing at herself. "If not, that's cool too. You guys really have a knack for livening a place up, huh?" ​

 

[Gus Gungus]

When Emerald's voice just suddenly manifested into the air next to Watts, he didn't jump or even flinch, but every muscle in his back and shoulders tensed up in the way that said the exact same thing as flinching except with the additional knowledge that the victim was trying to save face. He let out a long breath through his nose and turned to regard Emerald with a leery stare.

"...Trapped in a den of thieves with one of... these-" was what he eventually settled on as he drummed the lantern hanging at his hip "-isn't exactly what we signed up for, Emer-"

"No, look, I know that. Arthur."

She returned apologetically, picking the most opportune moment to approach her former fellow student, lightly touch a hand to his bicep and speak his name in a tone she was positive very few girls had spoken his name in before. All a polished, practiced, seasoned way of diminishing the heat on themselves, which she attempted to do with a doleful smile and contrite fluttering of the eyelashes, no reaction spared towards her own abrupt appearance.

"But there's a code here. The rules say a guest can only leave with approval, and we'll be right across the hall. 'Kay? We're not gonna let your super special world changing lamp get snatched right out from underneath us. Promise."

Not necessarily her most convincing of promises, but Watts was someone who so rarely got flirted with in any way, shape or form that she had to assume it wouldn't take much more than a pouty lip and puppy eyes to charm him. She only took her hand off his arm when Tyrian enveloped him in a vigorous hug, and slunk back to wait for their interaction to end so she could lead them to their lodgings.​

 

[Schnee Corp Lawyer]

View attachment 873541

"No, look, I know that. Arthur."

She returned apologetically, picking the most opportune moment after Tyrian was done constricting him to approach her former fellow student, lightly touch a hand to his bicep and speak his name in a tone she was positive very few girls had spoken his name in before. All a polished, practiced, seasoned way of diminishing the heat on themselves, which she attempted to do with a doleful smile and contrite fluttering of the eyelashes, no reaction spared towards her own abrupt appearance.

"But there's a code here. The rules say a guest can only leave with approval, and we'll be right across the hall. 'Kay? We're not gonna let your super special world changing lamp get snatched right out from underneath us. Promise."

Not necessarily her most convincing of promises, but Watts was someone who so rarely got flirted with in any way, shape or form that she had to assume it wouldn't take much more than a pouty lip and puppy eyes to charm him. She only took her hand off his arm when Tyrian enveloped him in a vigorous hug, and slunk back to wait for their interaction to end so she could lead them to their lodgings.​

Watts, indeed, did not have a copious amount of experience with the fairer sex, but that was less for lack of trying and more for lack of interest when there were so many other problems and mysteries to solve; he wasn't entirely immune to their charms, and his face wasn't as stoic as it could be, but when Tyrian found himself interrupted by another old friend, Watts took the moment to walk back over to Emerald with a smile that didn't quite reach sincere.

"I know you and your team don't want to rejoin this little clusterfuck of a war, nor do I blame you; I'm not even sure we should be dragging Tyrian along with us, nor am I sure how good of an idea it was that Cinder just wandered off to find Neo, but-"

"If your boss or anyone else tries to take this, regardless of the consequences, I am going to shoot them. Fair warning."

 

[Schnee Corp Lawyer]

Now that Tyrian seemed better and more on the same page, there was still someone else to get to. Cinder's head turned towards the exit that she'd rushed through, lingering for a couple seconds before she whirled back to look at Ty and Art and coughed out that she'd be back, before striding right for that exit. Her hand rose up to cup her chin as she walked through. "Now if I was a mischievous tiny girl who didn't want to be found, where would I be..." She thought out loud again, her one good eye searching the area around.

Truth was, she wasn't sure of the answer to her own question and she gave a low sigh. Had no idea where to start but it needed to happen so...she picked a direction to start with and took a right to head that way, head constantly in motion and taking in literally almost every inch.

It was a good few minutes later, but Cinder did eventually find Neo; she was in the more cavernous, canyon filled section of the cave, sitting on the edge of one of the cliffs with her feet dangling off the side, kicking idly back and forth as her hands rested clasped in her lap, eyes downcast and staring blankly into the abyss below, watching the occasional droplet of blood from her nose fall into the black

There was a crunch of gravel as Cinder approach, and Neo's eyes snapped up faster than a cats, a blank surprise on her face as they locked onto Cinder's own.

"....."

the moment Cinder took another step, Neo rolled backwards into a crouch, and slowly started to circle the other way, only for her eyes to widen even more when Cinder was obviously still looking at her. She looked back at the spot she'd just been in, and then back at Cinder.

Her aura hadn't come back yet. She couldn't make Illusions.

Her eyes snapped back to Cinder in obvious distress, and the moment Cinder took another step or opened her mouth, Neo bolted for the rope bridge nearby

She wasn't ready for this. She couldn't

 

[MyrtenRose]

It was a good few minutes later, but Cinder did eventually find Neo; she was in the more cavernous, canyon filled section of the cave, sitting on the edge of one of the cliffs with her feet dangling off the side, kicking idly back and forth as her hands rested clasped in her lap, eyes downcast and staring blankly into the abyss below, watching the occasional droplet of blood from her nose fall into the black

There was a crunch of gravel as Cinder approach, and Neo's eyes snapped up faster than a cats, a blank surprise on her face as they locked onto Cinder's own.

"....."

the moment Cinder took another step, Neo rolled backwards into a crouch, and slowly started to circle the other way, only for her eyes to widen even more when Cinder was obviously still looking at her. She looked back at the spot she'd just been in, and then back at Cinder.

Her aura hadn't come back yet. She couldn't make Illusions.

Her eyes snapped back to Cinder in obvious distress, and the moment Cinder took another step or opened her mouth, Neo bolted for the rope bridge nearby

She wasn't ready for this. She couldn't

“Neo, wait, please! I just want to say something-“ Cinder burst into a run too, but her pursuit didn’t stay grounded for that long as almost immediately, flames spurted out of her boot heels and she flew forward like a cannon to land in front of Neo. The rope bridge now blocked off by herself, she held her hands up in a pleading manner, the gesture matched by the look in her eye.

“Please. I know I don’t deserve to take up too much of your time after...after what happened, but you deserve...you deserve to hear what I have to say. You deserve a whole lot more than that, actually, but I can’t give you all of that. So please, just hear me out and then after that, I...well...you’ll never have to be face to face or alone with me ever again if you don’t want to. Will you let me speak with you?”​