Welcome back everyone, I hope you all had a festive meal this Thanksgiving. Either way, with Christmas just a month away, the season of giving is here, so I will give you all a chapter. Yay. Also, in celebration of the season, there will be two chapters at the next update as opposed to one. Tis the season.
Anyways, the plot will finally start moving forward a little bit now. Still a bit slow, but there is a lot that needs to happen. So without further aeidu, I will cue the intro while you all sit back and enjoy.
(Cue Sandcastle Kingdoms - NateWantsToBattle-Nathan Sharp)
(0:00 - 0:07) Instrumental
The camera pans around the destruction of Beacon towards the broken moon, where 'When Dreams Become Nightmares' flickers around it before vanishing.
(0:07 - 0:14) What can I make and what can I sell? A timeshare in heaven that's just out of hell
The image changes to Seymour and Salem, standing atop an altar in the middle of the Grimm lands. Pyreflies and darkness surround them as the camera moves back to show the army of Grimm and Fiends.
(0:14 - 0:18) Am I a fraud or a genuine scam?
The scene shifts to that of Airu, sitting on a bed meant to belong to Weiss.
(0:18 - 0:22) Am I a monster or worse, just a man?
Another shift brings the image to Ren, sitting alone in darkness, a gun in his hand. A spectral being with black hair whispers into his ear as he stares at the gun in his hand.
(0:22 - 0:29) In the end we're all the same. To the grave we only take our names
Once more the image shift, to that of Auron standing over four graves. One by one, the spectral images of Velvet, Yatsuhashi, and Fox disappear. Auron and Coco stand alone, before she fades as well.
(0:30 - 0:37) There's an ocean made of dreams. But the current strands you out at sea
Another shift shows Tidus, standing at the edge of an ocean. Pyhrra stands in the water as the two try to reach each other. As their hands nearly meet, she begins drifting back, taken by the sea.
(0:38 - 0:50) I wake up to find, the passing of time, made my mirror show, someone I don't know.
In another shift, Weiss stares into the mirror. A plain rapier rests on her side as she as the Gullwings appear as the camera zooms out. Even as the others seem to be having a good time, she remains saddened and lost.
(0:51- 1:03) Now with my own hands, build castles from sand, but all kingdoms drown, as tides bring them down.
In a room of darkness, RagingKey and Seymour stand across from one another in a game of chess. They make their moves quickly, yet with strategy unmatched. In a matter of moments, both sides have claimed four pawns.
(1:04 - 1:11) My army has fallen, ambitions have burned. The subjects stay loyal but don't wait their turn.
The game board practically springs to life as the pieces become people as they dual. The camera pans around as Airu, with Winter and Neo at her side, take on Ifrit, Shiva, and Ixion. Elsewhere, Ren and Ruby are seen encountering a scientist with mutated Grimm. Tidus, Jaune, Lie Ren, and Nora stare down Tyrian. Auron and Yang, both with prosthetic arms, face off against The Buzzard.
(1:12 - 1:19) Now blindly they follow their king to the fray, but he has no action and they have no say.
Two chess pieces remain as they were, kings, as they stop in the center of the board, one space between the two. They don't move as the camera zooms out and spins.
(1:20 - 1:30) In the end we're bound to change. We're made for more than all of these numbers and names.
Scenes play out, side by side view, as each member of Team AART shows their changes over the year they spent in Beacon.
(1:30 - 1:38) We could all go down in flames. Or put it out, relinquish these words from my mouth.
The scene changes one last time to Airu, looking towards a tower of flames in the distance. Ren stands next to her, with Auron and Tidus standing next to him. Behind them, friends and allies stand with them as they looked towards their destiny, ready to fight.
Chapter 6: A Promise
After a mildly long flight in the bullhead, the large airship touched down on the top of the most substantial hospital in Remnant. It was the threshold of medical discovery and had the best doctors money could buy and train. The equipment used was far more advanced than anything any of the local hospitals could get their hands on. To some, the Atlas Medical Center was considered to be a temple of health care.
As the doors opened up, Airu and Winter stepped out onto the landing pad, the former opting to stretch out her limbs after being cooped up in a small cabin for so long. After taking one last deep breath of air, Airu folded her wings so that they were pressed against her back and not bumping into everything.
"Where to, Airu?" Winter asked as the two began walking to the doors in front of them. The specialist opened one, allowing Airu to enter before stepping inside herself.
"Room 236," she merely replied as she adjusted the two items she held in her hands. Each item held no weight by themselves, but together they symbolized so much more. The harpy quickly located a map of the building and followed it to the nearest elevator. Winter and Airu rode the elevator down to the second floor, and as the doors opened up, Winter decided to probe further.
"What is so special in room 236?"
"Let's just say I made a promise to do something, and I don't like to go back on my promises." The two worked their way around various doctors and visitors in search of the information desk. Winter spotted it out of the corner of her eye and directed Airu towards the counter. The woman working at the desk finished helping the couple in front of them and sent them on their way as she typed some information into her computer.
"Come on, why is everything so slow these days?" the closest clerk asked the one on the opposite end of the desk. The second attendant slammed her mouse on the table twice, trying to get her computer to work faster.
"I don't know, but apparently the CCT tower at Beacon went down in some Grimm invasion," the second replied. A third woman, dressed more like a nurse than the other two, approached carrying some files.
"A Grimm invasion took down Beacon?" she asked like it was old news, "Isn't that place supposed to be filled with some of the best Hunters-in-Training. What are they teaching that they can't take down some simple Grimm." Airu took a deep breath to calm herself while Winter rolled her eyes at the ignorance of the medical staff in Atlas.
"Guess they don't live up to their potential," the first lady said in defeat, "Guess that's why Atlas will always be superior, we train soldiers, not mercenaries."
"Oh, so you ladies like brainwashed retards who only know how to stand in a line and shoot?" Airu quipped, gathering the attention of the medical staff, "I mean how hard is it to shoot a rifle in a line? You point, aim, and pull the damn trigger, and if the guy in front of you dies, you step up and take his place. It is so easy, and fucking corgi could do it."
Elsewhere, a small corgi lifted up a rifle from the coffee table of his home with his teeth. The little dog pulled the trigger back as he moved the gun, firing a shot into the TV. Taiyang walks down the stairs with a yawn, wondering why gunshots were being fired in his home. When his eyes settled on the cute corgi and the rifle in its mouth, he looked towards the TV and facepalmed. "Zwei, what have I told you about shooting the TV!" he cried in defeat. Said dog only turned his head to the side with the innocent look only a corgi could produce.
"Really, and what about Vale's military?" the first lady asked.
"Vale has a military?" the second question, faking astonishment.
"At least their Hunters-in-Training are worth their weight in Lien," Airu retorted, "The only representative from Atlas in the finals was a freakin' robot. They had to manufacture a Huntress because they can't make their own."
"At least we aren't bloodthirsty murderers," the nurse snapped back. Had Airu not been trying to control her anger, she would have lunged over the counter and beat some sense into the women, but instead, she kept her cool.
"You weren't there when the Grimm destroyed your manufactured soldiers. You weren't there when the White Fang attacked, carrying bullheads full of Grimm. You weren't there when a goddamn Dragon attacked my fucking school. And I haven't even mentioned the Fiends. You have no right to criticize the actions Beacon took to defend the school."
The first attendant was about ready to rebuttal, but Winter stepped in between her and Airu, making sure to move her right hand over her saber. "I am sorry about the disturbance ma'am," she coldly apologized, "My friend and I were just looking for Room 236. Could you be a dear and point us in the right direction?"
"Oh, of-of course Miss Schnee," the first attendant stuttered. The revelation of Winter's family persuaded the second and the nurse to bow and get back to work. The attendant typed away on her computer. "Let's see here. Room 236 is just down the hall to your right. It will be the last door on your left. If I may, why is it that you are asking about Julia Torchwick."
Winter turned to Airu in confusion, not knowing the infamous criminal had a sister, let alone one that was staying at the Atlas Medical Facility. Airu stepped forward, much calmer than a moment ago, and set the grey bowler hat she had been holding onto the counter. The attendant took the signal for what it meant and nodded. "I see. She will want to see them herself. Go, now."
Airu and Winter turned and began following the white walls of the hospital towards Room 236. "Julia Torchwick?" Winter asked vaguely.
"I told you, a promise," Airu replied.
Taiyang stood on the side of the small dirt clearing in a large field of grass. Opposite him, his daughter, Yang, and her friend from school, Auron. While he usually would question as to why his seventeen-year-old daughter was hanging around someone who looked about as old as Qrow, the information his brother-in-law left for him was enough to push past the relationship. While the two weren't dating, which was a relief for Taiyang, they had respect for each other.
Taiyang saw Auron as the mentor type. Full of wisdom and experience who was willing to push others past their breaking point to make sure they learned the lesson. He also saw him as someone who would risk his own life to save others. This idea was cemented when he heard about how Auron fought Adam Taurus to the death to protect his daughter and her partner after she lost her arm.
From Auron's own accounts, he knew it was not because of love, but because of the friendship they had. He continued to fight, even after having his own arm lobbed off and his eye cut through. The fights in which you do that are the fights when you know you have to protect others, even at the cost of your life. For that, he owed the guardian, but he asked for nothing but a place to stay until Beacon was rebuilt.
Taiyang had agreed and helped make sure the guardian recovered well enough during the past three months. Now, they were training. Training to make sure he could fight with just the one arm and a sword. It was a challenge, but Auron learned fast, and now he hoped his daughter would pick it up as well.
Taiyang slammed his knuckles together before taking his stance, making sure he was balanced. "Are you kids ready?" he taunted.
"Wouldn't be out here if we weren't," Yang snapped back, a sly grin appearing on her face. It was good in his eyes; it meant she was getting her confidence back.
"This will be tough, remember that," Auron reminded, adjusting the double-edged blade on his shoulder. While the guardian usually carried around the broken blade of Masamune when he would visit the graves of Team CFVY, when he was training he would use Muramasa. The double-edged sword was nowhere near as powerful, but it allowed him to fight just as effectively.
The wind blew between the two parties as they waited for the moment to attack. Then it stopped, and Taiyang charged. Auron was the first to react, bringing his sword to block the punch and moved out of the way of the second. "Protectga," the guardian chanted and an orange hexagonal pattern appears around him and Yang.
Taiyang continued his combo, forcing the guardian to block another strike. It clashed with the blade in a reverse grip, allowing Auron to raise the hilt and catch the follow-up jab. The guardian pushes forward against the Hunter, causing him to stumble as Auron stepped to the side. Yang appeared from behind him and sent a left uppercut into her father's gut, causing him to hop a little into the air.
Yang rotated around herself, bringing her feet around for two kicks, each blocked by her father. As she righted her, he followed her body with a left hook. The elder dragon blocked her punch with his right hand and countered with his left, but she leaned back just enough for the fist to sail over her head. Auron's blade met Tai's hand as the two clashed over Yang's head.
"Power Break," the guardian chanted again, causing his blade to glow red as it continued to struggle for power with the left hand of Tai. Knowing what the skill does, he retracted his fist in time for the blade to narrowly miss his body, forcing him to let go of Yang's hand. The blonde brawler rolled back as gravity pulled her down and steadied herself next to Auron, who perched his blade on his shoulder in anticipation of the elder dragon's next attack.
Taiyang saw the challenge and decided to change it up. He held his hand out, palm up, and bent his fingers back and forth. Yang took the taunt and took her father's challenge, throwing a left jab first. He blocked the punch and countered with one of his own. Yang moved her body to her left, raising her right stump as her father's punch slid under the amputated limb. She caught it in her armpit, shifting her weight back to her right side and pulling him closer as she nailed his jaw with another left hook.
As she went for a second punch, Tai moved his arm to grip the back of her shoulder and ducked under the blow. He stepped to her weaker side and hip tossed her to the ground with an assuring thud, sending up dirt from the impact. He went for the finishing blow, a downward strike to her temple, but it was blocked when Auron chanted, "Sentinel," and appeared with his blade in front of his fist. The two struggled for power, but Tai pulled back to catch the guardian with his other hand.
To the elder dragon's surprise, Auron took a forward step as his blade continued in a horizontal motion with an outward strike that ran across his gut. Tai doubled over slightly, but it was enough for Auron to get in close and headbutt him with enough force to send him to his ass a few feet away. Yang got back to her feet and stood up next to Auron, as they waited for Taiyang to get back up to his feet.
While they expected him to either grunt, or grin, or just launch an attack, they didn't expect the elder dragon just to laugh and clap his hands together. "Well done, both of you," he complimented as he walked over to the two. "Your teamwork is really improving. Keep it up and you should be just as good as you were before."
"Thanks, dad," Yang piped up.
"But you still have a long way to go," he turned to Auron, "both of you."
"How so?" Auron asked.
"Let's see. Auron, you need to spend more time working on the strategy going into a fight. Give yourself more of those spells you have been using to allow yourself to take more hits. I know you usually are using Masamune, but there will be times you won't have it and can't rely on taking damage to increase your strength. Or other's Semblances for that matter. You get drained quickly from those, and while it has improved since we started, continually using and switching between them can become exhausting. I would say use more of the low costing spells to buff yourself and friends so you all can stay alive, even if you do have to block an attack with Sentinel.
"As for you, my lovely daughter, you are way too predictable. Even with the change in your style, you still lead with a crushing hook. Nothing is wrong with a light jab or a feint here of there, something to keep them on their toes. Wouldn't want another incident again. And you are relying on your Semblance too much."
"What's wrong with that?" she asked. "I mean, you were just talking to Auron about how he should his Semblance in a different way. Everyone on my team used them like they were just another muscle."
"Because you Semblance is like Masamune; a blessing and a curse," answered not her father, but Auron. "You take in damage and dish it back out. You grow stronger the longer the fight goes on, but at the cost of your well being. Masamune is the same way. It locks my strength to where my attacks are much weaker than they should be, but the more I get hurt, the more power I am given. The point at which I am the most powerful is when I am the most fragile. A glass cannon."
"And not only that Yang," her father added, "You get way too upset when you are using it. Anger is not the only source of power. While it is great when you are in a bind, what happens when you miss? Then you are just tired and weakened, no different than the rest of us. When you use it, you need to keep a level head. Fight smarter, and the power will follow. Trust me."
Yang looked towards her father, thinking about what he and the guardian had told her. "Alright," she said, "I'll keep that in mind." She looked down to the ground in thought when a firm hand grasped her shoulder. The blonde brawler saw Auron give her a look of reassurance and respect.
"I made a promise after Coco died that I would make sure no one else would, and while I couldn't protect Pyrrha, I will make sure to protect you. But I can only do that if I know you will be fighting as well. A Guardian can only do so much when he is the only one fighting."
"Don't worry Old Man, I wouldn't miss a good fight for the world." At the sound of the nickname, Auron's face lowered for just a moment before he brought it back up into a fake smile. His eyes conveniently hid behind the dark tint of the sunglasses, preventing Yang from seeing the pain in his eyes.
"Right," he said solemnly. Thankfully, the conversation was interrupted by Taiyang.
"Hey, I just got a call from Qrow," he claimed, "He wants to see you guys."
"Where at?" Yang asked.
"Signal, said he has a gift."
Airu opened the door to the hospital room and examined it. The room was filled with medical equipment much more advanced than anything she had ever seen. Growing up on the Isle, most medical treatments were taken care of by anyone with healing magic. The walls were bare and a bland white color, and the floor very much the same. On the far right side of the room, there was a bed with a young girl inside.
She was twenty-one years old, but her body would say otherwise. Her skin was slightly grey and hugged her bones a little too close. Dark circles under her eyes and a hospital gown almost made her look dead as it is. Around her, IV's pumped medications into her arm while monitors displayed her vitals from various sensors around her body. Her orange hair had long since lost its bright color, settling for burnt shade.
She turned her head weakly to the sound of her door opening and smiled weakly with a near splitting image of Roman Torchwick. "Hello," she said, "I wasn't expecting any more visitors today. Please come in." She weakly pulled herself up to look at the two now walking into her room.
"Thank you, Julia," Airu replied as she and Winter stepped into the room. "How are you doing?"
"Just lying around, really." A light, forced, chuckle escaped her lips. "Who are you guys anyways."
"I apologize for my friend here," Winter began, "She can be a little rash at times. I am Winter Schnee."
"I see…" Julia's face dropped slightly before she turned to Airu, "And you?"
"Airu Mirai."
"Eagle Bitch…" she gasped as her eyes shifted slightly to the other side of the room. "What do you want?"
"I came to give you something. I made a promise to someone, and I intend to keep it." Airu lifted her arms to Julia, presenting her the cane and hat that the infamous criminal had made famous. "During the Battle of Beacon, he told me about you and what Cinder had told him she would do to you. I've come to deliver this to you, and let you know I will continue paying for your treatments. Which is why I brought her along, she has the bigger wallet."
"What!?" Winter cried.
"I'm kidding, at least about you paying." Airu looked at the young woman as she took the memories of her brother into her hand. Tears fell from her face as she gripped them tightly. "Look, he told me what happened in his dying breaths. He died to make sure you lived, guess he didn't know Cinder was going to die too."
"She's dead too?" Hope was in her voice. "If only he could have made it out of there alive. Thank you Airu. This...this means a lot to me then you would think."
"That's good to hear. Though, it would sound a lot better without a blade to my neck. Mind putting it down Neo?" Much to Winter's surprise, the air around Airu shimmered and shattered like glass. A young woman, albeit short, appeared from thin air. Dressed in a brown corset and pants covered by a white jacket with a pink interior. She boosted her height, which didn't help much, with a pair of near knee high heels, and her hair is brown and pink with a strip of white on her pink side.
Airu's scroll vibrated in her pocket with a message. A sly smirk formed on the lips of Airu as she pulled it out and read the message from the ice cream themed midget. Maybe. The harpy rolled her eyes at Neo's size appropriate antics.
"Please?" The shorter girl shrugged and retracted her blade from the end of her umbrella.
How did you know I was here? Neo asked through her scroll.
"I saw your sister's eyes shift to the side of the room every couple seconds. I figured if you were here, you would show yourself eventually. One downside of your Semblance, you shimmer when you hide yourself. Not really good against someone who has seen it."
Good eye. Now, why are you really here?
"I already told you," Airu turned around to actually look at the shorter girl, noticing the apparent scar that ran along her pale skin. It ran nearly perpendicular to her left eye, catching it in the corner just enough to prevent the color to change anymore. Her heterochromia eye matched it for now with soft pink irises. Airu must have stared just a little too long, as her Scroll vibrated.
Some Fiend with blades for legs caught me off when I was trying to survive, no thanks to you zapping me out of the sky like some lightning rod.
"Well, that was when things were different. See, the way that I look at it, we have no reason to fight, aside from you pulling a weapon on me, but I can forgive that." Airu slowly walked towards the door where Winter still stood, contemplating what to do. "Roman is dead, but I fulfilled his dying wish." Even if I was the one who ended his life and he never actually asked for it. "Your sister, at least to me, seems happy that I at least brought her something to remember him by, and I personally have no hatred towards you."
I suppose you're right. But how should I know you're not going to turn me in, I am still involved in what happened, and surely the police will want my head.
"Like they could catch you." Airu chuckled to herself at the memory of Neo escaping with Roman after they destroyed the Paladin. "Plus Cinder is dead; there is nothing holding you back from leaving now anyway."
Quick-witted and smart.
"I try to be." Airu grabbed the handle to the door and began to turn it when a thought crossed her head. "Neo, we want to end this scheme that Seymour has planned. To do that, I have to look into my past for answers that may help us achieve our goals." Airu looked over her shoulder at the ice-creamed themed girl. "Do you want to help?"
No message was needed to be sent, at least not through electronics, as Neo grinned in response. Not in an evil way, but in a way that anyone could see that it said 'Did you even need to ask?'. "Well then, we better get going. Make sure to bring some warm clothes." Airu walked out the door, soon followed by Neo, leaving Winter in the room with Julia. Seconds ticked by as she tried to process the events that had transpired in the few minutes they were in the room.
The weak voice of Roman's sister snapped the specialist out of her confusion with the simple suggestion, "I think you should follow them."
"Y...yeah you're right," she replied as she gathered her composure and left the hospital room, and leaving Julia by herself.
"Please be safe Neo, I don't want to lose another sibling."
The promise has been fulfilled, and Neo has joined Airu in her adventure. This was something I had planned out for a long time, and I think it makes for an interesting group. I think the clashing personalities will provide some light-hearted comedy at times, and put all of them out of their element, the most noticeable being Winter. It is something that I think you guys will enjoy going forward and sets up some events later. However, until next time, Happy Holidays.
