[Theme 7: "Hero" AMV by Holy Schneet. (Song by Skillet)]

Shine had asked team CFVY to help with getting Watts onto the plane.

Of course she'd come in to tell him first that his tip had been most helpful, and he was free to go--and stay gone.

Theodore has insisted on some Vacuo huntsmen also going with them.

Surprisingly, he wasn't against sending Watts away.

His real reason was that he figured Watts was far more dangerous if he was snooping around Vacuo, and Salem never had to know he'd even been there.

He had no idea whatsoever that Watts knew any more than that, because Theodore, while clever enough, had nothing like Shine's ability to guess when someone is being just a little too compliant.

Shine didn't miss Watts' smug look, but she laughed to herself about it.

However, she was surprised when Mercury said he wanted to help see him off.

His alleged reason was that he thought Watts was tricky and would be better handled by one of their own. Also that he was worried Watts would warn Salem that Hazel and Emerald were at Shade.

Shine thought it was odd that Mercury would want Watts to know he was even there then, and she figured his real reason was to try to slyly talk to Watts, whether to get the truth about Cinder's actions or for some other cause.

"I think that we shouldn't risk him knowing about you switching sides," she told Mercury. "Why put your life in more danger than it already is?"

"I can take care of myself," Mercury said. "Come on, I thought you were supposed to trust us now."

Was he really thinking that something that obvious would work?

"What's your real reason?" Shine asked him.

Mercury looked warily at her. "I told you."

Shine folded her arms. "All right...I have a better idea. Why don't you go as a prisoner? Then all Watts can tell anyone is that we captured you, assuming he ever does get in contact again. That would work to our advantage."

"Fine by me," Mercury agreed, surprisingly easily.

Well, to say Watts was slightly taken aback would be accurate.

"I suppose next you'll be telling me that Tyrian has become a ballerina," he said.

"Thank you for that mental image," Shine said. "Well, safe sailing." She waved rather condescendingly.

The huntsmen pushed Watts into the brig of the ship.

"Classic." Mercury took a picture. "I'm going to really enjoy this."

Watts scowled at him.

"Actually that's not a bad idea," Shine said. "But can you try to look more like you're a prisoner?"

"So what, you forgot to take my scroll?" Mercury said.

Shine smacked it out of his hand and then picked it back up. 

"Hey, give that back!" Mercury got angry.

"I just want to send the picture to my scroll," Shine said, waving him off. "Who knows? I might need this later. What, you think I'm going to check your messages or something? I don't want to know what sick and twisted things Tyrian writes. They don't have emojis in this world, right?"

"Huh? What the heck are you even talking about?" Mercury said. "That psycho doesn't send messages. I doubt he can even work a scroll."

Shine tossed it back, and he caught it even with tied hands.

"You guys can let him out now," she said.

"I think we should be shipping him off too," Yatsuhashi muttered, as they released him.

"Ah, still sore about that festival fight?" Mercury said.

Coco tripped him with one heel, and he almost kicked her head in.

"Hey!" Shine said sharply in the mom voice. "Cut it out. I may not be the headmaster, but I will absolutely give you detention."

"Ooh, scary," Mercury muttered.

"Come on, let's just go." Velvet tugged at them. "Leave him alone."

"Technically Emerald and Mercury didn't really cheat in that fight," Shine remarked. "Using their Semblances is a fair tactic. They just smurfed you all. I don't know if that's a term here."

"It is," Fox said helpfully.

"Mercury, come with me." Shine motioned at him.

"Uh...why?" Mercury said.

Shine raised an eyebrow.

"Right, kidding." Mercury hated having to pretend she was in charge.

Shine wondered how long it would take Watts to figure out a way off that plane. She was betting 10 minutes tops.

"Mercury," she spoke aloud, "much as I've been happy that you've decided to join us, I'm still picking up on some slight uncertainty on your part."

"I don't know what you're talking about." Mercury sounded sullen.

"I mean that you're not that good at acting cool," Shine said, with a sideways glance. "I can't say what it is exactly without knowing more details about why you're here. But if you still have lingering doubts about what side you should be on, please, address them soon. There is no room for hesitation when someone is in your position."

"I'm not hesitating," Mercury said. "You guys have made it perfectly clear what's really going on. Why would I hesitate?"

"Because people can be afraid regardless of logic and regardless of the truth," Shine said. "It's not impossible for you to know that we're right but be more afraid of Salem than of us."

Mercury frowned at her. "Who says I'm afraid of anyone? Fear is not something I spend a lot of time thinking about."

"You don't need to think about it when it's written all over you," Shine said. "Fear is an ingrained part of your life, more so than you can even imagine right now because you don't know what it's like to live without it. Everything about you screams fear and anger."

Mercury didn't care for her psych evaluation.

"I don't remember asking you," he said.

"No, you would be too afraid to ask," Shine countered. "I know a small, very small part of what it might be like to live that way. I won't pretend it's as much as you. But I can imagine it at least. I've been a coward many times in my life, and I know there is only one cure for it. Sadly, not one I think you want to try."

"I'm not afraid," Mercury said. "And you don't know what you're talking about. I'm just minding my own business, and I don't have any big internal crisis like Emerald does. I pick sides based on what makes sense to me."

"Yes, I know that," Shine said meaningfully. "So what does make sense to you, Mercury Black?"

"Huh?" 

She was confusing him now.

"Well, you know a lot about killing and death," Shine said. "I take it because you've grown up with it. Is that right?"

"Yeah..." Mercury didn't like where this was going...he didn't even know where, but he didn't like it.

"What do you know about kindness?" Shine asked. "Courage, justice, peace, anything on the light side of life?"

"I know that that's a lot of airy nothing," Mercury said. "That stuff is all in your head. It's not reality."

"You know, people always say that," Shine said. "My favorite author's pointed that out, you know, that when your outlook on life is shaped, we always call the darker emotions what things are 'really like' and the better experiences in life, things that are 'just a fact, and the feeling about it is just in your head.' For example, I'm sure if I said that looking at a sunset was a heavenly experience, you'd say that's sensitive mumbo jumbo. But if I said that being in a bloody skirmish was literally just a fight over nothing, and feeling anything about it was all in your head, you might say that's not right at all. In that case, the adrenaline, the anger, the determination to live, those are the real things. The fight is like some puppet show compared to that. But in reality, both are real. Good emotions are just as part of a real experience as bad ones, or so many people wouldn't share them for the same reason. Beauty has to be more than a mental construct, or so many people wouldn't find it moving. And you know perfectly well that things that scare people, scare them for a reason. Do you see my point?"

"No, but you love the sound of your own voice," Mercury said.

"As much as you love yours, I daresay," Shine said.

Mercury was getting annoyed by the fact that she refused to get annoyed by anything he said to end this conversation. Was she crazy?

"My point was that you act off what you think makes sense, but are you sure what makes sense to you represents reality, or just one half of it?" Shine said. "Not even half, probably. Evil things are smaller than good things."

"Whatever you mean by that, I don't really care," Mercury said.

"I mean did you ever make a choice that wasn't made for you in a sense?" Shine asked.

Mercury glanced at her. "No one makes my choices for me."

"No?" Shine said. "Because I have yet to hear you say one thing that sounds like an original thought. You keep saying that what we told you makes sense. Before that, according to Emerald, you said that Cinder's idea made sense. Salem's, whatever. It's always what someone else says you should be doing. I'm glad you're listening to your friends for once instead of those witches, but it remains that I'm not sure you even know why you're doing it."

"Emerald talks s--- about me behind my back, huh?" Mercury said.

"No, you idiot," Shine said. "Emerald loves you, in her own strange, rather dysfunctional way."

"The h---, don't say that. That's gross," Mercury said.

"I don't mean like that," Shine  said. "I mean that Emerald worries about you. I'm not sure how you did it, but somehow you established yourself as a friend to her. Maybe because real friends tell you the truth. And that's the only thing I've never heard of you saying that was original... I want to ask you--why did you tell her that Cinder doesn't care about her?"

"Because if you had to listen to that sap go on about how much Cinder was like basically the mommy she never had, when we all know she's just crazy, you'd want to puke too," Mercury said with killing scorn. "I mean, I wanted to kick myself in the teeth. I don't care that Cinder is a b----, but like, I'm not going to pretend like it's any different. Emerald is an idiot."

"Emerald wants to believe better of people than they deserve," Shine said. 

"That's the first thing you've said that I can agree with," Mercury said.

"So does she believe better of you than you deserve?" Shine asked.

Mercury paused. And glanced at her warily again.

"Because she thinks that you're her friend," Shine said, "that that's why you told her the truth, so she'd snap out of it. In a way that's part of why she left. She says you had her back with Salem's creepy minions, even though, and these are her words, you're 'an ass'."

That did sound like Emerald.

Also, what had she been doing, talking him up like this? No wonder these people were treating him so weirdly.

"Well, don't let her fool you," Mercury said. "She's a sentimental idiot."

"Maybe," Shine shrugged. "Still, she was right about Hazel. Maybe she's right about you too."

"Is this some kind of test?" Mercury asked. "You don't trust me, is that it? You want me to say I'm loyal to Emerald and Hazel and not Salem, is that it?"

"Should I believe a word you say if you tell me that?"

Mercury was starting to wonder if Shine knew something, and he was trying very hard not to look nervous.

"Because you lie a lot," Shine said, "about what you really think. Like I said, you're just echoing what they've said. I'm not questioning your loyalty right now--I'm not sure you understand what that word even means, truly. Loyalty isn't just about who you work for and what you do for them, it's about what you feel, deep down, you should be doing. You can be disloyal in your mind without ever doing anything disloyal...but it always catches up to you eventually. That's why it's imperative that you figure out what you really want. Stop looking so nervous. I'm not threatening you right now. I'm just worried that you're weak."

"Weak?" Mercury said. He clenched a fist. "I'm not weak."

"Not physically," Shine said. "I mean in here." She tapped her chest. "Your spirit is weak. I don't think you can bear up under the weight of these decisions without something more to drive you than just 'I told you so.' You need to latch onto it for yourself. Until you do, I don't want to put you on any really dangerous missions, because if I do, and you lose your resolve, I'd be letting you die. Tyrian is still out there. He won't be impressed by a lap dog. He'd eat you alive."

"Look, b----." Mercury probably shouldn't have let her get to him, but she'd hit a nerve with that "weak" thing. "I don't need your advice. You think I'm weak, huh? Let me tell you, the last person who said that to me was my father, and you know what happened to him?"

"You killed him," Shine said, before he could drop the bomb himself.

Way to kill the tension.

"Did Emerald tell you that?" Mercury scowled.

"I really don't remember if she did or not," Shine said. "I don't think so. I knew it already. I know that Cinder was already looking for your father also, and that she was about 10 minutes too late. But she's not one to turn down an opportunity. Makes me wonder if Salem didn't know about your father some time ago. But that's not the point. Did you think that was going to surprise me?"

"It doesn't matter if it does," Mercury said. "My point is, no one who's ever called me that has lived to talk about it."

"Is that a threat?" Shine asked him.

He shrugged.

Shine laughed.

Mercury didn't get why she was laughing.

"Do you think that's funny?" he said darkly.

"Do I think you, the teenager, threatening me, the DJ, is funny?" Shine said. "You'd better hope I think it's funny, kid. What's the alternative?"

Mercury paused. "Hmm?"

"Let me put it to you a way you'll understand." Shine's eyes suddenly flashed gold. "I'm not for using force usually, but I can portal to anywhere I want, any time I want. Summon objects from out of nowhere into my hand at an instant. I can also send people through portals if I want to, to anywhere I pick. I have a sword that can cut through titanium and send out shock waves, and Grimm run away from me. Did you actually just threaten me seriously right there?"

Silence.

"I thought so," Shine said. "This will be the last time you ever try to pull that with me, kid. I won't hurt you much, but I can certainly put you in your place if I want to. If I choose not to, that's because I don't like ruling through fear. But there is also such a thing as healthy respect. You do not threaten my life. Or my well being--or anyone who's under me. Or I will take you down, and I will do it quickly. Do you understand me?"

Mercury couldn't believe she was this scary when she'd been talking about sunsets and positive feelings a few minutes ago.

"Yes, Ma'am," he said before he could think.

Dang it, that just slipped out because everyone called Salem that.

Shine nodded. "All right then."

She relaxed. "Despite that, I'm not angry at you. But that mouth of yours is going to get you killed by someone who will take that challenge seriously. Not everyone looks at you like a kid, Mercury. But take this to heart: You act like one. Only an immature brat would smart off to someone like that over some wounded pride and think it would work. Now, nice people like me, they'll laugh it off, maybe slug you one time if they're like Qrow, but they won't kill you. But crazy people and killers, they'll take that and they won't hold back because you're just a impudent little whelp who was never taught any manners by anyone. I strongly suggest that you learn some now, so that you can save your life. Vacuo is not a safe place for people with that kind of attitude. You got that?"

This much he could understand.

"Got it," he said sullenly.

"And there's no need to posture," Shine added. "I called you weak for reasons I explained. You don't like it? Get stronger. Do what I said. I won't force you to. There's not a punishment if you don't. But if you don't like being weak, learn. That's all I can tell you. It wasn't an insult, it was an observation. I'm sure you hate that, but it's no call to threaten me over it. It's my opinion, and if you don't agree, fine. Have it your way. That was all you had to say. And in the future, if you disagree with me, I expect you to say it, not threaten someone. Is that also clear?"

"Crystal." Mercury didn't get it, but he wasn't about to argue after that.

"Do you agree now?" Shine didn't let that slide.

"Honestly? No," Mercury said.

"Fine, we'll work on that," Shine dismissed it. "At least you're a decent listener. Go back to the school. I should probably check in on how things are going for the others."

She stepped into a portal and vanished.

[In my experience, speeches like this can work in real life with younger people, if you know how to deliver it right. But results may vary depending on personality. However, they are always fun to write.]

* * *

Mercury was only standing there for a few minutes before Watts surprised him--but not that much.

"Isn't this nice?" Watts said. "Together again. What hole did you come crawling out of? You and Tyrian already got caught?"

Mercury frowned at him. "How did you escape?"

"Those fools need to keep better track of their scrolls." Watts flipped one. "It was nothing to connect to the plane's controls and toy around with it. The pilot won't have survived that crash landing. A pity it was a robotic one."

"They let you leave with a robot pilot?" Mercury snorted. "It's like they wanted you to escape."

"Or didn't want to lose any more of their actual pilots on this," Watts said. "That woman thought she was so clever--she actually thought I was just going to run like a dog with its tail between its legs. Why are you still here?"

"Whole thing was a ruse," Mercury said. "They think that I'm working with them. Salem sent me to spy on them."

"And that worked?" Watts put a hand to his chin.

"These people are really dumb." Mercury made a sweeping motion. "They buy that everyone will just join their side if they tell them all this spooky stuff is true about Salem. But I'm playing along for now to get the location of the Maiden."

"Then you're in luck. I already know how to find that," Watts said conspiratorially. "And I can give you a little nudge, but on one condition: I get what I want first. I don't want Salem to know I'm not dead just yet. I have my own plans for revenge on a certain person. It'll work better if she's in the dark for now."

"I don't know, you being alive is some pretty big news," Mercury said. "I'd probably get some points for reporting that. You'd better be d--- sure you know where the Maiden is."

"I may not know where she is exactly, but I know who does," Watts said. "There's a woman here, talented inventor, she's been interested in the Maiden for years. And I just happen to know that our dear Theodore has already located her. I only need to hack into a computer around here, and I can find her. If those fools did, then I can."

"They've been saying something about finding someone," Mercury admitted. "But they didn't let me in on it. They think I'm still not fully committed."

"They're not complete fools then," Watts said.

"I still need to know their plan to counterattack Salem," Mercury said.

"I need to know that also," Watts said. "Where did that woman go to? She left you alone."

"Sure, she just wanted to give me a pep talk. I'm supposed to be heading back to Shade right now," Mercury said. "But I'm not in any hurry to go stew around there. It's not like I'm actually in danger out here--Tyrian knows I'm spying. But they need to think I'm worried about him."

"I do love espionage," Watts said. "Well, you'd better run along then. But I think we could help each other."

He held up the scroll and typed something into it. "Here's the number. Now, I can't bring the Maiden in alone. But under no circumstances do I want Cinder to get those powers. I know you hate her as much as I do. What if I told you we could give Salem the Maiden, and Cinder wouldn't be able to do a thing about it?"

"I'm listening," Mercury said.

"This contact I have could do it," Watts said. "But I need to trick her into revealing the Maiden's location. And then I need you to ever so carefully mislead Cinder exactly the way I tell you. Once she's gone, we get the real Maiden, bring her to Salem, and we look like the competent ones. You get proof, I get my revenge. We both win. And Tyrian won't care. No one likes that migraine of a woman."

"I doubt any tears would be shed about her," Mercury said. "But Salem wants someone to unlock the Fall Relic."

"So someone else becomes the Maiden," Watts said. "We have only a few choices, or it can still be Cinder. Leave that part to me. She needs to learn some humility first."

He smiled unpleasantly.

"As long as it's not my skin on the line, I'll go along with it," Mercury said. "Let me know if this contact of yours can do the job, I guess. I gotta go before they miss me."

"Yes, yes, keep up your little ruse. Any lead they let drop, you let me know," Watts said. "But the less we can be seen together the better. Ta ta."

He walked away.

Mercury skulked away the other direction.

A triple cross? No freaking way.

[You know, even I'm getting confused.

Let's make a list.

Theodore is working with Salem to double cross Team Ozpin, but he's also trying to double cross Team Salem by using Raven to help Victoria, and get Vara out of danger.

Watts wants to double cross Theodore by helping Salem, but double cross Cinder by keeping the Maiden out of her reach.

Mercury is double crossing Cinder but not Salem, by double crossing team Ozpin.

Shine is aware of Theodore and Watts but not Mercury, and is trying to play them against each other by letting them do their thing while she pulls strings. She is allowing herself to be double-crossed in order to get to the Maiden first no matter what and protect Raven.

I would say Shine is double crossing them, except that her intention is not to hurt either side, only to protect the people in danger and foil their plans, so I'm not sure it's the same.

But, boy, is this complicated.

Everyone clear on who is screwing over who now? Good.]