Fandom Distorted Mirror [IC]

[Schnee Corp Lawyer]

"...and that was how I found myself banging your boss, once upon a time." Tock finished the grand old tale since she had nothing else to do and the Bear deserved to suffer for not getting her any damn food or drink.

Tock got about ten seconds into The Story before Bear walked over and gently poked her on the forehead, sending her on a one way ticket to snoozeville.

A half hour guarding this faunus and it was already the longest half hour of his long, storied life.

 

[Schnee Corp Lawyer]

It was an immensely awkward ride for the first hour.

Understandably so, perhaps; One of them was a member of the Talons, Sienna's elite of the shadowfang, the group that had, to Ilia's mind, corrupted this version of her one of her best friends, her first love, who had taken the owner of this very ship captive (albeit at the owner's request). The other was an alien presence to this world, a mirrored copy of one of the Fang's best agents, a personal friend of Snake, who seemed to want nothing more than to tear the shadowfang down with her bare hands, odds completely nonwithstanding.

Also, if Bear, Sienna, and Snake herself were to be believed, someone who could essentially toss Snake out of this airship on a whim for as large as the gap in their combat abilities was suggested to be

un(?)fortunately, Snake seemed incapable of keeping quiet for long. She was pleasant enough company in the silence, lodged primly into the copilot's chair in a way that somehow looked both elegant and comfortable as she initially minded her business and focused on her scroll, yet as that first hour neared its end, the occasional glance was stolen at the other Ilia as she flew, before finally she cleared her throat.

"...Perhaps it's not my place, but it wasn't a jest when I offered to assist you with finding out if you shared Ilia's semblance." she offered, holding her sideways glance this time as she paused whatever work she was doing on her scroll.

 

[MyrtenRose]

It was an immensely awkward ride for the first hour.

Understandably so, perhaps; One of them was a member of the Talons, Sienna's elite of the shadowfang, the group that had, to Ilia's mind, corrupted this version of her one of her best friends, her first love, who had taken the owner of this very ship captive (albeit at the owner's request). The other was an alien presence to this world, a mirrored copy of one of the Fang's best agents, a personal friend of Snake, who seemed to want nothing more than to tear the shadowfang down with her bare hands, odds completely nonwithstanding.

Also, if Bear, Sienna, and Snake herself were to be believed, someone who could essentially toss Snake out of this airship on a whim for as large as the gap in their combat abilities was suggested to be

un(?)fortunately, Snake seemed incapable of keeping quiet for long. She was pleasant enough company in the silence, lodged primly into the copilot's chair in a way that somehow looked both elegant and comfortable as she initially minded her business and focused on her scroll, yet as that first hour neared its end, the occasional glance was stolen at the other Ilia as she flew, before finally she cleared her throat.

"...Perhaps it is not my place, but it wasn't a jest when I offered to assist you with finding out if you shared Ilia's semblance." she offered, holding her sideways glance this time as she paused whatever work she was doing on her scroll.

It would have been easy to assume that Ilia had simply ignored Snake when she spoke up and made clear that offer, considering that the chameleon faunus didn't immediately respond. In fact, it was close to a minute before she did reply, her focus having stayed locked on to the world outside the viewport as she flew this ship as carefully as possible. Tock had definitely made clear that she valued this ship very much, and Ilia did not want to risk any chance of damage to the craft. She wasn't even certain if she should take this ship directly to Atlas or instead bring it back to where Tock had stored it and then find another ship. It would take longer, but...that was something for Ilia to mull over to herself later.

She didn't look over at Snake but... "I'm listening. How, exactly, do you propose that?" She asked, trying to keep any excitement about potentially unlocking her semblance today out of her voice.​

 

[Schnee Corp Lawyer]

It would have been easy to assume that Ilia had simply ignored Snake when she spoke up and made clear that offer, considering that the chameleon faunus didn't immediately respond. In fact, it was close to a minute before she did reply, her focus having stayed locked on to the world outside the viewport as she flew this ship as carefully as possible. Tock had definitely made clear that she valued this ship very much, and Ilia did not want to risk any chance of damage to the craft. She wasn't even certain if she should take this ship directly to Atlas or instead bring it back to where Tock had stored it and then find another ship. It would take longer, but...that was something for Ilia to mull over to herself later.

She didn't look over at Snake but... "I'm listening. How, exactly, do you propose that?" She asked, trying to keep any excitement about potentially unlocking her semblance today out of her voice.​

Snake wasn't so crass as to clap or hands or cheer, but there was a noticeable amount of satisfaction contained in her small smile as she turned her chair to Face Ilia fully. "I imagine it would help to know how it works; Ilia's explained it to me a few times. Though-" she cleared her throat and looked to the side, a bit of nerves actually edging along the side of her tone for the first time that Ilia had ever noticed.

"If this does work, and should you ever meet the other you again, please don't tell her I helped you with it; I don't think she'd appreciate me 'giving our secrets away to the enemy'"

She was still bad at impressions, but she straightened her back and continued on regardless, her eyes closed as she dug into her memories for the specifics.

"It takes about a minute of concentration, sometimes two, where you' have to keep eye contact on the target in question. During that time, that feeling that I mentioned earlier? grab it; if its as much a part of you as it is her, it should always be inside you. Apparently it helps if you care about the perspective of the person you're using it against, but even if you don't, the core desire should still be in there somewhere. Here, this might be easier if I steer." She said, turning her chair back around and gesturing towards the wheel as she opened her eyes.

"if you don't mind, that is; I promise, I have as little desire to fly into a mountainside as you do."

 

[Gus Gungus]

What...was up with that look? Ruby appeared to be in deep thought as she tried to determine what that possibly could have meant...but she gave up before she could reach a conclusion, deciding it wasn't important. "A myth? Like...that one on the online web? You know, the one about the really tall and lean man with no face in a dark suit. Slim Guy, I think it's called? Or maybe it was Thin Dude...I'm not sure."

He snorted, but it was a flat and mirthless noise that didn't go beyond a jet of air from his nostrils. "Those stories are almost always embellished grimm sightings... or just rare ones. Does she look like a grimm to you?"

She didn't look like much beyond a pebble being skipped across still waters as Raven sent her flying, but her cloak (having apparently grown back since the maiden Raven's incineration of it) spread its four corners wide to catch the wind and halt her, bone dry in spite of its submergence in the ocean as it twisted and solidified into a miniature platform for her to stand on. She popped a squat and gasped as Raven's lightning struck the ocean, clutching the sides of her hair with a shrill scream. "NOOOOOOO! MY CHILDREEEEENNNNNNNN!"

Unfortunately, lightning strikes were concentrated and there was a lot of water around to diffuse the charge. One (1) grimm fishy bobbed up to the surface, dead, and everything else in the water just felt teeny tiny tingles.

"Actually, that was lame. Sic 'er!"

She whistled, and multiple kraken tendrils shot out in a spray of seawater to try and drag Raven down to the depths, while in the corner of her eyes she saw a huge, dark fin breach the water as something started swimming for her position at ambushing speeds. It wasn't long before she found out what.

 

[MyrtenRose]

Snake wasn't so crass as to clap or hands or cheer, but there was a noticeable amount of satisfaction contained in her small smile as she turned her chair to Face Ilia fully. "I imagine it would help to know how it works; Ilia's explained it to me a few times. Though-" she cleared her throat and looked to the side, a bit of nerves actually edging along the side of her tone for the first time that Ilia had ever noticed.

"If this does work, and should you ever meet the other you again, please don't tell her I helped you with it; I don't think she'd appreciate me 'giving our secrets away to the enemy'"

She was still bad at impressions, but she straightened her back and continued on regardless, her eyes closed as she dug into her memories for the specifics.

"It takes about a minute of concentration, sometimes two, where you' have to keep eye contact on the target in question. During that time, that feeling that I mentioned earlier? grab it; if its as much a part of you as it is her, it should always be inside you. Apparently it helps if you care about the perspective of the person you're using it against, but even if you don't, the core desire should still be in there somewhere. Here, this might be easier if I steer." She said, turning her chair back around and gesturing towards the wheel as she opened her eyes.

"if you don't mind, that is; I promise, I have as little desire to fly into a mountainside as you do."

Ilia listened in as attentively as she could while still being mindful of her piloting. A contemplative look settled on her face by the time Snake suggested that she take over on steering the airship. "Hmm." Ilia considered it for a few seconds before she nodded in agreement. "Okay." She added, unbuckling herself and sliding out of the seat to let the other faunus take the wheel. The chameleon stepped back a few feet before lowering herself to sit down on the metal floor. She took a deep breath before her eyes locked onto the only other person in sight, staying steady on the snake faunus. She concentrated with all her will, pushing her focus to the max. She couldn't say that Snake was truly that important, but...admittedly, Ilia did want to understand how, in complete contrast to most of the other Talons and Shadow Fang members she'd seen, this one was so open to helping somebody who in their eyes was a traitor.

A minute passed. Two.

Then there was the sound of fist making contact with metal in a punch of frustration.​

 

[Schnee Corp Lawyer]

Ilia listened in as attentively as she could while still being mindful of her piloting. A contemplative look settled on her face by the time Snake suggested that she take over on steering the airship. "Hmm." Ilia considered it for a few seconds before she nodded in agreement. "Okay." She added, unbuckling herself and sliding out of the seat to let the other faunus take the wheel. The chameleon stepped back a few feet before lowering herself to sit down on the metal floor. She took a deep breath before her eyes locked onto the only other person in sight, staying steady on the snake faunus. She concentrated with all her will, pushing her focus to the max. She couldn't say that Snake was truly that important, but...admittedly, Ilia did want to understand how, in complete contrast to most of the other Talons and Shadow Fang members she'd seen, this one was so open to helping somebody who in their eyes was a traitor.

A minute passed. Two.

Then there was the sound of fist making contact with metal in a punch of frustration.​

"... have you found that- AH!"

The ship wobbled slightly as Snake jolted in surprise at the sudden sound. "T-there's more to it than that Ilia, there's more to it!" she placated, though it sounded like she was trying to calm herself down more than Ilia. After a few moments, her shoulders released their tension and settled back into her chair to level the air ship out.

"...If I can finish now. Were you able to find that feeling? If you were, then focus on me. I assume you got that far, but once you have, you have to reach out. think of your aura extending towards me, like a line, or a bridge. I forget how close you have to be exactly, but this should be more than close enough for it to form. Try to match my breathing. Make that connection, and then push the tiniest amount of your aura into mine." She instructed, her voice calm and direct, keeping her own breath slow and steady to make it easier to follow. "If you feel that bridge, and you can push that aura through, you should feel it grab onto mine, Once it is... the hard part is done."

 

[MyrtenRose]

She didn't look like much beyond a pebble being skipped across still waters as Raven sent her flying, but her cloak (having apparently grown back since the maiden Raven's incineration of it) spread its four corners wide to catch the wind and halt her, bone dry in spite of its submergence in the ocean as it twisted and solidified into a miniature platform for her to stand on. She popped a squat and gasped as Raven's lightning struck the ocean, clutching the sides of her hair with a shrill scream. "NOOOOOOO! MY CHILDREEEEENNNNNNNN!"

Unfortunately, lightning strikes were concentrated and there was a lot of water around to diffuse the charge. One (1) grimm fishy bobbed up to the surface, dead, and everything else in the water just felt teeny tiny tingles.

"Actually, that was lame. Sic 'er!"

She whistled, and multiple kraken tendrils shot out in a spray of seawater to try and drag Raven down to the depths, while in the corner of her eyes she saw a huge, dark fin breach the water as something started swimming for her position at ambushing speeds. It wasn't long before she found out what.

"...Seriously?" Raven grumbled as Maria caught herself on that infernal cloak that was now doubling a place for her to stand on. What kind of asinine ridiculousness was that? Raven didn't have time to dwell on it though, as several tendrils shot out of the water like bullets to wrap around her legs and yank her down. She didn't let them, severing all of them in one precise slice, sending the lower halves of each just drop back into the sea and a quick wave of fiery heat emanated out to burn away the remainder still clinging on to her legs. "Is that al--" The maiden suddenly quieted, no need for her aura to tell her of the incoming danger.

The giant shark grimm with a wide open maw that was rapidly filling the entirety of her vision was enough clue.

Its mouth snapped shut around her, obscuring her from the sight of Maria and any other grimm, the shark soon enough plopping back down into the ocean and to any more mindless grimm, it seemed that was it. That it was all over now. Except it wasn't. As the shark started to swim off, a red blade poked out of it repeatedly in varying locations, Raven stabbing outward and pulling back at blinding fast speeds, slicing the grimm to ribbons from the inside out. After a few seconds of this the grimm grew even larger but in a completely unnatural way as it swelled up, inflating just like a balloon...​

 

[MyrtenRose]

He snorted, but it was a flat and mirthless noise that didn't go beyond a jet of air from his nostrils. "Those stories are almost always embellished grimm sightings... or just rare ones. Does she look like a grimm to you?"

"Umm...she kind of does?"​

 

[Gus Gungus]

"...Seriously?" Raven grumbled as Maria caught herself on that infernal cloak that was now doubling a place for her to stand on. What kind of asinine ridiculousness was that? Raven didn't have time to dwell on it though, as several tendrils shot out of the water like bullets to wrap around her legs and yank her down. She didn't let them, severing all of them in one precise slice, sending the lower halves of each just drop back into the sea and a quick wave of fiery heat emanated out to burn away the remainder still clinging on to her legs. "Is that al--" The maiden suddenly quieted, no need for her aura to tell her of the incoming danger.

The giant shark grimm with a wide open maw that was rapidly filling the entirety of her vision was enough clue.

Its mouth snapped shut around her, obscuring her from the sight of Maria and any other grimm, the shark soon enough plopping back down into the ocean and to any more mindless grimm, it seemed that was it. That it was all over now. Except it wasn't. As the shark started to swim off, a red blade poked out of it repeatedly in varying locations, Raven stabbing outward and pulling back at blinding fast speeds, slicing the grimm to ribbons from the inside out. After a few seconds of this the grimm grew even larger but in a completely unnatural way as it swelled up, inflating just like a balloon...before it popped with a loud bang and a wave of fire spilled out in all directions from where the shark had been. Fires that died out in the water just as quickly as the shark just had.

She didn't see it, but those on the airship did. Right as the shark reached critical mass two blinding spirals of light streaked from the reaper's eyes.

What Raven did see was a whole lotta darkness as Raven found herself in the stomach of a concrete statue, flooded with water and sinking rapidly as Maria scratched her cheek and blinked vapidly at the patch of water they disappeared into. "I wonder what she was gonna say..."​

 

[MyrtenRose]

"... have you found that- AH!"

The ship wobbled slightly as Snake jolted in surprise at the sudden sound. "T-there's more to it than that Ilia, there's more to it!" she placated, though it sounded like she was trying to calm herself down more than Ilia. After a few moments, her shoulders released their tension and settled back into her chair to level the air ship out.

"...If I can finish now. Were you able to find that feeling? If you were, then focus on me. I assume you got that far, but once you have, you have to reach out. think of your aura extending towards me, like a line, or a bridge. I forget how close you have to be exactly, but this should be more than close enough for it to form. Try to match my breathing. Make that connection, and then push the tiniest amount of your aura into mine." She instructed, her voice calm and direct, keeping her own breath slow and steady to make it easier to follow. "If you feel that bridge, and you can push that aura through, you should feel it grab onto mine, Once it is... the hard part is done."

"Oh." Ilia replied sheepishly, as she fell back to lying down on the floor, her outburst looking more than a little premature after hearing that. "Right." Ilia's eyes slid shut as she tried again, re-focusing on the other faunus. Her breath slowed as she did her best to match the rhythm of the snake's own. She willed with every fiber of her soul to make this work, so intensely did she desire to not only know what her semblance was, but to feel it, experience it in every sense of the word. To have something to look onto with pride on this otherwise so far bad day. To reach out, form that link between two and share just enough aura to...to...

Ilia was quiet as the process went on, but the silence was not based out of frustration.

She felt herself latch on and a bit of hopeful optimism blossomed within as her eyes hurriedly opened, now shining a completely different color. Nothing out of the ordinary for her but the color change had little to do with her natural faunus trait. And more than that, instead of looking up at the roof, she saw the horizon out the viewport before her, in all its beautiful glory.

"...no way."​

 

[MyrtenRose]

She didn't see it, but those on the airship did. Right as the shark reached critical mass two blinding spirals of light streaked from the reaper's eyes.

What Raven did see was a whole lotta darkness as Raven found herself in the stomach of a concrete statue, flooded with water and sinking rapidly as Maria scratched her cheek and blinked vapidly at the patch of water they disappeared into. "I wonder what she was gonna say..."​

 

[MyrtenRose]

She didn't see it, but those on the airship did. Right as the shark reached critical mass two blinding spirals of light streaked from the reaper's eyes.

What Raven did see was a whole lotta darkness as Raven found herself in the stomach of a concrete statue, flooded with water and sinking rapidly as Maria scratched her cheek and blinked vapidly at the patch of water they disappeared into. "I wonder what she was gonna say..."​

"Oh. Well. Shit."

At almost a complete loss and in a sudden panic as she felt herself sinking like...well, a stone, Raven did the only thing she felt she could do. Use her semblance, angled so that it popped up beneath her as she descended. To spit her and a sizable chunk of shark rock out onto the ship where Qrow was and hope for the best.​

 

[Schnee Corp Lawyer]

"Oh." Ilia replied sheepishly, as she fell back to lying down on the floor, her outburst looking more than a little premature after hearing that. "Right." Ilia's eyes slid shut as she tried again, re-focusing on the other faunus. Her breath slowed as she did her best to match the rhythm of the snake's own. She willed with every fiber of her soul to make this work, so intensely did she desire to not only know what her semblance was, but to feel it, experience it in every sense of the word. To have something to look onto with pride on this otherwise so far bad day. To reach out, form that link between two and share just enough aura to...to...

Ilia was quiet as the process went on, but the silence was not based out of frustration.

She felt herself latch on and a bit of hopeful optimism blossomed within as her eyes hurriedly opened, now shining a completely different color. Nothing out of the ordinary for her but the color change had little to do with her natural faunus trait. And more than that, instead of looking up at the roof, she saw the horizon out the viewport before her, in all its beautiful glory.

"...no way."

"Did you do it?" Snake asked, a bit of surprise in her voice. Ilia had the slightly disorientating feeling of her vision suddenly turning without any prompting, as the view swung from the horizon to a picture of herself with a look of wonder breaking intense concentration. Her eyes, instead of their usual steel blue, were a dark crimson, just like the Snake's own. "You did do it! Haha!" Snake crowed in genuine delight, nonetheless swinging the view swiftly back to the viewport to focus on where she was flying.

Ilia saw one hand disappear from the wheel from the wheel and felt it grip her shoulder in an excited squeeze moments later "I knew you could! All you have to do now is focus and blink, and you'll gain your own eyes back."

 

[MyrtenRose]

"Did you do it?" Snake asked, a bit of surprise in her voice. Ilia had the slightly disorientating feeling of her vision suddenly turning without any prompting, as the view swung from the horizon to a picture of herself with a look of wonder breaking intense concentration. Her eyes, instead of their usual steel blue, were a dark crimson, just like the Snake's own. "You did do it! Haha!" Snake crowed in genuine delight, nonetheless swinging the view swiftly back to the viewport to focus on where she was flying.

Ilia saw one hand disappear from the wheel from the wheel and felt it grip her shoulder in an excited squeeze moments later "I knew you could! All you have to do now is focus and blink, and you'll gain your own eyes back."

"I...did? I DID! I--" The cheering ended before it could even truly begin, Ilia struggling for a moment to reconcile how disorienting it was to have your vision change even though you didn't move your head or eyes a single centimeter. Seeing herself like that would have been incredibly weird except she'd already done that a few times now when she laid eyes on her counterpart. "So this...this is my semblance, huh?" She hadn't been exactly doubting it, since the other her had it and she was every bit as much Ilia as an Ilia could get, but...it was still such a trip just to realize what her own personal superpower was. To have it unlocked.

"...Alright." She acknowledged, focusing once more and blinking a few times until her own vision returned. "That was..." Ilia didn't know what to say, exactly. If the other wasn't a member of the Shadow Fang, she likely would have gone wholeheartedly for a hug...but she hesitated on doing that. Instead, she simply offered a: "Thanks."​

 

[Gus Gungus]

"Oh. Well. Shit."

At almost a complete loss and in a sudden panic as she felt herself sinking like...well, a stone, Raven did the only thing she felt she could do. Use her semblance, angled so that it popped up beneath her as she descended. To spit her and a sizable chunk of shark rock out onto the ship where Qrow was and hope for the best.

Qrow rubbed his head groggily as consciousness started to return, starting to work his way up in a daze when a red light appeared behind him. "Huh?"

A giant lump of stone shaped like a shark stomach ran him over like a mack truck and sent him tumbling dangerously close to the manta doors, out cold once again. The ship rocked violently but managed to recover through some super sweet Atlesian general piloting, and eyes of twin silver watched the ship pull off into the sky with chilling focus as black tentacles gently curled around her and drew her beneath the waves.

Ironwood flew the hell out of there like there was no tomorrow.​

 

[MyrtenRose]

"Oh my god WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY" Ruby yelled from where she was unluckily pinned by the giant sudden grimm shark innards rock, having not been ready for the completely unexpected. Her own full aura levels kept her from getting knocked out, but this? This wasn't that much better. "Somebody, help, please?" She started to squeak, only to yelp in shock as the tip of a red sword just jutted out from the rock a few inches from her face before it was pulled back and the process repeated again, in spots all over the rock, until eventually it shattered into pieces. At which point Raven collapsed onto the floor and GASPED FOR DEAR LIFE to regain all the sweet sweet air she needed.​

 

[Schnee Corp Lawyer]

"I...did? I DID! I--" The cheering ended before it could even truly begin, Ilia struggling for a moment to reconcile how disorienting it was to have your vision change even though you didn't move your head or eyes a single centimeter. Seeing herself like that would have been incredibly weird except she'd already done that a few times now when she laid eyes on her counterpart. "So this...this is my semblance, huh?" She hadn't been exactly doubting it, since the other her had it and she was every bit as much Ilia as an Ilia could get, but...it was still such a trip just to realize what her own personal superpower was. To have it unlocked.

"...Alright." She acknowledged, focusing once more and blinking a few times until her own vision returned. "That was..." Ilia didn't know what to say, exactly. If the other wasn't a member of the Shadow Fang, she likely would have gone wholeheartedly for a hug...but she hesitated on doing that. Instead, she simply offered a: "Thanks."​

The hesitance was noted, if the amused smirk that flickered across Snake's face was any indication, and she let out a softer laugh as she shook her head. "You're welcome, Ilia." She answered blithely, before the amusement faded. "You've been through a lot. Both in this world and your own from what it sounds like. Certainly more than you deserve, and Ilia and I- err, the other Ilia, we're friends. Even if she doesn't want to admit it, you two are very much similar; almost the same. and I..."

She trailed off as her fingers flexed from where they held the wheel, and a bit of uncharacteristic awkwardness was in her tone as the smile faded when she spoke again.

"I've no wish to see any version of her suffer. Even the one who likely wants me dead."

 

[MyrtenRose]

The hesitance was noted, if the amused smirk that flickered across Snake's face was any indication, and she let out a softer laugh as she shook her head. "You're welcome, Ilia." She answered blithely, before the amusement faded. "You've been through a lot. Both in this world and your own from what it sounds like. Certainly more than you deserve, and Ilia and I- err, the other Ilia, we're friends. Even if she doesn't want to admit it, you two are very much similar; almost the same. and I..."

She trailed off as her fingers flexed from where they held the wheel, and a bit of uncharacteristic awkwardness was in her tone as the smile faded when she spoke again.

"I've no wish to see any version of her suffer. Even the one who likely wants me dead."

“I...no. I don’t want that. Stopped, maybe, but not dead. I don’t want...have never wanted to kill people. To hurt people. There was a time I saw at as necessary, a sacrifice that must be paid, but...it was a mistake. Those days are behind me.”​

 

[Schnee Corp Lawyer]

“I...no. I don’t want that. Stopped, maybe, but not dead. I don’t want...have never wanted to kill people. To hurt people. There was a time I saw at as necessary, a sacrifice that must be paid, but...it was a mistake. Those days are behind me.”​

Snake arched an eyebrow at her with a look of quiet contemplation, before her easy smile made a triumphant return, whatever moment of vulnerability she'd suffered buried back down as she hummed.

"Well. I suppose I'll hold you to that. Assuming, of course-" she added with a wry, almost bitter turn to her words "-that you even survive Weiss Schnee and her ilk for that to ever come to head. Hopefully your semblance can help tilt those odds in your favor. Just... do not underestimate her. Please."

 

[MyrtenRose]

Snake arched an eyebrow at her with a look of quiet contemplation, before her easy smile made a triumphant return, whatever moment of vulnerability she'd suffered buried back down as she hummed.

"Well. I suppose I'll hold you to that. Assuming, of course-" she added with a wry, almost bitter turn to her words "-that you even survive Weiss Schnee and her ilk for that to ever come to head. Hopefully your semblance can help tilt those odds in your favor. Just... do not underestimate her. Please."

"Hey, don't take me lightly." Ilia countered, puffing out her chest a little. She knew that had been meant more as a warning but it still seemed a little condescending. She was no stranger to going against a Schnee and their company/people. "I mean, I've survived her already! Y'know, when I snuck onto her ship, got past her guards and almost rescued Blake(though not the one I expected) and even shared a few words with her!" Ilia left out the worst parts of that. "Not to mention going through worse."​

 

[Indolent]

Watts whirled on Hazel with a confused bent to his anger, taking a few steps after him as he put his hands to the side. "A solution to WHAT, Hazel!? Ozpin!? The grimm!? Vernal?! Cinder being an idiot?! What the fuck are you on about? Where is this hypocritical bullshit coming from?! Don't pretend you weren't scared for your sister when she tied herself up into this mess too!"

"I wouldn't--" The words died in her throat, her eyes widening a scant as a borderline imperceptible recognition of the change in Hazel's demeanor.

Spoiler: Gretchen RN

The elder Rainart's approach came to a complete halt, his body rigid as Watts's words made their impact, sinking in a manner of digestion as Hazel gazed out toward Neo and Mercury. Though as it may be that they were the only people in his line of sight, they were the furthest thing from his mind at the moment. The reorienting of his body was slow and purposeful, his downcast eyes roving across the ground as he turned to face Watts once more. They found Watts' boots, tracked along the height of his body, and settled upon his own eyes, the act not unlike that of a kodiak rising from the underbrush to its full height as to scrutinize an offending interloper in silence, thrumming ire radiating in palpable waves. He maintained both the stare and the energy, the latter slowly building up, for a fleeting moment before he made his return approach.

Spoiler

Watts could see himself within the reflection of Hazel's eyes as he towered over his former team leader, his breaths drawn long and slow. It probably evoked the feeling that he was to do something drastic rather than talking it out as was his favored method. But those that knew him when someone angered him and elicited his attention that he still resorted to that as last measure than a first, complete with the understanding that the intimidating factor was just a useful byproduct of his posturing.

"I'm obliged no longer to you, Watts, but I'll say this. My sister is none of your concern, not to be used against me. She has made her mind regardless of my feelings on the matter, she knows the risks. It is a matter of choice, something you fail to understand. The same one Cinder made when she came to Beacon, what bolstered her convictions to be a maiden. You and I don't like these circumstances but they are not ours to dictate. Not yours to dictate anymore as WTCH is done. This resignation on your part is disappointing, Arthur, I can't believe you've easily given up because nothing's gone right as you wanted since Beacon, since Haven. It was never going to be easy, we knew that. I know all I might amount to in the end is dying a meaningless death but I'd rather try fix the fucking world than turn my back on it because the odds are against us. It's no better than rolling over, accepting it. I won't stand for it. Cinder won't stand for it. My sister won't stand for it. You shouldn't fucking stand for it. It's a travesty considering what, who we've lost!"

His eyes furrowed, tightening in a way that it somehow exaggerated the hazel in his eyes with a dangerous glint.

"If you are truly done... do not get in my way."

 

[Indolent]

The car suddenly jerked.

"Oh my god, I just ran over a squirrel. Ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwww. Wait, not my car. Meh."

 

[MidwayLives]

"Oh my god, I just ran over a squirrel. Ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwww. Wait, not my car. Meh."

Neo woke up.

 

[Indolent]

"There's ice cream in the trunk if you want some."

Never mind it was probably half melted by now.