threelayers | IC Inbox

Cages in bandit camps?!?
Oh, I didn't get that story.
That's great. You have to tell me sometime.

We were on the outside at Atlas, but I saw enough.
That man's shady as fuck, and it's all a sham.
Pretty sure I saw him getting hauled off in irons before I left.
Had other things to attend to.

No, Lil Miss Malachite.
Runs a "legitimate business collective" with a thing for spider webs.
Little grungy, like everything in Mistral.
But runs a tight ship.

Good. Fuck that guy. I don't know what he did but he definitely deserved it.

I like her style already.
Wish she were an option to get my name cleared, but if she found out why then she'd want a cut.
Still, good to know there's places outside of Beacon that work as clean as we do.

Now, as for the cages...
Me and Cinder tracked down the Spring Maiden to a bandit camp that blondie's mom ran.
Both of them were gone by the time I got there, but I heard some of the bandits talking about whether this was gonna break bad like when they captured the princess and blondie came to rescue her.
Cinder did end up giving her a new scar for the road at Haven, though.

She's a cunning one all right.
Always a cut, but that's the business isn't it?

That is absolutely priceless.
So, the spring maiden had her did she?
Well, by the time I saw her, she was all in one piece.
I ended up tangling with Jaune's little pack and the farmboy.
Ruby's group was busy elsewhere it seems.

Yeah, I think that's when vomit boy's Semblance finally kicked in and he started making himself useful instead of crying about Pyrrha constantly.
If it weren't for him, we'd be up against team RBY right now.

Is he still with hammertime and the quiet one? How'd that fight go?
How bad did you end up stomping them into the dirt?

That so? What? Did he learn how to turn back time or something?
He's better than he used to be, fair warning.

I wasn't there to beat them down, just get the relic, so predictably.
The quiet one's in love with hammer time, but they're being all teenage angst about it.
One fake 'Nora' moment and he couldn't see straight for his life.
She's even easier to manipulate, and as long as she can't hit she's a joke.
Jaune never could handle me, and the farmboy's not stupid but he's green.
Took two tries, but snagged the relic and made asses out of them.

It's kind of sad, but I think that kid Oscar's better than any of them.

[Em leans back and laughs and claps a couple times when she reads what Neo actually did to win this fight.]

THERE'S the Neo I'm used to. Nothing like digging right into someone's head and pulling out what they don't want to see to make 'em roll over and give up.
Good work. I almost wish I could've seen it myself. I think Jaune does aura enhancement now (mostly healing?), but he still can't defend against that.

There's a reason that Oscar might be better than all of them, though.
I don't trust Qrow as far as I can throw him, but he didn't seem like he was lying about this.
It's not just Oscar in there, in his head. He's got Ozpin riding shotgun.

Then he borders being actually useful.
He might be one of the most useful of them all if he can do anything besides enhancing healing factors.
Who would have thought?

Just not good in a fight.

Wait. Hold that thought.
What do you mean Ozpin?
He has the dead schoolmaster in his head?
What the hell are you talking about?

Yeah, see. This is why I thought Qrow was full of shit when he told me at first.
I'm gonna try to condense this, but it's... kind of a lot. And it's all coming from the Relic of Knowledge -- you know, the lamp you stole -- so it has a better chance of being true than anything else I've heard come out of that drunk's mouth.

So.

Salem is immortal.
She was punished by the Brothers, who were actually real and actually existed, with immortality because she tried to bring someone she loved back from the dead.
She tried to fight the Brothers and lost, and then they left Remnant. (That's what happened to the moon.)

A little later on, the God of Light went back into the lifestream or whatever and offered the person that Salem tried to bring back from the dead a deal.
He created the Relics and said "if these ever come back together, we will return, and we will judge you all, and we need you as a guardian until that day comes".
And he brought that person back to life, and every time he dies he'll reincarnate as someone else. Until the day that the Relics come together and the Brothers return.

That man was Ozpin.

The entire mess we're in right now is because Salem couldn't just let Ozpin stay dead.

One) Who is this Qrow anyway?
Two) I'm kind of with you here. That sounds like a whole lot of bullshit? I mean, what is this relic of knowledge supposed to do? Is it like that Oracle only a hell of a lot wordier?

And seriously? If that's true? We're stuck in the gods' personal whipping girl's jilted love affair for the last however many years?

But why do you believe them?

If it's a gift from the gods and it's called "of Knowledge", I think it's probably an Oracle thing, yeah.
Qrow is Ruby's uncle, which isn't exactly a point in his favor, I know. But I don't believe it because it's coming from him.

I believe it because ever since Salem found out that Ozpin's back, she's been even worse to work under. Pushing us harder. Accelerating her plans.
I watched her blow up her own throne room after someone said his name.

Wait. This happened here, right?
Because I cannot see that girl's uncle talking to you back home, no offense.
You're a more well known problem for her than I am, I'd imagine.
I'm going to have to keep an eye out for this guy along with Yang.
What's he look like?

Alright, I'll buy that at least.
Or I'll buy that Ozpin has a trick up his sleeve and Ozpin is enough to send Salem into an insane fit.
Which means farmboy and I should have a polite conversation sometime.
No swords.

None taken. I ran into him in the labyrinth.
After he saved me from vines. Again. I don't wanna talk about it.
He looks like... I don't know, a hobo that learned to clean up nice.
Taller than me, grey hair, talks all gruff. Looks like he's trying to grow a beard but can't get it past stubble.

Definitely no swords.
You'd still win if it came to swords, but I guess maybe drawing a sword on someone is considered rude?
News to me.

[.... wait a minute.]

Shit happens. This place screws with us. No worries.
Said Stubble-growing tall hobo asshole wouldn't happen to use a gun-scythe would he?
Segmented thing that looks about as wicked as Red's?

I did promise Ruby I'd keep it to me and her, and I'm trying to keep it that way.
Long as he's not pulling a Varian, we'll be fine, and he seems a little soft for that.

Yeah, that's his weapon. If I didn't know better, I'd say she modeled hers after his.
Why? Already some bad run-ins with him?

Which one's Varian? That's not the one that's dating Ruby, is it?

Nah. "Tai" and I met fighting a giant crocodile.
And we had a lovely coffee, reminiscing about Remnant.
So, "Tai" and I probably need to have a little chitty chat too.
Because I'd definitely like to know if "Tai" knows who I am.
Always good to know if I should watch my back.

The alchemist. Yes. Let's just say?
He's right about where Yang and I'm guessing Qrow would be if I actually DO stab her.
And yes, between you and me. That's an "If" right now. Not a "When."

He called himself Tai? Gods. Of course he did.
I thought aggressively lying about everything was what people like us did? ;)

I won't tell anyone or blow your cover. Some problems can't be solved with stabbing.
I know whenever I finally run into Yang I'm probably just gonna yell at her for a while instead of coming at her with my knives out.

Gods, any other truth bombs we want to drop on each other?
I asked Varian if he's gotten any closer to killing a god in his alchemy research and he came up blank. He and I talked a little when he thought I was just M, instead of...
Well, he still thinks my name is M, I guess.

I'll handle "Tai." Don't worry, not mad.
I don't hide my name usually, but I definitely 'get' him doing it.
Still going to give him shit while I figure out where he stands.
And you handle Varian on your own. Just watch him. He's got a nasty streak in there. Nothing worse than us, though.

So I don't make an ass out of myself. Why is Tai an obvious name?

So, let's see. Let me go down the list.
Cinder's alive, but not here. Check.
Ruby's dating a crazy alchemist named Varian who's threatened to do something to me. Check.
Yang's here and blondie's same as ever. Check.
Farmboy's here and he's secretly Ozpin. Check.
Salem's immortal and all that shit? Check.
Weiss and Blake aren't here. But were. Check.
Winter was here. Almost killed her once. Check.
"Tai" is Qrow, Ruby's secret Uncle. Check.
Jaune is here and has super healy powers so he doesn't suck. Check.
I think there's another guy from Remnant in town? Big guy. Friendly.
Not 100% sure who he is.

Uh, is there anything else?
Oh right. We're getting drunk tonight. Check?

[She'd met Clover briefly, but she didn't know him well.]

Maybe it's only obvious to me. Tai is Ruby and Yang's dad's name. Qrow didn't exactly strike me as being too imaginative.

Thanks for the warning on V. And for the rundown of all the crap we've talked about.
'Cause looking at it all there written out like that?
Double check on getting drunk tonight. Triple check.
It's been years since I've actually done it but I think after all of this, I need it.
Hair of the Dog again, or are we gonna stay home?

Damnit, I should have known that.
Two years since I was at briefings. Of course.
Hah, jokes on me.

Home. I'm grabbing a bottle of vodka and orange juice.
You and I are getting drunk enough that we don't need to be going anywhere.
I think we've both had a long month

Damn right.
I don't wanna make a habit of it or anything, but. I mean, you know.
Right now is probably a good time for us to drink until we forget our names.

I'll have the stuff for tonight when you get back, along with a surprise just for you.
Don't get home on an empty stomach.
We're getting blitzed.
I'll worry about hangovers tomorrow. Have the night off.

[She was totally getting creme de menthe and cacao to make grasshoppers. Yeah, yeah. She didn't always like green, but come on. Grasshoppers.]

(OOC: Totally up for action tags if you want.)

[that was all the invitation she needed. after the labyrinth and the plants and the flashbacks to Salem, trying to find her way around this town and learning the streets as well as she knew her own was getting harder by the day. she needed a break. she needed to let herself relax.]

[so when she got back home to Neo and carefully navigated her way back inside, she leaned herself over the kitchen counter and let out a sigh.]

I don't know what I'm like when I get drunk, but I don't care anymore. Just get me to stop thinking about everything.

[She had stools set out at the bar and, when the world did not explode in ice from a dust trap, she smiled roguishly over at Emerald. She didn't feel nearly as roguish right now as she liked to look, but she was doing better... ironically because of a talk with Ruby.

Seriously, that girl was getting into her head and it was enough that she'd almost started drinking early.

As soon as she was in, she motioned her over and went to grab something out of the fridge. She... might have put the mix for a couple of drinks. She poured and pushed the green one over to her with a wink and settled in before raising her own.

Look, if they were getting tanked, they could be a little fancy about it.]

[Emerald looked up when the green drink slid its way over to her, and she forced a smile to her face that she was starting to feel a little more just from being back home.]

Little fancier than vodka and orange juice. You're gonna spoil me, Neo. [and without waiting much longer, she lifted the drink to her lips and took a sip—and put the cup back down with a much more real smile.] Oh, this is dangerous. I can barely taste the alcohol. Let me put these things away before I actually hurt someone.

[taking the drink with her, she stood up straight and unhooked her holster, then walked over to the couch she'd claimed as her own and securely slid her guns underneath it. and with that sorted, she sat down, held the drink carefully to avoid spilling it, and tilted her head back against the couch.]

[She smirked. She had plenty of Orange Juice or after this. But she wanted to start off with a nice dessert, something to improve both of their moods besides just the drinks. She took a nice long sip after clinking her glass against the other girl's and sighed contentedly.

A finger gun, just the one. Yeah, definitely dangerous, sweet and dangerous, like the both of them. And a little spoiling was in order. She didn't want to think about Ruby or Roman tonight, and that was going to take a lot of alcohol. She had her fluid out, in case she needed to say another, but really? There was no reason to do it quite yet, not until Emerald asked a question.

Just let the alcohol start to do its work.]

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