A/N: Random Chapter Update Outta Nowhere! Hey guys I'm back from the dead for now... Enjoy this chapter for the holidays and the slight increase in plot intensity...
Davey awoke shivering with dried sweat clung to his arms under his coat and slightly damp balaclava. He shook his head as he swung his legs off the bed and stood up slowly. Hopping into the shower for a quick minute before returning to the room. After getting his bearings, he slowly took a deep breath and walked over to the closet where his equipment was being stored for the meantime.
"Let's see what we got here…" Davey said with a sigh as he pulled out his gear he had grabbed before escaping from Beacon.
Included in the bag were several-hundred rounds of custom bullets for his rifle, pistol, and DAW. His shield and hammer lay on his bed as he pulled out his lighter armor which he had thankfully stored in his duffle bag before leaving. Among those items he had several explosives, grenade and mines, and several other doodads to help ease the process of killing.
'Painkillers, stolen medications, and alcohol.' He thought before seizing up on that last one. Alcohol… that word lingered in his mind as he spoke. "Looks like I can't even leave that behind." He chuckled as he picked up the bottle of Atlas brewed ale. Staring at it with a sadness in his eyes he let out a grunt of pain as memories from his forgotten years started pouring back in. Flashes of blood and broken bottles when one in particular flowed back to his head.
Looking up he suddenly found himself seated at the counter of a bar in Atlas, a bottle of Atlesian Ale in his hand as he took another swig and put the bottle down hard. He couldn't have been minding his business anymore when a rather unfortunate man sat next to him.
"You look a little young to be drinking…" The man started as Davey looked him over through his balaclava.
'A cop… a faunas' Davey noted as he eyed the badge on his shoulder and the small antlers on his head. The bar had calmed down since the cop entered and everyone was eyeing him cautiously, especially the group in the back dealing illegal mixtures of dust. Looking back to the cop he spoke, noticing the slightly worried and somewhat caring look in his eyes.
"How the fuck do you figure that?" Davey spit out as he took another swig, disregarding the fact that he was a cop, hoping that he would give up and leave before he pushed too hard.
The cop looked a little shocked despite the fact that he had clearly presented the badge to him. 'Who does this punk think he is?' the cop thought as he slowly stood up and motioned towards the exit. The cop knew that he couldn't have been over 15.
"Come one, kid… lets go find your parents…" The cop couldn't finish his statement as he heard the sound of a smashing bottle.
"Shit!" The cop exclaimed as he unholstered his pistol, but not before a sharp pain in his throat stopped him mid-aim, his pistol slipping from his grip.
Blood gushed from his carotid artery as he smacked into the ground. He gripped his throat as hard as possible trying to hold the torn flesh to his neck. Looking up with wide eyes into the barrel of his pistol and Davey's emotionless face.
The memory faded as Davey looked down the barrel of that pistol, the one that made his name a household name, and not in a good way. It was the first time he was called Ghost, and it stuck.
He found himself back in the room, hyperventilating as he let out a yell and threw the bottle against the wall causing it to shatter as he slumped into the chair, memories flowing back to him as he now held his head in his hands. He screwed his eyes shut tightly before hopping up from the seat and smashing his fist into the wall.
"Oh…. That was a good one, we need to… relive… some of those… spill some blood." It was back, it dug trenches in his mind as he spoke. The Ghost had returned.
"You shut the fuck up… I need to get something done, clear my mind… yeah, catch up with the barkeep, and see what new brews he's got." Davey grunted out to the voice as he pulled on his gloves and made his way through the door.
However, not before sliding his pistol off the desk and holstering it on the right side of his chest plate he wore under his coat. Blood or nor blood, there was going to be something happening soon.
After locking the door he turned down the hallway and walked to the stairs before descending into the bar below. People, mercenaries and scum alike, enjoyed the music that rang throughout the area and watched the news that was playing on the TV.
"Hey! Get me one of your best brews…" Davey ordered as he sat down at the bar and watched the TV, however something was unsettling about it and then he saw the news headline. "Beacon Academy under fire for assault on campus!"
"Turn the news up." Came a call from the other end of the bar, some new guy had also caught a glimpse of the same headline.
As the drink was placed in front of him he brought the drink to his lips before grabbing the bartender. He held on until he finished the entire glass, hoping to postpone the bartender long enough to skip the report. However, no such luck as the bartender walked off to turn the VNN on, a few figures walked up behind Davey. Davey knew them, at least he felt like he knew them. It gave him a little comfort, feeling a familiar presence near him.
"Ghost, how long has it been? You left like what, a year ago?! Boy am I glad to have you back here." One of them stated in a mildly unsettlingly friendly tone.
"What do you want with me?" Davey questioned in a dull tone as they shifted uneasily behind him. They were clearly not feeling up to the challenge they had been given.
It appeared as though they had gotten cold feet and backed away from him, leaving one of them to stand behind him, the same one who gave him the strange feeling. A cold blanket draped around him as he shuddered slightly under his coat. However, before he could investigate the TV volume was finally raised, and right as the report started as well.
"Yes… alright, hello Vale, I'm Lisa Lavender and the VNN has some breaking news." This piqued the interest of those not listening to the news initially as it took quite a bit to warrant a Breaking News label on the VNN.
"Yesterday, Beacon Academy experienced quite an unsettling event leaving two huntresses-in-training in critical condition. We now go to the public address from Beacons headmaster, Professor Ozpin." The screen went to a brief "standby" before showing a poker-faced headmaster standing before quite a large audience.
Ozpin was standing next to Glynda Goodwitch, the lady with which Davey was glad he hadn't encountered yesterday, since she looked just about ready to tear some select people new orifices. Again he observed her with his eyes, and saw in hers a burning hatred that he could almost feel from across Vale.
"Yesterday, as I'm sure you have all heard, Beacon was the subject of a very unsettling and sobering event. First year Davey Specter attacked and severely injured 2 of his fellow classmates. As security footage showed Blake Belladonna was stabbed in the lower abdomen. Her partner, who was checking on her, appeared and engaged Mr. Specter with much warranted force but was overpowered and suffered severe fractures and head injuries." Ozpin took a breath before starring directly into the camera.
Davey shuttered visibly as he took another swig from his drink, hoping to drown his worries in a never ending stream of alcohol. Maybe he could live here in the bar, become a drunk like that instructor at Signal, whatever his name was and forget his worries like he did. If only it were that easy.
"Beacon Academy has, in conjunction with the Hunters Association, labeled Mr. Specter as a class B threat. It is also come to our attention that Mr. Specter is not who he has told us he is." Davey froze at this as he looked back at the screen and saw something that made his choke on his drink. It was a picture of his armor and emblem.
"You bastard!" Davey yelled out as he pushed the chair back and it clattered on the floor behind him.
Looking around Davey saw countless pairs of eyes on him as he returned the stares with a deadly glare. Looking back to the TV Ozpin continued his speech, this time with his hand on his gun holstered under his coat.
"Mr. Specter is also known as Ghost amongst his fellow mercenaries and the Hunter Association has placed a bounty on his head…" At this Davey felt his heart hit his throat as he looked around and saw quite a few hungry eyes staring at him, but only making it worse was what was said next. "The bounty is for 300 thousand Lien, seeing as he is a wanted criminal. The bounty, mind you, is dead or alive." Ozpin smirked as the camera cut back to Lisa Lavender.
However Davey could care less about the bounty than the dozens of poor saps in the bar who had just stood up from their seats. However, as soon as they stood a few others stood as well. They were the ones from before, but this time they stood close to Davey and formed a sort of wall around him.
"Now gentlemen, as we see it, Ghost here is a… acquaintance of ours and we see it in poor taste to go after him right away." It was a female voice and it sounded… familiar, but before Davey could turn around she spoke again.
"Think if you were in his spot, 300 thousand on your head and you're right smack-dab in the middle of the shittiest place to get that. I saw we give him a good 10 hours to get out a town." There were a few assorted murmurs of agreement, and Davey had to say conversing with these assholes took quite a talent with words.
"Also to those new to this here man, Ghost is always armed for one occasion or another and most likely has a pistol ready with at least 8 bullets for your troubles… so if you wanna take my word for it… let him have his head-start." Davey turned his head and found himself staring at Shade.
"Shade what the hell are you doing?!" He angrily whispered at her as she turned her head towards him, a look that denied him anymore questioning.
"Bailing your ass out so you can get another day to live!" She whispered back in a rushed tone as he stood up from his seat.
Giving a quick nod to Shade he disappeared up the stairs and made his way to the room. Quickly shoving everything valuable and important to him into the bags and putting on his heavy armor he quickly departed from the room. His weapons and shield strapped to his leg, chest, and back with the duffle bag over his shoulder he made his way downstairs and passed the bar, tossing a few lien cards onto the bar to cover his tip, before bursting through the door and out into a world where he had become Vales most wanted man.
Giving one final look over his shoulder he looked at Waterson as he crested the ridge heading away from the town, towards the wilds of Vale and quickly approaching the edge of habitable territory. There was still much of Remnant that remained solely under the control of the Grimm and then there was the Divide. The Divide was on the cusp of the Grimm and Humanity, and if there's one place where he would find refuge… well that was where he would need to go.
"If I head to the Divide I should be safe to an extent, seeing as the people who inhabit it are more concerned about surviving than picking up a bounty." Davey mused as he kept a brisk pace towards the end of Humanity's grasp.
"You know, all these people coming after Ghost is quite… exhilarating… we can relive some bloodlust… back to beginnings." The voice scratched at his mind, although he didn't fight it.
It was fight or flight now, no more restrictions and no more mercy. Ghost was making a reappearance… full force.
Beacon Academy
It had been 20 minutes from the time of the press release and interview and 10 since Ozpin and Glynda had returned to his office.
"I'll give her 10 seconds." Ozpin muttered through his clasped hands to no one in particular as Glynda stopped pacing and turned to him, a quizzical look on her face.
"10 seconds? Who…" Glynda asked and as if on que the Elevator dinged and the doors opened.
"Her… Yes Ms. Nikos, what is it you need?" Ozpin said, his trademarked poker face plastered on as she approached his desk.
Pyrrha nodded as she stopped in front of the desk. A sense of uneasiness filling the air and as Glynda and Ozpin looked at her. From one glance they could tell she was distraught. She seemed jumpy and unsure in her actions as she made to sit down at the desk.
"Ms. Nikos, I'm sure this is a major shock to you. We are working on a solution to the problem. I assure…" Ozpin started but was interrupted.
"Shut up!" Pyrrha pushed back her chair as she shot up, nearly knocking it over in the process.
"Pardon me?" Ozpin said, his poker-face never changing although he must admit he was a bit startled.
"You sold… you threw him to the dogs. My own brother wouldn't even tell me who he was, or what he was. It's your fault he's running now." Pyrrha continued her venting before Ozpin raised his hand, stopping her in her tracks.
"I understand your feeling of inability to help, and as a man who has made more mistakes than any man, woman or child on Remnant… the feeling is mutual." Pyrrha listened to what Ozpin was saying as he continued, "Davey is a misguided young man and I believe that he can be brought back to the right side. However, as he sees it… team RWBY was after him and they were working for me." Ozpin massaged his temples as he let the jumbled information out.
"Pardon, I don't believe I follow." Pyrrha stated in the most sincere, yet still aggravated, tone possible having calmed down since her previous outburst.
"Let me explain the situation. What I didn't release was that Davey was triggered in some way by Ms. Belladonna's words. He snapped, for a lack of better words, and attacked Blake in his blind rage. You see, I used to know Davey, or Ghost, before he was well known. I investigated on many of his cases and he was a special one. Ms. Nikos, your semblance is polarity, as you are quite familiar I'm sure. Including the fact that a semblance is controlled by you and you alone correct?" Ozpin questioned as he stood up and turned to look out the window.
"Yes, I am aware of that but what does that have to do with Davey?" Pyrrha questioned as she looked to Glynda who shared a quick glance with Ozpin before nodding back.
Pyrrha shifted in her seating at the sudden change in atmosphere. It felt cold in the room as Glynda walked to the elevator and the doors closed behind her. Ozpin, took a deep breath before speaking.
"Davey is a…. special case… far more special than any other case in existence. What I am about to tell you is near a Hunter Association Classified report. Are you sure you want to hear?" Pyrrha could only nod as Ozpin bent down and pulled out a file before depositing it on the desk.
Pyrrha looked at the files and opened them up before her eyes widened slightly at the different papers. They were joint Vale and Atlas scientific studies on Semblance and what makes it work, and what makes it up aside from the obvious Aura.
"You see, up until now we have believed Semblances to just happen, out of thin air with Aura to assist it. Well, these studies show a change in that, the already known hereditary semblance, to the unsupported telepathic semblance theory. The Schnee's are known publicly to possess a hereditary semblance. However what Davey has is one that is hard to explain." Ozpin again took a look out the window before breathing in deeply.
"His semblance allows him to bypass all forms of Aura… possibly even absorb it to some extent…" Ozpin paused to look at Pyrrha, mouth slightly ajar.
"But that… why would… how could it… I just don't know what to say." Pyrrha said, skipping over the questions that seemed jumbled in her mind.
"I know, it seems overwhelming and almost impossible… without an Aura Hunters and Huntresses are like any other common folk. That's why we need to find him, and if not… kill him." Pyrrha's eyes shot up and locked with Ozpins.
"I'm sorry to tell you this, but he can possibly cause an area wide, semblance and Aura negation field. If unchecked he could potentially reach a state of exponential growth and achieve a state of total negation of all Aura and semblance. Meaning…" Ozpin stated in a hushed tone.
"The Grimm would have free reign with the lack of actual hunters… leading… to…" Pyrrha didn't even want to finish it.
"Annihilation of mankind by one man." A silence ensued before Ozpin spoke again. "But there is also something to note about the semblance, it can be transferred through weapons. Any weapon he uses is classified instantly as an immediate threat to hunters and huntresses since it will have the ability to pass through aura completely." Ozpin listed out the worst case as Pyrrha listened, a mix of fear and intrigue on her face.
"A drawback… there has to be a drawback, an Achilles heel?!" Pyrrha shot up for the second time as she looked at Ozpin, who returned the look.
"There is… his mind… what I asked earlier, about a semblance being yours and yours alone. With Davey this is not the case. His mind is, as we speak, being torn apart from the inside by a dark energy. This energy is sentient and upon his power reaching an indefinite state will destroy him completely and take over. A parasitic semblance, the final semblance, at its finest. And the cure… death." Ozpin let that work sink in as he paced a few times, slowly, behind the desk.
"I'm sorry…" Pyrrha sat down hard in the chair as Ozpin followed closely, watching for any signs of a major emotional response.
She sat there for a minute, a mind destroying parasitic semblance that could lead to the total downfall of humanity. The only way to stop it… kill him. As Pyrrha was deep in though Ozpin stood up and took a much needed sip from his mug.
"I am assembling a team to capture Davey, as to find a solution here… at Beacon." Ozpin stated towards Pyrrha who looked at him, determination in her eyes.
"I will join the team... if not for my brother's sake, than for the sake of humanity as a whole." With that statement Ozpin looked Pyrrha in the eyes before nodding and walking to the window.
"The meeting for the team will be tomorrow morning at 8 in the morning. Be there on time… you are dismissed." Ozpin finished as Pyrrha nodded and entered the elevator.
As the doors closed she let out a large sigh she never knew she was holding and bored holes into the metal floor with her eyes. 'If not for my brother's sake, than for the sake of humanity…' Those words on repeat in her head as she closed her eyes and stepped off on the ground floor. One thing in her mind.
Spare your brother and humanity dies, or kill him and save the world. Both moral and immoral in their own ways.
"These are some truly trying times…" Pyrrha thought as she exited the administration building and headed towards the lunch room to pick up a small snack before the hunt.
The hunt for her brother.
A/N: Well this chapter took a turn towards the end that even I didn't expect... like literally I hadn't planned this at all and thought "Yup that sounds about right" so please review, PM with suggestions or questions, and or follow/favorite