Chapter 10: The Game Begins.
"Are we there yet?" Yun groaned.
"Stop complaining" Glaucous rolled his eyes "Rin is directing us as best she can in her condition".
"It's nice to see she's got some of her pep back" Yang grinned.
"She is in a much better condition than when we left Beacon." Pyrrha smiled "though I still worry for her".
"I'll be fine guys" Rinnette giggled "I just need to recover my strength a bit more then I'll be all back to normal".
Echo remained quiet as the blue haired fox girl continued to pester him.
"Was it really a good idea to bring her along?" Silver sighed.
"She's as good a fighter as anyone else." Jade shrugged "so I don't see why not. Besides it serves Echo right for starting this".
A few weeks earlier.
"So let me get this straight. You mimicked the Aura of a High Profile Knight and gave yourself access to his Aura bubble, so that you could save Rinnette. Then you proceeded to beat him up, bite through his sword, then declare war on one of the most respected and rich families in Vale, maybe even all of Remnant?"
Echo nodded.
"You fucking idiot!" Jade whacked him around the head "what were you thinking?! What would Mom and Dad think if they were around to know about this".
"Actually I'm sure that both your mother and father would have not hesitated to get involved" Silver intervened.
"Shut it Goggle head!" Jade glared at him.
"I agree with Miss Slate." Glaucous folded his arms "declaring war was a reckless move".
"Thank you!"
"But as reckless as the decision was, it was the right decision".
"Wait what?" Jade turned to look at Glaucous.
"We have a few rules that we all agreed on when we were put into this team." Yun grinned "one of the most important ones, is exactly why Echo did what he did".
"It doesn't matter what the circumstances are." Glaucous smiled softly "we protect each other. Even if that means declaring war on the rest of the world, Team GREY protects it's members. And as the leader, I approve of Echo's decision".
Jade face-palmed.
"You're all as bad as each other." she scratched her head "a group of bandits was fine. But now you're planning on fighting a war you have no chance of winning".
"There hasn't been a mission yet that Team GREY couldn't handle" Yun smirked, wiggling her ears.
"Guys" Rinnette sat up.
"Rin?" Glaucous looked over at her.
"If you really plan on fighting that family, I want to come with you" she winced.
"You need your rest".
"I don't care, Yun!" the pink haired girl gritted her teeth "I'm the most strategic advantage you can get. I know the in's and out's of the castle. I know each and every one of their abilities and fighting styles. I am the best chance this team has at winning".
Echo came over to her.
"I don't care what you say or thing, Echo!" Rinnette yelled "I'm go-"
She was interrupted by Echo placing his hand on the top of her head. He placed his head against hers and smiled softly, rubbing her head lightly.
The pink haired knight became calm.
"Yes" he smiled.
"You're not seriously letting her come" Yun clenched her fist.
"I agree with Echo." Glaucous sighed "Rinnette is correct in stating she gives us a strategic advantage".
"You're all insane." Jade ran her fingers through her hair "the four of you are all insane".
"We go together very well" Glaucous smiled "And as of this moment, Team GREY goes to war".
Back in the Present, Far South West of Vale
"So why are you guys even coming with us?" Yun looked over her shoulder, glancing back at Teams RWBY and JNPR.
"I don't even know" Jaune groaned.
"We came to help of course" Pyrrha nodded.
"What she said" Yang grinned.
"Don't be quick to be so excited." Rinnette glared at them "the Cinereous Family aren't to be taken lightly. If they wanted to, they could have wiped out the White Fang when it accelerated into it's current extremist state. But they have no interest in any of that, so they didn't".
Echo's face remained buried in his scarf. His grey eyes glimmered.
"Come on, You're over exaggerating" Marine giggled "I mean, I know the Family is strong an' all but I doubt they're as strong as you're making them out to be."
In the distance it came into view. A castle even bigger than the Beacon Academy.
"Oh my" Weiss gasped.
"That's the Cinereous family home?" Blake tilted her head.
Rinnette nodded.
"Halt!" a voice echoed.
"That voice" Rinnette stepped back and bit her lip "Azure".
He seemed to fade in from nowhere, right in front of them.
"Lady Rinnette" he tilted his head, letting his long blue hair dangle. "Did you finally give in and decide to come home? Or is what Aureus said true? Have you brought a war upon your own family?"
"Azure Iris" Rinnette glared back at him "the Cinereous Family have no right claiming any relation to me. I hate all of them!"
"I have no responsibility to return you home. But if these people desire a war, then I must protect the family".
"One Day" Echo stood forward.
"What?" Azure glanced at him.
"One Day will be all it takes for us to crush the Cinereous Family" he responded "No even less.
"You will have to get past me first" Azure dug his boots into the dirt.
Echo shook his head "As the one who declaring 'war', I want to make a proposal to make things much easier".
"And that would be?"
"We're going to enter the Castle approximately 3 hours before Sunset. And the moment we do, we have until Sunset to defeat the head of the Family".
"You make it sound like a game! This is war you're proposing!".
"If the head of the Family hasn't fallen by Sunset tomorrow, We will surrender and leave peacefully to avoid any further conflict".
Azure hesitated. "Fine. I will report to the family of your proposal, and I will find you again to state whether they agree or not".
"And even as we move closer too the castle, we will not attack unless attacked" Echo held out his hand.
Azure bowed his head and shook the grey haired teen's hand.
In a split second, the blue haired guardian was gone.
"Azure Iris" Rinnette gulped "the strongest warrior that Family has under it's control. I've never seen it before, but it's rumoured he has the power to take down thousands of Grimm at once".
"Well then, I suppose he's going to be my primary rival then." Echo smiled softly "Rin, you're going to take down the head of your family on your own. You can give me an insight on who they have and what abilities you know of I will then plan accordingly".
She gulped and nodded
Hours later. The Outskirts of the Cinereous Castle.
"And so the family have decided to agree to your challenge" Azure bowed his head.
"Though this may be war, it's nothing personal." Echo sighed "it's a promise I have to keep. So I hope we can have a honourable fight when we meet upon the battlefield, Azure".
"As do I" the blue haired warrior gave a slight smile, before disappearing.
"So we're all ready?" Ruby started to fidget slightly.
"I would assume so" Ren nodded "it seems like Echo has planned out our strategy accordingly. It almost looks like he's finding this fun".
"Trust me, he is" Jade rolled her eyes "he never changes. Our dad may have been the cocky one, but he knew when to back down. Our mom on the other hand loved the thrill of the fight. And it looks to me like Echo inherited that".
"Echo knows when not to fight though." Silver pointed out "and you're the cocky reckless one. It seems to me like you inherited your father's cockiness and your mothers recklessness, where Echo inherited your fathers acknowledgement and your mother's thrill seeking. You're both as bad as each other in that regard".
"Shut it Goggle head!"
Marine giggled "I'm happy to go where ever Echoey want's me to go".
You could almost see the hearts in her eyes every time she looked at Echo.
"Keep away from my Partner!" Yun growled.
"Are you his Girlfriend or something then?!" Marine snapped back.
"No!" Yun blushed brightly as she yelled "we were partnered up during our Initiation at Beacon!"
"It's quite true" Glaucous nodded "as were Rin and I"
"Speaking of, I heard that your teams performed quite spectacularly in your Initiation." Rinnette looked over at RWBY and JNPR "Beheading a Nevermore and killing a Death Stalker".
"Indeed, quite impressive".
"It was super difficult" Jaune groaned.
"You think a Nevermore and a Death Stalker were super difficult?!" Yun sighed "during our initiation the four of us had the misfortune of running into a Stray Goliath".
"Oh yes. I do recall that poor thing." Glaucous glanced up, in reminiscence.
"A Goliath?" Ruby gulped "the big Grimm that don't usually get into fights? Professor- I mean Doctor Oobleck and I saw a Herd of them outside Mountain Glenn".
"Yeah that species of Grimm don't usually travel on their own." Rinnette nodded "we had the honour of finding a rare one that did. It wasn't anyone's fault or anything, but I think the thing got spooked or something. If Grimm can even get spooked?"
"The instructors almost had to get involved." Yun laughed "and we almost got kicked out for going ahead and trying to fight it anyway, isn't that right Echo?"
The teen didn't answer. He simply looked up at the silhouetted castle against the shining moon.
"Echo?" Yun repeated.
"Tomorrow" he laughed softly "the game begins".
To be continued...