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The supply run was going about as regularly as they all had. Of course, with Qrow’s luck, they encountered Grimm again just outside their second checkpoint. None too strong for the pair of huntsmen to handle, though, but it still provided a bump in the road.
“Was that the last of them?” Qrow asked, scanning the area around the transport.
“Looks like it,” Clover responded, heading back towards the rear of the truck. His attention was cut away by the sound of hooves treading from behind. “Wait, Qrow!”
The dark-haired man didn’t have time to react before the boarbatusk’s charge met with his stomach, knocking him to the ground with a heavy grunt, his aura crackling slightly. Clover quickly flicked his pin before whipping Kingfisher’s hook towards the beast, latching on to one of its tusks. In a swift motion, he yanked the Grimm into the air, flipping it over onto its back, before stabbing its exposed underbelly with his harpoon. The hog let out a high-pitched squeal before dissolving into black mist.
“Qrow, are you alright?” Clover asked, running over to his partner in the snow. He offered out his hand, and pulled the other man to his feet.
“Yeah, I’m fine. He just caught me off guard, is all,” replied Qrow, holding a hand to his abdomen.
The Ace Op sighed, before opening the back of the truck and climbing inside. “Alright. Just don’t scare me like that again.”
“Pfft, relax, Boy Scout,” chuckled Qrow, hopping into the transport. “I said I’m fine.”
“Well, excuse me for worrying,” Clover retorted with a smirk, closing the doors and taking a seat by the fold-out table they had set up.
“I think I should be the one worrying more than you, Mr. Perfect,” Qrow said, taking his seat opposite Clover as the truck started moving again. “It’s not like your semblance makes you a beacon for negativity.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Clover said, looking over to Qrow, brow furrowed in confusion.
“I guess I never expected the good luck charm to let himself get so stressed out. I mean, even with me around, what’s the worst that could happen?”
Clover let out a deep sigh, turning his head away to stare out the back window. “It’s not always as simple as you’d think.”
“Meaning?”
“Your semblance is a lot like mine, yeah?” Clover began. “You don’t really have a choice as to who it affects, do you?”
Qrow looked over to Clover in confusion. “Well no, but what’s that got to do with anything? You don’t expect me to believe you’re not happy with yours, do you?”
Clover paused for a moment, before turning back to meet the other man’s garnet eyes. “Did you know that there used to be six of us?”
“What?”
“The Ace Ops, I mean. Years ago, way back when Ironwood first recruited us. There were six of us.”
“What-- but, I thought there were always five of you,” Qrow protested. “All the news stories ever mentioned five of you. What do you mean there were six?”
Clover sighed again, pinching the bridge of his nose.
“Vulpe Acrid was the second youngest member when our group was first formed, just a year older than Marrow. Her semblance gave her the ability to read someone’s entire life history with a glance. Know their whole story, their intentions, their will. And,” Clover continued, turning away from the man, “I could tell right away that she resented me.”
“But that doesn’t make any sense. Why would she--”
“Because she felt cheated.” Clover interjected, meeting Qrow’s eyes again. “She was from Mantle. Her parents worked in the Schnee Dust Company mines, and she had to struggle just to survive the hate she experienced down there. And she struggled so much more to make it into Atlas Academy. So when she was recruited to the Ace Ops, Vulpe took one look at me and was outraged. She said I got handed everything in my life. Being born in Atlas. Having a good fortune semblance. Being appointed leader of the Ace Ops.”
“But that’s not fair to you. You couldn’t help any of that.” Qrow rebutted.
“But she was right,” Clover continued. “I didn’t have to struggle to get to that point in my life. I didn’t know hardships like her. I guess, for her, being forced to work under someone like me felt like a slap in the face to what she had to go through. I tried so hard to make peace with her but she never budged.”
“So… what happened to her?”
Clover exhaled deeply, rubbing his forehead. “There was a series of murders in Mantle soon after we formed. A serial killer was targeting faunus civilians working for the SDC. Once we received a tip as to his whereabouts, we staged an ambush and took the fight to him. We had the element of surprise on our side, but it wasn’t enough. He somehow managed to dodge every pair of bolo ties we threw at him. And,” Clover put his head in his hands for a moment, before turning back to the window, his voice hoarse. “He managed to land a stray bullet right in the center of Vulpe’s chest. Our dropship didn’t make it to us in time.”
Qrow was silent. For a moment he just stared at the Ace Op, the pain from him filling the air in the transport. It was a pain that Qrow knew all too well. “So… so you’re saying that your semblance… your semblance helped the serial killer?”
“If I hadn’t been there, if my semblance hadn’t acted up then, maybe Vulpe would still be…” he trailed off, before moving to wipe a tear away from his cheek. The brunet sniffled, collecting himself before turning back to Qrow.
“There’s a reason Harriet and the others act so distant towards each other. We all learned that day that when you form connections, they only hurt more once they come crashing down. And it’s knowing that someone died feeling bitter toward you, and knowing that they were right to think that. That’s when I decided that I never wanted to feel that again. I never blamed the others for putting up walls after that, but,” Clover looked down at the shamrock badge pinned to his lapel, “I became determined to find a way to channel my semblance. I wanted to make sure that it could only be used to help the right people. I never wanted to be a liability again.”
“I…” Qrow began, placing a hand on Clover’s shoulder. “I’m sorry that happened. I shouldn’t have assumed.”
“It’s fine. You’re not the first person to think I have it easy. And you’re not entirely wrong in thinking it either. On paper, I’ve been blessed with so many great opportunities, so I shouldn’t complain. But that doesn't mean my life isn’t flawed. I’ve felt pain few can ever relate to, and I never expect them to know it by looking at me. But that’s why I enjoy spending time with you. I can feel that you understand me on a level that others can’t.”
Qrow broke away from Clover’s gaze, contemplating what he had just heard. There IS someone like me. Someone who ends up hurting people close to them. And he… learned to control it…
“Could you...” the shape-shifter began, “I mean… can you help me learn to control my semblance?”
The Ace Op returned to him with a fond smile. “I’d love to.”