RWBY Through Worlds (End)

227: Forget Ourselves

It was just after Winter and Qrow spoke of this that Wally and Ozma came to tell them about the Oasis.

The news was exciting to Winter after what they'd been talking about.

Though talking to Ozma was--weird.

For Qrow especially.

Not long after that, the teens joined them, having grown tired of the attentive public.

"Do you think after the party it'll die down?" Ren asked helpfully.

"I'd give it a month or so," Qrow said.

They looked askance.

"That's really not that long," Wally tried to help. "I mean, I have a full-time rescue career--I never stop getting attention in public. That's why I have a secret identity, but if you lie low for a while it might die down. People are kind of fickle like that."

"People do not care about what they should," Shine said, coming in carrying a coffee and book as usual.

Salem was with her--Salem, after yesterday, had taken to following Shine around like a lost puppy if Shine wasn't already occupied.

She looked at them all awkwardly though.

No one knew what to say to her.

Shine, perhaps wisely, pretended that this wasn't happening.

"Well, it's like one of our old meetings," she said, "all of you in here doing nothing when I come in."

"Old as in 3 days ago," Raven said, from on top of a bookcase.

"Uh... Mom, should you really do that now that you're not a bird?" Yang asked.

"I recalled that after I climbed up here," Raven said. "But I can still jump no problem. What? I like being high."

"Because you're short?" Qrow said.

"I'm not short, brother, you're just a beanpole," Raven said, making some of the kids laugh.

"Perhaps we should have a meeting." Hazel came around the end of the bookcase. "There still seem to be things we haven't done."

"We're short a few people," Shine said.

"Oh, let Theo and Vara have their fun," Qrow said. 

"I do think they might not really care," Pyrrha said. "They seem anxious to put the whole thing behind them. Besides, I heard that they had a thing to do today."

"Uh... what kind of thing?" Nora asked.

"Something about visiting city hall," Pyrrha said. "Perhaps there was paperwork to install Vara as a teacher they needed to take care of."

"In Vacuo?" Qrow said.

"At least he's doing something official," Winter murmured.

"I think our first order of business is to ask what happens to them." Jaune nodded at Ozma and Salem.

Salem gripped her clothes nervously enough.

Ozma looked uncomfortable.

"As to that--" Shine clasped her hands together. "--it's no longer your concern. I think we were right to ask that you all had better just leave them alone for now."

Oscar nodded slowly.

"If there's anything that needs to be said, just say it," Shine added. "And then never speak of it again. I've never done this before, but in my mind that must be the only way to avoid endless discomfort."