RWBY Through Worlds

117: Stuck in the Fighting, Look through the Rifle's Sight

Victoria finally got her power recalibrated, and while it was booting up, she got a call.

"What are you calling me for?" she asked, answering it as she walked in front of the tanks. "I told you not to call me. I'd call you... All right, fine. Patch it in... Yes, I am. Did they show up yet?... What? Well, you took them out, right? Another gang? You're kidding. There's no way they would pick that specific time to attack... They did what?"

She stopped, and her eyes widened. "Are you sure...nothing is left? What do you mean nothing is left? It all burned? You...you incompetent fools!" She shouted the last part. "How could you be so careless? She did not need to die!... Of course it's your fault! You should never have allowed them to slip past you... Pay you? I..."

She looked up.

Raven and Winter were both looking at her, still pretty grey from earlier.

"You know what? We'll discuss it later. Clear out before the huntsmen arrive." Victoria snapped her scroll shut.

"Well, Mercury just let me know that he got a call. He patched me into his little hires..."

She looked somber.

"What was that?" Raven spoke hoarsely. "What have you done?"

"I didn't do anything. It was them!" Victoria said. For once she looked a little afraid. "It wasn't a part of my plan, you understand? I said not to harm them...but some other idiot thugs showed up to do their little turf wars... I'd think it was your own team, but they blew the place up."

"Blew it up?" Winter looked up from her spot. Victoria could barely see her around the wall, which was just as well for her, she thought.

"I...well...yes," Victoria said in a quiet voice. "I'm...sorry... It appears some of the hooligans were caught in it. Some got away, but...well..."

"Weiss?" Winter leaned forward. "What happened to Weiss?"

Victoria looked rather uncomfortable. "Uh...well...it wasn't our intention for anyone to be killed on this operation...but...accidents happen..."

"Accidents!" Winter stood up--with difficulty, though for the moment she didn't even feel it. "What are you saying? That she was still inside?"

"It...appears that way." Victoria looked down.

(Actually, the tip off Mercury got wasn't from The Lost kids--one of the other urchins Libby had actually had got one of their scrolls and then "persuaded" one of them to tell her who to call. The whole thing was to cover their tracks so that Victoria wouldn't look for Weiss. Naturally, Mercury didn't know who was in which group and couldn't tell the difference.)

Winter stared at her, then she hit the glass... It was weak--she didn't even rattle it--but Victoria flinched anyway.

"It was an accident..." she said, feebly.

"No..." Winter looked at her, eyes blazing--without magic. "It wasn't. You chose to do this. This is your fault."

"I had no way to know that would happen," Victoria said, holding up her hands.

"You had no way not to," Raven called. "You're just as guilty as them. If not for you, she wouldn't have been there."

"It's the idiots who blew the place up who are to blame," Victoria said.

"Do you listen to yourself?" Raven asked.

"Oh, shut up." Victoria put her finger over the remote.

Raven glared at her, then she spat, "Do it."