Her name still made Ren's heart ache, though their grief had been passing in to something less painful as of late. Still, it made him go still as if he was waiting for something more to come.
He had often wondered if there was more to the situation at the festival than what they could see. Something had spooked Pyrrha, who had already been tense and closed off even before her one on one fight. They only learned about the latter half after her passing. The fight had remained a mystery.
[ Emerald doesn't really know what to say. She's had a lot of differences, and there are a lot of things she can and can't tell him. Hopefully it won't come down to it. ]
I'll also tell you that Tyrian's made it very clear to us that if Merc and I so much as think about leaving, he'll enjoy killing us.
[ But he can't say she betrayed them a second time if she's upfront about it. She turns his hand over to look at it as she talks, as if trying to concentrate on something else. ]
..That's inevitable if he shows up, so I may end up asking for your help. Sorry in advance for that too.
I know that, but it's not like I'd hold it against you for not helping an international terrorist. I've seen my wanted poster.
[ It's not like it's a secret, after all. Even if it still were, Ren of all people would know. She's an enemy, even if she doesn't necessarily feel that way here. ]
Great. In exchange, I'll.. point out anyone on Salem's side when they come in, as long as I know it. Cinder would fill Merc and I in on everything, Salem doesn't.
[ She hopes that counts for something. If she's pointing out other people, she's not betraying Cinder at all. Cinder's on her own right now, after all.
She raises their hands up a little as if to ask if he's done. ] Feeling better? If not I can give you a hug or something.
[ That's the best she can do, she thinks. Maybe she'll figure out better ways to help out later. It's for selfish reasons- if she wants herself to be safe knowing that she has the intention of not going back to Remnant, which means abandoning Salem's side, she has to make sure Salem's enemies win. Or are at least keeping her busy enough to keep her off Em's tail. It's as simple as that.
She straightens up then and finally lets him go. ]
Anything you want me to agree with? You're like, the easiest person I've had to try to win over so far.
She's not the only one who has had to do whatever it took to survive, and while he and Nora were on the better end of the Orphan Trauma Conga Line, it was still a difficult life that he understood well. She was being selfish for the sake of self preservation and he didn't see a damn thing wrong with wanting to live.]
... Pyrrha wasn't my first loss. My parents-- my whole village...
[It's still difficult to talk about, even after the years that have put distance between him and that awful night, but he doesn't want to drop sudden heavy emotions on her like that.]
I can't rightfully judge someone for just trying to survive when I had to do the same. What happened at Beacon hurts, but harming you really won't turn back the clock, and it would only leave me feeling hollow.
[ She genuinely means that, that's the weird thing. Though maybe it's more obvious in the way she talks now. Back at Beacon, her words were always clear, always had something of a peppy tone to them, as if she was a real optimist with a sassy streak. The way she's speaking to him now is more genuine. She really is sorry that he lost his parents. ]
Merc and I don't have parents either. For very different reasons. I never had anyone to lose until Cinder found me. I was living on the streets stealing for food back then.
[ This is what happens when your homeless kid finds Cinder instead of Ren. ]
[Beyond being emotionally in tune with himself and others, there was just something about other orphans with that sort of history that seems to make a connection easier.]
Nora was in a similar state when I met her. All the more reason why I don't feel I can judge your actions outside of the need to survival.
[ She sounds surprised. She didn't really get close to Nora, but she did come to like her in her own way. There weren't many people who would play rough with Emerald, but Nora was usually fine with it. ]
She's always so.. peppy.
[ Though she guesses maybe the reason she was able to accept that more than she once could have because she too had started to understand what it felt like to be happy, even if she was desperately clinging to those very few reasons. ]
[A nod, and a knowing smile. Anyone who knows Nora now would have trouble imagining it.]
I'm fairly certain unlocking her Semblance had something to do with that. Getting struck by lightning and surviving would probably change anyone.
But, yes, she was and orphan even before I was, and the first time I met her she was being bullied by some other children for having dirty, different clothes and stealing mouldy bread out of the trash to eat.
[ Ahahaha. Emerald gives him a smile. ] Migraine-inducing semblances aren't as fun as lightning.
[ At this point she doesn't really feel the need to hide it. Between what Yang saw and what everyone saw at Haven, it shouldn't be too hard to figure out. ]
Most people in that position don't have anyone to help with that kind of thing since it's hard to feel positive emotions like that. It's pretty surprising she didn't end up Grimm bait, but I'd guess you had something to do with that.
[ Otherwise she can't see them ever being as close as they appear to be. ]
I did what I could to keep her safe, but she took the reigns herself eventually. We both wanted to become strong enough to keep people [and themselves] safe.
That said, my Semblance is fairly... passive in comparison.
[He knows it. There are a lot of people with similar stories that were at Beacon, or even the other academies, saved by their determination to keep new generations from becoming orphans like them. Ren isn't so optimistic as to think that for every orphaned student at an academy, there wasn't three more on an unfortunate road like Emerald had been.]
We needed to find out who Ozpin was going to select as a potential maiden. Once everything was torn down, all Cinder would need to do was follow the most likely candidate to Ozpin, and Ozpin to Amber. The Magnets versus Robots thing was just a bonus from knowing it.
[ Emotional muting though.. ]
The world I was in before this was all about emotions. Magic was even tide to them. I wonder what muting them would've done...
[Again, things he didn't learn about until much later. Even Jaune didn't have the full story until Jinn told team RWBY, and they in turn filled his team in at Argus.
But that made a lot of sense, that they were looking for something specific.
Too bad that 'specific' thing just happened to be their now deceased teammate.]
I'm better at dealing with negative emotions, but I can help people relax and calm down some as well.
[ Emerald certainly doesn't have the full story. Less going forward since Cinder was no longer telling her and Mercury things. Salem didn't care to inform them. But she knows a fair amount- at least for the general maiden, Salem is unkillable, Grimm are totally manipulable and customizable, and so on. ]
No wonder Nora likes you so much.
[ If she was a former street rat, Emerald can absolutely see wanting to latch onto someone who could actually make the constant fear of not knowing where your next meal was coming from go away. Nightmares about survival, shelter, water and food insecurity, Grimm, other people- be they fellow homeless competing for resources, police, bandits, or even just normal judgmental jerks-- those things still plague Emerald to this day, just with the added flavor of Salem being a hundred times worse. Ren sounds like some kind of zen-generator. ]
[That was what brought them together - his Semblance saving the both of them during the Grimm attack on Kuroyuri.]
I'm sure she has other reasons... but that probably started it.
They've been friends this long, it would be strange if that was the only reason she was still at his side.
At least until Prismatica had different plans.
It was getting late, and most of his day had been used up in this failed attempt at helping with the suits. As nice as it was to be able to just talk with Emerald he didn't want to just hang around there forever.]
I think I'm going to head out. You can message me if you ever need anything, though.
I can't promise anything, but I won't fault you for asking.
[ Probably. She doubts he could ask for anything too weird. He seems like a sensitive guy. So she gives him a brief wave and nods, before going off to get out of this suit hellhole. ]
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Her name still made Ren's heart ache, though their grief had been passing in to something less painful as of late. Still, it made him go still as if he was waiting for something more to come.
He had often wondered if there was more to the situation at the festival than what they could see. Something had spooked Pyrrha, who had already been tense and closed off even before her one on one fight. They only learned about the latter half after her passing. The fight had remained a mystery.
Well. Until now.
He finally let out a breath and shook his head.]
Getting angry won't bring them back...
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[ Emerald doesn't really know what to say. She's had a lot of differences, and there are a lot of things she can and can't tell him. Hopefully it won't come down to it. ]
I'll also tell you that Tyrian's made it very clear to us that if Merc and I so much as think about leaving, he'll enjoy killing us.
[ But he can't say she betrayed them a second time if she's upfront about it. She turns his hand over to look at it as she talks, as if trying to concentrate on something else. ]
..That's inevitable if he shows up, so I may end up asking for your help. Sorry in advance for that too.
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That man was so unhinged it was a wonder he didn't physically break apart.
He legitimately creeped Ren out.
If he shows up here...]
I went to Beacon so I could help people. That doesn't stop just because I've been dragged away from Remnant.
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[ It's not like it's a secret, after all. Even if it still were, Ren of all people would know. She's an enemy, even if she doesn't necessarily feel that way here. ]
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[He's being a little sassy now. He doesn't want to tease too much, but he can't help the tiny smirk that appears.]
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[ She rolls her eyes, but she appreciates the sass. ]
I'll have you know I haven't even stolen anything for months.
[ A brief pause, then- ]
I stole a zucchini off someone's barbecue. But otherwise, totally clean.
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They probably didn't miss it.
[But, on a more serious note-]
If you're ever in trouble, I'll help.
[End of story. Her past doesn't matter here.
Most of theirs don't, really.]
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[ She hopes that counts for something. If she's pointing out other people, she's not betraying Cinder at all. Cinder's on her own right now, after all.
She raises their hands up a little as if to ask if he's done. ] Feeling better? If not I can give you a hug or something.
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[Somehow he's not surprised that Salem doesn't go around divulging everything to her lackies.]
No, this is fine. Thank you for helping me. I do feel better now.
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She straightens up then and finally lets him go. ]
Anything you want me to agree with? You're like, the easiest person I've had to try to win over so far.
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She's not the only one who has had to do whatever it took to survive, and while he and Nora were on the better end of the Orphan Trauma Conga Line, it was still a difficult life that he understood well. She was being selfish for the sake of self preservation and he didn't see a damn thing wrong with wanting to live.]
... Pyrrha wasn't my first loss. My parents-- my whole village...
[It's still difficult to talk about, even after the years that have put distance between him and that awful night, but he doesn't want to drop sudden heavy emotions on her like that.]
I can't rightfully judge someone for just trying to survive when I had to do the same. What happened at Beacon hurts, but harming you really won't turn back the clock, and it would only leave me feeling hollow.
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[ She genuinely means that, that's the weird thing. Though maybe it's more obvious in the way she talks now. Back at Beacon, her words were always clear, always had something of a peppy tone to them, as if she was a real optimist with a sassy streak. The way she's speaking to him now is more genuine. She really is sorry that he lost his parents. ]
Merc and I don't have parents either. For very different reasons. I never had anyone to lose until Cinder found me. I was living on the streets stealing for food back then.
[ This is what happens when your homeless kid finds Cinder instead of Ren. ]
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[Beyond being emotionally in tune with himself and others, there was just something about other orphans with that sort of history that seems to make a connection easier.]
Nora was in a similar state when I met her. All the more reason why I don't feel I can judge your actions outside of the need to survival.
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[ She sounds surprised. She didn't really get close to Nora, but she did come to like her in her own way. There weren't many people who would play rough with Emerald, but Nora was usually fine with it. ]
She's always so.. peppy.
[ Though she guesses maybe the reason she was able to accept that more than she once could have because she too had started to understand what it felt like to be happy, even if she was desperately clinging to those very few reasons. ]
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I'm fairly certain unlocking her Semblance had something to do with that. Getting struck by lightning and surviving would probably change anyone.
But, yes, she was and orphan even before I was, and the first time I met her she was being bullied by some other children for having dirty, different clothes and stealing mouldy bread out of the trash to eat.
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[ Ahahaha. Emerald gives him a smile. ] Migraine-inducing semblances aren't as fun as lightning.
[ At this point she doesn't really feel the need to hide it. Between what Yang saw and what everyone saw at Haven, it shouldn't be too hard to figure out. ]
Most people in that position don't have anyone to help with that kind of thing since it's hard to feel positive emotions like that. It's pretty surprising she didn't end up Grimm bait, but I'd guess you had something to do with that.
[ Otherwise she can't see them ever being as close as they appear to be. ]
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I did what I could to keep her safe, but she took the reigns herself eventually. We both wanted to become strong enough to keep people [and themselves] safe.
That said, my Semblance is fairly... passive in comparison.
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[ Ren, without parents, managed to take care of Nora, and somehow they both managed to make it. ]
What is it? We really only catalogued the girls at Beacon.
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[He knows it. There are a lot of people with similar stories that were at Beacon, or even the other academies, saved by their determination to keep new generations from becoming orphans like them. Ren isn't so optimistic as to think that for every orphaned student at an academy, there wasn't three more on an unfortunate road like Emerald had been.]
Emotional muting. Why only the girls?
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[ Emotional muting though.. ]
The world I was in before this was all about emotions. Magic was even tide to them. I wonder what muting them would've done...
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[Again, things he didn't learn about until much later. Even Jaune didn't have the full story until Jinn told team RWBY, and they in turn filled his team in at Argus.
But that made a lot of sense, that they were looking for something specific.
Too bad that 'specific' thing just happened to be their now deceased teammate.]
I'm better at dealing with negative emotions, but I can help people relax and calm down some as well.
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No wonder Nora likes you so much.
[ If she was a former street rat, Emerald can absolutely see wanting to latch onto someone who could actually make the constant fear of not knowing where your next meal was coming from go away. Nightmares about survival, shelter, water and food insecurity, Grimm, other people- be they fellow homeless competing for resources, police, bandits, or even just normal judgmental jerks-- those things still plague Emerald to this day, just with the added flavor of Salem being a hundred times worse. Ren sounds like some kind of zen-generator. ]
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I'm sure she has other reasons... but that probably started it.
They've been friends this long, it would be strange if that was the only reason she was still at his side.
At least until Prismatica had different plans.
It was getting late, and most of his day had been used up in this failed attempt at helping with the suits. As nice as it was to be able to just talk with Emerald he didn't want to just hang around there forever.]
I think I'm going to head out. You can message me if you ever need anything, though.
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I can't promise anything, but I won't fault you for asking.
[ Probably. She doubts he could ask for anything too weird. He seems like a sensitive guy. So she gives him a brief wave and nods, before going off to get out of this suit hellhole. ]