RWBY Through Worlds (End)

BC115: Deliverance Day (Heroes)-2

"How did I end up agreeing to this?" Cinder asked herself about 15 minutes later on the tram.

Esmeralda was staring out the side of it at the streets that looked so different by daylight, according to her.

"This city is beautiful," she said.

Argus? Cinder glanced at the stone streets, which had ice on them, and the cramped buildings. Maybe they had a kind of classic appeal if you liked cities, which she didn't particularly like, but beautiful? Not really.

"I like it." Polly didn't seem to have any issues talking to Esmeralda, despite her being a total stranger.

Ben was a bit shyer, which could just have been because he was a boy, or maybe Esmeralda's scars and odd manner bothered him more than his friend.

Jodie also seemed at ease though. "Do you think Franz and Davi will be upset we left them at home?"

"I'm not worried about them," Polly said with the air of someone shedding her burdens for the day. "They slow us down too much. And they'll be happy to have Pyrrha to themselves. And Jaune."

"Are they your parents?" Esmeralda asked. "They don't look at all like you."

"People don't always look like their parents," Polly said. "But we're adopted. They took us in after we lost our families."

"Oh...did you?" Esmeralda said strangely. "Was that hard for you?"

Cinder winced at the question that was not very tactful. Not that she normally cared, but if these kids got upset, she'd hear it from Jaune later.

Thankfully, Polly took it in stride. "It was," she said. "I miss them...but I like my new family. Sometimes you just...have to accept that things change."

"It was kind of them to take you in," Esmeralda noted.

"They're really kind people," Ben spoke up. "And they're cool. They taught us how to fight and fight Grimm too. I'm going to be a huntsman now."

"I want to be one too, maybe," Polly said. "Or maybe I'd like to be a nurse and help people like Jaune. Or maybe I'd like to be a scholar like Mr. Pine. I like doing all that. I'm just not sure."

"I'd be a huntress," Jodie said. "And I'd marry a huntsman just like Jaune."

"I think he's taken," Polly laughed. "But yeah, maybe someone like that. What do you do, miss... What's your last name?"

"Paris...I guess," Esmeralda said. [Would you believe I didn't even notice that Paris fit her as a last name because of the location of Notre Dame till after I'd picked it for Helena's last name?]

"Miss Paris?" they amended.

"I...I don't have any kind of job," Esmeralda said blankly. "I don't know what I'll do now... This world has more problems than I thought."

"The Arcs would let you stay with us if you need to," Polly said. "They'll help anyone who needs it."

"I'm grateful for that...but I think I can't do that forever," Esmeralda mused. "But I guess for now it'll do if nothing else will. I'm just glad to be here. Where are we going exactly?"

"We're going to the mall," Jodie said. "You can come with us...or you can explore with Miss Fall. I mean, you guys are adults, so you can do what you want. But we know a great place to get hot chocolate if you want to join us."

They were certainly Pyrrha and Jaune's kids, even if it was only by adoption. Cinder was getting a little overwhelmed by how friendly they were.

But Esmeralda was drinking it up, and she didn't have the heart to say anything to push the kids away.