The REDS of war

Volume Five Chapter One

In an empty blackness, Qrow Branwen's voice can be heard.

"The City of Mistral..."

Nora groans in response. "Ugh! It's about time!" Qrow and Team RNJRS are walking through a stone brick tunnel illuminated by translucent lanterns. "Whose idea was it to walk again?"

Ren hums. "Well, we did face many obstacles. Broken airships, destroyed settlements..."

"Oh, and, you know, all those people and monsters that tried to murder us." Jaune says sarcastically. "One of us is currently a walkabout."

"Rei's doing business that only he can." Sky defends her team leader.

"Pfft, we were fine." Ruby says looking at Qrow with a smile. "Only one of us almost died."

Qrow looks at Ruby, smiling back. "Hey."

Nora puts her hands on her hips and looks at Ren.

Ren notices her gaze. "Hey."

Nora giggles in response.

"So, how much farther to Haven Academy?" Jaune asks.

"Almost there. But I figured I'd take you kids on the scenic route." Qrow informs them.

The group approaches a pair of large, wooden double doors, which Qrow opens, flooding the tunnel with sunlight. Ruby runs out onto a massive platform that doubles as an elevator, stopping at the railing to gaze out over the city in wide-eyed awe.

"Wow!" Ruby says in amazement. The others join her to take in the view of buildings and stone stairways perched on mountains. In the market Sky notes of a red-headed boy making the rounds throughout the marketplace. He speaks quietly to shop owners, the last one he speaks to drags him inside the store, the shopkeeer's eyes wide with fear. "This... is... awesome!" Ruby says.

Below them, large crowds of people are going about their day - walking around, talking and buying merchandise legally and illegally.

Qrow nods. "It's certainly something." He also noticed Rei and his antics.

Ruby notices a kiosk selling weapons. "Oh my gosh, look at all the weapons!"

"Vendors here'll sell you just about anything... whether they should or not." Qrow warns seeing Rei exit the shop wiping his hands clean.

Jaune appraises the mountain. "They really made the most out of these mountains."

"Every inch. Stay away from the lower levels. The higher up you go, the nicer it gets." He watches Rei walk to some stairs and begins walking to a lower level.

"And we are going up!" Nora says pointing upward.

Rei walks down a dark road alone, his robotic eye is covered again, his sleeves completely rolled down, he enters a club, in the middle of it is a metal pole. Many people sit around drinking or throwing money at provocatively scandalously dressed women. Rei pays them no mind as he approaches a man in all black. The man looks down at the young adult who gazes back up.

"The Red King cleans his hands of red before shaking another's." Rei says grabbing a napkin from his shirt pocket and wiping his hands. The man looks down at Rei seemingly trying to intimidate the boy. Rei returns his gaze with a harsh glare, one that's seen plenty of death.

The man steps aside and allows Rei into the back, sitting at a table with two guards behind her is a rather well off woman with blonde hair, and blue eyes she looks up at Rei with a smile.

"If it isn't Ferrari's demon child."

"Little Miss, a pleasure to see you again, how long has it been?" Rei asks.