By the morning of 16th December, more Marblemen airships were airborne searching for them. A whole flock of airships
They had their ship hidden in a cove to instead continue their journey to Hela by mainland.
Davy traced a finger along their map. It's an even more direct route travelling by land up to Hela, he explained. As long as they can secure a fast enough transport, which the map did highlight a place where they could get one.
Tom and Adonna went ahead to dye Llama brown like Bear to disguise her as an ordinary elk.
Rwby pointed to her metal hooves.
They decided against bringing the Thunderhoof along – disguised or not – so they wouldn't attract attention. In fact they needed to disguise themselves too.
Adonna had more cans of dyes, multiple colours. She dyed parts of her own hair grey in order to complement her own disguise as the others' mother.
Davy would be the father.
"You don't really need any disguise to sell it." Rwby commented as he was picking fake beard.
Passing Klein hooted a short laugh.
Llama left back on the Hangpole, they travelled as one migrating family.
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Their destination was a bustling trading post. An outdoor hub of activity, where travellers from various corners of the mainland converged to seek passage to every destination.
Carriages of various sizes lined up alongside automobiles, emitting soft hisses and puffs of steam. Caravans for those travelling in groups.
The most intriguing vehicle was a marvellous contraption of steam engineering they witnessed when it came reeling out the big gate. A long automobile easily mistakable for a train were it not shorter with large iron wheels enveloped in hard rubber to withstand the rugged terrain. They followed it with eyes 'til it receded into the landscape.
The queue leading through the smaller gate for pedestrian entry was in constant motion. As they edged forward, they began to realize that the Marblemen guards stationed at the entrance were requesting some sort of Travelling License from those seeking entry.
Davy leaned into the man behind them. "Such a headache this license thing huh?" He initiated chat. "You won't believe what happened to my cousin when he came here without one."
"They took 'em away, didn't they?" The raspy-voiced, middle-aged man responded.
"Err… yeah."
"Was all good when they were exterminatin' pirate ships. But then any ship 'less ones they licensed. Now even land travel you risk catching a bullet if you ain't got their bleedin' license." The man hissed.
"I hear you, brother." Davy pretended to relate. Exchanging glances with the others, pulse racing, they had to come up with a plan and fast.
"Don't tell me you lost the licenses, Juleo!" Adonna turned to Klein in exaggerated irritation.
Klein caught on fast. "I-I-I had them in here… somewhere." He fumbled around searching himself, stuttering. "No it's with Tuleo!" He pointed the blame to Tom.
Adonna nagged like a granny. Her voice ringing with irritation, it was impossible for anyone in the vicinity not to take notice. Berating everyone from her careless sons, her carefree daughter and their lazy father. She descended on someone who tried to calm her in tirade which attracted Marblemen guards to the commotion.
"Missus?"
"I have two like you back home!" She lashed at the Marblemen too. "You people! Pass for this – License for that! How about license to eat or breathe or sleep huh?"
Davy, playing the role of the apologetic husband, repeatedly offered apologies to the Marblemen guards while their children kept trying to calm her down to no avail. Her voice only kept increasing volume, expressive arms flapping.
Marblemen exchanged uncomfortable glances. Their commanding officer couldn't take any more of her incessant nagging nor the weight of more eyes gathering to the scene, he allowed them entry.
"Women, you know." Davy gave an awkward chuckle.
Once inside the trading post he said to Adonna, "That was so dumb it actually worked."
Of all the reliable vehicles, it was a rickety wagon drawn by mountain goats which won their money because the mouthy coachman boasted he could get them to Hela in less than a day. A journey other coachmen confirmed typically took two days at minimum.
Some white powder this coachman fed his goats drove them berserk. Instead of bleating, they shrieked disturbing cackles.
Even he couldn't stop them once they began their wild sprint, only steer them through mountainous shortcuts and along perilous cliffs. All of them screamed 'til their lungs tired, rested, then more screaming. All day long. And all night long because no matter whose voice begged the coachman to stop from the back of his rocking wagon, he screamed the same reply: that the goats couldn't be stopped 'til they tire out.
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They were left pale and traumatised when the wagon finally stopped at a breathtaking landscape of wildflowers, which welcomed travellers to the town nestled snugly in a picturesque valley. Hela.
None of them were in any state to appreciate the beauty around them.
Most disoriented from the rough ride, Tom threw up on the roadside. Davy, as if concerned, hung back to help him regain his footing while the others walked off their own daze ahead.
But there was no act of kindness in Davy's intentions as he pressed the cold steel of a pistol to Tom's ribs from behind while they moved.
Tom froze. "No, keep moving. I got no reason to give you an extra hole… 'Til you give me one." Davy's muttered threat absorbed through Tom's nerves like a chill, his legs continued onwards.
"They say keep your friends close and your enemies closer. No wonder you tagged along, Tommy boy. Who do you hate more between Marblemen and us?"
Tom shivered. He didn't understand such a question, he stuttered.
Davy asked another, "None of you Ana folk felt the need to tell us about those airships. That's how Marblemen came to Ana, wasn't it?"
"I didn't know that you didn't know." Tom swore.
Klein glanced back for a second, so Davy quickly retracted his pistol. "My eye's on you, Tommy boy." Davy left.
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Fleet of Marblemen airships loomed over the city of Ana.
First and foremost, they rained bombs over the port. Every last boat left burning, sinking or floating as smithereens.
Then the shipyard, leaving workers fleeing from the flames.
Marblemen besieged the city. Thunderhoofs boarded into a grounded airship. Citizens rounded up under rifle barrels.
Gun smoke wisped out from barrels as bodies dropped.
Blood stained the rifle butt after smashing someone's nose.
It didn't take long for fingers to point out Elsa, the treasure hunter's wife.