RWBY Through Worlds (End)

BC59: Capital Gains (Raven's team & Co.)--5

The trip back to shore, and to the airstrip, with the contacting Kali to update her, was all a blur to Cinder. All she could think about was the pirates and their growing dark abilities--and the close call this had been.

The others left her alone mostly, it seemed more because they didn't know if she wanted them to talk to her or not.

 Raven heard the whole story with concern but was not too hard on them for losing the target, even though it frustrated her nearly as much as Cinder. She then said that she could ask Oscar to come to Argus and help them figure out the thing with Neo. So they would meet him there.

Neo didn't communicate much the whole time.

Finally back in Argus, they went to Raven's office.

Oscar was there and so was Ruby.

She waved at them.

"Why are you here?" Cinder asked rudely.

"I thought Oscar should have a travel buddy," Ruby said. "Plus, my Eye thing can help sometimes."

"But Mercury is already here," Royal said. "Not that you can't be here, but if we need that."

"He's actually doing something else right now," Raven said. "We had a small Grimm incident just west of here...and I thought it might be just as well if he got some space from the base while certain individuals are taking leave of it."

"Ah." Royal nodded.

"So you're still working together. That's nice," Ruby said.

Cinder frowned. "Not much choice."

"Oh, shut up," Raven said lightly, so it must have not been out of real anger. "Let's see what this is about." She motioned Neo forward.

Neo nervously stepped forward.

Oscar looked a bit nervous also.

"Well, you know, I don't know everything," he said. "Just hunches usually." He had his spear.

He looked at Neo and then took her hand carefully.

His aura glowed.

Royal watched with curiosity, and even Cinder was interested in how this worked.

Neo didn't flinch or anything, and no more grimm appeared, thankfully.

Oscar then looked up. "I don't see anything. I think you guys got it already."

"That's good," Raven said. "Any idea how it happened? Correct me if I'm wrong, but don't you usually have to invite that sort of... visitor, as it were."

"I know that's usually how it works," Oscar said. "The pirates and bandits certainly seem to be doing that... but I think it's like you were saying over the scroll, it's a curse. It can't be a very strong one if it was that easy to remove. I did do some studying about cursed objects--not really how it happens, other than I guess it can be done on purpose, but mostly just that you can break the curses off them, same as with people, usually it's easier. It's really just like the house Mercury had. You were saying that it's been Greed based right? The Avarice grimm."

"Looks like Avarice and the Fastus," Cinder said. "Pride." With a glance at Royal since he might not have known this.

"The Fastus hasn't popped up that I can recall, outside of this," Oscar said. "I've followed any rumors of strange grimm, you know. It's kind of a part of my research projects I've been doing... I've got a lot going on," he smiled sheepishly and rubbed his head.

He might be taller and broader now, but he looked just like his 14 year old self when he did that.

"But it's been really helpful," Ruby said. "A lot of people are learning to avoid this stuff... at least if they listen."