RWBY Through Worlds (End)

BC105: Thieves' Gambit (Baba Tribe vs. Heroes)-2

All of them paused to crane their heads strangely at the bandit.

"Do you mind?" Mercury asked saltily.

Emerald wanted to kick him.

"Can we help you with something?" Royal asked the bandit amiably, though it was sardonic.

"You people are all crazy." The bandit acted as if they'd offended him. "Aren't you afraid? This isn't some campfire tryst here. Maybe you shouldn't be so d--- cheerful. Like you plan to fricking hug it out later. It's disgusting. You all make me sick."

Despite the spew of venom, even Kate didn't really believe he was being honest.

"What do you care, Clyde?" Esmeralda called, not very worried, so they took it this was not one of the worst of the tribe. "You'll get your reward whether we're crying or not, unless you just like seeing people cry."

One of the other bandits snickered and got dirty looks for it.

"Sure you should talk like that to him?" Cinder muttered.

"He's mostly talk," Esmeralda said, "without backup, anyway... But no, I don't know if I should. I guess all of you made me feel a little bolder for a moment."

"You shouldn't have taken up with the prisoners at all, Slave." Clyde seemed to be more irritated by the other bandits laughing at him. "If you kept your head down, not as much would happen to you."

"Easy for you to say." Esmeralda sounded almost bored now. "You don't have to live my life. You chose to join this tribe. I didn't get a choice. I really don't see why it's such a crime for me to want to leave. If my sister did not own your hearts and minds, maybe some of you would get tired of her ruthless ways too." She frowned downwards.

"Mala does not own us," one of the others spoke. "She owns you, maybe. Pathetic little worm that you are."

"Big talk," Cinder spoke up, "for someone who is freely provoking someone who is tied down. It's easy to be bold when you remove your enemies' power."

"That's just loser talk," the bandit replied to her snarkily. "Like all that other stuff you were saying to make yourselves feel better about losing to us. We brought you down because we're the better fighters."

"You didn't do jack," Mercury said loudly. "Your leader did. And we weren't saying that stuff to make any kind of impression on you, so why don't you shut up about it, go back to cheating at your little dice game, and leave us the heck alone?"

"Can you believe this guy?" said the snarky bandit.

"Well, he's right," said one of the others sitting down, dryly. "You are cheating. Skinflint!"

"Like you weren't cheating too, a--h---!"

"Only dumba---s get caught, moron."

"Shut up--" the snarky bandit took a swing at them.

A fistfight ensued that the other bandits ignored completely and no one else felt interested in.

Clyde just frowned at the heroes. "Mala will make you learn some fear. She won't stop until you do."

"That's good to know," Cinder sassed him. "We'll be here a while then."

"The scariest thing about her is that all of you seem to think she's all that," Royal observed. "Who's really the delusional one?"

"You're wasting your time," Kate spoke. "I tried begging them once. They don't care. They won't listen to reason either. Some of the others tried that. They're like brute beasts."