#tl:uprooted

[teamorcd-a]

@sundragcn from X

The sarcasm wasn’t helping. Delaney had his head lowered a bit, feeling as if he was a scolded child. He had to explain the more detailed version of his history with the Mistral black markets and of course it went over just as well as it always did.

“I don’t know... You don’t have to look at me like you’re disappointed.” He looked away for a second, trying to hid the bit of shame he felt. Yang could very much look at him like that, but that didn’t mean he didn’t hate it. The tsking certainly didn’t help his mood.

“Listen, I haven’t been anything but honest since the beginning. What was the point of tellin’ you what I did back then in specific detail? I told you it was stuff I wasn’t proud of to get by, and that hasn’t changed.” The faunus returned his gaze, looking the woman right in the eyes. “It’s important to know now because we’re in Mistral. I know people remember me and the fact who we’re looking for is the most taboo fuckin’ bandit on this continent kind of leaves us in a dangerous situation.”

The idea that Yang’s mother was Raven Branwen was still sinking in with Delaney. That name was such an ill omen to some he didn’t even like saying it out loud.

“If you don’t want to trust me, I get it. If I can’t ask you to trust me, then at least trust Dunstan. He’s had more faith in me than anyone.” Anyone who wasn’t his mother, but right now that wasn’t going to be an effective persuasion for his case. Dunstan had been nice enough to give them the lead, but at what cost Delaney wasn’t sure. “If you want to talk about it later, I will. Whatever questions you got, I’ll answer.”

He tucked his hands in his pockets, looking away again. He wasn’t intending on having the surrounding area distract him, but something seemed unnaturally familiar.

[teamorcd-a]

@litliwolf

It was nearly the peak of the afternoon. The sun was poking in between the clouds and a gentle breeze kept the myriad of trees a bit more chatty than normal. Standing in a clearing, staring at his scroll was Delaney. He wasn’t paying much attention to the device, mostly listening to the sounds around him and the movements just within his line of vision. The mountains this time of year were always a beautiful sight, and a dangerous climb if you weren’t careful.

Perhaps he should have helped Skadi get here rather than telling her to meet him here.

He had taken a pack of supplies, a small tent and of course, Alabaster. The shotgun flail was carefully slung on his back was mostly for protection, and intimidation. Bandits were far too common on this side of the continent, and of course Grimm weren’t far behind them.

His thoughts were interrupted by rustling in the brush, and finally he saw a familiar face. Luckily his compass lessons hadn’t been entirely lost on her yet. Delaney thought he wasn’t the best teacher.

“Hey, see you made it okay.” He smiled, ruffling her hair. “You didn’t run into any trouble did you?”

[teamorcd-a]

❝I have to be perfect.❞ for Olivine

“You already are.”

It wasn’t a comment of endearment, it was a state of fact. Unusually stern and contradictory to Weiss’ statement. A hand found it’s way to the other’s shoulder to reassure her.

“You’re chasing a concept forced on you by people who have abused you. You have plenty of room for improvement, yes. You have made mistakes but seek to learn from them, sure. You’re recovering. All you need to do, is be you.”

Weiss had worked harder than Olivine. If anyone needed a break, it was her. Arms came around the other and pulled her into a gentle hug, burying her in the front of her jacket.

She really needed to finish making one in her girlfriend’s size.

“Perfection is a dynamic idea. It’s not a universal state of being.”

[teamorcd-a]

@serpentinehunter​ from an ask tumblr ate

A sorrowful Ashton was not something Russet ever liked to see. His words weighed heavy, his expression in his voice seemed solemn. A gentle hand touched his arm and made it’s way up to his shoulder. Russet waited to see if he was going to reject the touch, before giving a light rub.

Her words came with an equally reassuring face. “Y’know you can tell me anything, right? I know some things are difficult to talk about but, I’m here. I haven’t ‘survived’ much of my own, but I’ll do my best to understand.”

Everyone else around her seemed to have an awful life experience, a trauma or two. Russet was relatively lucky, only one instance of an uneventful divorce and bandits attempting to be, well bandits. Nothing compared to what everyone else had gone through. Even when Beacon fell she was unscathed by comparison.

She held disdain for herself for it.

“If you don’t want to, we could do something to take your mind off of things instead.”

[teamorcd-a]

“Oh that’s bad… that’s… bad…” ((give me any kid maybe all our four. even the bear too.))

Delaney never considered the severity of his massive shoulder scar. It was merely a reminder of his past and overcoming consequences of his decisions. Concerns from the Ace Op however were reasons for a second look.

Delaney stretched his arms out with a yawn. “Eh it’s fine. I got out of that mess alive and my family’s all safe from criminal back lash. Pretty sure Beowolf bites are different than a bears. Which is where I got this from, not Rozco, if you were wondering.”

One of the many quirks of Fort Cathawl was the family pet: a very large bear named Rozco. Olivine hadn’t considered that owning such an animal as a part of a family was strange at all. To her it was similar to owning a cat or a dog. Clover on the other hand seemed initially apprehensive of the creature, perhaps due to the fact Rozco could have easily been mistaken for an Ursa in the dark.

“I know Olivine’s a bit late in welcomin’ you here and all for inspection and what else you do here but, really Rozco’s fine.”

[teamorcd-a]

@nightmarebcrn from X

Mercury’s first question was met with a mild glower. Being trapped in another sense of reality, she couldn’t have possibly witnessed what he said he saw. The faunus was keeping all her ears out, listening to the whispering of the wind and the gentle chattering of the leaves with it in the cold night air. Chroma was sitting up next to him, scanning what she believed to be the horizon.

“It was a blind person question.” She retorted. “Forgive me but you’re gonna have to be a little more poetic in your description. Sounds would be really nice, y’know.”

If it was a supernatural being that wasn’t a Grimm, then there was little to no way Chroma had a chance of seeing it. Spectres and phantoms didn’t actually register as a physical object, and if something didn’t have mass, she couldn’t reflect sound off of it. Geists gave her a hard time now and then.

There were questions that needed answering. “First, are you injured or did this thing just stare you down and fuck off? Also are we staying here the night or are we gonna keep going? If some Dunestalker sound-alike is following us I want to know where we’re gonna watch for this thing.”

Chroma was stuck following Mercury’s lead. He knew the area, and now knew of some cryptid not-Grimm stalking them. A fire would also help her keep away the creeping cold but it didn’t sound like that was going to happen anytime soon.

[teamorcd-a]

“So… how’d that one happen?” for Chroma

The question startled her. The fact Mercury was behind her startled her and made her jump. How could a man with metal legs sneak up on her like that? Chroma didn’t think there was going to be any more talking after that last bombshell of a conversation happened. It had been hours of quiet, and now he wanted to talk? The idea of hearing a man’s voice still made the faunus wary, but she didn’t have much of a choice. Chroma wasn’t in a condition to leave.

Once her heart settled, Chroma looked away and onto the floor, knowing she had dropped... something. It was likely the ointment she was given to help keep her skin in good condition while it was healing. Chroma felt around for it, her usual precision completely absent in her weakened state.

“There was a kid...” Chroma started weakly. “It was the one time I separated from Russet. Nothing attracts a Grimm more than the pure terror of a child. He was trapped, and there was a Nevermore around. I managed to find him, get him up... could hear his parents nearby. Kid tripped, so I went back to pick him up.”

Her movements were lethargic at best, always needing support against something to keep upright. Right now it was the sink again, with everything back in it’s place when she started.

“I didn’t move quite fast enough.”

[teamorcd-a]

“ did someone hurt you?” / serpentinehunter / Russet

@serpentinehunter

“I’m fine!” Russet shook her head at him, her comforting smile and wiping some mud from her face. “It’s not bad, someone just tried to grab my-”

Russet stopped, looking at the side of her hand. It was red. The sensation hit her face, one of stinging pain. Her smile faltered to shame as she obviously couldn’t hide a cut on her face from Ashton.

“Well… let’s go inside then.” She looked ashamed, and slightly nervous. “We can slap a bandage on this and I’ll be fine.”

If Ashton was going to start fussing, there would have been a few other things he would have found.