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[threelayers]

[A tinny, electronic voice comes on the other line. The message recorded is very obviously a 'default' setting of the fluid, available to any user. It displays no name or identity.]

The person you're trying to reach cannot answer the phone right now. Please leave a message with your name and number after the beep and we will return your call.

[What? Were you actually expecting her to record a voice message?]

Comments

[hallucinogem]

I don't want to think too hard about this right now, Neo.
I just want you to know that I'm not leaving you stuck here if I manage to throw the door open, or whatever the hell happens when Mother Superior dies.
You're the closest thing to a friend I have here and I won't just abandon you like that.

But this is going to be big. This is going to take time. I don't think we'll be able to do this soon. Hell, I've only been here a couple weeks.
We still have to plan, we just have to plan for a different enemy.

Anyway, uh.
You wanna talk about anything?

[threelayers]

Sorry, I get it. Nobody wants to think about this shit that much.
We didn't talk enough.
In the old days.
I think we thought we knew what the hell we were doing.
We're both in a lot deeper than we thought we were, aren't we?

I'm not used to people thinking of me as a friend. I'm not good at it.
But I'm not leaving you to that gas mask wearing freak.

Fuck, man. Pick a topic. Something that isn't Salem or Superior.
Anything. I'm really not used to all this talking I'm doing these days.

[hallucinogem]

I'm not great at having friends either. Might as well start with someone I already know can do her job.

I don't know, Neo, I just...
Did you ever really think we were going to end up in the middle of something world-ending?
When you joined up with Roman and Cinder, is this what you had in mind?
Or did you just want a life that was better than the one you had before?

Gods, don't answer that. I'm just freaking myself out.
I don't know what I'm even saying right now.

CW ableism talk included

[threelayers]

[...she would ask her something like that.
Well, she'd said anything, and it wasn't like Emerald was poking the bear.]

You're allowed to ask.

It was just another score.
Just another Dust Shop to knock over and a dumb huntsman to laugh at.
Security guards to mock while they begged for their lives.

And then it was the biggest score we'd ever imagined.
I could tell he was scared, but we'd worked with scum before.
The bravado was an act sometimes. Fake it till you make it.

It was a score, and you guys were in on the caper.
And it was being with him, and he got me.
I didn't need to use a scroll to explain things.
He just 'got' who I was, what I was doing and he actually cared.
Nobody cared about me before him because of that, and so I would do anything for him.

And I know he cared for me, damned fool that he was.
Do you think that arrogant scumbag would have ever cried out anyone else's name in horror when they got knocked off the cruiser?
I think he thought I was about to die, and he actually cared.
We were just a couple thugs, Em. A couple really good thugs together.
Just like you're one hell of a pickpocket.
It wasn't supposed to end the world, just line our pockets and keep us going.

[hallucinogem]

I don't think Cinder ever wanted to end the world either.
I think she just wanted enough power to survive. I think she saw what Remnant does to people who are too "weak" to keep going on their own and decided that she'd had enough of it.
She didn't want all the power in the world. She still doesn't, I don't think.
Just enough where she doesn't have to worry about people cutting her down anymore.

And now here we are, caught between someone who wants to kill everyone and someone who thinks she already has.
Gods, Neo.
This sucks.

I told some chump I was going to school for "asset management" as some bullshit way of not telling him I'm a thief and the messed up thing is that I kind of started wanting it?
I've never had a normal life, but sometimes I think about what it would be like to have one.
People our age are supposed to be worried about graduating and getting their licenses.

[threelayers]

And then she found someone who could and would cut her down if she didn't have all the power in the world. Salem.
I'll admit. It explains the power complex she's got neatly, Emerald, and it brings us ever back to one person who ultimately caused all our suffering.
Without Salem, we'd be knocking over Atlas bases and selling arms to thugs. Nothing more.

You'd be bored out of your skull, Emerald Sustrai. Bored out of your fucking skull.
Still, a little more normal would be nice.
Open up a shop, cook the books and run the numbers behind the scenes to line your pockets.
Not hurting anyone, keeping it a little spicy.

Not so bad, eh?

[hallucinogem]

I think I could get behind that, yeah.
I'd actually have to learn how to run a business, but once Salem's taken care of, I'd have all the time in the world.
Trick enough people into thinking I reformed to get the papers in order and then keep doing what I know I'm good at.
That sounds way more interesting than going to school and getting a real above-board job.

Besides, that's how most businesses work anyway, if you ask Cinder.
Gods, you said you ran into her in Atlas? From the way she talked about it with me, she must've hated that place.
All those rich assholes showing off how much money they stole just to keep everyone else down.
I'd at least take care of people with all the money I'm stealing.

[threelayers]

You're only wanted in Mistral and Beacon.
I'm pretty sure an arrangement can be made, heh.

I ran into her in Mistral, and I snuck her into Atlas.
She was in a pretty foul mood yeah, and the ones up top are pretty much snotty shits.
Amazing to say this, but the princess isn't even close to as bad as most of them. You should see the rest of her family.
Not that I'm defending her, but wow.

Take care of your own.
If she weren't in Mistral, I think you might have liked Malachite.
She had a good thing going.

[hallucinogem]

Yeah, from all the intel I dug up, I didn't think that the princess was gonna like the rest of her family much.
Daddy Schnee kept his record too spotless, her sister's a cop, and I could only pull up her mom's first name. Nothing else about her.
Plus you don't usually end up in cages in bandit camps if you're on GREAT terms with your family.

Malachite? The twins that worked for Junior?

[threelayers]

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.

[hallucinogem]

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.

[threelayers]

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.

[hallucinogem]

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?

[threelayers]

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.

[hallucinogem]

[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.

[threelayers]

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?

[hallucinogem]

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.

[threelayers]

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?

[hallucinogem]

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.

[threelayers]

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.

[hallucinogem]

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.

[threelayers]

[.... 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.

[hallucinogem]

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?

[threelayers]

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."

[hallucinogem]

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.