Remnant of Dreams
A/N: A fast release this time round, mange to find time to do some typing. Hope you enjoy this as we closing in on the final chapter.
Chapter 37 – Treachery
This has officially became the most bizarre and freakiest battle that Yang has ever fought in. Even if she wasn't in the main battle between Oktavia and Homulilly.
"Get away! Get away! Get away!" Yang shouted as she blasted one creepy faceless doll after another.
Blake sighed. "Yang, calm down and create a proper distraction for Madoka and Ruby!"
"Easier said then done!" Yang then jumped high in the air, then smashed the ground with an overhead punch, blasting a swat of Lotte away.
"There... Wooah!" Yang screeched as she duck and weaved from a series of spear thrusts. Three dolls with surreal eyes and razor sharp teeth giggled madly at her.
"That's new." Blake said as she move beside Yang.
"They are REALLY creeping me out! This is part of Homura's personal wish!? Thank god Ruby won't dream up anything weird like them."
"You're saying that now. Anyway, keep your guards up, those spear they use are giving me some really bad vibes." Blake readied herself in a defensive stance.
"Kitty sense at work, huh." Blake gave Yang an icy glare. "And you don't need to tell me. Those spear can cut through Aura." Yang then showed Blake a shallow cut on her arm, with some fair amount of blood seeping through.
Blake's eyes widen in alarm. "We need to patch you..."
"No time! Here they come!" Yang shouted as she deflected a black spear with Ember Celica, then countered with a right hook. However the second doll intercepted her, while the third was about to stab Yang in the stomach.
Blake stepped in and wrapped the spear with Gamble shroud's ribbon. "Watch it Yang! Those things fight smart!"
"I know you got my back, pussycat." Yang then threw a devastating straight into the second doll's torso, sending it flying.
The first doll gave Yang a shallow cut on the side of her ribs, which she returned with an one two combo to the face. Punching it through a window.
The third doll struggled against Blake in a tug of war, which was interrupted as Yang grabbed it's face with her left hand, then send it flying sky high with a right upper cut to it's chin.
"Okay, that should..." Yang was saying when she saw a doll emerged from Blake's shadow. "Bla..."
She was too late as a black spear erupted from Blake's chest, the doll cackled with delight. That was until the Blake it stabbed vanished like smoke, which was quickly followed by Blake decapitating the doll with Gamble Shroud. The decapitated doll sunk back into the shadow.
"We better get out of here Yang."
"You really scared me there pussycat. And why? We got them, didn't we?"
"Look behind you." Blake pointed behind Yang.
Yang looked behind her then turned pale. Seven of those dolls appeared, one was holding it's own severed head, then reattached it in moments. They cackled menacingly.
"That is bull shit! Run!" Yang yelled as she and Blake ran down a side street, the dolls hot on their heels.
The sound of battle between the armies of Homulilly and Oktavia echoed through out the empty city. Blake and Yang managed to lose their pursuers and hopefully created enough diversion for Madoka, Ruby and Weiss to advance on Homulilly.
"I think we lost them." Yang gasped.
"Shush!" Blake hissed as her ears twitched.
"What is it?" Yang whispered.
Blake frowned. "People."
Blake then moved behind a trash bin just around the corner. "They're heading this way. Hide."
"I thought we evacuated everyone?" Yang whispered.
It was then they heard talking from a group of six, one they assumed to be leading the group. "Recon Delta. Is the target in position? Over."
Blake barely heard the crackle over the radio. "Affirmative. Target sighted with two other, one is Miss Schnee. No info on the unknown. Over."
'What? They are observing Madoka, Ruby and Weiss.' Blake thought as she process what she had just heard.
The leader swore angrily. "Do not harm Miss Schnee, our contractor will have our hide if we hurt his daughter. Eliminate the unknown, there must be no witnesses. Hold position until we arrive. Over!"
Blake's eyes widened in shock at what they just heard. They're after Madoka and they planned on killing Ruby!
Blake turned to Yang. "We need to warn Ruby! They're..." Blake accidentally knocked over an empty can.
Dead silence dominated until one man shouted. "Come out with your hands up. We're with the Atlesian military. We'll get you to safety."
Blake and Yang didn't buy that for a single second. And they were right as the six men team raised their battle rifle into firing position.
Blake nodded to Yang and she nodded back. Blake's shadow clone ran at the six men as they opened fire, the clone exploded in a flash of fire and light, as the real Blake along with Yang ran away from the soldiers.
"Don't let them get away! Use the ECM! Jam the communication! And kill them!" The man shouted as he rubbed the black spot from his eyes. His subordinate activated the Electronic Counter Measure.
Yang trust Blake's decision and knew she made the right call. Those 'soldiers' weren't average or standard. Yang hissed as a dust infused bullet glanced off her Aura. They were extremely coordinated and their aim were some of the best she ever seen, even compare to Ruby. Yang knew they were in trouble.
"They're still hot on our heels! We can't shake them." Yang voiced her concern.
"They're veteran Huntsmen and mercenaries! If we face them head on, we'll be lucky to beat even half of them." Blake left out an important information, she seen the insignia of sword and dust crystal on their shoulder. Those insignia belong to Schnee Dust Company Commando, made entirely of elite Atlesian Huntsmen with their own White Fang kill counts. They were the next most sought after target to the White Fang, just after the Schnee family members.
The SDC Commando squad specialize in protection detail, defensive perimeter, security advisor and transport details. However that was only their business front. They also specialize in kidnapping, torture, assassination, sabotage and they were very good at getting rid of anyone that got in their way.
Blake took out her scroll and cursed when it failed to connect. It confirmed it was really the commando chasing after them.
Meanwhile further down the side road, the squad leader of the Commando had enough. "Alpha to White Swan. Target coordinate N2789 E896 of the Vale district. Fire three salvo. Over."
"Affirmative. Over." The radio crackled.
The White Swan is a battle frigate class airship, half the size of a normal Atlesian cruiser, but with all it's fire power. It focus was more on speed and stealth, then armour and durability. The battle frigate's triple cannon locked onto the location, then fired three dust infused rounds with devastating effect.
Three bright orange orbs detonated above Yang and Blake, bringing rubble down around them.
"Blake!" Yang cried out as she tackled the cat Faunus, shielding the cat girl with her own body as debris and rocks smashed into her. It was total chaos for ten seconds.
Blake was still conscious, much to her surprise. But the same could not be said for Yang. She was injured all over, blood poured from a gash on her head. Blake frantically checked the unconscious blond and was relief she was still breathing. That joy was short lived.
"End of the line animal." Three rifles pointed at her, Blake looked up with fury in her eyes.
"Nothing personal. We're just doing our job." One soldier said as he pulled the trigger.
However nothing happened, much to the soldier's confusion. Then his severed trigger finger fell to the ground.
"Oh. But this is all VERY personal to me." Adam said as he cut the three soldier apart into bloody chunks with a sudden surprise attack.
"Son of a..." The man was silenced as he was cut from shoulder to naval, the rifle he tried to block with cut cleanly in half.
Adam followed up by slashing the fifth soldier across his eyes, blinding him. Mercifully it was soon followed up with a decapitating slash.
"Damn you! Taurus!" The leader of the slain commando shouted as he blocked Adam's attack. The two exchange quick series of blows, barely half an arm-length apart from each other.
This came to a stand still as the commander locked Adam's katana with it's serrated combat knife. The commander quickly drew a pistol and shot at Adam.
Adam only just managed to raise his left palm to the pistol muzzle, six shots echoed loudly in the ruin alley. Which were received with the sound of bullet striking solid steel.
"What!?" That was all the commander manage to say as Adam crushed the pistol and the owner's hand with his prosthetic arm, finish with a katana through the commander's throat. The man died chocking in his own blood.
Blake watched with horror at how Adam so casually killed those six in cold blood. Old fear began to craw within Blake's hearts, telling her to run, to hide. But Blake did neither as she looked to Yang.
"Hello my love." Adam said as he looked down on Blake.
She looked back with steel and determination in her eyes. She swore she will never run away again and she's determined to keep that promise. "Adam..."
Blake's eyes drift to Adam's left arm. A flash of concern in her eyes.
Adam looked to his prosthetic arm, a faint smile on his face. "Something worrying you? My love."
"Your arm... what happened? Who did this to you?" Blake said with a tint of hurt and sorrow.
"I didn't think you cared... perhaps I was wrong about that too. This is the prize I paid for fighting on the wrong side. As for who, you already know them, my love. The Incubators."
Blake looked at Adam with total surprise. "How?"
"That is not important right now. What is going to happen next is."
Blake became defensive as she shielded Yang. "I won't let you hurt..."
"Not what I meant. Love." Adam interrupted. "White Fang's war with the human are over. I have declared a ceasefire for now. Until every last Incubator are gone from this planet. Our focus are on them and their plots."
Adam kneeled down to eye level with Blake. "You know what is really going on. Tell me how to foil their plan, tell me how to stop them."
Blake looked into Adam's eyes, her thoughts running at the speed of light. She nodded. "We need to stop the SDC commandos from kidnapping Madoka. I don't know why they are after her and from their radio chatter, there must be another team, along with an Atlesian cruiser. After that we can only hope whatever Madoka had planned works."
"I can work with that. Love."
"I'm not coming back to the White Fang. You know my reasons." Blake said with determination.
"I know my love. You were always too soft of heart to do what needed to be done. But then again, that's what I love about you." Adam stood up.
"Adam..." Blake never knew this side of Adam.
"Maybe in another life, things would have worked out. Maybe it would have been different if we were born in a more peaceful world. Blake... My love. The White Fang will never come after you. I will make sure of that. So live the way you want, live the way you believe is right. For the both of us... Goodbye." Adam vanished into the shadow.
After he was long gone. "...Goodbye Adam." Blake said with tears in her eyes. This really wasn't the goodbye she imagined. For just a moment, she saw the old Adam, the man she fell for.
(Line break)
'What the hell is going on!?' Weiss thought as she saw a series of explosion not far from her. 'Is that an Atlesian battle frigate! What is it doing here?'
As Weiss pondered and battle her way through a handful of Lotte. She realized she had separated from Madoka and Ruby just a little while ago. It was then her Scroll rang.
"Weiss -Static- Weiss! Can -Static- hear me!?"
"Blake! What happened, why is there so much static!?"
"Listen -Static- me! -Static- -Static- are after Madoka! -Static- let -Static-. Stop them! Don't -Static-any Atlesian -Static- take her!"
"What! What do you mean Atlesian!? What is going on!?" Weiss said frantically, the only reply she got was further static.
Weiss did her best to put everything together, the best she got was someone in Atlas wanted to take Madoka. And they got someone in Atlesian military to go after her. Weiss looked over towards the battle frigate, a Bullhead just undock, then headed straight towards Madoka and Ruby.
"I don't know which selfish bastard would do something like this, but you are not getting past me!" Weiss growled as she stabbed Myrtenaster into the ground.
A summoning circle appeared, a pure white knight risen from the circle, it looked over to Weiss then to the Bullhead.
With a flourish and a spin, Weiss summoned a series of white glyph foot path towards the Bullhead. The knight stepped on the glyph, then charged at the Bullhead with sound shattering speed. Each glyph it stepped on increased it's speed even more. By the time it steppes on the final glyph, it had build up enough momentum to leap and close the vast gap of empty space between it and the Bullhead.
Just as it was about to land on the Bullhead, the knight summoned it's enormous two handed Claymore, then stabbed it into the wing of the Bullhead. The vehicle listed as the knight struck, then it spun out of control as the knight severed one of it's wing and an engine along with it.
Weiss exhaled a breath she was holding as the Bullhead crashed, she felt a chunk of Aura vanish as her knight dispelled. She hope that would stop whatever scheme that was in progress.
She was wrong. To Weiss's horror, the battle frigate increased it's speed and was heading straight towards Madoka and Ruby.
(Line break)
White Swan's bridge
"Why isn't the package on board yet!? What is the delay!" The operation commander and the very captain of the White Swan shouted at his subordinate.
There was an atmosphere of tension and stress in the air as everyone tried their best to complete the mission, even as everything had gone horribly wrong.
"We lost contact with team Alpha. Team Beta and Delta are reporting heavy engagement against the White Fang. They are pinned down!"
"Those damn animals! Get team Epsilon onto a Bullhead, send them directly to the package." The commander ordered.
"But sir, that is not within the mission per..."
"Question me again soldier and I will have you shot. Is that clear?"
"Y-Yes sir! Dispatching Epsilon."
The dispatched Bullhead was visible from the bridge as it approached their mission target. When they thought nothing could go wrong this time. A white knight landed on the Bullhead and took it out of the sky. Everyone watched in dismay as they lost contact with team Epsilon.
The operation commander gritted his teeth in rage. "All ahead full! All hands be on the ready to capture the target!"
"But sir! This is madness! If we get that close to the target. Those 'things' will notice us! We won't stand a..."
"BANG!" The crew was silenced as the commander put a bullet in his head.
"I SAID all ahead FULL!" The remaining crew followed the order. "Once we are in range, security personnel will land and capture Madoka Kaname. We will complete our mission!"
"I cannot allow that." Someone said to the operation commander's ear as that person held a blade against the commander's throat.
"Who the devil are you?!"
There was gasp of shock around the deck, one crew said in recognition. "Ozpin!" Many security personnel drew their firearm.
"Ozpin as in the headmaster of Beacon. How did you get onboard my ship!?"
"Trade secret. Now turn this ship around while I am asking nicely." Ozpin held his blade even closer to the commander's throat.
"Everyone on deck are trained huntsmen and there are dozens more across the entire ship. You may be one of the most powerful huntsmen in history, but even you will not get away unscathed against all of us."
"That is true, but you will not escape this unharmed. I think you and I both know how this will really turn out if a fight breaks out here." Ozpin said coldly. "You have two choices. You can turn this ship around and forget this ever happened. Or you can fight me and see for yourself how strong I really am. The choice is yours."
(Line break)
Weiss made her way up to the tallest building that was nearest to her. With the help of her glyph, she reached the top in a very short time.
She watched as the battle frigate got closer and closer to Madoka and Ruby's position. Then she saw a yellow flash in the bridge of the frigate, that was soon followed by a series of green flash with white and yellow in between. The battle frigate began to tilt to the right, it's right wings and propulsion system smashed into a skyscraper. Weiss could see critical damage to one side of the ship and it's new heading.
Now the battle frigate was diving towards Homulilly and this got the witch's attention.
Homulilly pointed one skeleton finger at the battle frigate, countless jagged black arrows appeared from behind Homulilly, then flew at the battle frigate. It's armour are nothing more then paper before the supernatural power of Homulilly.
Series of explosion rocked the battle frigate, it soon turned into a burning wreckage as it crashed into the ground with ground shaking impact.
(Line break)
It felt like an eternity for Ruby as she fought side by side with Madoka. An eternity she felt she needed to treasure.
As Oktavia and Homulilly fought each other in the distance. Their familiar fought on the ground in a massive pitch battle. Ruby and Madoka fought and dance across the ever changing building of Vale. The closer they came to the duelling witches, the more the building twist and change.
Ruby never felt so synchronize, so coordinated. Every move she made matched up perfectly with Madoka. It just like the Beacon dance, when Madoka taught her how to dance.
Together they cut through a swat of Lotte, they sprinted and danced, closer and closer to Homulilly. Their focus entirely on her, they only noticed the battle frigate at the last moment as it crashed and burned.
"Homura." Madoka said with a tone of distress as she raised her bow.
A streak of luminous pink flew at Homulilly while she was distracted. The sound of shattering glass was heard as the arrow flew past and over the shoulder of the witch. The space behind Homulilly smashed open into pitch darkness.
"Stop! What are you doing!? You don't understand! I have to die here. It is the only way!" Homura's voice echoed all around them.
"Jeeze Homura. Chill out already. We're trying to help." Sayaka shouted at Homura as numerous music note path appeared towards Homulilly. Oktavia stopped her from blocking the path into the black void.
"I have to go. That place... It's Homura's heart. I have to go to her." Madoka said with desperation.
It broke Ruby's heart to hear Madoka so upset. She could almost feel Madoka's pain and desperation. And all she could think about was how much Madoka cared about Homura over her...
It was then Ruby realized she was envious of Homura, she has the one thing Ruby could never truly have... Ruby snapped herself out of her self loathing. With suddenness Ruby carried Madoka in a bridal carry.
Before Madoka could say anything. "Hang on! I will get you there. I will get you to Homura!" Ruby shouted as she ran towards the music note path.
The moment Ruby stepped on the music note path she activated her semblance. Ruby drew on everything she has and a blazing trail of rose petals was behind her. Ruby achieved an unbelievable level of speed, fastest she has ever gone. A speed so great, the air around her turned into a great storm of twisting and spinning wind. Any familiar that stood in their way were blown away by the sheer air pressure.
Then finally with a great leap, Ruby with Madoka in her arms jumped over Homulilly's shoulder and into the black open space that was Homura's heart.
A/N: And this conclude the end of this part of the story, this arc. In this story I made Adam a bit more 'human' instead of a complete douche bag from season three and onwards. I always felt there should be more to his character then the always angry bull Faunus we see now. Some might agree with this version of Adam, some might not. Only Oum knew what he planned out, it's always the good one that dies young (sigh...)
The next chapter will reveal the final plan and the result of Puella Magi's work since the beginning and it's effect on Remnant. I will say there is around 3-4 chapters left before the epilogue. Stay tune and I honestly hope I can get this story done before the end of the year.
Now to the review.
Student: Good to hear from you again. This chapter should answer your question about the White Fang.
Lordsunshine64: Sorry man, already brought out sweet witch twice. I know you're curious as to what other thought of her, so I will just mention this. If Nobunaga further ignore Bebe after being bitten on the leg, she would have bitten his head in her witch form. Mind you she would only shake him up a little, instead of biting off his head.
S. M. L. Stevhmaklie: Yep, bit of a left field out of nowhere. But I really think it fits very nicely, I think the original intention for Raven's 'clan' was more base on Japanese themed architecture and culture (Judging by Yang's dream of Raven on season two), again something we will never truly know for sure.
Ultima-owner: This chapter is the last ramping up so to speak. But stay tune... It's not over yet.