RWBY Through Worlds

74: Inside My Dreams

Vara Sol was startled when Theodore Rhodes appeared outside her door without any kind of warning.

"Theo? What is it?" she hissed.

Theo came in and shut the door right away, looking out the peephole.

"Bad news," he said. "She made contact again."

Vara frowned, and her voice became tense. "What did she say?" 

"As usual, nothing that specific," Theo said. "That madman said some things about that little girl who gave them the slip in Atlas. Sustrai."

Vara rubbed her head. "Does he want revenge?" she asked.

"He might," Theo said, distantly.

"I know you didn't come here to tell me that," Vara said.

Theo drew a deep breath. "They told me something. Raven Branwen, Qrow's sister...they said she's here."

Vara was silent.

"No reaction?" Theo said.

"So why is that such a problem for them?" Vara said.

"Apparently, she's important," Theo said. "They didn't say why...but they did drop that her camp has been destroyed... I got the message. They want her dead or alive."

"The Bandit Camp?" Vara said. "Destroyed?... But who would have pulled that off so easily? Not that bug-eyed freak."

"Salem herself," Theo said.

"Salem is...moving herself now?" Vara said.

"Yeah." Theo paced around. "She's getting impatient. She must want to flush Raven out... It can only be because she used to run errands for Ozpin."

"I'm sure it can't just be that," Vara said.

"Do you know something I don't?" Theo said.

Vara tapped the back of a chair. "I've seen Raven in person before," she said. "Way back at the Vytal Festival. She's dangerous in a fight, but she's clever too. They wouldn't suddenly just hunt her down after all this time if she hadn't made a move."

"I'm sure Qrow has been tailing me around," Theo said. "At least I thought it was Qrow..."

"And he never saw you come here?" Vara said.

"Not close to here," Theo said. "I made sure of it... But what I'm saying is--"

"So you think it could have been Raven instead," Vara said. "And that changes things."

"Qrow's not made it any secret that his sister ditched everyone," Theo said. "If she's back with them, in secret, you can be sure it's important. Ozpin is planning some move...something they haven't let me in on. I'm sure they don't trust me."

"Theo, would you trust you?" Vara said. "After the way you've treated them, it screams disloyalty. Your eccentric personality can't cover everything." She folded her arms. "Why not just come clean? Maybe if you let them know you're being coerced, they'd understand. Maybe we can work out a plan together."

"No, if we blow our cover, Salem will not hesitate to torch this place," Theo said.

"Maybe they never have to know if we did," Vara said. "They might play along with your plan."

"They won't," Theo said. "Once they know I sold them out, it's all over. We're on our own, Vara."

Vara tapped her chin. "We cannot survive on our own forever."

Theo sighed. "What happened to you?" 

He sank into a chair. "Once, you'd have been all for it. Remember that? The girl who wouldn't take anyone's s---."