"Scapegoat"
A/N: Well hello there from my new digs up top. Here we go a new arc with new problems. Just tell yourself it won't get any worse for Team RWBY. Go ahead you have my permission. Anyway thank you guys for reading and don't forget to review :) Okay let's get on with the action!
The Mannequin, and Tourniquet were hiding behind a concrete wall. Beside them stood Team RWBY; who shooting at the advancing White Fang soldiers. The soldiers were firing back as well causing their cover to begin falling apart. One shot took out a piece of concrete right above Mannequin's head. This sent a bunch of dust and gravel onto his head. Not enjoying getting shot at and almost killed, he turned toward Tourniquet.
"This position is screwed. We need a new one." he said.
Tourniquet started looking around; and saw a bunch of shipping containers adjacent to their position. He motioned towards them with his head. Mannequin nodded; and turned towards Ruby and told her what was going on.
While the Mannequin was doing that, Tourniquet ran across the open ground to the containers. He evaded several volleys of incoming fire; and slid behind one of the large containers. He then knew that he had to buy sometime for the others to cross. He ejected his wrist blades out of his armor; and attached them hilt to hilt, forming a double-bladed sword.
Mannequin saw this and got Team RWBY ready to move. Tourniquet jumped over the shipping containers; and charged the White Fang's lines. Two soldiers started shooting at him. However, he moved with such speed and ferocity that he dodged them without appearing to even think about it. He quickly ended their lives; and moved onto the next.
As this was happening Mannequin and Team RWBY were moving over to the containers. Yang and Blake were sending several volleys of rounds back at the White Fang. As they were doing this they saw an officer pull his pistol and shoot Tourniquet in the head. The round appeared to going right through him without making an impact.
"Holy Crap." Yang said.
"What was that?" Blake asked.
"Who cares we have bigger things to worry about." Mannequin responded; strategically dodging the question.
"Tourniquet has them panicked, now would be the time to strike." Mannequin said.
"I agree." Ruby said; pulling out her knife.
With that they left their cover to join Tourniquet.
Ruby and Weiss went first, speeding past the White Fang. They started stabbing them before they could even react to them, thanks to Ruby's semblance and Weiss's Dust. Blake and Yang started engaging the White Fang in close quarters, causing them to drop their rifles.
Amidst the chaos Mannequin calmly walked in between the dead bodies. This was home. He withdrew his red sword and coated it in purple Dust. Three White Fang soldiers ran up to him as he was doing this. Each one of them was carrying two swords each.
"You know I would rather not waste my Dust on you. However, your screams will be payment enough." Mannequin said; jabbing his sword into the ground.
A purple sound wave ripped through the air; and deafened the soldiers. Each one of them put his hands up to his ears; and screamed upon realization that their ears were bleeding. Mannequin started to walk toward his next battle, however, the same sniper who shot at him before shot again. He blocked the bullet with his sword and it appeared to be absorbed within the sword itself. It started radiating with an orangish glow; and a trigger popped out of the hilt. Mannequin fired; and a red bolt of energy came from the sword. It hit the sniper and he slumped down to the roof on which he was standing. Steam was coming from wear his head used to be.
Elsewhere, Weiss was bouncing around on her glyphs harassing the White Fang. She would stab one soldier every time she hit the ground. In turn it made her very predictable. Eventually one soldier hit her in the stomach; and staggered her. He pointed his rifle at her and was about to shoot her; however the only sound that Weiss heard was the clatter of the rifle hitting the ground. Tourniquet had arrived and cut the soldier's arms off. He slumped to the ground and bled out. Weiss's white outfit was now stained with blood, but she figured that it was better than losing her life.
Blake and Yang were busy dealing with another wave of reinforcements that had just arrived. Both were getting very tired; and were covered in blood as well as sweat.
"They won't stop coming." Yang said.
"Yeah, and I'm almost out of ammo." Blake added.
As they said that another squad showed up and immediately opened fire. They dove behind another set of shipping containers; and waited for when they would stop firing.
"Where is help when you need it?" Yang asked.
"Standing right behind you." Mannequin said; a black cloud blowing off of him.
"Wow, when did you get there!?" Yang said in alarm.
" Just now, and it looks like you need some help."
"I'm still not sure you're what I would consider help."
Mannequin ignored her and started walking out from behind the containers.
"What are you doing?" Blake asked.
"Just watch." he replied.
He stepped out from behind the container; and the White Fang immediately started firing. The Dust rounds impacted the ground; and everywhere around the Mannequin. The shots that did hit him were bouncing off his armor. Seeing that they were having no effect, the White Fang, started to panic.
"Come on, don't tell me that's all you've got." Mannequin taunted.
Suddenly he appeared to teleport to one of the soldiers; and broke his neck. He then moved to another one and stabbed him whilst dousing another in fire. The White Fang seemed to wither away while he was fighting them.
"Holy crap." Yang said; absorbed in the display before her.
Blake grabbed her arm. "Come on, let's go help Ruby and Weiss."
Yang nodded; but before they could leave they were blown back by an explosion. Both hazily started getting up.
"You guys are literally the most annoying group of people, I could of ever been cursed with." A familiar voice said.
Mannequin was busy fending off three soldiers when he saw Blake and Yang get hit. He then slashed all three of them and started walking over to the perpetrator
"So you decided to show up, Roman, you masquera wearing bastard." Mannequin said; dragging the tip of his sword on the ground.
"Oh Mannequin, if you knew how to pull fashion off people would like you." Roman said; pointing his cane at him.
Mannequin continued to walk towards him, until he fired.
The round impacted him and enveloped him in fire. Team RWBY and the Tourniquet turned and looked at the fire ball. Mannequin emerged from the smoke virtually unscathed. However, the metal exo skeleton that covered the extent of his right arm was now sparking. He broke it off with his sword; and then took up a defensive stance.
"Now would you like to hit me with something that could actually hurt me?" he asked.
Torchwick ran at him, and started launching strike after strike at him with his cane. Mannequin skillfully parried his cane; and tripped him.
"If that's all you got then this should be over quick." he said.
Roman used the Mannequin to pull himself up. He then locked his cane with Mannequin's sword.
"Please if I was that bad; I would be out of a job." he said.
Both pushed off of each other; and then clashed again.
Meanwhile Team RWBY and Tourniquet were still fending off the remaining White Fang. Yang and Blake were back in the fight; after a brief period of rest. However, Ruby and Weiss's stamina was starting to twindle. It took everything they had to to start running again.
Weiss looked even more pale than she already was; she also started sweating profusely. She was about to use her speed boost again, however, Tourniquet grabbed her rapier and stopped her.
He handed her a canteen; and raised his hand. It turned into a translucent mass of water. He then hosed her off with a stream of water coming out of his hand. She was now sopping wet; and rather stunned at what just happened. She regained her composure quickly; and felt herself cool off.
"Thanks." she said.
Tourniquet responded with a low gurgling sound; and then ran off. Weiss took an awkward sip from her canteen and then rejoined the fight.
Ruby was busy running through the White Fang lines; harassing them even further. She sped past three soldiers; and slit their throats. She rejoined Blake and Yang; and turned toward the front line. There were very few White Fang left.
"I think we're almost done." Ruby said.
"I hope so, I'm out of ammunition." Blake said.
Suddenly they heard the weaning of jet engines overhead. An Atlysian bullhead was orbiting the area. Tourniquet saw this; and let out a hollow yell. He then turned into a mass of water; and flowed his way into the bay.
Tourniquet's yell caused the Mannequin to look up from his fight. He then turned to Roman and kicked him away from him.
"Well ain't that a bitch." he said; whilst coating his sword in red Dust.
He then shot the engine of the Bullhead, blowing it up. The airship spun out of control until it crashed into the bay. Mannequin transformed into a bunch of black smoke; and appeared next to Team RWBY.
"What was that?!" Weiss yelled.
Mannequin ignored her; and went over to Ruby.
"Get your team out of here." he said, hastily looking up to the sky.
"What why?" Ruby asked.
"You don't know do you? The military has a curfew in place anybody who is on the streets is to be shot on site." he responded.
Ruby's eyes went wide as she realized what that truly meant. Mannequin turned into black smoke again; and flew off into the sky. Ruby ordered her team to follow her and they started running toward the exit. However, before they could leave two military vehicles blocked the road. Ruby cursed and started running the other way. All while the military started shooting at them. They eventually found themselves barricaded inside a warehouse.
"Is Ironwood fucking insane?" Yang asked.
"Don't swear, Yang." Ruby said.
Yang sat down and put her head into her hands. They were out of options. Ruby looked around and saw her team beginning to unravel. She looked outside again; and saw that even more soldiers had arrived. She closed her eyes; turned back to her team.
"Blake take Yang and Weiss, and jump into the bay.' Ruby said.
Her whole team looked up at her.
"W-what are you saying? You're our leader you should be the one to do it." she said.
"Not anymore. I got you all into this mess and all the blame will fall on me. From now and until I get back you're the leader." she said.
A single tear ran down Ruby's face.
"You can't be serious. Snap out of it Rubes." Yang said; standing up.
"Yang look at me. My leg is shaking."
Yang looked down and saw that her previously broken leg was shaking; and barely on the ground.
"I can barely stand much less run or swim."
Ruby was now sobbing; and walked up to Yang. She hugged her with all her might.
"You've been a great sister. So please just this one time, let me go."
It was Yang's turn to start sobbing as she hugged her back. Ruby then turned to Weiss who was as still as stone. She walked over to her and grabbed her collar. Weiss was completely surprised by this;and stiffened up. She was surprised again when Ruby just barely touched her lips with hers; and then pulled her into a hug. Weiss felt disappointment and sadness well up inside of her.
"You'll get the rest when I get back." Ruby whispered.
Suddenly Weiss couldn't hold her composure anymore; and started crying into Ruby's shoulder. Ruby moved her away from herself; and turned towards Blake and nodded at her. Blake grit her teeth and nodded back. She grabbed Yang and Weiss and started running toward the back of the building. Ruby tried to compose herself; and stood in the corner of the building.
The military started beating on the door; and Ruby started reminiscing about the events that had taken place up till this point. Suddenly the door was broken down; and she put her hands up. She could feel the presence of the soldiers surround her. She waited for the gunshot that would would end her life. However, the only pain she felt was the butt of a rifle hitting her head knocking her out. She was loaded into an armored vehicle which quickly sped off.
Mannequin and Tourniquet were standing atop the SDC skyscraper. The sky was a light show of lightning as another monsoon was about to hit. Both of them were looking at the police convoy that Ruby's vehicle was a part of.
"Send a message to Fragile and tell her about what just happened." Mannequin said.
Tourniquet started typing on his scroll.
"Also send a message to Tyler; and tell him he is to return to base."
Tourniquet finished typing all this and sent them to their recipients. Suddenly a Bullhead arrived. It was painted black and had buffers on its engines. Mannequin and Tourniquet boarded the airship and flew off into the storm.
