RWBY is property of Roosterteeth! I only own my characters.
CHAPTER 9
"WE~ISS!" the younger Schnee sister heard a happy squeal as she stepped off the dustplane she had ridden to Atlas. A small, dark-haired girl collided with her chest and threw her arms around the snow-haired girl. Weiss quickly knelt to return the warm hug.
"Hello, Anise."
"How've you been? Have you been on any adventures? Tell me!" the little girl asked excitedly.
"Give Weiss a chance to breathe there, Anise." a third voice interjected. "Let's allow her to settle in before we interrogate her." A bearded man in a ragged trenchcoat stepped closer to the two girls. "Welcome home, Weiss."
"Hello, Charles." Weiss smiled, standing and giving the man a quick embrace. She picked up her luggage in one hand, while Anise hung happily off the other. "Well, shall we be off?"
"Thetis?" Peleus whispered to his wife. "Are you awake?"
"Yes." she quietly replied. The two of them had been moved to a single holding cell since Agony had finished questioning them. It was cramped, cube-shaped, and had a wall made of slightly opaque reinforced glass. The two of them had to speak quietly to avoid being overheard by the pair of armored guards standing on the other side of the glass. "What is it?"
"I-" Peleus quickly looked at the guards, who happened to be facing away. "I got my hands on this." He held out a small object in his hand.
"A pin?" Thetis asked, keeping a wary eye on their captors. "Where did you find it?"
"Underneath one of the beds. I assume from the last person they kept in here."
"You plan for us to escape?"
"Yes." Peleus nodded. "I've been keeping track of the guards' shifts. In a few hours, we'll have a window of several minutes to get out and find an exit."
"It sounds like an awful risk."
"It will be, but we should be capable of fighting our way out as long as we don't encounter that girl in the mask."
"Very well, Peleus. As I have for many years, I will follow you wherever you go."
"Winter! Weiss is here!" Anise called as she bounded forward into the foyer of the Schnee mansion. The smile on her face was replaced with a look of confusion as she noticed a man in a business suit already occupying a spot near the bottom of the foyer's twin staircases.
"Oh. You must be Anise." the man said idly. He had long black hair, which shone in a way that made it look almost slimy. He had sharp, vulture-like features and a voice to match. He leaned over to observe Anise as if he were studying an interesting laboratory specimen. "I regret to inform you that I have matters of utmost importance to discuss with Director Schnee, and that she may not have the time to-"
"I always make time for my family, Doctor Oleum." Winter interrupted as she appeared at the top of the stairs. "My discussion with you about providing funding and supplies to your division can wait another day or two." She glared icily at the scientist.
"I'm afraid it cannot, Director Schnee. The Atlas Council demands that-"
"If the Council wishes to use my family's company's Dust, then it will be on my terms and time." Winter spat. "Be sure to pass that on when you report back to them."
"Very well. If that is what you wish." Oleum bowed slightly and scuttled past the trio standing in the doorway watching the exchange. Anise and Weiss felt shivers run down their spines as the unsettling doctor passed them. Winter let out a relieved sigh, noticeably relaxing when the door shut behind the man.
"Thank goodness that's over." the older Schnee sister breathed, taking long strides down the stairs to meet the people she actually wished to be around. "Weiss, welcome home." Winter wrapped her sibling in a tight hug, a warm grin on her face.
"It's good to see you, Winter. How've you been?"
"That shouldn't be a mystery to you. You check in on me at least twice a week." the older Schnee giggled. "I've been fine, Charles and Anise have been taking care of me."
"You wouldn't believe how hard it is to get her to go to sleep sometimes." Charles laughed.
"I blocked her door once so she'd take a day off." Anise supplied with no remorse on her face as she said it. Weiss couldn't help but stifle a laugh at how stoically the girl recounted her actions.
"I'm glad to hear the two of them are doing their best keeping you healthy."
"Thetis. It's time." Peleus whispered, shaking his wife's shoulder. She gave him a silent nod as he used the pin to unscrew and pry off a small panel that made up the door's electronic lock. Inside were small engraved notations, denoting what all the internal wires were connected to. "That certainly makes things easier." With a quick tug, Peleus ripped any wires marked as "Lock: On" from their places. The door's mechanism seemed to grow confused for a moment, before emitting a soft click. Peleus couldn't believe his luck, and nudged the door of the cell open. He and Thetis quickly made their way out of the prison, keeping a careful eye out for any guards.
"It's quiet." Thetis commented.
"Yes it is." Peleus agreed, growing suspicious of the sudden lack on any other signs of life around. He peered out the doorway of the prison into the rest of the location they were being held in. To his confusion, the halls remained devoid of any movement, Human or otherwise. "Where did they all go?"
"Don't question it right now. We need to get out." Thetis whispered, gently placing her hand on her husband's shoulder.
"Right." Peleus nodded, stepping quietly out into the open hallway. The pair picked their way further and further down the metal halls of the Order vessel. Doors into other sections of the ship lined the walls, one of which caught Peleus' eyes. "A hangar."
"Perhaps we can take one of their transports?" Thetis suggested.
"Assuming we can fly it, that's a possibility." Peleus pressed a button on the side of the door, causing it to slid upward with a hiss. The two of them hurriedly entered into another short corridor connected to an absolutely massive room. The hangar was huge, large enough to house an Atlesian warship with ease. The sheer size of the vessel suddenly struck Peleus. He could only imagine what kind of havoc it could unleash if its masters desired. A line of black-painted craft near the edge of the hangar's massive blastdoor caught Thetis' attention. She pointed to them silently. With a nod, Peleus took the lead as they approached the craft.
The absolute lack on any other life planted a seed of unease in Peleus' chest. His eyes darted between shadows, fearing the sudden appearance of the masked girl that Agony commanded. He and Thetis reached the transports seemingly unnoticed. Out of curiosity, Peleus looked over the edge of the ship. Below them was a cliff above the ocean, preceded by a frightening drop of at least a hundred feet by Peleus' estimate. It was possible that he and Thetis could survive the descent if they landed in the water, but it wasn't a route he was keen on trying.
"Leaving so soon?" a deep voice questioned, accompanied by the sound of metal against metal. The Nikos couple froze in abject horror as a group of armored men and women entered into the hangar. At their head was a massive figure encased in twisted black metal with four prosthetic limbs exposed to the light.
"Your commands, Lord Carnage?" one of the Order soldiers asked.
"Let me handle this, Knight." the large man said. Peleus noticed a strange distortion to his voice. "I want to test myself against the people of this world."
"As you wish, sir!" the Knight saluted and took several steps back, signaling his fellows to lower their weapons. Carnage stepped forward, locking his skull-like helmet on the Nikos pair. Peleus saw the visage shift as the skull smiled. A small realization made the Senator flinch in horror. The helmet was Carnage's face.
"Prepare yourselves!" the Lord yelled as he rushed forward. Thetis snapped her fingers, activating her semblance and calling forth a serpent-like wave of flame.
"Peleus! Get on a transport and-" Thetis had to duck under a swipe from one of Carnage's arms as the Lord barreled through her attack, the flames scorching the paint from his armor.
"Your fire is strong, but not as powerful as Ignis' flames." Carnage informed her, bring a metal leg down in an attempt to crush her. Thetis rolled to the side, flinching at the shrill sound of the hangar floor denting. She quickly sent more flaming serpents into the Lord's face, which seemed to do little beyond amusing the metal giant. "Pathetic."
"THETIS! MOVE!" Peleus yelled, activating his own semblance to create and throw an icy spear at Carnage. The weapon shattered against the Lord's armor, but left a noticeable gash in the black metal. Thetis attempted to take the momentary lapse in the giant's attention to change position. She felt her leg emit a sickening snap as a metal hand closed around it. She cried out in pain as the bone shattered effortlessly in the Lord's hand. "Thetis!"
"If this is the best your world can offer, the Order can certainly rise to victory in time." Carnage laughed, joined by his men. "Agony would want me to simply put you both back in your cage, but I think you need incentive to not try escaping again." Carnage reached down, gripping Thetis by her neck and lifting her into the air.
"No!" Peleus screamed.
"Peleus... ru-" Thetis let out a feeble cry before she was silenced with a sickening crack.
"Now then." Carnage said, dropping Thetis' body to the ground, where she lay motionless. "If you would be so kind as to return to your-" Peleus turned and ran, making his way to the edge of the hangar. "DO NOT LET HIM ESCAPE!"
The Senator felt a torrent of bullets graze by him, felt a bullet tear through his aura and continue through his abdomen, but he kept running. His aura was still up, which was all he would need. Either he'd get away, or he'd join Thetis. The cliff and ocean were suddenly beneath him as he leaped off the edge.
Carnage rushed to the side of the hangar and glared over the side. Instead of the red splatter he'd hoped to see, a circle of foam was clearly visible in the water below. He let out a roar of frustration and grabbed the Knight that accompanied him.
"AFTER HIM!"
"How's it coming, Sam?" Sven asked, leaning against one of the metal support beams his fellow Guardian had set up in the process of building his prototype gateway. "Any word on an ETA?"
"I may move fast, but every time you ask that, it takes a little longer." Sam replied, not removing his attention from his work. "I'm worried about them too, trust me, but we need this thing to work correctly, and I need to make sure it does."
"I know. I have faith in your work." Sven sighed. "I just feel kind of useless... I don't have any technical know-how, so I can only wait and watch..."
"Can't really say anything about that last bit, but you'd better have faith in my work after wearing my armor designs for over a decade." Sam said. "I suppose I can only tell you to remember that each of us is good at our own thing, and that we can't always be in our own element. I'm good at building stuff, Rei's good at punching tanks in, you're more of a people-person than pretty much any of us besides Elaine and Elise."
"And Arthur." Sven added sadly.
"Yeah... and Arthur."
"... What are the both of you talking about?" Rei inquired as he approached his friends.
"Nothing, really. Sam's just having trouble beating perspective into my thick skull." Sven answered calmly.
"That's an understatement. So, Rei, how'd things go on your end?"
"EDC-MATF's set up a perimeter around your project here, they'll keep an eye out for any prying eyes." the Rage Inheritor replied. "I also set up arrangements for the kids. They'll be staying with Ena for a while."
"You sure your wife can handle two more little Bloodlines running around?" Sven asked jokingly.
"She's already gotten Hiro in line, Devin and Ember won't be a problem." the slightest hint of a smile played across Rei's face as he mentioned his son. "On that subject, how're both your kids doing?"
"Gil's doing fine. Elaine's teaching him how to handle things around the house right now." Sven grinned.
"Yvonne's always glued to either me or her mother." Sam answered while continuing to fiddle with the gateway device. "If she keeps learning as fast as she is right now, she'll be smarter than me and stronger than Crys by the time she's fifteen."
"Huh." Sven made a sound of amusement. "Listen to us, discussing our families like a bunch of old men."
"Sirs!" an EDC scout ran over to the trio of Guardians. "We have possible contacts at the south edge of the perimeter!" The three white-armored figures nodded, adopting more fitting expressions for the report.
"You two deal with that. I've got to keep working." Sam said.
"Got it. Corporal, point us in the right direction, then tighten the perimeter around the gateway." Sven ordered. "We'll handle this."
"Well, well. Look who decided to just come to us." a man sitting atop a large Wyvern shade greeted mockingly. "Evening, Reaper, Rage."
"Ion." Sven replied. "I wondered which Lords were left behind and were going to try something."
"You came alone?" Ion asked, wiping off a pair of glasses in his hands. He ran a hand through his long golden hair before returning the spectacles to his face.
"No. My backup's in hiding, same as yours." Sven smirked underneath his helmet. "I know I can't sense her because she knows how to hide her energy, but Enmity's never far whenever you show up."
"Quite an astute observation. Impressive." Ion nodded. "Enmity!" Sven did not move as the Bloodline of Hate came barreling out through the wall of a collapsed building, her armor glowing blood red from her flared ability. Her course was suddenly altered as a dark-gray gauntlet connected with the side of her helmeted head, sending her sprawling across the cement. She quickly flipped onto her feet and rushed over to Ion's side.
"Damn, Rage, you holding back on me?" the female lord asked, rubbing her neck. "Or are you going soft?" Rei did not respond, instead letting the gauntlet on his hand dissipate into a black mist, revealing his normal white armor underneath. "... Guess we're going straight to the fun part." Enmity waved her hand, and the Shades surged forward at the two Guardians. Both Lords flared their abilities, Enmity's armor flashing angrily and Ion's hair spiking back as electricity arced off his body. The black-armored pair rushed forward amidst their horde of shadowy puppets.
"...Some people never learn..." Rei muttered. The lead Shade, a large Fenrir, leaped at him with its jaws open wide. Rei's hand closed around its neck, and the Shade was quickly ripped apart as the Rage Inheritor flared a point of intense gravity to life inside the creature. "...Which one do you want to fight?"
"I'll take care of Ion." Sven replied, placing his hand on the ground. With a lift of his palm, Sven materialized his weapon in a small pillar of light, a large crescent-shaped scythe. He immediately swung the weapon a wide arc, cutting through the first group of incoming Shades. Several clusters of the creatures dashed past them, headed for the gateway. Sven keyed his radio quickly to alert the EDC to the incoming hostiles.
Ion was not far behind the puppets, unleashing a wave of lightning at the Reaper as he rushed forward. Rei found himself in a similar engagement with Enmity, jumping back as the female Lord slammed he fist into the ground where he had been standing.
"What's wrong, Rage? You deciding to go easy on me?" Enmity growled at the opposing Inheritor that hadn't flared their Bloodline ability.
"I don't need my ability." Rei replied flatly.
"Big talk fo- Whoa!" Enmity jumped back as a crater appeared in the ground in front of her.
"Surrender." Reo glared. "We can resolve this without further bloodshed."
"How 'bout no?" Enmity smirked, waving a group of large Demon-like Behemoths towards Rage's back. Rei whirled on the Shades, dodging their charge, but allowing Enmity to break off and join Ion in engaging Sven. The Reaper blocked an incoming kick from the Lord before ducking beneath a bolt of lightning from his other opponent. Sven then had to roll off to the side as he was beset by a wave of Shades. The two Lord's quickly disengaged to reassess the situation, as their current fight was going nowhere.
"Damn. It just had to be two of the big ones, didn't it?" Ion bemoaned loudly. "Enmity, how are we doing?" The other Lord quickly closed her eyes, using her ability to sense the energy signatures nearby while the Shades occupied the two Guardians. Ion noticed his partner flinch as something caught her attention.
"We need to go. Regroup and try again later."
"Why? What's wrong?"
"They've got company." Enmity snarled.
"That's the last one, I think." Sven informed his fellow Guardian as he swiftly removed a Fenrir's head. "Looks like Ion and Enmity decided to back off and retreat for now, though."
"That's going to prove to be an issue later, you know." Rei muttered distastefully.
"I know." the Reaper nodded, turning his radio on to contact the EDC troopers and Sam. "Everyone alright over there? Did you handle the Shades?"
"I know you sent us a warning, Sir." the distorted voice of an EDC trooper said, "But no Shades ever showed up. We're keeping an eye out, but it looks like it's all quiet now."
"Odd." Sven said, "at least a couple dozen of them got by us." The pair began to walk back towards the gateway, scanning the collapsed skyscrapers for the Shades or some sign of where they had gone. A flash of deep red caught Sven's eye, and he placed his forearm against Rei to get him to come to a stop. The Reaper knelt down, and picked up a strand of long hair from the surface of the cement. He and Rei shared a knowing look for a moment before the latter shrugged and continued towards their destination. Sven stood alone with the red lock of hair in his hand. He concentrated, finding the residual energy of the Aura that had helped them.
"Thank you, Eve." He called out to the empty road. He waited a few moments before sighing and following Rei's path to the gateway. Above them, a young woman watched the two Guardians with an expression somewhere between relief and pain. There was a part of her that wanted to talk to them, but she kept telling herself that she would do it when the time was right. That time seemed to be forever moving. She felt the ragged ends on a small section of her hair, where a Shade had managed to clip her.
She was clearly out of practice if she couldn't effectively fight the weakest type of Shade the Order used. Of course, she tended to avoid fighting these days, instead trying to find her own place in the world. It was difficult for her, as she was constantly plagued by the fact that she was nothing. That she was created to simply be a replacement. Despite that... Sven and... Elise... had still tried to welcome her into their family. Maybe someday she'd walk alongside them, but for now, she would have to finish burying "Lord Despair" once and for all.
"... You're... welcome..." she whispered, knowing that the Guardians were to far away to hear.
A/N: Not sure I'm 100% happy with this one, but it'll do. On the plus side, we finally get some action scenes. Beware of potential delays on the next chapters.
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ItzABlueWulf: Fear not, I can assure you that her power is not time related. She's also not from Earth.