Fading Green

" Your messing with me!"

" No, he really is not."

Qrow denied Silva's explanation for his newfound relationship with Raven, and Emerald confirmed the snow leopard faunus story with a deadpan tone. The drunkard's complicated emotions swirled within him as he processed the fact that Silva and Raven are a thing now, and his sister has put her life of banditry behind her. Qrow took out his flask and downed the entire contents in one sitting, then refocused on his nephew to confirm the story he had just heard.

" So let me get this straight, Raven, my sister, your adoptive mother and all-around terrible relation, was convinced by you to give up on the Branwen tribe and is also your lover now?"

Silva replied as he shrugged nonchalantly.

" Pretty much."

Qrow sighed as the news drained him mentally and complained.

" I am not drunk enough for this!"

" You can go to a bar after dinner, Uncle."

Silva told Qrow as he put the finishing touches on the spaghetti and meatballs and served everyone their portions. The drunkard stuck his fork into the spaghetti and said with a wry smile.

" I'm not sure if I should be proud of you for bagging an older woman or upset that you screwed my sister."

Qrow dug into his meal as Silva replied.

" Meh, just do both."

Silva also started eating dinner along with Emerald and Neopolitan. After a couple of bites, Qrow asked his nephew.

" So what's with shorty and spearmint here?"

Emerald glared at Qrow because she disliked the nickname he picked for her, and Silva answered.

" Travel companions."

" Only 13, and you already have girls following you around."

Qrow smirked as he commented on his nephew's choice of company. Emerald rolled her eyes at the drunkard's insulation, and Neopolitan jokingly corrected him with a conjured sign.

" Oh no, it's the other way around; they're following me instead."

Qrow ignored the sign appearing out of thin air and ate his dinner. After some small talk, Qrow finally asked in a serious tone.

" Silva, what do you plan to do about Yang?"

" Tell her my relation to Raven when she starts attending Beacon Academy and accept the beating she will undoubtedly give me."

At Silva's reply, Qrow said, looking melancholy.

" Well, you certainly nailed firecracker's personality to a T. But why tell her in the first place?"

Silva sighed, then answered with a slight smile.

" I just want to be honest with her regardless of how she feels about me because lies always find a way to come undone."

Qrow jokingly toasted his nephew.

" It was nice knowing you, snowball."

" Oh, don't worry, you're coming down with me since I can also tell her you stayed in contact with Raven."

Qrow frowned at Silva's retort but didn't say anything. Dinner soon ended, and Qrow went off to get plastered at a bar after having a number of bombs dropped on him.

***

Within the remains of the Branwen Encampment.

It has been a week since Raven separated from Silva since he decided to head to Atlas next for his journey. The former bandit chief already had an idea on how to make some quick cash by turning in her former tribe for their bounty. Needless to say, the tribe resisted but still got rounded up and turned in, except for one member Raven was previously grooming for a gambit she was planning. April, a tan girl with short brown hair and blue eyes.

In another life, she would've taken up the name of Vernal and become a decoy Maiden to hide the fact that Raven was the Spring Maiden. The former bandit chief made an offer to the girl simply because her appearance reminded her of Vernal, the previous Spring Maiden.

" April, was it? Let me be clear with you can either work for me or join the rest of the tribe behind bars or six feet under."

The girl looked at her captured tribe, then back at Raven, and made her choice.

" As you always said, chief, the weak die, the strong live. I am yours."

Raven analyzed April to see if there was any chance of betrayal from her and only saw fear and respect. Ordinarily, Raven wouldn't have spared the girl on principle, but she changed in the brief time away from the tribe and saw a lot of Vernal in April, which made the former bandit chief feel a pang of regret at the previous Spring Maiden's demise, especially since Silva was close to her. Raven then ordered her subordinate.

" You will be the one to head into town for the tribe's bounty and come back to me."

" Yes, chief!"

***

Gravity Dust float system, online with no issue. Dust Combustion thrust is operational. The flight operating system is functioning properly, and I finished my checklist.

" Are we set to go, Silva?"

Emerald asked as she looked impatient at finally leaving Mistral. Neopolitan worked as my copilot and doubled-checked everything while looking through her Scroll at A Dummies Guide for Flying Airships. I answered Emerald's question as I got ready for takeoff.

" Just about. Neopolitan, how are things are your end?"

Neopolitan gave me an okay sign, and I got ready to take off and warned Emerald.

" Brace yourself, Emerald. Take-off will begin soon."

The mint-haired girl went to the back to sit down as we took flight. My airship may have been an old Atlesian Gunship, but I had to strip off the weapons because I needed special licenses and a Huntsman license to own it with weaponry equipped but in exchange, I made it more livable and a bit faster. As we flew, I saw Brunswick Farm in the distance after a couple of hours, and I could now open a portal there to either hunt Apathy for a useful Schnee summon or train myself to resist their will draining effects.

Then not long after, I could see Argus, and I landed away from the military airspace that Atlas maintains here in Argus. I then asked the girls as I landed.

" Last stop before we fly directly to Atlas nonstop; want to do anything?"

" Checking out a new town would be nice."

Emerald answered my query, and Neopolitan nodded in agreement. I got out of the pilot's chair and opened a portal for myself directly above the town, and fell as I took in the bird's eye view. I used Emissions to slow myself down for my landing strategy and found myself in the middle of a park. I looked around then and saw no one near here. I opened a portal for Emerald and Neopolitan.

The two of them came through, and I greeted them.

" Welcome to Argus, the largest non-capital city on Remnant."

They took in the sights, and Emerald looked like she was enjoying herself. We walked around town and did some window shopping to pass the time. I poked around to see if there was anyone with advanced technical know-how herein Argus before I started taking almost everything of value from Atlas in terms of knowledge. As time flew by, night came, and we went back to the airship after getting some takeout.

Next stop, Atlas.