Chapter 11

Guided down the hall by the dark summon, Ironwood could not help but find the situation surreal. Here he was in the presence of aspects and witches, being granted access to a vampire, all with no intention of conflict. In all his years as a Templar, he had not encountered a situation quite like it. Of course he had been in the presence of non-hostile creatures in the past, but they were isolated, both in occurrence and variety, a few vampires here, a witch and her summon there, but never all in one place. And previously he had always been prepared to kill.

Ironwood remembered reading Winter's report on Blake. It had been unfavorable, she was a powerful being of the dark who had brushed Winter aside with a casual flick of the wrist, yet Glynda had set her free, an extraordinary risky decision. Fortunately it was one that had paid off. Now here she was, a seemingly obedient servant to the Master Witch, sauntering her way down the hall in front of him, exuding calm. It was at odds with his experiences, and he was not sure how to feel about that.

Coming to a door toward the end, Blake halted, turning to fix Ironwood with a blank stare as she lazily knocked on the door. "Behave." She ordered, narrowing her gaze before slipping past him. A part of him felt irritated that he was being treated as such by a mere summon. The rest of him was oddly shaken by the threat in her tone. Winter was not a weak individual, she was a seasoned operative during that mission with Glynda, and Ironwood considered her close to an equal. To have been casually brushed aside…

The door opened, and Ironwood found himself face-to-face with yet another summon, this one less subtle in its distaste, glaring at him with glowing lilac eyes. "Hand over the piece cowboy." Yang demanded, holding out a cloth-covered hand.

Ironwood frowned, blowing air out his nose. "I am not here to harm her."

"Don't care, hand it over or fly home chrome dome." Yang growled.

"Yang." Weiss admonished from inside the room.

The summon refused to budge. Grinding his teeth, Ironwood reached inside his coat, grasping the handle of his handcannon. Yang flinched at the sudden movement, her hair glowing in the darkness. He slowly, carefully pulled the weapon free, by the frame not the grip, and placed it in Yang's waiting hand. "Good." Yang bit, turning away for a moment, then nodding, retreating from the door.

Pushing the door open, Ironwood entered. The room was pitch black but for the light infiltrating from the hallway and Yang's gently glowing form. Said form was hunched over slightly at the foot of the bed, softly whispering, presumably to Weiss. "I'll be fine Yang, I'm not in danger." Weiss insisted.

"I don't trust his kind Weiss." Yang responded.

"I am his kind Yang." Weiss noted.

"No...you're not." With that Yang pulled her scarf free, wrapping it about Weiss' neck, the orange 'fabric' fading to white. "Stay warm Weiss. Call me if you need me." With a stroke of her hair, Yang turned, giving Ironwood one last glare before leaving, the door softly closing behind her.

Now visible in the soft glow of the scarf, Weiss sat upon the bed, dressed neatly in a silk gown. She stroked the fabric around her neck, and fond smile on her face. "You keep strange company Weiss." Ironwood commented.

Weiss met his gaze with a tense chuckle. "Life has been strange as of late." She jested.

"Still, it is good to see you adjusting so well to your condition." Ironwood encouraged. "Many cannot bear to live with the curse."

"There's no sense giving in, not when so much can still be accomplished." Weiss suggested.

"Admirable, if risky." Ironwood nodded. "But life is not without its risks, undeath too I suppose."

"Hmm...Winter said you had information." Weiss changed the subject.

"I do." Ironwood dug back into his jacket pocket, pulling forth a folder, handing it over and taking a seat on the chest behind him.

Weiss stared down at the name printed on the white cardboard, opening the folder to find a familiar image. "Cinder Fall." Weiss murmured. "She called herself 'Cindy.'"

"Hmm, a lazy alias but I'll add it to the list." Ironwood thought aloud. "She's been getting sloppy. Miss Fall registered with the authorities in Mistral before she went rogue."

"Rogue...is that what they call it now?" Weiss sighed.

"Generally vampires who register are law abiding." Ironwood continued. "To be perfectly honest, Miss Fall's actions are rather out of character, not to mention…"

Weiss skimmed through the file. It was only one page, little more than a questionnaire sheet. Cinder Fall, thirty years of age (at time of registration), daughter of Salem Fall, Nosferatu and Matron of the Fall Coven. She was practically royalty, her mother heading the largest nation of vampire covens in all of Remnant. Suddenly Weiss felt very, very small.

"Weiss?" Ironwood's voice snapped her back to reality.

"Yes?" Weiss responded.

"I have my men establishing a presence." Ironwood explained. "Tonight we will begin sending hunting parties around the island. We will find Miss Fall, and we will bring her to justice. You have my word." He lay his fist across his heart in promise.

Weiss smiled, remembering the times Winter used to do the same, before she left the order along with her. It seemed so long ago, but it was barely more than a year at this point. "I believe you General. Thank you for coming. Will that be all?"

"That is all for business...I see the townspeople have sent their support." Ironwood gestured to the flower arrangements, by now nearly coating an entire wall of the room. "A lot of support." He stood and stepped closer to admire them.

"Fascinating isn't it?" Weiss asked. "Pyrrha's summon, Ruby, sprays them with a mix of her blood and water. At first it simply kept them fresh, but now they've taken on a life of their own."

"Is it a spriggan?" Ironwood guessed.

"That was my guess, but no." Weiss shook her head. "None of us have any idea what she is, not even Ruby herself. But she has endeared us all, so we accept her regardless."

"And Yang?" Ironwood asked.

"Technically, she is Ruby's summon, making her Pyrrha's summon as well." Weiss explained.

"It seems rather fond of you." Ironwood observed.

"She is, likely because Ruby asked her to be." Weiss confirmed. "Regardless, she lifts my spirits, they both do."

"And you feel safe in their presence?" Ironwood pressed.

"Without any doubt." Weiss replied.

"Hmm…" Ironwood observed the IV rack, pushed into the corner, devoid of a bloodbag. "And how are you handling the thirst?"

Weiss had to suppress a shudder. She hated that term. It made her feel like a starving animal, craving water, willing to kill for it even. In a ways she was after all. She had yet to read that chapter. She just could not bear to stomach it, not yet. "I subsist on donated blood from my friends."

"Can you rely on them?" Ironwood asked.

"I believe so." Weiss answered.

"Good...good." Ironwood fell silent for a time. Weiss felt the air grow more tense. "You know, of course, that vampire covens adopt hum-"

"I will not keep a pet human to feast upon!" Weiss yelled, scandalized.

"That was not what I meant to say Weiss-" Ironwood started.

"Then what were you saying?" Weiss hissed. "That I should seek one out? Leave my life to take up with those who treat humans as cattle? I'm a parasite Ironwood, I am below humans, not the other way around. I would sooner starve."

"And if I had my way, I would see them wiped from the face of Remnant, but they are an unfortunate reality of our world." Ironwood admitted. "A symbiosis that must be acknowledged and handled properly."

"And I will handle my symbiosis properly." Weiss shot back. "When I resume my work, I will compensate those who donate, and then I will source my own sustenance legally and with as little harm to humanity was possible. Now, if there is nothing else, take your weapon and leave me in peace."

Weiss held out the cloth wrapped handcannon. Ironwood stood a moment in shock. He had certainly crossed an uncomfortable line. Truth be told the idea of Weiss feeding sickened him, the very concept of keeping humans as a source of food infuriated him on a very deep level. But he understood Weiss' plight, and felt that his approval might serve as a morale boost. He was mistaken. "I apologize Weiss, for everything that has happened to you."

Weiss flinched as he took his weapon and quickly stowed it. "So do I." She murmured, wrapping her arms around herself and nuzzling into the scarf.

Ironwood decided not to press on, and opened the door to leave. He was met with the shimmering, seething face of the fire aspect. "Get going." She glared. Ironwood sighed, striding away. At the very least Weiss was surrounded by people protective of her. He just hoped she would not be incinerated by accident.

Yang stormed into the room, as quickly as possible, to find Weiss in the same position in which she had left her, but she looked smaller, much smaller, hunched over, a dead look in her eyes, shimmering gently in the light. "Weiss." Yang knelt before her, trying to meet her gaze from below. She succeeded, only to witness the first bloody tear streak down her cheek.

"I want to make a pact with you Yang." Weiss whispered.

"Anything." Yang promised.

Weiss unwrapped her arms, reaching down to take Yang's hands in her own, bringing them up, until they rested upon her throat. "If I ever begin to lose sight of who I am, of what I am, remind me. Remind me forcefully." She squeezed Yang's hands tighter around her throat. Yang tried to gently tug them free, but she held fast. Another tear dropped from her chin, sizzling on contact with the scarf. "If I lose myself entirely, if I convince myself that I am above humanity, that I am the greater being…" The pressure increased.

"Weiss." Yang implored.

"Put me down Yang." Weiss ordered. "You kill monsters for sport. You revel in our destruction. When I lose myself I need to know someone will take responsibility. You will not be killing me, you will be killing a monster wearing my face, a shadow of what I am now. Do you understand?" She pled. "Please don't let me live like them. I'm not one of them. I don't want to be one of them. Please Yang…" Her grip finally slackened.

Yang bundled Weiss into her arms proper. "I promise Weiss, I promise you, but not a moment too soon. I won't let you lose yourself, I swear it."

"T-thank you Yang." Weiss shuddered. "Thank you."

Ruby had accompanied Pyrrha into town for the day. With Yang taking care of Weiss, she felt less guilty about leaving her for any period of time. While Pyrrha went grocery shopping, Ruby visited Velvet to play with Womp and inquire about a cloak. Ruby was not bothered by the cold, not really. It was a sensation she experienced, but felt no ill will toward. But the cloak Velvet had crafted for Weiss appealed to her. It was so long and swishy and beautiful, she wanted one made for herself. But to do so would cost money, so Ruby made a deal with Velvet. She would make her a cloak like Weiss' but in red, and Ruby would help her model clothes during the upcoming community market. Ruby saw nothing wrong with this deal and was ecstatic, her cheerful mood lasting until they arrived home to find Winter in the living room, alongside Glynda, Blake and...a metal person?

"Salutations!" A slightly distorted, but cheerful female voice greeted, her doll face twitching into a jovial smile as a jittery hand waved.

"Uh, hello?" Pyrrha greeted awkwardly.

"Hey, I'm Ruby!" She chirped, approaching the automaton.

"My name is Penny, Penny Polendina, it is a pleasure to meet you!" A robot hand jittered out toward Ruby and she grasped it, only for Penny to rapidly shake it.

"I-it's a pleasure to meet you too!" Ruby stuttered until Penny released her.

"I apologize for my jittery nature." Penny said. "I was waylaid by an electromagnetic ward, and my motorfunction is slowly recovering."

"What are you?" Ruby wondered aloud, taking a seat beside Penny, leaning closer to inspect her segmented facial features.

"I am a transplanted soul in an automaton body." Penny replied. "What are you?"

"I'm an accident." Ruby answered.

"Father says my death was an accident, but that my life is a miracle." Penny noted.

"Isn't all life a miracle?" Ruby asked.

Penny froze for a moment, twitching. "So it is!" She finally exclaimed.

"Winter." Pyrrha sighed. "What's going on?"

"Winter decided to invite General Ironwood and his army of Templars to the island." Glynda explained.

"Wha...oh...well where is he?" Pyrrha asked.

"Speaking with Weiss about Cinder." Winter replied.

"Cinder...Cindy?" Pyrrha suggested.

"They very same." Winter confirmed.

It was at that moment an uneven thumping made its way down the hall, and a rather weary looking General Ironwood emerged into the living room. His gaze swept over Pyrrha and Ruby. "Miss Nikos."

"Hello General, how went your talk?" Pyrrha inquired.

"Not entirely well." Ironwood admitted. "I struck a nerve unintentionally and she ordered me to leave." At this Winter rushed down the hall.

"As you should." Glynda huffed.

"Glynda-" Ironwood started.

"Keep your troops out of sight of the townspeople." Glynda cut him off. "They have enough to worry about without soldiers running around, stirring up paranoia."

"If all goes well, we should not be here more than a week." Ironwood assured her. "Penny, can you stand?"

Penny planted her hands on the couch, and with a sudden jolt, pushed herself onto her feet, but her knees remained frozen, and she fell face first into the rug with a loud thud. Ruby gasped, rushing down to help. "It appears not General Ironwood sir!"

Ironwood sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Is Penny welcome to remain here until she regains motorfunction?"

"So long as she remains polite and harmless, I will tolerate her." Glynda answered.

"Thank you...I apologize for my intrusion." Ironwood groaned. "Penny, in the future, remember to active your shield generator when leaving camp."

With Ruby's help, Penny was able to jerk her way onto all fours. "I will attempt to do so!"

A patrol passed beneath the tree, three soldiers and a robot, ivory plating gleaming in the clouded moonlight. Templar soldiers, rifles held tensely, they flinched at every sound. Pathetic, green, in spite of their white. Mercury had slaughtered far more experienced examples in the past. These whelps were not even worth the effort. One of his fondest memories was of a female squad leader, strong, experienced, righteous. She had chased him into the forest with her squad, pursuing him deeper and deeper until he sprang his trap. Wounded, terrified, having witnessed him tearing her inferiors limb from limb, she had begged for her life, cracking and breaking with hardly a nudge from his alluring gaze, and right when her blood was up, as she pledged her soul to him, he had drained her dry. She was no virgin, but the taste of her blood seemed no less sweet.

With the patrol gone, Mercury dropped to the ground, shifting his prey over his shoulder, and sped off. The load was pitiful tonight, a single deer and some rabbits, the soldiers having apparently frightened off most of the local wildlife. But they would do for Cinder's pet for the time being. His own as well, he supposed, no sense letting all of her fat burn. He preferred them with curves, the one thing his own kind seemed to lack. Oh they were beautiful yes, far more beautiful than the human he lay with, but even Cinder was slighter than he would prefer. It was just how his kind were, blood brought health, then quickly drained away, leaving them frail, even if only in appearance. Humans held their shape, and when he found the right shape, he appreciated it as long and as vigorously as possible. Perhaps it was unfortunate that his hunt was so light, but regardless, the sooner he returned the better, for the forest was no longer safe. Their plans would have to be accelerated.

Striding into the cave, Mercury tossed his bag aside. It was a fairly spacious little home for the four, located in a little crevice they had discovered shortly after arriving on the island. Hydra crystals on the walls lit the area in a gentle blue glow. When Emerald needed to cook, a thermal plate provided a stable platform, and generated no smoke, so long as she was not distracted by her mistress. Cinder pampered her pet after all, returning with little gifts, extra blankets and baked goods. The cold had never bothered them, but Emerald complained about it constantly, what with fire not being an option. Mercury was thankful at least that his pet was used to the temperatures.

Walking deeper in, he brushed aside a curtain dividing the cave to reveal Cinder laying on a bearskin, reading a book as Emerald snoozed into her side. She groaned, causing Cinder to glare up at him. "We've got a problem." Mercury snidely stated.

"Master?" His pet called, his voice having awoken her. She scrambled from her own bedding in the corner. Her possessions indicated her name was Dew, but that was hardly relevant to him.

"Not now." Mercury snapped, flicking his hand, causing the girl to cower.

"Mnngh, wasgoingon?" Emerald slurred.

"Have the dogs caught our scent?" Cinder asked, stroking Emerald's hair.

Mercury shook his head. "Nah, they're still scouring the south end."

"The pyro?" Cinder guessed.

"Didn't come out today, no." Mercury replied. "It's the Templars. A Bullhead full of them showed up today."

Cinder sighed, shutting her book. "Weiss left the Order, they shouldn't be here." She growled, pushing herself to her feet. Emerald followed her, pulling a crimson robe from nearby for Cinder to slip into.

"Maybe she had friends in high places, who knows." Mercury shrugged. "Fact is they're here, and they're looking for us. Had to dodge a patrol on the way back."

"Stupid, this is my fault, an island was a terrible idea." Cinder hissed, at herself more than anything.

Emerald quickly wrapped her arms around her mistress. "You had no way of predicting this Cinder. It's not your fault."

"Emerald…" Cinder sighed, grasping Emerald's arms and pulling them free to turn around. "Don't worry yourself over this." She softly ordered, cupping her face. "I will handle my mistakes, and you will stay safe." With that Cinder kissed her, none too gently at that.

Emerald loved it when Cinder was rough, passionate, treating her as an equal, not like glass. It gave her hope, that one day she would not have to hold back. "I love you." She murmured, dazed.

"I know my sweet...now take Dew and cook yourself dinner." Cinder instructed. "Mercury and I must talk."

"Yes mistress." Emerald whispered, bowing her head, picking up another robe to slip on.

"What's there to talk about?" Mercury asked as Emerald brushed past, pulling Dew to her feet and heading out the front of the cave.

When they were out of earshot, Cinder stepped closer. "Contingencies."