The following day most of the team, plus their entourage, flew to Vacuo.

Well, Shine and Wally portaled there, and they took a lot of people with them. Blake, her parents, Sun, and Illea all came separately, and Raven brought herself and Hazel once she was ready.

Shine brought the bulk of them to Vara, since Theo insisted on it.

Vara was waiting for them outside Shade, and the blast of dry heat was like a slap in the face after the cold autumn of Argus.

"Yikes, that's like an oven," Ben said.

"This doorway of yours is fascinating," Esmeralda said, looking around for it and seeing it had already snapped shut. "How do you do that?"

"Truthfully? I hardly know myself," Shine said. "I just think it and it happens, now. Once it wasn't so easy."

"I can do it too, if you were wondering," Wally said. "I like Shine's better though. They're nicer looking."

"Kind of like how you look in the flesh then," Theo said to him jovially before going up to Vara and kissing her. "How's the baby?"

"Ready to come out." Vara tapped her stomach. "I feel like it could be any second. It'd be a little early, but considering how big he already is, I have a feeling he's as impatient as his daddy."

"Is it a boy?" Neptune asked, politely.

"Well, we still really don't know," Theo said. "We made the doctor swear not to tell us, but in my heart, I feel it is."

"If it's not," Vara said, "I'm going to have a time of it teaching her ladylike behavior."

"What would you know about that?" Winter asked.

"I see you brought your little carbon copies," Vara said, as the twins were being held by their parents. "Nice to finally see them. They look just like you already."

"Well, they're lucky then," Qrow said.

Winter didn't even notice he'd used the taboo word this time; she was too busy watching Vara like a hawk to make sure she wouldn't try to pick them up.

"So are you going to stop at two or go for a whole set?" Vara asked next.

"Isn't two enough at a time?" Qrow said. "Who could handle more than that?"

"He said, standing next to someone who has been watching up to 12 or 20 teens or kids at a time," Shine said. "And my own. That's so weak, Qrow."

"Then I will concede that you're the stronger person," Qrow said.

"No argument there," Mercury remarked. "I guess we must be early. I don't see any fireworks."

"Not yet," Vara said. "There's still a few hours till sunset, but I'm glad you're here. I need help. This heat is making me feel sick anyway... Who's this girl?" She looked at Esmeralda.

"This is Es." Yang already was using the nickname. "Esmeralda, that is. Mala's younger sister. Happily, the survivor of that skirmish."

"Who did that to your face?" Vara asked, bluntly.

"My sister and my father," Esmeralda said flatly.

"Did you get them back for it?" Vara asked, with a wince.

"No, but their actions have punished them in their own time," Esmeralda said.

"Hmm...can you fight?" Vara asked.

"Not really," Esmeralda said.

"Are you smart?"

"Do you mind?" Cinder interjected.

"To answer your question," Esmeralda said to Vara, ignoring Cinder, "I don't know, but I think I am smart enough not to like where this is going. Do you want to fight me?"

"Not really. I'm pregnant," Vara said, "as you can see."

"I've never seen a pregnant woman before," Esmeralda said. "Barring Miss Belladonna-Wukong, but she's not showing... Does that feel odd?"

"Yes, actually," Vara said. "And he or she kicks."

"Is it because you ask questions?" Esmeralda said.

Pause.

Vara just laughed. "I like her after all. Nice to know anyone enslaved to that evil woman could still be a smarta--. And, Cinder, pull in your claws. Did I do anything to her?"

Cinder just glared at her.

"Did I say something offensive?" Esmeralda asked, confused.

"No," Meridian said, clapping her on the shoulder, startling her. "Vara is an odd bird. She likes people who say weird things. I think you'll grow on her."

Esmeralda was still confused.

"How can we help?" Oscar hurried to distract Vara.

"There's stuff in the school's kitchen and cafeteria that needs to be ready," Vara said. "And keep the flies from getting in if you can. And check for scorpions. I know you delicate people can't stand the sight of them."

"As long as they're not human-sized," Mercury remarked.

* * *

Once they had done as Vara said, with the help of some Shade students, who ogled them all in amazement, Vara had gone to lie down.

It was nearly dusk by now.

"All right, enough of this," Meridian said. "Let's go join the fun. It may be too early for the fireworks, but by now the games will be set up, and I have a mind to win some prizes at the archery ones."

"What games?" Ruby asked.

"Oh...this year they did a fun section for the festival," Weiss said, "one they seem to think no one is going to be able to steal from, but I haven't much hope of that, personally. There's a bunch of prizes people made that all say '5 Years' on them. I wouldn't mind one, just for a momento, but if I can't use my Semblance, I don't know if I'd win one of those stupid contests of strength."

"Strength, huh?" Yang said. "That's it, I'm going to try it. I haven't played carnival games since the Vytal Festival, except for the arcade. Let's go."

"Just stay away from any dunking tanks," Mercury said. "Wouldn't want Neptune to have a conniption."

"How about I dunk you in one," Neptune muttered.

Everyone else was down to try this idea, and that section of the city was about a mile from the school, so they went there directly.

The young kids were put in strollers, and Shine was keeping a close eye on them, although probably not as carefully as Winter was.

Nora was not worried. She said Storm would be fine.

Storm, who already seemed to have some of her mom's nutty personality, just made faces at them (though, as she was less than 3 months old, it was doubtful she knew they were unusual faces).

Ren was more vigilant about keeping her closer.

"I do not like cities," he remarked, as they dodged through the crowds who were already filling the streets. It was cool enough now for them to come out of their homes.

Some people waved at them or said greetings.

Some just ran past, chasing each other with sparklers, or weapons in some cases, or stealing things like it was a game. Sometimes they gave them back--other times they didn't.

"Ah, the Belladonnas are here," Raven announced, holding her scroll in her hand. "Good, we can have a diplomatic meeting with the Council here about Watts. I'm sure the Menagerie leaders will have plenty to say about him."

"Maybe not work right now," Qrow said. "And watch that scroll."

"Qrow, please--" Raven stopped as someone hit her arm while it was lifted up, and the scroll flew out of her hand.

She snatched it back up before anyone could step on it, but she shot Qrow a dirty look.

He just shrugged.

"There's so many people," Esmeralda said as someone hit her in the shoulder and she nearly tripped.

"Careful there." Hamish steadied her. "They don't mean any harm, but the poor b-----ds never know where they're going."

As if to prove his point, one of them nearly hit him while they were in hot pursuit of the first.

Hamish simply pushed them away so that they ran around--the funny thing was, they didn't even react, just kept going.

"People here are crazy," Ruby said.

"I love it," Wally grinned. "Sometimes standing on ceremony is exhausting."

"Hey, Weiss." one person who must have been a Shade student suddenly popped out of the fray. "What are you doing out here? Aren't you afraid you'll break a nail?"

"Aren't you afraid I'll break your stupid face!" Weiss shouted back.

He started laughing.

"Go easy on him, Tiger." Meridian put a hand on Weiss' shoulder. "It's a party."

"Is he disrespecting you?" Winter said, with a frown.

"Hmm? Oh--oh, no," Weiss said. "That's someone from Meridian's class. They're just having fun with me, that's all. They knew I would say that."

"Wow, you have adapted," Qrow said. "I did not think you would laugh that off."

"I got PTSD when she said 'stupid face'," Neptune said.

"I'm not sure I'm ready for this," Esmeralda said. Her face was getting red from the heat, even at this hour. "So many people."

"We'll find a less crowded spot," Ruby said. "Let's go that way."

They somehow edged their way around the crowd and made their way down a different street.

In 5 years, some of them who'd rarely visited Vacuo realized that it was looking a lot more developed. The oasis had kept spreading, as it had begun after Alicia's water vial had been poured into it.

It was greener at the edge of the city, and with the Grimm never coming into it, because of the music and general attitude of hopefulness that people now had, they'd had time to build real houses, and even some makeshift streets that were not just dirt between lines of shanties.

It was not fancy, by any means, but it was more like a real city, even at the edge. And in the more upper class districts, if you could call it that, things were still cleaner and brighter than they had ever been. At least in many decades.

Some had even set up misters to keep the dust down and the air cooler in the thicker street intersections that were blocked off for the festival.

Finally, Sun and Blake found them.

Blake looked a little nauseous after the plane ride and in the heat, but she had taken medicine to help keep it at bay. She said she'd feel better after it cooled down.

Everyone else was upbeat, except for Carmine. Kali hadn't wanted to leave her, but she did not look very happy. That was to be expected, however.

Royal had flown with them. They'd left hours ago so that they would arrive at almost the same time as everyone else.

He didn't say anything to Cinder still, nor she to him.

But the others invited him to join them right off, and Sun also. Blake and her mom said they'd just go find somewhere nice to rest and wait for the fireworks show to start.

Illea was down to join everyone else to play games.

The carnival-like set up was pretty impressive. A lot of booths were set up, and people were winning the prizes--or stealing them--fast.

Some Shade students and other hunstmen were keeping an eye on this so no one got too carried away.

It was true that signs that said "5 Years of Freedom" or just "5" were everywhere, as well as other memorabilia that had "5", "free", "delivered", or "D-Day" on them. The last was Wally's personal favorite because he still thought it was too weird.

"If we take one of those home, people will talk," Shine said. "Please, no one give me one."

"I'm going to do it," Mercury said.

"It won't be accepted," Shine said. "Anything but that one."

"I'd take one," Emerald said, giving Mercury a nudge. "We should go see if any of these rigged games actually work."

"I'll show them rigged if they try to cheat," Mercury said.

"You just have to speak the right language," Sun said. "Or have a tail--that always helps." He picked up a small ring with his tail and tossed it at the target, hitting it.

"You have to pay to play," said the person. "The free ones are that way." They pointed.

"These are all games?" Esmeralda said. "Like knife throwing?"

"Yeah, but I'm guessing you've only seen the game with human targets," Mercury guessed.

"Shut up!" Cinder said to him, but Esmeralda just nodded. 

"Human, animal...usually. Sometimes nothing at all."

"Well, this will blow your mind," Mercury said, gesturing widely. "You can win actual stuff here. Toys, snacks, stupid looking jewelry, the works."

"I want to try that," Esmeralda said. "But not with knives."

"Try the ring toss," Sun offered.

"Royal, you should pick one of the really hard ones," Neptune urged him. "I know they're supposed to be impossible to actually win, but with your Semblance, you could totally do it. Make those people actually squirm."

"Is it really a feat for me to flex my Semblance on them?" Royal said. "It's not much of a victory if it's just because I can't miss."

"I think that's still a victory," Yang said. "I'm trying the arm wrestling game. It can't be tougher than Nora."

"Yeah, no way, and I'm next," Nora said.

"Such frivolous activities," Winter said. "Nothing to get so excited over."

"Buzzkill," Yang said as they walked away.

"I think they were having fencing matches that way," Qrow said, with a smirk. "Vacuo style--they'd have real fights as part of the entertainment. I might go try it myself, teach those scrubs a few things."

"They wouldn't be much competition," Winter said. "You should find an opponent who would be a real challenge."

"Who would that be?" Qrow asked innocently.

"I'd offer," Raven said, "but I both have no desire to actually fight you in public where people can place bets on it and undermine my intimidation as a leader, and it wouldn't be nearly as exciting when I know I would win."

"You would not win," Qrow said. "The odds would not be in your favor."

"If I cared about that, I wouldn't be here," Raven said.

"The odds will not determine everything," Winter said. "I'd like to see the fights myself--see if Theo is actually teaching his students anything worth knowing."

"There is that," Qrow admitted.

"I'll take the twins," Shine said at once. "I should spend more time with them, as their godmother, after all. Babe, can you take ours?"

"I got her." Wally scooped Grace up. "Gracie, do you want to go win a stuffed animal at one of those tossing games? No one's faster than your dad at those."

Gracie cooed and giggled amiably. Though she had no idea what he'd said, she liked being picked up and higher than so many people.

"That's what I thought," Wally said. "And, Sunshine, I'll win you one just for the heck of it, even though we all know you could easily just talk your way into getting it for free."

"Talk my way into it?" Shine said. "I'm not pretty enough to just get it as a gift?"

"If we went by that, you could probably get that from everyone," Wally said smoothly.

"Ugh, you're so over the top," Raven gagged. "Shut up and go away."

"If you ask me so nicely, sure," Wally loped away.

"Should he be doing something like that with the baby?" Pyrrha asked.

"Grace seems to be totally fine with it," Shine said. "To be fair, he did that while I was pregnant too. I guess she's used to it. He's very careful, no worries."

"I'll help you with the twins," Emerald said. "I haven't got to babysit them yet." She tickled Nicholas' toe, and he smiled at her.

"How did it go with Watts?" Emerald asked Shine, after a few minutes had passed.

Shine's expression clouded.

* * *

Watts was confined to a cell that was small and narrow and had no window. No access to technology, of course.

Shine slid aside the panel in the door. "Arthur," she spoke quietly.

Watts gave a start, and then looked up apprehensively. 

It was hard to see his expression, but Shine thought he seemed tired.

"Miss Likstar," he said feebly.

"It's Mrs. West, now," Shine said. "It's been a while since we've spoken. Years, in fact. I've heard much, though."

"You've heard it all, no doubt," Watts said. "I thought they must stay in contact with you... Where did you disappear to? Not a trace of you or your partner in the kingdoms that I ever heard."

Watts still did not know they were World Walkers, since no one trusted him, though he had to wonder how they did what they did.

Shine did not bother to tell him now--no reason to.

"It doesn't matter where," she said. "Where have you been, Arthur?"

"Perhaps, had you not disappeared," Watts said, "this would not have happened."

"Are you daring to accuse me of being responsible for your actions?" Shine said with warmth.

"No," Watts said. "But perhaps someone would have caught on. Never could get anything past you, ma'am."

With an odd smirk. Watts still had a grudging respect for Shine's wits.

Shine pitied him.

"You were never one of ours, Arthur," she said sorrowfully. "I hoped you would be. I thought I gave you the chance. I convinced them that you were worth keeping alive longer. I asked for nothing in return beyond what would keep you of use. They granted you more freedom in our absence...and you repaid it with spite. All I can ask now is why?"

"You do not usually not know the answer to that," Watts said. "Why do I do anything? Perhaps you can tell me, Miss Lik--or West, why I feel the need always to one-up everyone else. It has been my undoing, and not a soul will pity me for it."

"You're wrong. Some of them pity you, but they can't help you now." Shine spoke somberly. "Nor can I. I let you go before, so to speak. I cannot now. Do not beg me to. This is not in my hands, as you are not under my protection anymore. And for what you did, to my student and friend Cinder, I could justly hate you. More so, you helped the people who targeted innocent children and a charity that was trying to help them. And endangered a whole island. And for what? Pride? You want to know why you did it? That's why. All this time did not teach you humility. And you had the gall to say Cinder never learned. But she learned more than you did even before she joined us. "

"Mrs. West, are you here just to tell me all the ways I wronged the people?" Watts said. "I can't argue with you, but it seems like a waste of your time to tell me what the judge will be telling me at the trial."

"I was hoping for some trace of remorse."

"I did not realize what the Baba Tribe was doing," Watts said. "That Menagerie bit was out of my hands. I ignored the implications of what they actually did. I figured a few orphans here and there didn't matter much." A pause as he must have thought of how that sounded to a normal person. "Well, you know I've never cared about the idea of innocence."

"I know." Her tone was not acceptance, but rebuke.

Watts might have borne it better if it was pure anger, but Shine's disappointment, whether calculated or not, was the worst kind of response anyone could give him, someone who detested failure.

And he knew he had failed her, failed to repay her mercy and honesty when she helped him avoid Salem's destruction by getting out of it.

"I didn't know how grotesque it was inside there," he said. "I never was one for violence, really."

"Directly," Shine said. "But I was never blind to the fact that you were responsible for more deaths than Tyrian himself was in Atlas. And to be blunt, Beacon also. Cinder's speech might have started it, but your hacking is the reason there was so much death. I'd wager, had you been given a trial, and had she not made herself the face of it, you'd have been found guilty of thousands of deaths. Just because you didn't do it right to their faces does not make it different."

"Ah, Cinder." Watts sounded wry. "I should have known nothing would kill that woman anyway. I don't even know why I thought it mattered anymore. Seems rather ridiculous now... I used to think you thought of her the way I did, but at some point you began to favor her."

"I learned to love Cinder," Shine said. "Not because she was kind, but because she knew what she was and she admitted it. Oh, she wasn't wholly honest--no one is, least of all villains...but at least she knew she was a villain, and she knew what she did was horrible. There were times I could look in her eyes and see she couldn't quite hide that even from herself. I began to like her when I began to think she was still human. The truth of the matter is, Arthur, that a person does not need to be Grimm on the outside to be a monster. The Grimm was a formality. In some ways, having it visible made Cinder more aware of her fall into corruption, and that was why she was able to leave it behind. You, your corruption was on the inside, and you never admitted it. I didn't hate you, but I could never get close enough to you to be friends. My love was a choice, but it never became easy or natural--for that, the other person has to be open also. You didn't care about love."

"No, I can't say I ever have," Watts said. "And...look where it has gotten me." He leaned along the wall next to the door with one hand. "They'll kill me, and I can't think of a single person who'll be sorry. Not only am I a failure, but I am considered scum. Perhaps Mr. Pine was right about that... It's nothing. Of course, I only realized this once it became inevitable. Not much consolation there. Nor does it say much for my intelligence, regrettably."

"'In professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,' " Shine quoted, "'and changed the glory of an incorruptible God into the image of corruptible man.' All who worship man's works or might or intellect go this way, Arthur. I hoped you'd see that in time. I thought there was hope in you having some standards at least. Being worthy... But worshipping intellect itself is not the solution. None of us are worthy of God's grace, but He gives it anyway."

"I suppose I never could understand how any intelligent Being such as God could care nothing at all for what man accomplishes," Watts said.

"God cares what we accomplish," Shine said. "We must do things to have a purpose in life. But God would not have us mistake that for what makes us valuable to Him. The only security in life is to know that you will be loved whether or not you can act. And the joy of life is to act, anyway, because you simply want to and not to earn anything but satisfaction for it. Virtue is its own reward, they used to say."

"Well--" Watts sounded bitter, perhaps more at himself. "--I never got that."

"Do I detect some remorse in that, Arthur?" Shine said, not unkindly. "Perhaps seeing the consequences of your actions was enough?"

"Enough to convince me I brought it upon myself," Watts admitted. "Part of being worthy is knowing when it is your own fault. I suppose I did cause many deaths. I never lost any sleep over it...only caring about my own ego. I can't even say why that was so important now. What did it get me? I couldn't stand that Fall, with all her pettiness, was esteemed higher than myself in the end."

"Could it be, Arthur, that in her rabid idealism that became cynicism, you somehow always saw something that you lacked?" Shine said. "Cinder drove me crazy with her stubbornness at first, but I had to admit that, behind her condemnation of Atlas, there was something that was once at least some concern for someone other than herself. Not in any real way, maybe, but she saw that what happens to one person happens to another, which makes a whole system corrupt, if it goes on long enough. And that is why she inspired followers, even if they were blind ones--and you were alone. Is that something you always knew? She didn't have to be good to at least understand a little of what goodness was. But to not get it at all...people can't follow someone like that for long. If at all. The most charismatic evil people are ones who once believed in good and go wrong...but some of that conviction is left. No one follows someone who has no conviction."

It was all true. And even Salem had had her convictions, much as she'd lied about what they really were.

"So you came to tell me my folly, is that it?" Watts said. "I've known you to make a point harshly, but to gloat? That seems beneath you."

"Then you should know that I'm not gloating," Shine said. "I'm testing you, as I usually am. I can't do anything for you now, Arthur, except to hope that you might at least make your peace with your Maker. He is the only being left whom it is not too late to appease. Even if I would trust you after this, it's out of my hands. But you'll find the perils of this world pale in comparison to the ones of the next. Those, you can still avoid. Consider it. You have nothing to lose now."

Watts gave her a long look. "And you really believe that?"

"I've seen too much by now to doubt it truly, however I may have weak moments." Shine tilted her head. "Sometimes I think the reason people doubt the afterlife is more because it's too real to think about and not too unreal."

Watts shook his head. "What could I say to your God now, Mis--Mrs. West? I recognize now that you are trying to be kind, which I did not see before. But it's wasted on me. I couldn't feel grateful to you even if I wanted to. I think my emotions have long since died from neglect. Perhaps I am more like a robot than that contraption of Polendina's."

"Perhaps...but you do have the advantage of not being a machine in reality," Shine said. "A man can change his mind or have it changed for him. Emotions or no, it doesn't matter. If you sincerely were convinced."

"I am convinced that I am, in fact, what your people seem to call a 'sinner'," Watts said, "and a coward, admittedly. I prefer my own way to anyone else's, except somehow the most evil people of the world. One must conclude that I was evil myself if that's the case. But I'll never get the chance to see if I could have done better."

"You did get a chance, and you threw it away...but there is some hope still. Like I said, God does not value us based on our ability to do things for Him. That is the one thing you have never understood about Him, but it is the one thing that can save you."

Shine leaned on the door also. "Toss aside your pride and your need to be praised. Admit that you ruined that chance yourself. And admit that only God could grant you grace after such malice... If you do that, and accept in return, that He has given this to you...you're no worse off than any of us, really. We all come empty, if we looked at what we really have in ourselves, to offer. Even the gifts of people who ignore God are from Him already. Your intellect was a tool given to your brain. Once that brain has left your body, nothing of you will be left here. I would be more concerned about what will live on. In the end, it's who you're claimed by."

She tapped the glass. "If you accept that, Arthur, I'll see you on the other side of this. Maybe there we'll actually be friends. You might not have much fame there, but remember that to even be known by a Divine Being is still more important to anyone that being known by every human in the world. What can they do for us in the long run? You may be poor there, but the poorest man in heaven is richer by far than the wealthiest sinner in hell or earth. These things all fade away, but what is beyond this world is eternal."

She stepped back. "As many have pointed out, if we're right about Heaven, we have everything to gain by siding with God... If we're wrong, we have nothing to lose."

A tiny holy book appeared suddenly in the cell. Watts stared down at it.

"I'll pray for you, Arthur," Shine said seriously, before she left.

* * *

"So I don't know," Shine said, after she'd told Emerald a summary of that.

Blake, who they'd sat near, was listening also, ears down.

"You care still," Emerald said. "I'm not surprised... I'm glad, actually. I don't think you'd ever stop caring about any of us."

"I'm only human." Shine tilted her head. "But I don't think so. It's not the kind of care you can just stop having. Are you sure you don't want to go join Mercury?"

"Yeah, I can take the twins," Blake said. "I should get some practice in... I don't know much about babies. Sometimes I wish I wasn't an only child."

"I'm okay for now," Emerald said. "Does that mean you don't want to talk about it anymore?"

"There's nothing more to say," Shine said. "Maybe one of you can tell me how it turns out."

"Yeah, okay," Emerald said. She stretched. "So...what else has been going on?"

* * *

Cinder followed Esmeralda closely. She didn't have much interest herself in doing any stupid games.

Esmeralda acted like they were a lot more entertaining than they were, as usual.

To Cinder's surprise, Hamish followed them also. Perhaps he didn't want to be stuck third-wheeling with the couples. Or maybe he liked Esmeralda better than the others. 

It might have been that, actually, Cinder noted, after some observation. Maybe it was because she didn't talk over people. Likely Hamish felt pretty invisible when his more boisterous, charismatic best friend was around or his opinionated wife and her famous friends.

Not much fear of being outshone around Esmeralda, in that way. But she was not boring.

Cinder would have been more worried about any male paying attention to Esmeralda if she had not thought Hamish lacked the imagination or killer instinct to take advantage of anyone. She hardly paid attention to him at all and barely knew his name.

Still, he said very little, and Esmeralda addressed Cidner more often, so she was forced to try to keep up a conversation, though her mind was elsewhere--mostly with Royal, who was still ignoring her.

Well, he wasn't entirely ignoring her, if she'd caught him often staring at her, but he was pretty good at waiting till she wasn't looking. Precise timing and all.

"I don't seem to be any good at any of this," Esmeralda finally said, after she'd attempted a few different free games. She finally sounded discouraged. But then she shrugged. "Oh well, I didn't expect much different."

"Maybe you should try that one," Hamish spoke for the first time in several minutes. He was nodding at one of those hammer games that test your strength.

"That?" Esmeralda said. "But...it looks pretty heavy." She glanced at her hands.

"You swung around the cavern," Cinder said. "You can't be that weak in the arms...but for that...?" She didn't think it was a good idea. "None of this proves anything anyway."

But this did not seem to help.

"Just try it," Hamish suggested. "I'll go first."

"Oh, great, that'll make it seem more easy," Cinder muttered.

Hamish did go and hit the dial all the way to the top.

Esmeralda gaped. "How...?"

"Just gotta find the right momentum," Hamish said.

He sounded like Royal. Just need to hit it just right! Like it was that easy!

"So you're like Yang, but less powerful." Cinder folded her arms.

"No, I'm like Yang if she didn't have to get beat up to get her power stored," Hamish said. "Just have to move enough times. And I don't have to hit anyone or take damage to use it. I think that's a bit of a destructive Semblance, don't you? A temper tantrum."

Esmeralda took the mallet tentatively. "It's...not so heavy." She lifted it. "But I could never move it like that."

Cinder was more worried she'd let go and hit someone in the head.

"Lift it like this." Hamish shifted the mallet to a different angle. "Pull back, carefully, and then let 'er rip in one big motion. Just don't miss."

"Are you sure she should try this," Cinder objected, trying to warn him.

"Shove off," Hamish told her. "You'll break her focus."

Esmeralda didn't look that focused as it was, but then her expression hardened, and she pursed her lips and swung.

She did better than expected. Maybe all that swinging around had given her a better sense of motion and flow than you'd think someone so fragile would have.

She didn't get it to the top, but she got pretty far up.

"Not bad," the person running the game said. "Take a party favor."

Since it was a free game, so the prizes weren't that good, they were really just buttons that said "Deliverance Day" on them, with a picture of the mallet.

But Esmeralda didn't care. "I did it!" She turned to Cinder. "It worked."

"Yeah, yeah," Cinder said dryly.

"You did fine." Hamish gave Cinder a look. "You should try something with better prizes though."

"I don't have money." Esmeralda shrugged. "It's fine though. Thank you... You're good at this."

"I've done it before. This is a pretty common game in the arcades around here." Hamish made light of it. "Mer will probably win something for shooting, but he's shite at throwing a good punch."

Cinder asked herself why men always felt the need to show off having muscles, as if it was that big an accomplishment.

Not that she could have really done any better...