RWBY Sharingan Chapter 68: Back on the Road (Patreon)

“These three are just some kids I’m training up.” Qrow said, a thumb pointed over his shoulder at us. “They’ve got plenty of experience so don’t be afraid to put them to work.”

“I see. I imagine you all intend on taking part in the regional tournament.” Across from Qrow, the redheaded huntsman apparently leading the job we were taking part in, tipped his head to us, smiling. Behind him, just off from the towering entrance to the city, far smaller than the one back in Mistral but no less impressive, an entire caravan was in the middle of being loaded.

It was no ordinary caravan either.

Dust powered engines. Both manned and unmanned weaponry built onto the studier vehicles among them. A couple dozen people between traveling merchants, visitors who either didn’t want to or couldn’t afford to travel by air, the sizable team of huntsmen helping out and any family all those people had. They might be heading out into danger, but nothing less than an actual horde would be problem with all the preparations they were making.

“I’m Aero. Aero Nikos.” My attention snapped away from all that and back on the redhead. “We’re still in the middle of preparing things so we aren’t leaving quite yet. In the meantime, if you have any questions, feel free to ask. I’m always happy to help any aspiring huntsmen and huntresses.”

Nikos. He had the hair for it, but his eyes were closer to a plain brown, maybe hazel. If he was related to the Nikos I was thinking of, that might end up being the most interesting thing about this little detour but, on the whole, completely irrelevant to me. Her parents were never given much if any explanation or detail, and besides, Pyrrha shouldn’t anything more than some kid at this point in time.

Even if, by some chance, she’d already figured out her semblance, it would probably end up being nothing more than a circumstantial version of Glynda’s for me.

The only thing I was interested in that could potentially have something to do with her at one point or another was preventing any of Salem’s people from getting a chance at the Fall Maiden. Still, this was quite the coincidence.

What were the chances something I did on this mission ended up affecting her future far earlier than I ever intended?

XOXO

A yawn slipped out as I gazed out across the wilds, watching all sorts of foliage speed past, the rolling plains that surrounded Argus already left far behind. Occasionally young Grimm would attempt to give chase, bursting out onto the trails but the whole carvan was moving so quickly that they were left snarling in its dust. Aerial Grimm like nevermores were a bigger problem but the powerful weaponry tore through that problem before they truly became one.

“We should take more jobs like this.” Emerald said, stretching across the bed of dust powered truck they rode in, by no coincidence placed at the center of all the dust powered vehicles. None of us were actually expected to do any fighting on account of how Qrow introduced us, the other huntsmen saying that we should just conserve our energy for the tournament.

As usual, despite being surrounded by trained fighters and some of the best weapons lien could buy, Mercury and Cinder were nowhere near as relaxed as Emerald, ready to fight at a moment’s notice. A few days of relaxation was never going to take that paranoia out of them.

At least it was fully justified out here.

Hours dragged out, more ground covered than any animal drawn caravan could hope to match, the sun beginning to lower behind the region’s distant mountains. And, just like we always did, the caravan was stopped, camp being set up for the incoming night. But plenty of things were different than our usual.

Naturally they’d didn’t bother finding some far off spot to camp at, turning the part of the road they stopped at and a patch of dirt just off it into their territory for the night, not at all concerned with hiding from something like bandits. Expandable fencing stored in some of the vehicles were set up all around, patrols quickly decided on, and plenty of other supplies set up for the night. With all the people moving about, not all of them fighters, and the smell of cooking food filling the air, this was nothing like a few people traveling together.

It was more like how the Tribe operated.

We set up our own tents, a small distance maintained between us and everyone else. I didn’t stick with the others though, moving on to look around and maybe find Qrow. He hadn’t been specific about the exact area he wanted to check out.

Stepping around and passing many, some curiously looking my helmet over, I scanned the people as well as expanded the range of my telekinesis. I wasn’t able to pick him out among all the movement. He was probably getting a bird’s eye view of things around the camp then.

Holding back another yawn, the day just full of them, I stopped and looked around, eyes settling on one of the cooking stations that’d been set up. Might as well grab those three something to eat before I headed back.

Stepping to the back of the line, I patiently waited my turn while keeping part of my focus on the immediate surroundings of the camp. The guns, fences, and sheer numbers were enough to ward off anyone with ill intentions but common sense. The huntsmen and huntresses on patrol as well as some of the weapons set up alongside them could handle the Grimm. It couldn’t hurt to keep an eye out despite that.

“Excuse me.”

I turned. Dark green eyes that sat behind a pair of black rimmed glasses and short cut red hair. The woman behind me, while faintly familiar, gestured downwards, not the one who spoke. Beside her a girl with the same eyes and hair looked up at me, curious.

“Can I ask you about your helmet?” She said.

“Shoot.”

“What’s it for?”

“Scaring off Grimm.”

She tilted her head as we all stepped forward, the line moving. “But Grimm don’t get scared.”

“Maybe not the younger ones.” I admitted. Nothing could stop the youngest of Grimm from relentlessly pursuing any target they decided on but enough force and killing of their kind could often send older Grimm retreating. Saying they were scared was probably going too far, but the right mix of things could at least make the creatures hesitate. “It helps protect my head too.”

“Don’t huntsmen have aura shields for that?”

“There are times where a huntsman has to fight without it. This thing is good for taking a hit or two.”

Still not satisfied by his answers she kept pushing. “But I thought real armor made you slower.”

“You sound like you know a lot about huntsmen.” I said, turning more as we drew closer to the cooks and their tools.

The girl nodded. “My dad’s one.”

Well, that confirmed what I suspected. That Aero man was her father and Pyrrha here already had an interest in his work. If that curiosity of hers was anything to go off of, she might already be thinking about becoming a huntress.

I entertained a few more of her questions before my turn finally came, bowls of a vegetable and meat filled soup held in hand. The woman, Pyrrha’s mother, thanked me for answering all those questions before I took off in the directions of the others.

Encountering the most prominent characters from the show, especially long before the main stuff actually took place was always odd.

I reached the others, handing over their bowls, and dropping to a crosslegged sit in front of my tent, preparing to eat.

“We’re still doing watches?” Cinder asked, steaming bowl lowered to look over at me.

“If you want.” I said through what must’ve been my millionth yawn before shifting my helmet a little up and beginning to eat.

“I’ll take first.” Cinder added and I gave her a thumbs up. Between teaching her how to swim, looking all across Argus for any clues I could find, and just being a part of the overall vacation, I’d been staying up late back to back.

Getting some actual sleep, even if it was going to be cut short, sounded good right about now.

XOXO

“Nobody suspects anything?”

“No, they just think it’s a typical mission.” Summer sighed.

“Summer Rose telling lies. First time for everything, I guess.” Mom crossed her arms looking past her. “And that’s it? You’re fine with leaving them like that?"

“You’re one to talk.”

Standing on a branch hidden amongst some trees, I watched from above as the two talked.

Summer was a good liar. The fact that she almost never told any probably made the act easier than it should’ve been. Small twitches in her facial expression. Unusual looks away. Lapse in her focus here and there that no one else picked up on. If it weren’t for my Sharingan and that fact that I made it a habit to keep an eye on her, I would’ve never picked up on those subtle tells over the years.

Dad had no idea what she was setting off to do.

Not like it would’ve matter anyways. Whether they were really normal missions or work for Ozpin, I went with her on all of them, whether she liked it or not. This one, especially this one, would be no different.

I stepped forward, dropping out of the tree beside them.

Both looked my way.

“Please tell me it wasn’t your idea to bring him along.” Summer said, looking back at Mom.

She shrugged. “I’ve got about as much choice as the rest of you when it comes to where he goes.”

“Ugh, that wasn’t a no.”

“What am I supposed to do? Keep him in the dark when he’s going to follow anyways?”

“That’s-“

“I’m not a baby, Summer.” I said, interrupting the building argument. “You know I can handle myself. I’m going with all of you.”

“Doesn’t matter.” Summer said walking up to me. She reached forward, her white cloak pushed aside as she wrapped me in a tight hug. “Keep getting taller all you want but you’ll still just be a baby boy to me.” She loosened the hug and pulled back, staring down at me with unusual sternness. “This isn’t like our other missions, Tally. If we’re right about this, we won’t just be fighting Grimm.”

“I know.”

Summer hummed, her hands dropping onto my shoulders. “You follow our orders to the T. If we tell you to run, you run, no questions asked. Understood?” I stared back up at her. “Tally, this is serious.”

“I know.” Based off what Mom told me, out of all the missions and work I’d done with Summer, this had to be the one where she would originally loose her life. I was sure of it.

I wasn’t going to let that happen. No matter what it took I’d make sure she got back home.

“Aw, why do you got to make your mom’s stubbornness look so cute.” Seemingly giving up on getting me to agree with what she said, Summer pulled me into a tighter hug.

“Stop babying him and focus.”

“I am focused. If you ever let anyone hug you, you’d know it’s the best way to get hyped up before something big.” Summer insisted. She held the hug for a few moments before finally backing away fully, Mom slicing open a portal behind her. “Fine, you can come along.” Summer said, turning towards it. “Its not like you can make things worse than you already have.”

That…Summer never said anything like that. This whole thing was wrong.

As she stepped towards the portal, realization slammed into me. I knew what this was. Where we were about to go. What was about to happen.

I managed one shaky step forward, my feet rooting themselves to the ground as darkness swallowed up the forest all around us. What was this? A dream? Some kind of nightmare?

No, it didn’t matter. I just needed to stop her before-

Summer vanished through the portal and Mom shook her head before following. “It was a mistake to expect anything out of you.” She said, disappearing after Summer, the portal closing behind them.

The indescribable darkness rushed forward.

XOXO

(A/N: Pyrrha's little cameo aside, things are about to go down.

Hope you all enjoyed reading!)