Fandom Distorted Mirror [IC]

[MidwayLives]

She'd given Torchwick a light squeeze of a hand to forewarn him of her impending disappearance, but as far as anyone else was concerned, one second Neo had been standing there, and the next the tent flap ruffled slightly in a breeze.

Roman said nothing but squeezed back to show his acknowledgment.

However, he wasn't happy about what Neo did.

It wasn't that he was worried, oh no, Neo could handle herself.

He was just jealous that he got lumped here able to contribute absolutely NOTHING.​

 

[Gus Gungus]

What was Watts doing through all of this?

Nothing. Just watching and feeling immensely awkward, like when you were sitting next to a family having a vicious argument on the subway.

When the conversation finally turned back towards the maidens' however, he finally felt comfortable enough to at least return his gaze towards the xiao-long-rose-branwen reunion, and he cleared his throat after Yang decided on the direct route.

"Yes. We work directly under-ghrk-"

He suddenly found himself suddenly snapped in a headlock by the blonde brawler, who was smiling just a bit too wide "Ignore him! he's new, and wrong!"

If she'd followed this whole timeline thing correctly, then this Qrow must've pulled a Raven and abandoned his team because he didn't trust Ozpin. Salem. Whatever. Maybe he'd already connected those dots given that Raven with a bunch of Qrow mixed in was here and she worked directly under Salem who was pulling an Ozpin, BUT unlike her mom this Qrow was an alcoholic and hey, it wasn't like that did wonders for one's cognition.

Eve had been silently observing for some time, but since her hardened glare was the same one she always bore it was hard to tell if she made anything of it, or if she even cared.

To dispel all doubt, she didn't. The amount of patience she reserved for decadent bands of humans getting fat off the labors of others while they drank themselves into a stupor deep in the wilderness was notoriously low, and dwindling fast.

"Look, don't drag your feet on this, old man. You'll regret it in the long run."​

 

[MyrtenRose]

"Well for one to make sure she doesn't die in some horrible grimm based violence." Yang drawled from where she was still keeping a steadying grip on Ruby. "I dunno how much you know about what's what here, uncle, but if you do know about the maidens, then I'm guessing, you know there's someone a lot scarier than us who's looking for em. And he's found this one. We wanna make sure she's safe, and that good ol' Oz has bigger problems than her." She finished, her tone growing serious by the end of it.

"Oh, is that so?" He snickered. "Yeah, okay, sure. The great and powerful Oz somehow found us while we've been here, coasting by and hidden from everybody. You just happen to show up out of the blue, full of pretend concern in some pitiful attempt to manipulate me and get what you want and then you'll be gone again. Nope. Not gonna happen. If you want anything from me, you're going to hafta be more honest than that. Or at least a way better liar. No joke, I expected more out of a bastard than that--"

Raven had heard enough, refusing to just stand there listening, and unbeknownst to her pulled a move that was almost identical to one that the other Qrow had done in the different world he came from.

The less than sober Qrow grunted with pain and stumbled back before dropping to the floor, sluggishly trying to regain his bearings. Luckily that meant Watts and Yang's swift interruption mostly escaped the drunk Qrow's notice. "Heh heh...now it's a party." He slurred from the floor.​

"Look, don't drag your feet on this, old man. You'll regret it in the long run."

"Heeeeeeeeeeey...who do you--" *hic* "--think you're calling old?"​

 

[MyrtenRose]

"Hey."

"...Hey?" Blue eyes stared into red in an awkwardly long silence.​

 

[Gus Gungus]

"Oh, is that so?" He snickered. "Yeah, okay, sure. The great and powerful Oz somehow found us while we've been here, coasting by and hidden from everybody. You just happen to show up out of the blue, full of pretend concern in some pitiful attempt to manipulate me and get what you want and then you'll be gone again. Nope. Not gonna happen. If you want anything from me, you're going to hafta be more honest than that. Or at least a way better liar. No joke, I expected more out of a bastard than that--"

Raven had heard enough, refusing to just stand there listening, and unbeknownst to her pulled a move that was almost identical to one that the other Qrow had done in the different world he came from.

The less than sober Qrow, grunted with pain and stumbled back before dropping to the floor, sluggishly trying to regain his bearings. Luckily that meant Watts and Yang's swift interruption mostly escaped the drunk Qrow's notice. "Heh heh...now it's a party." He slurred from the floor.



"Heeeeeeeeeeey...who do you--" *hic* "--think you're calling old?"​

"You heard what happened to Beacon?"

Eve's tone took on a dark, morbid twist as she stared at the drunken idiot where he was laid out, lip curled in a faint sneer as she kept her words simple and straightforward. There was something undeniably sanctimonious about the way she jabbed her finger with each word, though, something about an operation this sloppy seeming to irritate her.

"It's coming. For all of you. I never thought my people would get sucked into kingdom affairs, either, but look how that turned out. If you care anything for the men and women under your command, you'll stop acting like an underage drinker and start helping."​

 

[MyrtenRose]

A minute or so later, a bandit who was asleep in his own tent was also walking around the camp, his eyes just a little shinier than normal as he ambled through the camp with his hands behind his back, taking in the sights and seeing if there was anything weird afoot while the others did their chatting.

One man seemed to be throwing up rather fiercely in the corner just behind some hastily pitched tents.​

 

[Gus Gungus]

"...Hey?" Blue eyes stared into red in an awkwardly long silence.

"..."

Oh, crap. Now how did this go? How was he supposed to sniff out whether she was the maiden or not without coming off completely nuts?

"...So that... Thing. The one I told you not to tell anyone about."​

 

[MyrtenRose]

"..."

Oh, crap. Now how did this go? How was he supposed to sniff out whether she was the maiden or not without coming off completely nuts?

"...So that... Thing. The one I told you not to tell anyone about."​

"...You talking about the time you got so shitfaced that you stripped down to just your pants, dashed into the woods and I found you in your bird form enthusiastically cursing out a family of deer?" ​

 

[MyrtenRose]

"You heard what happened to Beacon?"

Eve's tone took on a dark, morbid twist as she stared at the drunken idiot where he was laid out, lip curled in a faint sneer as she kept her words simple and straightforward. There was something undeniably sanctimonious about the way she jabbed her finger with each word, though, something about an operation this sloppy seeming to irritate her.

"It's coming. For all of you. I never thought my people would get sucked into kingdom affairs, either, but look how that turned out. If you care anything for the men and women under your command, you'll stop acting like an underage drinker and start helping."​

"Pretty self-righteous for a bunch of people who interrupted my sleep like a bunch of creeps, started demanding stuff of me, lied to my face and then punched said handsome face. You want my help? I'd like an apology."
​

 

[Schnee Corp Lawyer]

"Oh, is that so?" He snickered. "Yeah, okay, sure. The great and powerful Oz somehow found us while we've been here, coasting by and hidden from everybody. You just happen to show up out of the blue, full of pretend concern in some pitiful attempt to manipulate me and get what you want and then you'll be gone again. Nope. Not gonna happen. If you want anything from me, you're going to hafta be more honest than that. Or at least a way better liar. No joke, I expected more out of a bastard than that--"

Raven had heard enough, refusing to just stand there listening, and unbeknownst to her pulled a move that was almost identical to one that the other Qrow had done in the different world he came from.

The less than sober Qrow grunted with pain and stumbled back before dropping to the floor, sluggishly trying to regain his bearings. Luckily that meant Watts and Yang's swift interruption mostly escaped the drunk Qrow's notice. "Heh heh...now it's a party." He slurred from the floor.



"Heeeeeeeeeeey...who do you--" *hic* "--think you're calling old?"​

Eehhh... this was... hard to watch, and Yang winced as the punch landed. Uncle Qrow hadn't always been the most stable family member, but he had always been family, and more importantly, had always done his best to care, and be there for them except when everyone thought she broke Mercury's leg like seriously? 'you're either lying or your crazy' nyeh, yea, DEFINITELY couldn't be anything else, NOT LIKE THEY LIVED IN A WORLD WHERE PEOPLE COULD HAVE JUST THE WHOLE GAMUT OF SUPER POWERS TIED TO THEIR SOUL ALONG WITH LITERALLY MAGiC THAT QROW SPECIFICALLY KNEW EXISTED OR ANYTHING But that was just one time and she was over that. Seeing this one acting so... pathetic... it was both sad and in a really weird way heartening, to know that their Qrow had worked hard enough to be... literally anything else.

"You heard what happened to Beacon?"

Eve's tone took on a dark, morbid twist as she stared at the drunken idiot where he was laid out, lip curled in a faint sneer as she kept her words simple and straightforward. There was something undeniably sanctimonious about the way she jabbed her finger with each word, though, something about an operation this sloppy seeming to irritate her.

"It's coming. For all of you. I never thought my people would get sucked into kingdom affairs, either, but look how that turned out. If you care anything for the men and women under your command, you'll stop acting like an underage drinker and start helping."​

She shot Eve a glare at her bluntess, but sighed and shook her head, because, well, she was right. Again. Really wished she'd stop that.

"Look, uncle. Ozpin's been playing it quiet for a while now, but if Beacon proves anything, he's over that game. He's picking up the pace, and that means everyone working against him has to too. So either your against him too, or you're in our way. Please don't be in our way" She finished quietly

"...could you... let go... of me... now?"

"Oh, whoops" She said with a sheepish grin breaking her out of her funk, letting the poor hacker go. he stood up with a cough, and shot Yang a withering glare that she absolutely ignored while he straightened his tie.

 

[Gus Gungus]

"...You talking about the time you got so shitfaced that you stripped down to just your pants, dashed into the woods and I found you in your bird form enthusiastically cursing out a family of deer?"

"...No."

He eventually answered, drawing on absolutely everything he'd learned over his multi-decade spanning career as a huntsman to keep his cool in the face of learning that not only had that happened in both timelines, but someone had actually seen it in this one. He didn't flinch. Didn't blink. Didn't even twitch so much as a single facial muscle from the stare he'd been giving her since he walked in here.

"You know. The... important thing."​

 

[MyrtenRose]

"...No."

He eventually answered, drawing on absolutely everything he'd learned over his multi-decade spanning career as a huntsman to keep his cool in the face of learning that not only had that happened in both timelines, but someone had actually seen it in this one. He didn't flinch. Didn't blink. Didn't even twitch so much as a single facial muscle from the stare he'd been giving her since he walked in here.

"You know. The... important thing."​

"...…….The planned upcoming raid on Shion village?" Vernal truly had no idea what her boss was trying to get at right now. Even though she was somewhat impressed with how long he could hold his face that perfectly still for so long, even while presumably completely wasted.​

 

[Schnee Corp Lawyer]

One man seemed to be throwing up rather fiercely in the corner just behind some hastily pitched tents.​

Yikes.

Bandit Neo lips parted with his/her teeth clenched as he/she sucked a breath between them, and debated ignoring that, but... what if he was sick for a reason? Outside of these people clearly having an alcohol addiction? What if the camp had been poisoned?! Or if this guy was somehow being possessed by a grimm?!?!

Bandit Neo didn't actually think any of that was true, but he/she still ended up padding over to lean sideways near the guy and make sure he was just retching and not literally dying and oh boy howdy that smelled

 

[Gus Gungus]

"...…….The planned upcoming raid on Shion village?" Vernal truly had no idea what her boss was trying to get at right now. Even though she was somewhat impressed with how long he could hold his face that perfectly still for so long, even while presumably completely wasted.

"Hm."

This really wasn't his thing, infiltration. He was loose, slick, someone who rode by on his instincts and made everything look quick and easy. He had to think out a lot of variables here, and that slowed him down. To a statue. Which he currently was.

"How's your... training coming along?" He pressed on, really emphasizing the operative word there.​

 

[MyrtenRose]

"Look, uncle. Ozpin's been playing it quiet for a while now, but if Beacon proves anything, he's over that game. He's picking up the pace, and that means everyone working against him has to too. So either your against him too, or you're in our way. Please don't be in our way" She finished quietly

"...could you... let go... of me... now?"

"Oh, whoops" She said with a sheepish grin breaking her out of her funk, letting the poor hacker go. he stood up with a cough, and shot Yang a withering glare that she absolutely ignored while he straightened his tie.

"Then just tell me what the hell you really want Vernal for already, why don't ya?"​

 

[Gus Gungus]

"Then just tell me what the hell you really want Vernal for already, why don't ya?"

"There's a door in Haven. If this chick's what we think she is, we need her to open it."

That was the moment Mercury butted in, blunt, nonchalant and direct as the assassin's son had ever been, arms casually crossed and eyebrows arched with absolute boredom. The only circles he could stand running in were the ones he ran around opponents.​

 

[MyrtenRose]

"Hm."

This really wasn't his thing, infiltration. He was loose, slick, someone who rode by on his instincts and made everything look quick and easy. He had to think out a lot of variables here, and that slowed him down. To a statue. Which he currently was.

"How's your... training coming along?" He pressed on, really emphasizing the operative word there.​

"Oh!" Understanding dawned on her now. "It's going alright boss, I've been able to master throwing my weapons so efficiently that not only can I precisely sever the smallest of twigs poking out from a tree branch from thirty feet away, but I can do so in such a way that my weapon will casually return to my hand. Pretty cool, huh?"

​

 

[Schnee Corp Lawyer]

"There's a door in Haven. If this chick's what we think she is, we need her to open it."

That was the moment Mercury butted in, blunt, nonchalant and direct as the assassin's son had ever been, arms casually crossed and eyebrows arched with absolute boredom. The only circles he could stand running in were the ones he ran around opponents.​

"BECAUSE-" Yang felt obliged to add "-if we get the relic out of the vault, then Oz won't have any use for the spring maiden anymore, WHICH MEANS he won't be hunting her, WHICH THEN MEANS that, if Vernal is, the spring maiden, that he won't have any reason to send his mutts to sniff around the camp. And you guys can, y'know, do crime and drink in peace. Everybody wins!"

except all the people her family robbed, but one problem at a time

 

[Gus Gungus]

"Oh!" Understanding dawned on her now. "It's going alright boss, I've been able to master throwing my weapons so efficiently that not only can I precisely sever the smallest of twigs poking out from a tree branch from thirty feet away, but I can do so in such a way that my weapon will casually return to my hand. Pretty cool, huh?"

"Heyyyyy, I'm so drunk I can't remember CRAP! You're the Spring Maiden, right?"

He accused with a guffaw, knees suddenly wobbling like he was about to fall over as the porcelain statue completely shattered.​

 

[MidwayLives]

Tyrian couldn't describe it aloud how he felt. It could have jeopardized the whole operation. But seeing this...drunken oaf disturbed him.

Between this and the look Qrow had given him back at Salem's office, he felt...uncomfortable. But perhaps that was putting it lightly.

Too many faunus, young and old suffered from addiction to drinking in his past and this felt like a one-two punch.

He wanted to be....anywhere but here.​

 

[Gus Gungus]

"BECAUSE-" Yang felt obliged to add "-if we get the relic out of the vault, then Oz won't have any use for the spring maiden anymore, WHICH MEANS he won't be hunting her, WHICH THEN MEANS that, if Vernal is, the spring maiden, that he won't have any reason to send his mutts to sniff around the camp. And you guys can, y'know, do crime and drink in peace. Everybody wins!"

except all the people her family robbed, but one problem at a time

"Blondie, c'mon. Tell me you know we're not getting what we want out of this without kicking his ass."

Mercury just didn't give a fuck, it seemed. He was getting real tired watching this sloppy old drunk spin their wheels.​

 

[MidwayLives]

"Blondie, c'mon. Tell me you know we're not getting what we want out of this without kicking his ass."

"...Merc."

Roman stepped forward to try and place a hand on his leader's shoulder.

"Starting a fight right in the middle of these goon's territory sounds like a bad idea..." ​

 

[MyrtenRose]

"There's a door in Haven. If this chick's what we think she is, we need her to open it."

That was the moment Mercury butted in, blunt, nonchalant and direct as the assassin's son had ever been, arms casually crossed and eyebrows arched with absolute boredom. The only circles he could stand running in were the ones he ran around opponents.​

"See, was that so hard? Just saying you want the relic, not this load of--"​

"BECAUSE-" Yang felt obliged to add "-if we get the relic out of the vault, then Oz won't have any use for the spring maiden anymore, WHICH MEANS he won't be hunting her, WHICH THEN MEANS that, if Vernal is, the spring maiden, that he won't have any reason to send his mutts to sniff around the camp. And you guys can, y'know, do crime and drink in peace. Everybody wins!"

except all the people her family robbed, but one problem at a time

"............................well, when you put it that way...alright." He offered no resistance to that plan, not really interested in fighting any of these people or continuing to argue with any of them. He just wanted to have his drink and get back to that pleasant dream they'd interrupted. Better than listening to them go on and on about the great evil none of them could ever hope to defeat. Might as well just enjoy life while you could. "Also shut up, you're wrong." He added towards Mercury. "Not that you could hope to kick my ass, kid." Qrow was quick to saunter out of the tent in his usual slouched way. Despite his drunkenness, he was able to walk pretty well as he strode across the camp, only stumbling once or twice. However, his cognition was shit, and he didn't even register that the bandit whose should he flung an arm around onto wasn't a bandit at all, but rather himself.

"Hey, Vernaaaaaaal." He slurred in greeting.

Her stone face finally broke, a deeply confused look emerging as she rapidly glanced between the two Qrows.

"I don't...what." ​

 

[Gus Gungus]

"...Merc."

Roman stepped forward to try and place a hand on his leader's shoulder.

"Starting a fight right in the middle of these goon's territory sounds like a bad idea..."

"Yeah, no it doesn't." Mercury was quick to dismiss the attempt at advice, brushing Roman's hand off his shoulder before it could even alight properly. "Not to me. You do whatever you want."

"Also shut up, you're wrong." He added towards Mercury. "Not that you could hope to kick my ass, kid."

"Don't have a clue if I could. Never seen you fight," he threw back with a judicious shrug, not in the least bit interested in showboating when the fact was it was a fight neither of them had sufficient info to make an assumption about. Except for two things. "But I know there's twelve of us and I know you're wasted, so why dontcha rethink those odds you worked out before you try dick us around any more. Kay?"

It could be said that he was still plenty skeptical about the bandit king's sudden cooperative streak.

"............................well, when you put it that way...alright." He offered no resistance to that plan, not really interested in fighting any of these people or continuing to argue with any of them. He just wanted to have his drink and get back to that pleasant dream they'd interrupted. Better than listening to them go on and on about the great evil none of them could ever hope to defeat. Might as well just enjoy life while you could. "Also shut up, you're wrong." He added towards Mercury. "Not that you could hope to kick my ass, kid." Qrow was quick to saunter out of the tent in his usual slouched way. Despite his drunkenness, he was able to walk pretty well as he strode across the camp, only stumbling once or twice. However, his cognition was shit, and he didn't even register that the bandit whose should he flung an arm around onto wasn't a bandit at all, but rather himself.

"Hey, Vernaaaaaaal." He slurred in greeting.

Her stone face finally broke, a deeply confused look emerging as she rapidly glanced between the two Qrows.

"I don't...what."

"..."

Screw it. Bird form.

Qrow—the nice one—stiffened the moment the tent flapped open and that familiar slouched shuffle heralded someone's approach, and Qrow—the meaner one— felt his arm swish around nothing where he'd been pretty sure there was a dude before. A light breeze ruffled Yang and Ruby's hair as a tiny black orb disappeared through the tent in a blur.​

 

[MidwayLives]

Mercury was quick to dismiss the attempt at advice, brushing Roman's hand off his shoulder before it could even alight properly.

"..."

Roman pulled his hand back and turned away.

Sure, this guy was totally wasted but Roman still didn't feel right roughing this guy up.

It'd have felt more...pathetic than anything else.​