Chapter 49 - The Gathering
The Gathering
"Starlight?" Trixie called as she picked her way over the rubble of the ruin, her boots slipping a little on the uneven surface. "Starlight, are you okay?"
"Yeah," Starlight replied, her voice a little hoarse as she raised one hand in the air. "Yeah, Trix, I'm okay." She picked herself up off the ground, brushing some dust off her pants as she did so. She didn't quite look at Trixie, and when she did, there was a sheepish quality to her smile, and she didn't raise her head all the way. "Trixie—"
"Starlight," Trixie said, before Starlight could really say anything. She put one hand upon her hip and fell silent for a moment, raising her head to look around her at the crowd, the crowd that were cheering for Pyrrha and Sunset. "Starlight," she repeated, "as my father once said to me: sometimes, you kill it up on stage, and sometimes, you die. On stage, I mean; actual dying isn't something to be so blasé about."
Starlight chuckled. "I thought your old man owned a magic shop in Atlas."
"Yeah, now he does," Trixie declared. "But in his youth, Artemis Lulamoon was one of the greatest performing magicians ever seen in Remnant! Not to mention an adventurer and a treasure hunter besides. Trixie's point is … play up, and play the game."
"You were … unfortunate," Pyrrha said quietly, "but I do not think that you have anything to be ashamed of."
"We have a little to be ashamed of," Trixie said, "and Trixie is disappointed that we'll never get the chance to settle the score with you."
"Not in the arena, no," Pyrrha admitted. "But outside of it? Who can tell how the winds of fate will blow?"
A smile tugged at the corner of Trixie's mouth. "Then the great and powerful Trixie will look forward to it. In the meantime," she swept her hat off her head, "Trixie takes her hat off to you both."
Pyrrha nodded. "Much obliged."
Sunset took a step towards her, and then another. She closed the distance between them until she was practically whispering in Trixie's ear. "When you get back to Atlas after all this, give me a call; I might be able to help you out with your magic. No guarantees, but … it might help you out."
Trixie was very still and silent for a moment. "Seriously?" she asked softly. "You … seriously?"
"Like I said," Sunset reminded her, "I don't promise anything, but … yes, seriously. Honestly … I think I owe you that much."
"Yeah, you bet you do!" Trixie declared. Her tone softened almost immediately. "Do you really think you can?"
Sunset hesitated. "I have … no idea."
"That isn't quite the answer that Trixie would have liked," Trixie muttered. She sighed. "To be able to use it whenever, on command, no effort, no screw ups, no problems … that would be more wonderful than winning this whole tournament. Trixie — I — would appreciate that."
"Then I'll do my best," Sunset said. "And perhaps in return, you can tell me where it comes from?"
Trixie shrugged. "Trixie's mother gave it to her."
Sunset's eyebrows rose. "Not your father?"
Trixie chuckled. "Trixie's father used to escape from a locked box before he drowned. Trixie's mom has the real magic. But Trixie's dad … dad always believed, even when mom didn't, and a believing heart … that's kind of magical too, don't you think?"
Sunset smiled. "Absolutely." She held out her hand. "Well played."
Trixie took Sunset's hand and squeezed it firmly. "Congratulations, Sunset Shimmer."
They both released the other's hands, and Sunset turned away from Trixie — and Starlight — and walked back towards Pyrrha.
"Shall we?" she asked, holding out her arm.
Pyrrha chuckled lightly and slipped her hand into the crook of Sunset's arm as they began to walk across the battlefield towards their exit.
The cheers of the crowd were still falling down upon them, although the clamour had settled down a little so that, rather than falling like rain, they were falling instead like autumn leaves.
It was still very pleasant to listen to.
Sunset found that she was even getting used to that Mistralian song.
"Jewels remain, still gleaming," Sunset murmured.
"I'm sure there's no need for that," Pyrrha murmured.
"Oh, I don't know," Sunset replied. "It's kind of catchy. I might start to sing it when your one-on-one matches start."
"You would probably sing it more pleasantly than most," Pyrrha conceded, a smile upon her face, "but please don't feel obliged to. Your good wishes are more than sufficient, and I feel those in my heart without you needing to give voice to them." She paused for a moment. "What was it that you and Trixie were talking about?"
"I…" Sunset lowered her voice just a little, even though she wasn't sure if there was a point to that. "I offered to help Trixie with her magic, over the scroll, when she gets back to Atlas."
"'Her magic'?" Pyrrha repeated. She was silent for a moment. "So … it was magic, what I saw. I caught a glimpse of it, and I thought … well, it did seem very similar to your own, but at the same time … how? Is she—?"
"A Maiden?" Sunset guessed. "No, I don't think so. I think a Maiden would be more cautious in how they used their power."
"Yes," Pyrrha said, with a touch of amusement in her tone. She paused for a moment, and there was a little less amusement in her voice as she went on, "You were … showing off rather a lot."
"I could make a remark about the pot and the girl who casually shot my opponent's weapon out of her hand," Sunset declared, "but I'll take your remark in the spirit that it was intended and say … well, she started it."
Pyrrha's eyebrows rose.
"What? I couldn't just let her beat me!" Sunset declared. "Magic is … it's my thing. I wasn't going to let Trixie think that she was stronger than I was, better at the arcane arts. I had to stand up for myself, even if it meant … pushing the boundaries more than I had intended at the beginning of the tournament." She paused. "And, you know, I've gotten away with it so far, so I shall probably, hopefully, continue to do so."
"Tyche Agathe," Pyrrha murmured. "So, if Trixie is not a Maiden, then…"
"She said it was inherited, the same way that I came by my magic," Sunset said. "Perhaps Twilight is right, or more than right; perhaps magic is more common in the world that anyone realises."
"If it was that common, then surely it would have been realised by now," Pyrrha replied.
"Not if it was being hidden."
"Professor Ozpin and his predecessors might hide four Maidens, but he is evidently not hiding Trixie," Pyrrha pointed out. "Nor could they hide a larger group."
"True enough," Sunset admitted. "Perhaps … perhaps it died out. Perhaps Salem hunted down the magic users because they were a threat—"
"If that is so," Pyrrha said, "do you think that she might be in danger?"
"More than any other huntress?" Sunset asked. "Who can say? I cannot, except to say that if she is in danger, then she is probably as safe amongst her comrades as anywhere else that she might go or be." She paused. "Honestly, I don't know how Trixie came by magic, I don't know how many others might have it, or why it isn't more common; that is … an interesting thing to ponder, perhaps, but I fear that it would be a very philosophical pondering, with the answer never truly known. But as for Trixie herself, she has magic, but an imperfect control over it; I might be able to help her with that, and so, I would like to do so."
"Yes, I suppose you would," Pyrrha agreed. "And if that is what she wants, then, I suppose, I hope that you are able to help her. Although … whether she will still want it afterwards when the consequences come calling is something else altogether."
"Don't worry about that," Sunset said. "Trixie would love to be famous." She paused. "So, how do you feel about the one-on-ones?"
"We've only just finished our two-on-two match," Pyrrha pointed out. "There are seven more battles yet to come."
"I know," Sunset said. "But still … how do you feel about the one-on-one round?"
Pyrrha paused for a moment. "Weiss concerns me. She and Blake are the two in our year that I think would trouble me the most."
"You seemed to do more than well enough against Starlight with Blake's semblance," Sunset pointed out.
"True, but Blake is more experienced with her own semblance, naturally," Pyrrha replied, "and while Blake is a better, more ferocious fighter than Weiss, Weiss' semblance is extraordinary, and extraordinarily versatile." She paused for a moment. "Moreso than your magic, I must say."
"Must you?" Sunset asked. She snorted. "Well, you're right about that, I have to admit." She paused. "But we did alright out there, didn't we?"
"I should say so, yes," Pyrrha agreed, a smile playing across her face. "What will you do now?"
"I'm going to watch Weiss' match against Team Sabre," Sunset said. "Weiss and Flash. Will you join me, as you did for her four-on-four?"
"I would," Pyrrha said. "As you say, I did before, but that … well, that was before. As much as I would like to show respect to Weiss, in the circumstances, I feel as though I should return to Amber. We don't want to impose on Yang for too long, do we?"
Sunset chuckled. "No, I suppose not. Okay, well you do that — and you'll probably take Jaune and Ruby with you; I don't suppose that either of them will want to see Weiss in action either — and then when you come back up to watch Arslan, I can go down and look after Amber for a little bit. Maybe Penny can watch her while we're watching Rainbow and Ciel."
"You don't think that she'll want to watch her teammates?" Pyrrha asked.
"I don't know," Sunset said. "Will she?"
Pyrrha was silent for a moment. "I … don't know," she admitted. "Perhaps she wouldn't. I suppose we can ask her. In any case, you're right about the rest; I will go down now, and then we can switch places later. But first," she added, "we should—"
"PYRRHA!"
Sunset and Pyrrha both looked up; they were approaching the tunnel now, the egress that would lead them off the battlefield and under the stands, but it was the stands that now drew their attention, as Arslan stood directly above the tunnel, surrounded by her own team and a great many other Haven students — possibly the entire body of Haven students that were still competing in or had been eliminated from the tournament; Sunset couldn't have put names to all the faces, but she could tell that there were a lot of them up there — and all of them looking down at Pyrrha.
Medea put one hand to her lips and blew a kiss. "Thank you for starting us off in style, Lady Pyrrha."
"Good job, P-money!" Arslan cried. She raised one fist in the air. "Thirty years!"
"Never stop believing!" the Haven students chorused, raising their hands in the air before breaking out in a chorus of whoops and cheers.
"You are too kind," Pyrrha said, joining her hands around Sunset's arm. "This was a doubles match, and the victory belongs to both of us."
True, of course, but maybe not worth making a point to your own supporters about, Pyrrha, Sunset thought. Not that I don't appreciate it, obviously.
There was a moment of silence. A smile crossed Medea's painted lips. "Of course. Of course. The victory belongs not only to our Pride of Mistral, but to … the bearer of Soteria also. And if she who carries the black sword into battle cannot be regarded as a sort of honorary Mistralian, then, really, who can?"
"A Haven student?" suggested Arslan's teammate Reese Chloris.
"Shhh," Arslan hissed.
"The Evenstar and the Swordbearer," said one of the Haven students, a young man whom Sunset should probably have recognized from seeing his — ah, yes, she did recognise him, it had just taken her a second: he was Cicero Ward the Younger, one of Rainbow and Ciel's opponents in their two-on-two.
"I mean, we could just call them Pyrrha and Sunset," Arslan muttered, but nobody marked her.
"The Evenstar and the Swordbearer," Medea declared. "You have lit a torch for the rest of us to follow."
Another huntress, a blonde-haired young woman with what looked from this distance to be prosthetic hands, began to sign something, her hands and fingers moving deftly, making shapes that Sunset could not discern — she had never learned sign language.
Jason of Team JAMM made a sound that was a sort of wince combined with a slight laugh. "Yes, Lavinia, we do remember that we lost our match and so shall not be following anywhere." He sighed. "We remember it very well indeed, believe you me. What Medea meant was that … a torch has been lit for those of you who were lucky enough to be victorious in your matches. Arslan and Bolin, Lavinia and Lucius, Cicero and Lily, Sun and—"
"They aren't here," Scarlet grumbled.
"Of course he isn't," muttered Atalanta.
"He isn't one of us," Scarlet said. "And Neptune is corrupted by his influence."
"Whatever the case," Jason said, raising his voice a little, "he and Neptune carry a share of our hopes, as do the rest of you. As does the Evenstar."
"Yes, well…" Pyrrha murmured. She swallowed, and then cleared her throat. "Jewels remain."
"Still gleaming!" the Haven students cried, before breaking into a round of applause.
Pyrrha smiled, a forced smile, a public smile, a smile that remained on her face until she and Sunset had walked into the tunnel and were out of sight and then disappeared immediately thereafter.
"You handled that reasonably, for something that you didn't enjoy," Sunset remarked.
"I may not particularly want to be a symbol of Mistralian prowess, but I understand what is required in that role," Pyrrha said. "What concerns me more is what they had to say about Sun."
"I mean … they're not wrong, are they?" Sunset asked. "He isn't one of them, as proven by the fact that he's leaving to move to Mantle and become a vigilante at the end of the year."
"I … suppose," Pyrrha conceded. "But did they have to say it like that? And with him … would they have spoken so about a human, do you think?"
"There was a faunus up there with them, at least one that I saw," Sunset said. "Atalanta, of Team Jasmine. But they're your people, not mine; do you think they dislike him because they're racist or because…" — she shuffled her feet for a moment — "or because he's a flake where anyone not named Blake is concerned?"
Pyrrha frowned. "I think … I think it is not unfair to my people to say that it is probably a little of both. I suppose I can see why his behaviour might draw ire—"
"I seem to recall that you had some ire for me when I did something similar," Sunset said mildly.
"And you deserved it," Pyrrha said. "Which means that Sun may also, but at the same time, I am not sure … I think, but cannot prove, that it would be more tolerated from a human, certainly from a human of good family."
"And yet," Sunset replied, "I am the Swordbearer."
"I didn't say my home was a cesspit of bigotry," Pyrrha pointed out. "Only that it didn't help." A smile tugged at the corners of her lips. "But yes, you have an epithet. And you are an honorary Mistralian, at least in the eyes of some. How does that feel?"
"I'm trying to decide if I like it more or less than the people dressed up as me in their leather jackets," Sunset replied, grinning. "I think … it's not quite as good."
Pyrrha chuckled, covering her mouth as she laughed. "I'm very happy for you," she said, "truly."
"Hey, you two!" Ruby called out to them as she and Jaune approached them down the corridor. "Congratulations!"
"Yeah, you did great out there," Jaune added. As he approached Pyrrha, he reached out to her, one hand gently brushing down her arm, lingering for half a moment upon the strip of gold silk tied above her elbow, before he took her hands and leaned forward to kiss her.
"Although," Ruby went on, her eyes on Sunset, "did you really have to—?"
"Use so much magic out there?" Sunset guessed.
"I thought you were going to hold back," Ruby pointed out, "at least a little."
"I was," Sunset admitted. "But honour was at stake."
"Because Trixie…" Ruby trailed off. "That wasn't her semblance, was it?"
"I'm pretty sure that Trixie's semblance is the illusions she used to throw me off a couple of times," Sunset replied. "That … was magic. As I was saying to Pyrrha, I don't know where it comes from, but it's there."
"So … is that just a thing now?" Jaune asked. "Magic is just … out there?"
"It already was," Sunset pointed out. "The Maidens, Ruby's silver eyes—"
"Okay, but there are only four Maidens, and the only people with silver eyes we've heard of are Ruby and her mom," Jaune replied.
"Only because I don't know the rest of my mom's family," Ruby pointed out. "Mom left her home beyond the kingdoms to come to Beacon, and she had a father who didn't want her to go … I might have all kinds of silver-eyed relatives on the other side of the mountains." Ruby paused, her head dropping a little. "I could have all kinds of relatives on the other side of the mountains. Mom's relatives, a whole other side of the family."
"Would … would you like to find out, for certain?" Pyrrha asked.
"Yeah," Ruby said at once. "Yeah, I would, but … like … you mean, like, go there?"
"It is only on the other side of the mountains," Pyrrha said.
"'Only'?" Jaune repeated. "You say that as though they aren't pretty big mountains, and a big country on the other side. I think the east of Sanus might be bigger than Vale is."
"It is not so large," Pyrrha said. "Anima is bigger by some distance."
"Anima is civilised," Sunset pointed out. "It has airships and railways linking its towns and cities together. Does the east of Sanus even have towns? Or roads? Or anything but wild men in their reed huts?"
"My mom didn't live in a reed hut, Sunset," Ruby said reproachfully. "People who live outside the kingdoms are … well, they're outside the kingdoms; that doesn't make them primitive. Although it might make them hard to find."
"Yet that is no reason not to try," Pyrrha said. "Didn't you say that Professor Ozpin uses traders who brave the wilds to spread word about Beacon and try to lure the brave and the bold like your mother to Vale and Beacon?"
Ruby's brow furrowed. "'Lure' makes it sound like he's doing something wrong," she pointed out.
Pyrrha folded her arms, shifting slightly uncomfortably in place, her red sash swaying back and forth by the movement of her hips. "Well," she murmured. "One could say that … but leave that for the moment, or I fear that we shall wander very far off topic. What I was going to say is that there is no reason you could not accompany a caravan — I'm sure they would be glad of the protection; in Mistral, no caravan feels safe without at least one huntsman to protect it — and they will know either where the main gathering places for the population are, or else the people of the beyond will come to them; I cannot believe they simply wander around a wilderness looking for people; surely, that would be no way to turn a profit?"
Ruby giggled a little. "Yeah, that would be kinda stupid, wouldn't it? What you say makes a lot more sense. That … I mean, I'm not a huntress yet, but I do know how to shoot and kill grimm, so maybe … what do you think Dad would say? Do you think Professor Ozpin would let me go?"
"If you were to go during next spring vacation and not ask for time off from school, then I don't see what business it would be of Professor Ozpin's," Pyrrha said, with a touch of the tart entering into her normally sweet voice.
"We are somewhat at his service, are we not?" Sunset pointed out. "Ruby, are you considering this?"
"I mean … I wasn't, until a few seconds ago," Ruby said, "but now … yeah. Why not? If Mom has relatives out there, why shouldn't I want to meet them? Why shouldn't I get to meet them?"
"Fair enough," Sunset conceded. "And, although we are at Professor Ozpin's service, we are his retainers, not his slaves, and thus entitled to a little bit of time off, and why not during vacation? But even so … it's a big country, and a wild country, and far away. I accept that the people who live there might not deserve to have me turn my nose up at them, but nevertheless … places established outside the kingdoms have a lower survival rate than attempts to expand the kingdoms, at least it seems that way." She looked away. Don't be down on this, if it's what she wants. "Will you at least ask Yang to come with you? She might even want to meet your mother's side of the family herself."
"Well," Ruby said, "I mean, yeah, I will, but … I was thinking … would you three mind coming with me?" She smiled slightly. "I can't promise a big fancy house to stay in once we get … wherever, but it would be cool to share … I mean, I know it isn't really my culture, but it kind of is my culture because it was my mom's culture and so that means that I have a right to it, don't I?"
"I think so, yeah," Jaune agreed.
"An indelible right," Pyrrha said. "And we would be delighted to accompany you, if you would have us. Wouldn't we, Sunset?" she added, looking Sunset in the eye.
Alright, alright, Pyrrha! "Yes," Sunset said. "Yes, we certainly would. A road trip into Darkest Sanus, won't that be fun?"
Dirt and bugs and cold hard ground to sleep on. It's the life of a huntress, I suppose.
Dirt and bugs and cold hard ground to sleep on and answers for Ruby.
"I … really mean that, even if you think I don't," Sunset said. "If this is what you want, and you want us to do it with you, then we'll be right there. And you're right, it is your culture." She smiled. "Live in as many mud huts as you want to."
"Sunset!"
"I'm kidding!" Sunset assured her. "We shall all go into the east together, and I shall refrain from being snooty or superior to anyone. I'll try, anyway."
"Try hard, please," Ruby said, before the smile returned to her face. "This is going to be terrific; who knows who or what we might find out there, other silver-eyed warriors, or just other Roses, maybe my grandfather is still alive, maybe I've got cousins, or … do you think they'll hold a grudge that my mom left home and went to Beacon even though they didn't want her to?"
"How should we know?" Jaune asked. "We won't know unless you meet them. And if you meet them, and they don't want to know you, then that's their loss, and we can come back home again, but if you stay away because you're afraid of how they'll react, of how they think about your mom … it might feel better than taking the risk, but I think, in the end, you'll regret that you didn't take the chance while you had it."
"You … you're probably right," Ruby murmured. "You are right," she said, louder and more firmly. "Thanks, Jaune, I needed to hear that." The smile slipped off her face. "Wait, no, we can't go next spring because we promised Amber that we'd take her to Mistral, didn't we?"
"What we said," Sunset said, "what Pyrrha guaranteed, is that we would take Amber to visit Mistral and Atlas before she had to go into hiding, but that can't happen because she's going into a sort of hiding with you and Yang and your father in just a couple of days' time, and we can't go to Mistral or Atlas, let alone both, before that. We will just have to hope that Professor Ozpin lets us stay in touch with Amber and that we can take her out in…" Sunset paused. They had promised Amber first, but on the other hand, having decided that they would all make this trip eastwards to see if any of Ruby's line yet dwelt in the untamed wilderness, it would be as well not to put that off either, lest Ruby start to think that they — or Sunset, at least — were backsliding on their commitment. "No, I've got it, what if … what if the next break Amber goes to visit Atlas with Ciel — she seems to get on well with Ciel — and Blake; and maybe Penny could go with her as well—"
"Unless Penny would like to come with us," Pyrrha said.
"Where is Penny?" Ruby asked. "She was right behind us when Jaune and I left to come down here and congratulate—"
"You could have waited for me!" Penny cried out plaintively as she ran down the corridor, her footsteps heavy upon the metal floor. She dashed past Ruby and Jaune to grab both Sunset and Pyrrha, enveloping them both around the waist, squeezing them so hard that Sunset winced in pain.
And the only reason that it was only a wince was because all the air to do anything else had been driven out.
"Well done, you two!" Penny cried. "That was so much fun to watch!"
Pyrrha managed a weak laugh as she patted Penny on the shoulder. "We're very happy we could oblige, Penny."
"What took you so long, Penny?" Ruby asked. "I thought you were going to follow us."
"I did!" Penny declared, releasing Sunset and Pyrrha, if only so that she could put her hands on her hips while she glared — as much as it was possible for Penny to glare, anyway — at Ruby. "But I got stuck behind a whole crowd of people all pouring out of the stands, and I couldn't get through them, and you two didn't even notice!"
Jaune laughed nervously. "Sorry, Penny. I guess we just assumed that you were behind us. You're right, we should have made sure."
"It's okay," Penny said. "You wanted to congratulate Pyrrha and Sunset. But what were you talking about when I got here?"
"I'm going over the mountains to find my long-lost relatives in the uncolonised east!" Ruby squealed.
"And we're all going with her," Jaune added.
"Really?" Penny cried. "That sounds so cool and exciting! When are you going, can I come with you, what's it like out there?"
"We have no idea, that's one of the reasons I'm going," Ruby said. "And of course you can come with us. Although that means that you won't be able to go to Atlas with Amber, if Sunset's plans work out."
"Amber won't be coming with us?" Penny asked.
"I don't think that would be a good idea, even if the notion didn't make Professor Ozpin keel over and die from a heart attack," Sunset muttered. "It's one thing to take Amber to a civilised city, a safe haven of humanity as Professor Port would have it, but it's quite something else to take her into the middle of somewhere with no help for miles around, where anyone could come upon us. We can take that risk, but we can't take it with Amber. No, it's best if she goes to Atlas while we're out traipsing through the wilds, and then in summer break, we can take her to Mistral. Assuming, of course, that Professor Ozpin lets her out."
"It shouldn't be Professor Ozpin's choice," Pyrrha said, "but Amber's. We should demand the right to stay in touch with her. I am sure that she would like to hear from us, especially if the alternative is complete and utter isolation from the wider world."
"But what if Salem's people trace our calls and find out where she is?" asked Ruby.
"There must be some way to make sure that doesn't happen," Sunset replied. "Like encrypting calls or something; the Atlesian military must have something. I'll talk to Twilight about it."
"The next match, between Weiss Schnee and Flash Sentry of Beacon and Sabine Silverband and Reynard Kerak of Atlas, will begin in ten minutes!" Professor Port declared.
"But not right now," Sunset added, "because I really want to see this fight. I know that Pyrrha doesn't want to join me, but do any of the rest of you feel like watching Weiss and Flash win?"
"Not really," Ruby said.
"I was going to go and check on Amber," Pyrrha said. "As I said to Sunset, we should take the burden off Yang as soon as possible."
"That sounds like a great idea," said Ruby. "And we can ask Yang about coming on the trip east while we're there!"
"Indeed," Pyrrha agreed. "Although, before we descend back down to Beacon, I should probably call on my mother."
XxXxX
"I hope I didn't let you down out there," Starlight said as she and Trixie walked across the arena towards the exit. "I know you were counting on me taking out Pyrrha in order to snatch the win."
"Starlight," Trixie declared as she reached across Starlight to put a hand on her far shoulder. "It isn't possible for you to let me down."
Starlight looked at her.
"What?" Trixie asked. "Trixie is being serious. You couldn't let me down. Or at least you'd have to work very, very hard."
"You don't seem very disappointed," Starlight said.
"Well, I'm glad that it comes across that way," said Trixie.
Starlight shook her head as she reciprocated Trixie's gesture, draping her arm across Trixie's shoulders. "You can be upset, you know, if you want to be."
"Trrrixie is not upset!" Trixie insisted. "Trixie admits that she is a little disappointed that we couldn't bring home a win for Atlas at the start of the day and make the General proud, and she is a little concerned that Rainbow Dash and Blake and all our classmates are going to be disappointed with us, and Trixie is a little disappointed with herself too for the fact that she wasn't quite Great and Powerful enough when it counted—"
"So not upset at all, then?"
"But," Trixie went on, "I am also aware…" She smiled, a small smile but noticeable. "You won't take it personally if Trixie is kind of thrilled about what she did with her magic today, will you?"
Starlight laughed. "Not at all," she said. "Not at all."
The two of them fell silent for a moment as they listened to the cheering and the singing of the crowd.
"Some of them are still cheering for us, right?" Trixie asked.
"Oh, yeah," Starlight agreed. "Totally."
Trixie didn't care if Starlight was actually right or not; what mattered was that they could both believe it, even if it was just pretend.
And so, even if they were pretending, they both continued to march towards the exit, with the cheers of their fans ringing in their ears.
"Hey, Starlight," Trixie said, "Sunset agreed to help Trixie become even grrrrrreater and more powerrrrful by mastering her magic!"
"Really?" Starlight asked. "She can do that?"
"Apparently," Trixie said. "Maybe, anyway. Won't that be awesome? Think of all the things that Trixie will be able to do, the battles that Trixie will be able to fight, the glllory that Trrrrixie will be able to win! Think of all the people that Trixie will be able to help with all their monster problems."
"Just think, you might become so great and powerful that you won't need a team anymore."
"Oh, don't worry, Starlight," Trixie declared. "The Grrrreat and Powerrrrful Trrrrrixie will always need her glamourous assistant and her humble researcher." She paused. "We could maybe do without Tempest, though."
"Trixie!" Starlight said reproachfully.
"Well, after all the snide, smarmy, and disrespectful remarks that Tempest has made about Trixie, it would serve her right if I did punt her from the team, and right out of the academy," Trixie said. "She wouldn't be smirking then, would she?"
Starlight didn't reply to that as the two of them reached the mouth of the corridor and passed beneath it, out of sight of the spectators in the stands. Despite the sudden shade — what was up with the lights down here? — it was still possible to make out Sunburst, Rainbow Dash, Twilight Sparkle, Maud Pie, and Blake waiting for them down there in the tunnel.
Surprisingly, none of them looked too disappointed.
Actually, no, that wasn't really very surprising, was it? They were just those sorts of people, after all; the idea of being disappointed wouldn't really register with them.
Except for Dash, maybe, but she was nice enough not to show it.
Twilight took a step towards them, clasping her hands together over her heart. "Starlight, Trixie … we're so sorry."
"Thanks, Twi, but we're okay," Starlight said. "Really."
"Really?" Rainbow asked.
"Well … mostly really," Starlight corrected herself. "We're not…"
"We're not falling to pieces over it," Trixie said. "But thank you anyway, Twilight Sparkle."
"Abrasion," Maud said, "is the process by which two rocky surfaces rub against one another. When that happens, the softer rock will be rubbed away more than the harder rock. That's a natural law. But it doesn't mean that the rock which was worn away isn't a perfectly good rock."
In different circumstances, Trixie might not have liked being compared to a soft rock very much, but in the circumstances, she said, "Thank you, Maud. Trixie supposes that in the right, or wrong, circumstances, even shining diamonds can be cut." She paused. "Can sapphires cut diamonds?"
"Apparently, yes," said Rainbow Dash.
"Thanks for your semblance out there, Blake," Starlight said. "I'm not sure I got the best use out of it, but it definitely felt as though it kept me in the fight."
"You could have used dust more with the clones," Blake said. "But, honestly, I think your real mistake was that Starlight would have been better off facing Sunset, and Trixie going up against Pyrrha. No offence, but … the fact that you had to use my clones so much in the forest shows that there was a skill difference between you and Pyrrha when it came to close combat; Trixie might have been able to keep her at a distance."
"I don't know, she's pretty quick on her feet," Trixie said. "And besides, Trixie will never apologise for having faith in Starlight."
"More to the point," Rainbow said, "what was with all of the … what was that you were doing?"
"Magic, obviously," Trixie said.
"Really?" Twilight gasped.
"Magic," Maud repeated. "Magic doesn't—"
"Magic does exist," Twilight said. "I just didn't … I mean—"
"You didn't believe the Grrrreat and Powerrrrrful Trrrrixie when she told you that Trrrrixie had magical powers?!" Trixie demanded, putting her free hand on her hip. "You've seen Trrrrrixie teleporting! You've seen Trixie produce a child's lost cat out of Trixie's hat!"
"Actually, Blake saw that; Twilight was fixing the relay tower," Starlight reminded her.
"You saw Trixie do magic and you didn't tell me?" Twilight demanded as she turned to Blake.
Blake shrugged. "I … didn't think about it. A grenade blew up in my face and drove the thoughts out of my mind."
"Right," Twilight winced. "Sorry." She returned her attention to Trixie. "So you really do have magical powers, since when?"
"Since forever!" Trixie shouted, her voice echoing off the corridor walls. "Trixie is always telling you all so!"
"Yeah, but then when you try to demonstrate it," Rainbow said. "It … doesn't often work."
Trixie opened her mouth to refute that, but found to her a-little-more-than-mild irritation she couldn't. Her magical powers, great and powerful though they were, had an incredibly annoying habit of not working on command.
"Unfortunately, you have a point," Trixie admitted through gritted teeth. "But that is what Sunset has offered to help me with."
"Really?" Rainbow said. "Awesome, if she thinks she can."
"I know, it is awesome."
"Perhaps," Blake murmured. "Aren't you a little worried about the attention that you might receive if you start using magic all the time?"
Trixie stared at Blake in astonishment. Rainbow didn't, but then, Rainbow had had a lot longer to get used to Blake's eccentricities.
"Why would Trrrrixie be worried about that?" Trixie asked. "Being famous is amazing! If you don't like it, Trixie will gladly serve as the subject for your TV show." She grinned. "Trixie imagines that Jetsam Ackles would play her rather well."
"That's not really the point," Blake said. "The point is that … the point is that nobody thinks that magic exists at the moment, or at least, not many people do," she corrected herself, with a glance at Twilight. "If it comes out that it does, and that you have it—"
"Then Trixie will be the centre of attention, and she'll deserve it," Rainbow said. "It's nobody else's business but hers; there's no reason why it should affect anyone else, right?"
Well, you two have something going on, Trixie thought. Of course, they'd all known that for a while now, ever since that Mountain Glenn operation that Team TTSS had been dragged in on and which they had never bothered to properly explain, but it was clear that whatever it was hadn't ended at Mountain Glenn, or they wouldn't have needed to act like this over … whatever it was.
Did they know something about magic? Something that made Blake think it was a bad idea for Trixie to use hers openly because … because of the other magical people that they might know? People who didn't want it to be found out that they had magic? Well, that was their choice, Trixie supposed, even if she couldn't understand it one bit; who wouldn't want to be known and celebrated for all their stupendous talents and monumental powers? But, if they were so stupid as to want to hide their lights under a bushel, then Trixie supposed that they were allowed to do so.
What they weren't allowed to do, what nobody was allowed to do, was tell Trixie that she wasn't able to shine as brightly as she possibly could.
And the idea that she ought to … Blake might want to come to Atlas, but she clearly had a lot to learn if she thought that humility had any place in the city in the clouds.
Up in the north, you didn't hold back or hide what you were capable of, and Rainbow ought to make that clear to her if she hadn't already.
"Uh, no," Blake said, "no, of course not, Trixie's the only one who matters here."
"Trixie and her magic," Twilight said. "Can I run a few tests on you? How does it feel to have magic inside of you? Can you feel it? How do you … use it?"
"Hey, Twi, come on, can't all of that kind of thing wait until after the tournament is over?" Rainbow asked.
Twilight laughed a little bit as she scratched the back of her head. "Yeah, right, of course," she said. "I mean, apart from anything else, we don't want to miss Weiss' fight, do we?"
XxXxX
"Pow!" Diana cried as she cradled an invisible gun in her hands and mimed Pyrrha shooting the wand out of Trixie's hand. That had been an awesome shot, Pyrrha was so cool!
XxXxX
"I guess your dad won't be very happy," Saphron said, bouncing Adrian gently up and down on her lap as she looked over at Terra.
"No, he won't," Terra replied. "Mom will, though."
"And so will Jaune, and the rest of the family," Saphron said. "So I'm afraid your dad is just going to have to live with it."
"Don't worry, I don't have a lot of sympathy for him on this one," Terra replied. "After all, Mom's been living with the disappointment of Haven's poor performance for years; now, he can do the same for once."
"Perhaps," Saphron said. "Atlas still has three more matches to go."
"Yes, there's that too," Terra agreed. "But in the meantime," — she leaned forward and smiled at Adrian — "Auntie Pyrrha just notched up another victory."
Saphron's eyebrows rose. "I thought you didn't like that."
"I'm still not sure that I do," Terra replied. "But then I thought about how my mom would react if I had Pyrrha Nikos as my sister-in-law, and you know, the thought of her screeching … is quite terrifying, actually, but I guess I'll have to get used to it."
Saphron giggled. "How will she react to having a princess of the old blood in the family?"
"Oh, Pyrrha has no idea what she's letting herself in for, poor thing," Terra lamented. "I hope Jaune's worth it. No offence."
"That's not really the point, is it?" Saphron replied. "It doesn't matter what he's worth, only what she thinks he's worth."
XxXxX
"Oof," Juturna winced. "Rough luck for Lausus, huh?"
"He brought it on himself," Turnus said. "But I will shield him from at least some of the consequences nevertheless." He shook his head. "To bet against the Champion of Mistral. I understand that the odds were good, but nevertheless … madness."
"Do you think that Pyrrha's semblance could be something like mind control? You notice how whenever an opponent seems like they might be able to match her, they start to go off their game?"
"Her semblance is clearly telekinesis," Camilla said. "It explains her performance in the duel with Cinder Fall perfectly. She manipulates the objects around her. It is an enviable skill. What you refer to, Juturna, is that her enemies are so dazzled by her reputation that their nerve fails them at the moment of crisis."
Turnus looked at her over Juturna's head. "You think it's all morale?"
"Is it not, my lord?" Camilla asked. "Is the battle not decided as much by how much one side believes they can win, as by skill or the quality of their weapons. It was the same with Trixie Lulamoon: she lost her nerve, and so, she was undone."
"She was undone because Sunset has cool powers," Juturna said. "Why is it that some people get semblances like that, and I can turn into a mist cloud?"
"It is all random chance," Camilla said softly.
"That is not what all say," Turnus replied.
"I know, my lord, and I know what others say," Camilla said. "However, the idea that our semblances reflect our essences, and that we may be thus judged by the quality, the usefulness, the versatility of our semblances, and that people may, by our semblances, claim to know us as people … to speak frankly, my lord, I find the idea almost too dire to contemplate."
XxXxX
The fabric of Pyrrha's sash brushed lightly against the patch of bare skin between her microskirt and her stockings as she climbed the steps up to her mother's box. Her footsteps rang upon the metal steps, just as Sunset's steps did as she followed behind her.
As yesterday, Hestia was waiting at the entrance to the box, maintaining her mother's privacy in the absence of any other, greater service that she could provide.
She curtsied to Pyrrha. "Good morning, young m'lady, and congratulations upon your victory."
"Good morning, Hestia, and thank you," she said. "I hope you slept well."
"Well enough, young m'lady, and thank you for asking," Hestia said. "I fear … well, that's for my lady to tell you, I'm sure. I won't keep you any longer."
"It is Pyrrha without, I take it, Hestia?" Mother called.
"Yes, m'lady, and young Miss Shimmer too," Hestia replied.
"I should hope so," Mother muttered. "Then pray, do not stand upon the threshold, both of you, enter, enter!"
As Hestia stepped aside, Pyrrha led the way in, with Sunset just a step behind her. Mother rose from her seat more quickly than she had done yesterday, perhaps because she had not been sitting so long, and so, there had not been the time for her leg to go stiff. In any case, she rose quickly enough and seemed to lean upon her cane less.
"Good morning, Mother," Pyrrha said. "How do you feel?"
"I slept poorly," Mother complained, "but my leg felt better after an absence of sleep, for it does not trouble me now. Or perhaps I am simply invigorated by a victory. Come." She stepped forward and placed a hand on Pyrrha's face; her skin felt wrinkled where it touched Pyrrha's smooth cheek, but it also felt strong nevertheless. Her lips, as she kissed Pyrrha first upon the right cheek and then the left — moving her hand aside — were dry, despite the fact that refreshments were on offer.
"Another victory," Mother said. "Another obstacle surmounted, another step towards greatness taken."
"Yes, Mother," Pyrrha said. "I hope that I performed satisfactorily in your eyes."
"You had to use your semblance," Mother said. "Did you not?"
"Yes, I did," Pyrrha replied. "Starlight was quite skilled; she gave me little choice."
"I do not fault you for it; that's what it's there for," Mother replied. "But I know that you dislike using it."
"As I said, Mother, I had little choice," Pyrrha repeated.
"There is no shame in it; that is why I had you practise using your semblance in such a way," Mother reminded her. "As for my satisfaction: you did well. You faced a skilled opponent, and you overcame her, in spite of her own semblance — or rather, the semblance that she had borrowed from this Blake Belladonna, the Princess of Menagerie."
"The warrior princess, my lady," Sunset said, with a slight trace of a smile. She cleared her throat and curtsied. "Forgive me, my lady, I should have bid you good morrow."
"I did not say aught to you, Miss Shimmer, when I ought to have, so there is nothing to apologise for," Mother replied. "And yes, you are quite right, she is the Warrior Princess of Menagerie. I must confess I find that I regret that your paths will not cross in this tournament. It would have been quite a spectacle in the eyes of the public, and if she is skilled with her semblance, then it would have been quite a match for those of us who can appreciate the martial art, also."
"I, too, regret it, Mother," Pyrrha said. "Although I am also relieved; she would have run me a close race, I have no doubt, for in addition to her semblance, Blake is most fierce, valiant, bold, and skilful besides. I … would not be overconfident against her."
"You make disappointment war with relief in my heart," Mother said dryly, so dryly it was impossible for Pyrrha to tell if she was being sincere or not. "In any case, you have done well and triumphed again, and now, the solo battles are before you." She paused for a moment. "That was a very pretty light show, Miss Shimmer."
Sunset coughed into one hand. "Aha, yes, my lady."
"In all earnestness," Mother said, "thank you for your contribution; you should feel proud and leave the tournament with your head held high."
Sunset bowed the head that she had just been instructed to hold high. "I will, my lady, and thank you."
"Mother," Pyrrha said, and yet after saying it she paused for a moment, mulling over the words. Eventually, she decided that to be direct was probably the best course, and so, she went on, "Phoebe Kommenos is dead."
Mother's eyebrows rose. "'Dead'? How?"
"Murdered, my lady," Sunset said softly. "In Vale, last night." She did not mention that they were reasonably sure of the murderer.
"I … see," Mother said, in equally soft tones, although what, precisely, she saw remained unspoken. "How do you know of this?"
"One of Team Pastel … accused Pyrrha of the deed," Sunset said.
"He was mad with grief," Pyrrha explained. "He meant no ill."
"'Meant no ill'? By accusing you of base murder?" Mother demanded.
"The matter was resolved, my lady, have no fear," Sunset said. "The Haven students were a great help; they came to the aid of Pyrrha and of her reputation, and with their help … the student in question withdrew his allegations and his person."
"I see," Mother muttered. "Nevertheless, I am minded to ask you to challenge him on Pyrrha's behalf, Miss Shimmer."
"I'd much rather you didn't, Mother," Pyrrha said quickly. "And Sunset, I would rather you didn't do it, even if you are asked."
Sunset licked her lips, her tail twitching a little between her legs. "My lady … my gratitude towards you notwithstanding … my first loyalty and devotion are to Pyrrha; therefore, I must beseech you not to put me in a position where I must, with all due sorrow and regret, refuse you."
"Fear not, Miss Shimmer; your loyalty is where it should be," Mother said, with a slight quirk of her lips. "Nevertheless, I am concerned by what may come of this? Where one student goes, the police may follow, however patently ridiculous it is that you should be involved. In my legal affairs, I am advised by the firm of Ward, Atticus, and Crane, who have an office in Vale as well as in Mistral. I will supply you their contact details. If anything comes of this, then contact them, and they will clean up the mess."
"We will, my lady," said Sunset.
Mother nodded. "So," she said, "so ends the House of Kommenos. So dies the history they made, so dies the virtue in their blood. I grieve for Mistral, but not for Phoebe Kommenos, as I did not grieve her mother. Pyrrha, let this not distract you, not for one second. Immortal glory lies before you; think only on that."
Pyrrha bowed her head. "Yes, Mother."
XxXxX
General Ironwood was standing in the centre of the bridge of the Valiant, a hive of activity bustling around him, when he heard the door slide open behind him. He heard footsteps on the floor approaching, but he did not turn around.
"Sir," Schnee said, her voice crisp and clear.
"How did it go, Schnee?" asked Ironwood.
Schnee's voice held a little displeasure in it as she said, "Lulamoon and Glimmer … were defeated, sir."
Ironwood's jaw tightened for a moment. "That's unfortunate," he said. "I hope that they aren't taking it too hard." Lulamoon in particular could be a little … highly strung at times; he hoped that she didn't allow this defeat to deflate her. It was, after all, only a tournament; prestige might be at stake, but lives weren't on the line. Nobody would die because she and Glimmer had been overcome. He would try and find some time to check in on them later. "How was the match?"
"They fought hard, sir," Schnee informed him. "Lulamoon displayed some … interesting abilities."
"Really?"
"Yes, sir," Schnee said. "I'm not entirely sure how to describe it."
"You intrigue me, Schnee," Ironwood said. "I might have to review the footage later."
"You don't seem very disappointed, sir," Schnee observed.
"Any loss is disappointing, Schnee, but of all the losses we could have, tournament losses are hardly the kind to get upset about," Ironwood replied. "And besides, with no disrespect to Lulamoon or Glimmer, they were up against it from the start. The fact is, Schnee, that Atlas got unlucky at the match selections last night." Against different opponents — against the Shade teams, or the Haven teams, against most of the other teams, to be honest — he would have expected Lulamoon to progress to the final round. "Not only Lulamoon and Glimmer being pitched against Miss Nikos and Miss Shimmer, but Silverband and Kerak going up against your sister and Mister Sentry next." Silverband and Kerak appeared to be as confident as the stunt they had planned was — in Ironwood's opinion — unwise, but Ironwood … well, he knew how capable a Schnee could be, and that family semblance of their was quite something.
He wasn't entirely discounting Silverband and Kerak — gods knew that they were motivated enough for this upcoming match — but he was putting most of his hopes for Atlas in this tournament on the two pairs of Flynt and Katt and Dash and Soleil.
Of course, we would have been better placed with Penny. But that horse had well and truly bolted, and besides, of all the reasons to bemoan what had happened with Penny, the fact that she wouldn't be representing Atlas in the later stages of the tournament was very definitely a minor one.
All of his students would do their best, he had no doubt about that, just as he was certain that Lulamoon and Glimmer had done their best against capable opponents.
In any case, he had other things to worry about than Atlesian progress through the tournament.
"Des Voeux," he said, "get me Spitfire on the line."
"Aye aye, sir," des Voeux answered, the young lieutenant's fingers flying across the control panel in front of him. "Wonderbolt Leader, this is Valiant, do you copy?"
Spitfire's voice emerged onto the bridge. "This is Wonderbolt Leader, receiving loud and clear."
"Spitfire, this is Ironwood," Ironwood declared. "How are the grimm looking down there?"
"I've just completed my second flyover of the eastern concentration, sir," Spitfire said. "I'm certain there are more of them than there were yesterday."
"That confirms ground radar readings," Ironwood said. Reports — reports that Colonel Sky Beak was good enough to share with him, even though reading between the lines of what the colonel didn't say, it seemed that he wasn't supposed to — from Valish huntsmen stationed in the outlying towns and villages had suggested that the grimm which had been virtually besieging those areas for the last few months had begun to withdraw over the last few days, but it was more recently than that that a mixture of ground radar and aerial and ground-based surveillance had begun to pick up large numbers of grimm gathering in the vicinity of Vale itself. They were not yet at the gates of Vale — they were massing outside of artillery range of his troops on the Green Line, let alone small arms — but they were close enough to rush the gates if they so chose, or if something prodded them to do so.
They were definitely up to something. Or Salem was.
It was difficult, if not impossible, to determine when something was her doing and when the grimm were just being their natural destructive selves. There was enough bad blood in Vale, between anti-Atlesian and anti-faunus sentiments, that the grimm might have been drawn in this direction naturally.
Except grimm usually stay away from places like Vale because they know that they'll never break through the defences of a great city. Not without a breach.
Speaking of which, it was surprising — and a little alarming — that there were still so many grimm in Vale even after the losses they had taken during the Breach. No matter how many grimm they killed, more of them just sprung up out of the ground.
"Are their numbers still increasing?"
"Yes, sir," Spitfire said. "I think a lot of them are coming in at night, but I can see beowolf packs and lone ursae drifting in beneath me."
"What about aerial grimm?" asked Ironwood.
"Skies are clear, sir," Spitfire said. "But, the speed they move, I wouldn't rule out the idea of them joining the party after it gets started."
"Understood," Ironwood said. "What are they doing now?"
"From what I can see, they're just standing around, sir," Spitfire said. "Waiting, maybe. I'm not sure what they're waiting for, but they don't look to be in any hurry."
"Does it look like a horde forming to you?"
Spitfire didn't reply for a second. "I guess it could be, sir," she finally said. "I've never seen a horde form up before. I can't see an apex alpha, but they do all look pretty small from up here. But I wouldn't say that they're a horde yet; in fact, I think if we shoot them up now, then we could break them up and discourage any further concentration. Requesting permission to begin strafing runs against the target."
"Negative, Spitfire."
"Sir," Spitfire's voice was tinged with outrage. "We have a chance to take these creeps out, and nobody in Vale has to know they were even here."
"And that will be my recommendation to our Valish allies," Ironwood told her. "Continue to observe the grimm until I've spoken with General Blackthorn."
"Since when do we need Valish permission to do what has to be done, sir?" Spitfire asked.
"Since it became a condition of their hospitality, Spitfire," Ironwood said. "Ironwood out."
"Thank you, sir," Colonel Sky Beak said. He, like Schnee, was standing a little behind Ironwood.
Ironwood glanced at the Valish officer over his shoulder; he stood awkwardly, diffidently, out of place in his green Valish uniform amidst all of the Atlesian white on display, like one of the animals caged in Jacques Schnee's menagerie, a creature that had wandered somewhere he didn't belong.
"It's no trouble, Colonel," Ironwood said. "I've no doubt that General Blackthorn will want this dealt with quickly and see things the way that Wonderbolt Leader and I do."
"I certainly want this dealt with quickly," Sky Beak said. "The sooner the grimm are gone, the better."
Ironwood turned away from him. "Des Voeux, contact General Blackthorn of the Valish Defence Force; inform him that I'd like to speak to him."
"Yes, sir," des Voeux said, and once again his fingers darted nimbly over the control panel.
Unlike Spitfire, General Blackthorn did not reply at once, but eventually — after perhaps a minute had passed, as the activities of the CIC continued to occur around Ironwood in a well-practised dance — the voice of General Blackthorn filled the bridge. His tone was curt, his voice clipped. "This is Blackthorn. What do you want, General?"
"General Blackthorn," Ironwood said, "I'm contacting you about the five large and growing concentrations of grimm that we're seeing around Vale."
"Not important," Blackthorn said. "The grimm aren't making any hostile movements towards Vale."
"Not yet, General, but they could, once their numbers have swollen large enough," Ironwood said. "I would like to engage them from the air before that happens and inflict sufficient casualties to—"
"No, General," Blackthorn said. "Permission to engage is denied. Firing upon grimm who are far away and pose no danger would do more to panic the people of Vale than letting the grimm alone."
Panic again, always panic. Ironwood fought to keep his voice calm. "General Blackthorn, any panic that might be caused by our fire will be swiftly dispelled once people learn what it was we were shooting at and what the result was. With the grimm dispersed, people will soon calm down and resume watching the tournament coverage."
"That is your opinion, General; it is not mine," Blackthorn declared.
Ironwood took a deep breath. "Do you not think that you should consult with First Councillor Emerald before—?"
"I am responsible for the defence of Vale, not the First Councillor," Blackthorn declared. "General Ironwood, your forces will remain stationary and not engage the grimm, do I make myself clear?"
And what are you going to do if I don't, you obnoxious ass? Ironwood thought. If he decided to do what he thought was best, there would be little that Blackthorn or the Valish Defence Force could do to stop him, but if he did what he wanted, it would provoke an almighty row between Vale and Atlas, and that wasn't something he wanted. And so, though he had to force the words out somewhat, he said, "Understood, General."
"Excellent," Blackthorn said. "Blackthorn out."
Ironwood tightened his grip on his hands as he clasped them behind his back.
"I'm as confused as you, General Ironwood," Colonel Sky Beak said. "I don't understand why Blackthorn would take such a cavalier attitude towards grimm concentrations so close to Vale. It hardly seems like the man I knew."
"Rank and additional responsibility can change a man," Ironwood said. "Regardless of what happened, we have to live with who he is. Have Wonderbolt Leader return to the carrier."
"Aye aye, sir," des Voeux said. "Sir, Polemarch Yeoh of the Mistralians is hailing you."
"Really?" Ironwood said. "Put her on."
"General Ironwood," Polemarch Yeoh's voice filled the air.
"Polemarch Yeoh, to what do I owe the pleasure?" asked Ironwood.
"Perhaps I called to laugh at you for the defeat of your students in the first match," Yeoh suggested lightly. "Or perhaps I called to ask what you're planning to do about all those grimm?"
"The Valish wish me to do nothing," Ironwood said. "They are concerned that a lot of gunfire will cause a panic."
"Really?" Yeoh asked dryly. "That was General Blackthorn's view, I take it?"
"Yes," Ironwood replied. "How—?"
"I don't like that man," Yeoh said. "There is something about him … it cloys at me, like too much perfume. His personnel already have their hands on the Zhenyuan, but I'm stalling handing the Dingyuan over."
Ironwood coughed. "I should tell you, Polemarch, that my Valish liaison officer, Colonel Sky Beak of the Mount Aris Light Dragoons, is standing behind me."
"Really? My Valish liaison officer has come down with a terrible case of food poisoning," Yeoh said. "Colonel Sky Beak, do you feel safer with the grimm gathering than you would if you heard a few rockets going off?"
"Not really, Polemarch."
"Then you are a sensible man, Colonel," Yeoh said. "I understand why you feel that you must go along with General Blackthorn for now, General Ironwood, but I want you to know that if the time ever comes when you feel you must go your own way, you can count on my support.
"And, also, bad luck in that last match."