Playing For Keeps - Ch 38 (Adv.) - MSPR (Patreon)

By the time Qrow ducked out of the tent, I had pulled a canteen from my Handy Haversack, and taking a pull of water as he fell into step on my left side.

“What’s that for?” he asked after I swished it around and spit.

“Needed to wash the taste out of my mouth,” I said, not bothering to keep my voice down as we strode toward the only gate in the palisade around the bandit camp. “Your sister’s a real piece of work.”

“You won’t hear me disagree, but talking to her like that was still risky.”

“Also literally; I don’t actually like tea,” I added, ignoring him.

Not like I didn’t know that in advance. So much for avoiding that Duel outcome of ‘immediate attention from Raven’.

Qrow laughed.

“Hey now, I hope you don’t think you’re leaving without paying the toll–” A grey-eyed bandit with long, dirty blond hair tried to block my path, but I just grabbed him by the shoulders, lifted him up, and set him to the side without breaking stride. Out of the corner of my eye I saw the bandit’s jaw drop, and his companions started laughing at him.

Pausing at the gate, I crouched down, grasped the bottom of the wooden portcullis, and activated [Aura], [Reinforcement], and [Bull’s Strength]. With my STR fully buffed, my lower limit for lifting was nearly 2500 kg. The gate seemed to be a bit more than that, but it was still within my upper limit, so I dug in my fingers and heaved it up, cleaning it to my shoulders before stepping forward and pressing it over my head.

A rustle of metal against leather told me the bandit I’d bypassed had drawn a gun, and I prepared to flex my Aura shield, but then [Detect Aura] warned me of a flare from my immediate left and instead I heard the gun jam. The other bandits’ laughter redoubled as Qrow ducked under the gate, and with a final shrug I took another step forward and let it crash back to the ground behind us.

We took off at a jog. Well, it’s a jog but Hunter standards. We’re probably moving about fifty kph. “Thanks.”

“I didn’t do anything,” Qrow sighed.

I glanced at him, raising an eyebrow. “Aura sensor, remember?”

“You don’t get it,” he groaned. “My Semblance doesn’t turn off, and I can’t really control it. Yeah, it’s what made his gun jam, but it could just as easily have made the gate fall on your head. I didn’t ‘do it’, get it?”

I’m a cursed black cat,I’m an albatross,I’m a mirror broken…Sad to say, I’m your bad luck charm~!

[BGM Unlocked! Image Song: Qrow Branwen – “Bad Luck Charm” by Jeff Williams]

“No,” I said bluntly. “Because that’s not how Semblances work. Always-on, sure; but it’s your Semblance. It’s not something that just happens to you, it’s your soul.”

Qrow snorted. “You think I haven’t heard that before? Maybe you’re right, but that just means my soul is–”

“–an appalling dung heap overflowing with the most disgraceful assortment of deplorable rubbish imaginable, mangled up in tangled-up knots,” I finished for him, and his lips twitched despite himself. “I get it, Mister Grinch, bad shit happens around you, but riddle me this: Ozpin confirmed that Semblances are the remnant dregs of magic that modern mortals can still access. Do you ever have trouble controlling when you shapeshift?”

Qrow actually stumbled. “How the hell do you know that?”

I glanced over at him, tapping my temple. “I know what magic feels like. It’s distinct from Aura in a way that’s hard to describe, but at its root it’s the same thing, just more. Every Aura feels unique, and so does magic. If you can control your magic, then you can control your Semblance.”

“…Even if that’s true, it’s easier said than done,” Qrow muttered, his steps now silent once more as he got hold of himself.

“Of course it is,” I agreed. “No part of our job is easy. Hell, there isn’t much about life on Remnant I’d classify as ‘easy’. But you’re still here and still moving forward, and that’s worth something.”

I heard him draw a breath, but he didn’t speak up so I kept talking.

“A sound soul dwells within a sound mind and sound body–” How many quotes can I steal from anime and the internet? Survey shows at least one more, as always. “–and seeing as you’re actively Hunting, you’re clearly doing fine on the physical front… which leaves the other half. We both know this job is like ninety percent mental. Remind me make you an appointment with my therapist when we get back to Vale.”

Qrow’s hand jumped to his vest pocket, but after a moment he withdrew it and kept walking at an even pace. He didn’t respond, so I decided to let it drop. Probably pushing too hard for how short a time we’ve known each other.

He was silent for almost half a kilometer of powerwalking down the dirt road though the Animan forest, before he finally said, “Kind of a lot in my life that I can’t tell a therapist about.”

Holy shit he’s actually listening to me.

[Persuasion successful. [Charm] has increased by 5!]

“Specific OpSec details, no,” I said calmly, keeping my gaze on the road ahead of us and instinctively popping [Eagle’s Splendor] to help me play it cool. “But Doctor Ashling does mostly counsel Hunters, and according to him, self-control issues and the feeling that the best you’re capable of giving won’t be enough to make a difference are kind of universal.”

He let out another snort, though it seemed more amused than derisive. “Summer used to say something along those lines, too. ‘Every Huntsman and Huntress should have somebody they can vent to, and if that’s not a partner or significant other, there’s no shame in it being a professional.’ Maybe… Maybe this is what she meant.”

“…Grief is also something that lots of people deal with,” I said softly. “There’s no one way of feeling it, and no single path or timeline to healing.”

After another half-klick of silence, our dirt path met a stone-paved one that reminded me of a Roman road from Earth. It was actually flanked by a proper modern highway, but rather than bother trying to hitch a ride we just started down the footpath.

I once again assumed I’d crossed a line and paused momentarily so I could pull out my canteen again. After rehydrating, I was about to put it away when Qrow held out a hand for it. Seeing as he wasn’t reaching for his flask, I didn’t question it and passed over the water.

“What’s your headshrinker like?”

“Young. Like, insanely young. I think he’s Ruby’s age? But he really is good at what he does. The PsyD is legitimate, I checked. His thesis was about,” I took a deep breath, “‘the maladaptive sympathetic physicopsychical response’.” Thank you high INT.

“Gesundheit.”

I rolled my eyes. “He studied always-on Semblances, because he has one himself.”

“Oh, why didn’t you say so?”

I gave Qrow a withering look before taking off running again, making even better time on the long, straight stone path. “Save that act for someone who doesn’t know you were a teacher.”

“Killjoy.” He smirked, catching up easily. The expression was a little on the weak side, but it was a sign he was regaining his usual poise.

This time I took the initiative to change the subject. “What made you bring us here by this route?”

“There’s literally no faster way, and if something’s wrong with Leo it’s not exactly a situation where we can afford to waste time, is it?”

“Then why didn’t we leave on Monday? You said it wasn’t time-sensitive.”

“Oh,” he made a noise of comprehension. “This isn’t the mission I was talking about back then; that’s been on the backburner for years. The lead I was chasing last weekend didn’t pan out so there was nothing to do. This came up when Leo didn’t call in yesterday. I came straight downstairs to get you afterward. I would’ve left right away, but we had to wait until Raven was awake to call for a pickup.”

“I take it we’re not planning to go back the same way?” I asked rhetorically. “I can’t imagine she’d be willing to open a portal near near Tai or Yang.”

“No, we’ll have to catch a flight back,” he agreed. “But that’s an issue to tackle later. No telling how long we’ll be working on this. Probably just as well, coz I don’t think you’re gonna get free passage through camp again.”

I sighed. “I suppose I could’ve played meek and she would have mostly ignored me, but I really don’t like being looked down on. Most of the time I can push that response down, but holy fuck can I not stand their hypocrisy.”­

Qrow barked a laugh. “Yeah, that makes two of us.” Still chortling, he went on, “What did you think of my sister’s little champion?”

“She wasn’t shit,” I shrugged dismissively. The fact I didn’t even get a Duel prompt for that little scrap is proof enough that the Game didn't consider her a threat to me. “I assume she’s a better bedwarmer than a fighter. Or a maid, judging by that tea.”

“The tea wasn’t that bad,” Qrow argued.

“Okay, Animan.”

“Oi, that’s discriminatory,” he laughed. “Or should I start making cracks about crêpes and frog legs?”

“I haven’t tried either that I can remember, so feel free.” Then I wondered, “Where would frogs for that even come from around Vale? Did the valley use to be a lot swampier?”

“Bingo. The Sylvestre river always separated the Emerald and Forever Fall forests, so they never mixed, but they also kept the delta from spreading too wide. The good equilibrium, plus the shelter from the mountains is why people settled there. Frog legs are still more common in the southwest, but you could probably guess that from the proximity to the Ollmorcurraigh swamp.”

“They any good?”

“Honestly? Yeah, they’re not bad. While Vale has the national stereotype, there’s also some parts of Anima that eat them. Tai’s got some family recipes that fit them into stir fry or congee, but on their own the Valic way they’re a bit like chicken wings. Texture’s a little closer to fish, but they’re pretty good overall.”

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More inane chatter passed the time as we ran Northeast along what I learned was in fact colloquially called a Mistrali Road, and by late afternoon we could see the mountains of Mistral City approaching.

“Decent time,” Qrow mused. “We should make it before the gates close, so no need to bribe a guard to let us in.”

“This being Mistral I’m assuming that’s an open secret.”

“Oh yeah,” he agreed. “Plus, virtually all the guards are on someone’s take, and everyone knows it. It’s just a toss-up who they’ll report you to if you come through after dark.”

“I would’ve expected the Alexandria to have a monopoly on that.”

“The other Familias wouldn’t allow that,” Qrow explained. “Part of the Kingdom’s charter is that defense of the city would be divided by quarter, so officially each of the Familias is responsible for their fourth of the walls. Of course, the upper brass are almost all under the Alexandria, and all of them know the others have spies embedded in their own sectors, so it balances out. Somewhat.”

“That’s… I’m not sure what that is, but it’s something.”

“Yeah, that’s Mistral all right,” Qrow deadpanned. “Normally I’d say we can’t rely on anyone but ourselves, but… well…”

“But one of the oligarchs of the Kingdom happens to be my grandmother, and two of my sisters are here as well,” I finished. “I’ll text them.”

“Just ask for information,” Qrow clarified.

“And a place to sleep,” I agreed.

“Fine, but we don’t need Wrath and Greed stomping around and sending the roaches scattering before we get a chance to see where they’re at.”

I filed that comment away, assuming it had something to do with my [Seven Deadly Sisters] quest, and made a mental note to ask Qrow more about it later.

[Mental note added!]

Aegislash -> 'Seven Deadly Sisters (And One Baby Brother)' | Saturday, 18:24

‹Aegislash› @Zapdos @Gardevoir surprise visit

‹Zapdos› what the fuck?

‹Aegislash› surprise!

‹Zapdos› why the hell aren’t you in school?

‹Aegislash› got a mission, obviously

‹Zapdos› if there’s a mission in mistral why the hell are they sending you?

‹Aegislash› they sent my mentor. apprenticeship means I tag along.

‹Gengar› since fkn when do u have an apprenticeship

‹Aegislash› since like a week ago. I’m also a journeyman now, apparently. I assume @Ampharos was partly behind that but couldn’t put it through herself because of the conflict of interest.

‹Zapdos› stay on topic. what kind of mission here needed someone from vale, whether its you or your mentor?

‹Aegislash› the classified kind. sorry.

‹Aegislash› anyway I assume Grandma has safe houses and boltholes in the city, we need to borrow one

‹Aegislash› I’ll make some time to have dinner with y’all before I leave if I can but its probably best if we don’t stay in the mansion

‹Zapdos› fine, i’ll go talk to grandma, but don’t think this conversation is over.

‹Aegislash› thanks

I had just tucked my Scroll away, having been idly following Qrow’s Aura without looking for the past few kilometers, when I got another notification… from my other Scroll. The one that was a clone of Watts’, with a copy of Atlas’ military database… and the one whose contact I’d given to Neo.

DM: Ko'origashigoroshi -> Ohm | Saturday 18:36

‹Ko'origashigoroshi› All right, Baby Hunter Boy, time to put your money where your mouth is.

Of course this contact comes when I’m out of town. And just got done insulting the only teleporter I know of.

“Fuck.”

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Name: Jaune ArcLevel: 59 (Next: 67.87%)Title: Academy StudentRace: HumanAge: 18Job: Beacon StudentClass: PaladinSemblance: The GamerHP: 7834/7834MP: 4369/4369STR: 222 (100)CON: 274 (102)DEX: 155 (53)INT: 136 (51)WIS: 110 (52)CHA: 151 (52)Points: 102Money: 951,788LStatus: Cursed – Yellow Death [High]

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A/N: If you’re enjoying this story, feel free to check out my discord server at https://discord.gg/H6V854Fvbg

Surely openly disparaging and snubbing Raven won’t come back to bite Jaune in the ass.

Surely.

I’m sure this isn’t how RT handled Qrow’s Semblance, but we’re going the Soul Eater route here (as you saw from the quote). If Aura is the light of your soul, then Semblance is what it looks like when you push your soul out onto the world. It’s your ability. Jaune acknowledges that some Semblances don’t turn off — [The Gamer] doesn’t turn off, after all — but that doesn’t mean they can’t be managed.

Yes, Dr Ashling is another Epithet Erased expy. Yes, there will be more. Yes, they will mostly remain minor side characters.

…Part of me wants to make Qrow’s therapy session an omake. Maybe I’ll throw it on my (that website starting with a P which I’m not allowed to mention).

“Maladaptive sympathetic physicopsychical response” is technobabble (medicobabble?) but all of those are technically real words, and jammed together it more or less scans as ‘inadequate or counterproductive, uncontrolled or unconscious, mental (or spiritual) effects on the physical body’ — that is, Semblances acting on their own and/or in ways they shouldn’t.

Sylvestre is the French word for ‘sylvan’, as in ‘forested’, referring to the two major forests separated by the river, in the valley that became Vale.Ollmorcurraigh is something like ‘huge swamp’ — or at least the words for ‘huge’ and ‘swamp’ mashed together — in Irish.

こおりがし (hiragana for 氷菓子 and pronounced ‘ko'origashi’) is the japanese word for various frozen desserts, including ice cream. ころし (hiragana for 殺し and pronounced ‘koroshi’, or ‘goroshi’ due to rendaku modifying the voiceless /k/ to a voiced /g/) is ‘murder’. Put together, Neo’s handle is more or less Ice Cream Killer.

As far as I know, the more common word for western-style ice cream in Japan is アイスクリーム but that’s just ‘aisukurīmu’ which sounds a lot sillier.

The combination Neo uses probably doesn’t actually make sense in Japanese, but that’s typical for me.

Meanwhile, Jaune’s handle on the Scroll he cloned from Watts is Ohm, as in the SI unit of electrical resistance, because sometimes I like to think I’m clever.