Seperation

-Somewhere in Anima-

The whole group didn't know how long they were walking along the beaten path. To most, it had felt like an eternity, especially since most of them were injured as they were quick to discover Qrow was indeed poisoned. What's worse, without the proper tools to know exactly the kind she was dealing with, Scout couldn't make an antidote. Their only hope was to find a doctor in the next town.

Most of them had their weapons armed and ready for any kind of grimm that came their way. All except for Roman and Melody who were both still injured from the fight earlier. Melody walked beside her father with her arm still in a makeshift cast, while Roman walked in the middle of the circle as he had been using his cane for support; Cristal had been at his side as she was ready to protect her father at the first sign of trouble as well as Senka.

Frosty hung out on Ruby's shoulders as she and Jaune were carrying Qrow with a makeshift gurney they made with sheets from their tent. They had explained to Roman prior about what Qrow had told them last night, and though he had many questions--He knew they had more important issues to deal with.

"Papa--" Melody said as she gripped his hand, "--Please hang on, just a little longer."

"Hold on Uncle Qrow." Ruby said, "We'll get you help soon.

Qrow let out a couple of coughs as he started to talk in his sleep, "Tai…" He groaned, "... She's not… Coming back… Tai…"

Scout placed her hand on his forehead as her ears dropped slightly, "It's no good." She said, "He's getting worse."

"Damn it all!" Rosario said, "We've been walking for at least five hours! We should have found something by now!"

"Does anyone know if we're any closer?!" Ruby said.

"We just gotta be!" Nora added.

"Without the map, there's no way of knowing." Ren told them.

"Well, we have to walk into something eventually right!?" Cristal said.

Ren had been the first to stop in his tracks as he noticed a sign had been up ahead. Much to the group's surprise he picked up his pace. "Ren?!" Ruby called out, "Ren, what is it?!"

He stopped in the middle of a fork in the road as he saw four signs along the path. One had pointed back the way they came and had been labeled Higanbana. The other which pointed right read Mistral and Kuchinashi, and on the left read Kuroyuri; however an X had been over the name. Ren's look seemed to have changed a little.

"Hey! Mistral!" Nora said, running by Ren's side, "Guys, we're on the right path!"

Her expression soon fell when she noticed the name Ren had been looking towards. Her eyes softened as she looked at him with worry. Rosario, Roman, Scout and Cristal soon caught up with them as they examined it.

"Does it say how close?!" Ruby said.

"No!" Rosario replied, "All we got are the names!"

"Seriously, they couldn't bother to write that down?!" Cristal said as she ruffled her hair.

Roman looked to the path on the left as he noticed what had been ahead of them, "From the looks of it, this path might cut through the mountains!"

"It just might be the quickest path!" Scout added.

Ruby and Jaune set the stretcher down as Melody kneeled beside her father. "Guys…" Jaune said as he looked to Melody and Qrow, "... I don't think all of us here can make that climb."

"Well Senka has wings right?!" Melody said, "Can't he just fly ahead carrying him!?"

"I would but--" Cristal told her before she sighed, "--We don't know what's ahead. I don't know if there's a Grimm stronger then Senka on the other side. I'm sorry, but I can't take that risk."

Ruby looked over to Melody as she couldn't help but grit her teeth at this. She soon ran to the group as she examined the signs. "Okay, okay--" She said, before she pointed left, "--What about this place?!"

They all looked to the name, with an X carved over it. "Kuro--Kuroyuri!" Ruby said as she had difficulty pronouncing it, "Can we get help there?!"

Roman looked at the sign and his own gaze softened, "Red… I guarantee you no one is going to be there."

"He's right." Ren said, "That village was destroyed years ago."

Rosario gave it some thought, "It might not be a bad idea though. It'll take longer but it'll take us around the mountains."

"If that's the case, it's the best chance we have!" Jaune said.

"It'll take too long!" Ren told them.

"The town would've had a doctor right?" Ruby said, "We could maybe scavenge for some medicine!"

"That is if they're still there to begin with!" Scout said.

"We're not going to find anything!" Ren soon told them, "WE JUST HAVE TO PRESS ON!"

Everyone couldn't help but look at Ren shocked at his sudden outburst. All that could be heard around them was the gentle breeze of the wind. Though each of them couldn't help but look worried.

"Ren?" Jaune said, "Why are you being so--"

"We can split up." Nora soon announced as each of them looked shocked again..

"What?!" Ruby and Jaune said in unison.

Nora soon explained, "Half of us that are able to climb can cut through the mountains, while the rest of us can take Qrow through the village."

"No!" Jaune argued, "We can't! We're supposed to stay together and keep each other safe!"

"We don't have time for safe!" She argued, "If we make it to Mistral we'll bring back help! If we don't--At least we'll have a better view of the land! Up there we can see if there's somewhere else we can go!"

Ren turned over to Nora as he couldn't help but smile while most of the group had a look of uncertainty as they looked over to where Qrow had been as he let out a couple of coughs. Each of them came to their own conclusion; as much as they didn't like it, they knew what had to be done.

"Alright." Jaune said after he sighed, "Ruby and I will go through the Village."

"And Ren and I can cut through the mountains." Nora said.

"That just leaves everyone else." Ren said, turning to the rest.

"I'll go with you two." Roman said to Ren and Nora, "I've seen this kind of terrain before when I traveled, and you're gonna need a guide."

"But--You're still hurt--!" Ruby couldn't help but argue.

"He won't be on his own." Cristal soon announced, "I'll go with him."

Roman couldn't help but look a bit worried, "Sweetie, I'd rather you'd stay with Red and Arky. With the way you are--"

"--Listen old man." Cristal soon countered, "I made a promise to Destiny that she'll see you alive and I meant it. The last thing I'm going to let you do is die before we find her."

He had been about to retort, though he took her words to heart as he couldn't help but laugh a little, "Come on--I'm not that old you know."

Cristal herself couldn't help but smirk, as Senka nudged her hand a little for her to pet, "You're pretty old."

"If that's the case--" Rosario said, "--I'll accompany you. I'll help you protect him partner."

She nodded towards her with a smile before she gave Rosario a knuckle touch. Though it hadn't been long before she turned over to Scout, "I think it's best if you go with Jaune and Ruby. Your of more help to Qrow then you are to us."

Scout had been hesitant at this as her ears dropped slightly, "But--There's nothing I can do to help him."

"You don't always gotta rely on medicine." She reassured her, "I know you'll take care of him."

Scout looked to the ground, still unsure on what she should do as she twiddled her thumbs. Finally she looked at Rosario as she nodded, earning a smile from her. Her sight soon set over to Melody as she was still by Qrow, "I'll go talk to her."

With that, she went over to Melody who wouldn't let go of her father's hand, while the group continued to discuss. She kneeled by her side, and gave her a pat on the shoulder causing her to jump. She was quick to calm down when she saw it had only been Rosario.

"Hey." Rosario said, "How are you holding up?"

"... Not great." Melody replied, as she turned back to her father, "... Then again, I don't know how I'm doing…"

"I guess that's fair." Rosario said with a huff, "Just to update you, we decided to split off. Qrow here is gonna go through the village with Ruby, Jaune and Scout, while the rest take the mountain route. And I'll be going with Nora and Ren."

"Okay, so…?" Melody said.

"So--" She told her, "--I'm thinking it's best if you come with us after all that's happened. This is just me suggesting but, you have to stay focused. We're trying to focus on not dying and with your relationship with him--"

"Rosario?"

She flinched at Melody's tone, though she noticed her eyes had been completely focused on him, and yet she could still see her hand shake on his own. "... Is it…" She started to say with hesitation, "... Is it alright if I ask you something…?"

"I guess?" She said, sounding a bit unsure.

Melody took a deep breath, "You--Once told us you have a brother. Some bad stuff happened and you ended up leaving him, even though you didn't want to. Did you ever regret doing it?"

The look on Rosario's face changed as her gaze softened, "... Everyday."

Melody finally looked at her, as Rosario could see, she possessed a sad expression, "... I've been away from home for so long. Not just because I'm trying to find my Aunt. The truth is… I'm afraid. A lot of things happened back in Patch because of what might as well be a curse. There's something I can't control and if I ever let it out… I'll hurt the people I love. But… They're some days where I regret that choice. I didn't even tell my dad or my sister goodbye in person--Instead I was cowardly and left them a letter. Now--Knowing last night, might be the last time I actually talked to the only parent that ever gave a damn about me, this might be the last time I see him--I CAN'T leave him. Not again…"

Rosario took the words to heart as she noticed the tone Melody gave. She sighed, "... Is it wrong to say I'm actually a bit jealous about how much you love your father?"

Melody looked to her shocked.

"The man I grew up with wasn't a good man. And maybe it's because of him Mercury is the way he is." Rosario said, "I don't have any good memories of him. Not after all the hell he put us through. I used to think that kind of love a parent gives to their child didn't exist. But--" She soon gave Melody a small smile, "--It's people like you that makes me glad that I'm wrong." She gave her another pat on the shoulder, "I still don't think it's a good idea, but if it'll give you closure, then I won't stop you."

Melody could only smile before the two of them had exchanged a hug.

After a few moments everyone had started to get ready to go with their own group. Cristal had gotten her supplies ready as she set them on Senka's back, while Scout had made sure she had most of her medical supplies, and Ruby and Jaune were getting ready to carry to the stretcher that had Qrow. Frosty stayed by Melody's side as she sorted her things out.

"Hey." Cristal said as she approached Ruby, "With the way things are going, it looks like we won't be seeing each other for awhile."

"I still can't believe it's come down to this." Ruby said.

Cristal only shrugged, "It can't be helped. Though if it gets us closer to finding my baby sister, then I'd make this choice again."

"Promise you won't die then?" Ruby soon asked her, "We thought we lost you once before, I don't want that to happen again."

Cristal scoffed at this, "You won't get rid of me that easily."

"Red." Roman soon called out, "Can I get a word?"

Ruby had an odd look as she walked over to where he stood. "Looks like we get a break from each other huh?" He said jokingly.

"Yeah." Ruby replied with a small smile, "Thank God."

Roman could only chuckle at this sort of thing before he rummaged through his pocket, "Just in case--I gotta favor I need to ask you."

Ruby couldn't help but tilt her head before he had found what he was looking for. Out of his pocket he had taken out a lighter--Or to be more specific, his lighter.

"I don't smoke." She told him.

"It's not just for smoking you know." He told her, "This was a present from Destiny when Cristal and Neo were having a girls day out. She used the money she had stashed away to get it customly made. I bought it with me for every job I took, even when I decided not to smoke. In a way, it always brought me good luck. I want you to hold onto this form--Until you see me and my daughter again."

"But why?"

"Just to show you we'll see each other again no matter what comes our way. After all you've done for them--Done for me, you're a part of our family now. Make sure you take care of it with your life, like I would."

Ruby had been touched by this as she could only nod with a smile. She took the lighter from his hand, but had surprised him with a hug. With hesitation he returned it, as he patted her on the back.

"Stay safe." She told her.

"Always."

With that, they broke apart the hug as Ruby placed it in her pouch compartment as the two of them went with their own groups. "Take care of each other." Jaune told Ren and Nora as he and Ruby picked up the stretcher.

"We've always had." Nora said.

"See you guys on the other side!" Cristal said with a wave, "If you end up dying I won't forgive you!"

"The same goes for you." Jaune told her.

"Blondie!" Rosario soon said to Jaune, "Take care of my teammates. Don't make me hunt you down."

Jaune only nodded as he smiled a small smile. The groups soon went down the pathways opposite of each other; Ruby, Jaune, Melody and Scout went down the left while carrying Qrow and Frosty trailing behind her, while Ren, Nora, Roman, Cristal, and Rosario went down the right with Senka following behind them towards the mountains.

"I hope they'll be okay." Scout said concerned.

"They will be." Ruby reassured her, "They're going to be fine."

"... You don't know that." Jaune said softly.

The small group of four pressed onward, though all made unaware that they had passed over a large fresh footprint.