Arc 3: The Girl in Armour

Chapter 9: Foxes and Gold.

A Few Weeks After the Marlow Bandit Clan incident:

"Come on Echo!" Yun groaned, trying to pry him from the lamp post.

Echo shook his head.

"Stop being stubborn!" she yelled.

"What's going on here?" Blake inquired as the members of Team RWBY passed by.

"Echo is refusing to go into Vale." Glaucous sighed "it seems he's too afraid of bumping into his Sister and Silver, in case that 'Marine' person is with them".

"How bad can she be?" Weiss folded her arms.

"Apparently very bad, if Echo is afraid of her" the Team GREY leader responded.

At this point Yun had hold of his feet, trying to pull him off the lamp post.

"Hey Echo" Ruby waved.

Echo lost his grip for a moment, as he removed his hand to wave back. His eyes widened, with realisation at what he'd just done.

"Gottcha!" Yun pulled him away and dragged him on the aircraft.

"Oops" Ruby tilted her head.

"So where are Team JNPR today?" Glaucous asked.

"Pyrrha and Ren are lecturing Jaune and Nora." Yang shrugged "something about rushing to get homework done".

"So they won't be joining us. Shame".

"What's up with Rin?" Ruby looked part Glaucous. The pink and purple haired girl had her hair down, rather than in her signature twin tails.

"She's not been feeling well since that incident with my father's bandits." he answered "she's been studying like usual, but she hasn't been to combat practice for a while".

Rinnette looked like she was staring off into space, while looking down at her feet. She seemed a bit less excitable than usual.

"So you're all heading into Vale?" Weiss changed the subject.

"Correct" Glaucous responded "we planned on doing a little shopping".

"Well I guess we'll tag along" Yang shrugged.

Echo kept up his struggle as Yun tried to drag him on board the aircraft.


The City of Vale

Teams RWBY and GREY walked through the streets of Vale.

"It's nice to see Vale back to normal." Yun relaxed "it was only a few months ago that this city was overrun with Grimm".

"Indeed" Glaucous nodded "I believe Team RWBY was in pursuit of Roman Torchwick in that situation?"

Echo nodded.

"Don't remind me" Yang grumbled.

"Bad memories?" Yun inquired.

Echo waved his hand, to stop Yun from inquiring any further.

"Does Echo know something we don't?" Weiss inquired.

Echo shook his head.

"I assume he's just warning Yun against invading someone else's privacy" Glaucous shrugged.

Echo glanced at Yang for a moment, then nodded in agreement.

"Echo!" a voice came splitting through the air.

One moment the grey eyed teen was there, the next moment he wasn't. He groaned as he looked up from the floor.

He groaned as he recovered from hitting his head on the concrete. Echo bit his lip and twitched. Pinning him to the floor was a girl with deep blue hair, with a pair of Silver fox ears poking out from her hair.

"Heya lil brother" a familiar voice came from down the street.

"Miss Slate" Glaucous looked over at Jade.

"No need for formalities, Glaucous" she giggled "just call me Jade".

"I'm here too" Silver leaned out from behind her "I see you've met Marine".

He could feel Echo's glare fall upon him, but he seemed to just ignore it.

"Well hello Echo Darling, good to see you" Marine giggled.

Echo forced a smile and nodded.

"I don't think he likes being pinned down like that" Ruby commented.

Marine got up, letting Echo free. She folded her arms and glared at Ruby.

"And who is she?" Marine pouted "have you been cheating on me Echo?"

Yun helped Echo up off the floor.

"You didn't have to tackle him like that" Yun looked over at the blue haired fox.

"Two girls?!" Marine looked between Ruby and Yun "have you been creating a Harem without me?!"

Echo placed his hand on Ruby's shoulder, and opened his mouth as if to speak. In a moment, he was replaced with black rose petals and a gust of wind.

"Sly move there little brother." Jade giggled "borrowing your little girlfriends semblance to flee".

"Girlfriend?!" Marine's pink eyes flared with anger "where did he go, Jade?"

"No idea" his sister shrugged "maybe you should ask his second girlfriend, the little kitty cat team member".

You could almost see the aura that Marine's anger was projecting. She rushed off almost as quickly as Echo had rushed off.

"You were just purposely aggravating her!" Yun yelled "why'd you do that?!"

"Because it's hilarious." Silver laughed "When Marine get's like that, she's the second strongest of the five of us. Otherwise she's tied with Jade".

"She could give Echo a big challenge, but eventually he'd be able to beat her" Jade nodded.

"What part of aggravating her is hilarious?" Weiss rolled her eyes.

"The fact that Echo is just to terrified of her".

"Makes sense" Blake gulped "she seems quite obsessive".

"Girlfriend?" Ruby blushed lightly.

"Oh does my little sister have a crush?" Yang smirked as she wrapped her arms around her sister.

"Yaaang!" Ruby groaned "don't say stuff like that".

"Wait?" Yun looked around "where'd Rin go?"

Glaucous glanced around "she was- she was right behind me".

"What's up with her?" Silver tilted his head.

"She didn't tell us" Yun frowned "according to Jaune and Pyrrha one of the bandits poisoned her. She was lucky to be alive".

"Olivia" Glaucous grumbled "her breath itself contained Anti-Aura Particles. When using her own tongue as a funnel, she could compress them into a noxious gas cloud. After inhaling an entire cloud of that stuff, Rin is lucky to still even be conscious".

"Wow" Yang gulped "your team really is something else. It's almost as if none of you are even mortal".


Still The City of Vale. A Secluded Alley.

She nervously wandered.

"I- I need to get back to Beacon. Need to get safe" Rinnette panted, her black veins could be seen through her skin.

The pink haired knight collapsed to one knee.

"Finally. I have you alone".

She froze.

"Aureus?!" she bit her lip, but hesitated to look behind her.

"It seems you remember me well." the voice stated softly "look at you, in such a weakened state. This is not befitting of someone of the Cinereous family".

"I don't use that name any more. I refuse to be associated with them".

"You're coming back with me. Whether you like it or not".

Rinnette managed to barely gather enough strength to get up and turn to look at the golden haired man, who had been stood behind her.

"I refuse" she panted, with heavy pained breaths. She struggled, but managed to take Labrys off her back.

"So you wish to fight?" Aureus sighed "be wary that I have set up a golden bubble. No sound can come in and out of it, so you won't be able to get any help from your worthless team mates".

"Say that again" Rinnette panted "they're more useful than you ever could be. They're stronger than you could ever be. They're my friends".

She barely managed to block the golden blade that came down upon her.

"I wish not to fight you Lady Rinnette. But you give me no choice".

It was useless. She didn't have enough strength to fight back. In an instant he axe was knocked out of her grip and into the darkness of the alleyway.

"Someone. Please, help" she panted painfully.

"No one can here you" Aureus let out a sigh "now sleep".

She tightly shut her eyes as she saw the hilt of his blade head towards her.

To her surprise, she didn't lose consciousness. When she opened her eyes the first thing she saw was a familiar black scarf, fluttering in the breeze. Her first response was a pained smile.

"Echo" she sighed weakly.

"Try not to talk" he responded, his black and red eyes glaring at Aureus.

"Who are you?!" the golden haired warrior stumbled back, warily.

Echo gave no response. He just glared.

"How did you get here?" Rinnette asked weakly.

"I heard you call for help" Echo answered. "I wouldn't be a good friend if I just left you".

"How the hell did you hear her?" Aureus gritted his teeth "we're inside a-"

"A bubble created using your aura. No sound can come in or out" Echo interrupted. "Amplified by the golden dust crystal that the blade of your sword is made out of to make sure no one can get in or out without your permission".

"Then how did you get in?"

"You gave me permission" Echo Smirked "it's a simple trick for someone like me".

Aureus swung his sword, but Echo simply grabbed it.

"What?" the golden haired knight pushed as hard as he could, but the blade wouldn't budge.

"You want my friend?" Echo growled "you go through me first!"

In a single moment, he bit into the blade. With a crunch the crystal shattered between his teeth and the blade disintegrated.

Aureus trembled "what- what are you?"

"I am Echo" as he exhaled, golden particles flowed out his mouth. "And you were leaving".

"Not without Lady Rinnette I must-"

Aureus' statement was cut short. Echo slammed his foot into his chest, kicking him into a wall.

"You go back. And you tell them that she's coming back." Echo growled "but you tell them, she's bringing Hell with her. Because as of this moment, I'm declaring war on the Cinereous family. And I plan on taking the fight, right to their door".

"You'll regret this" Aureus bit his lip. "the Cinereous family will crush you".

"I'd like to see them try" Echo responded as the golden haired warrior vanished.

"Echo" Rinnette collapsed.

He caught her, smiling "Yes?"

"You're an idiot" she giggled weakly "thank you".


To be continued...