Ash woke up to the sound of blaring sirens muffled by the wooden door and thick walls of Glynda Goodwitch's room. He sat up and took a look around the near lifeless room, finding everything as per usual except for the tiny speaker that initially hung in the corner of the room, now sitting idly still on the desktop next to the bed; leading him to believe that whoever ripped it from the wall knew that the siren would come to life and wanted to ensure that he wouldn't be able to hear it. It took him a moment to remember what happened when was last awake, but along with it, the throbbing pain he felt that knocked him unconscious returned as well.
He remembered constructing a map of a quarter of the kingdom, specifically the forest and mountains southeast of Vale's borders, as well as his reason for doing so. Team RWBY was in trouble, and by the sound of it, they were unable to stop the train they mentioned. He didn't blame them, after all, how could they? He practically sent the five of them to go up against a legion of White Fang activists. Even if the fifth person was a professor of Beacon and expert Hunter, how in Remnant were they supposed to stop a train?
He also remembered his dream, or perhaps it wasn't so much as a dream as it is yet another forced meditation. He remembered fighting himself or the very least, his equivalent. The shadow fought differently than he did, though there were still elements of his own fighting mixed in with however it fought. The bracer was still the main form of defense, deflecting and blocking attacks. However, the way it attacked him was something he could barely read. The attacks were more predictable than his current fighting style, but the way it combined both unarmed and sword attacks as if it were dancing ensured that Ash would spend more stamina dodging and blocking than it would attacking. He wanted to try them, imitate them and learn something from them, but with his current refusal to wield any of the gear needed, it was nothing more than a pipe dream.
He got up from the bed and fought against the throbbing pain, merely listening to the siren that almost seemed to scream his name, calling him to action. A note taped to the door stared at him in the face as he put his hand on the handle, judging from the neat and official looking handwriting alone, it was easy to tell that the note came from Glynda.
Ash, if our efforts to keep the alarm from waking you ended up failing, then I want you to stay in this room anyway. You're psychological state is currently unstable. You're in no shape to be fighting. You'll only be putting those around in danger. So for the sake of Vale and those around you, stay in this room.
"That isn't what being a Hunter is about," Ash said, smiling as he ripped the note from the door. The siren became louder when he opened the door, which he should've found annoying and unneeded, but it instead proved to clear his thoughts and rid him of the throbbing pain that once plagued him. Now he was only filled with excitement. "I may not be able to fight the creatures of Grimm confidently as of yet, but I still have promises that I must uphold. I do not plan on dying today."
As he ran around the halls of the academy, empty and silent from the complete lack of life, he sent a silent apology to Glynda, Lava, Weiss… everyone, for seemingly going against them at every turn possible. Soon he found himself in front of his old dorm room once more. When he opened it, he laughed at himself for thinking that something would change, but nothing did, not even the strange feeling of the lonely room. He made his way to the bedside table and smiled at the nostalgic sight of the set of keys that he'd always placed there ever since the day before he had fallen ill, before Weiss had forced him to confess his infatuation with her; two keys on a single key ring, one for the room, and the other for the slightly elongated automobile just sitting at Beacon's main avenue.
He grabbed the set and stared at it for a moment, though his mind was elsewhere. In the drawer to his right, a few feet away, he knew held the pair of metal gloves he used to fight with. It was his first weapon without it actually being a weapon. With Aura in play, the supposed added bonus damage that the metal would've helped deal is completely mitigated, only serving him as nothing more than near insignificant armor. He could lose the Atlas sword and the bracer, and yet even after fighting two members of Team JNPR and even Glynda, he found the feeling of fighting without gloves, with or without metal, a foreign feeling. Though, even with that said, he still felt that he had no right to put them back on, but that didn't stop him from walking over and opening the drawer.
Amongst the neatly folded casual shirts that he once owned, was the pair of black gloves with metal on the back on top of a white shirt, further emphasizing its unusual presence in the drawer. His hand reached out for it, but stopped mere inches from the pair. His eyes panned to his extended and scarred hand. Whether it's in everyday life or in a fight, he'd always hid his hands with gloves, it made him feel a bit more normal and it prevented him from remembering how he got them. Though the feeling initially started as an order from Jacques Schnee, to prevent his children from getting too curious about the boy, hoping that it would be enough to prevent them from ever finding out the boy was a Faunus.
"And would you mind telling me just what is it you're planning to do?" the voice of Ozpin echoed in the room. Ash turned and found the old professor at the doorway, leaning with his back against one side while keeping his cane in his right hand, planted on the ground as if it actually helped in keeping him steady. Ash closed the drawer, leaving the metal gloves behind, and pocketed the keys. "You'll only be getting in their way, you know? You can't fight against groups of Grimm, much less in your condition. You need to stay here and rest. That's the best way you can help them right now."
"You say that as if that actually matters to me," Ash replied nearly laughing as he made his to the headmaster. He stopped a foot away from him, smiling, fully knowing that the older man could easily tell what his intent was. Ozpin raised his cane slightly and planted the end at the opposite side of the doorframe, ensuring that Ash would have to literally get past him. "Let me through Ozpin. You and I both know that you cannot stop me without allowing a portion of your academy to be destroyed, nor are you actually here to stop me."
At his words, Ozpin removed his cane from his way and even stepped out to the hall. Ash stepped out to the hall with him, but turned towards the exit immediately, not even giving the headmaster a passing glance. He kept rubbing his thumb over the limo's key, thinking about what to say when the inevitability of meeting Team RWBY again occurs.
"Glynda's going to be angry when she returns and finds out that you're not here," Ozpin called out behind him, stopping Ash in his tracks. The headmaster had a point. Once more, he had a chance to deter Ash of doing something ridiculous, and once more he failed. But this time, it wasn't a failure. Instead he hadn't even tried to deter the boy. "She'd barely accepted your decision to go to Menagerie, how do you think she'll react when she finds out you went out to fight in your condition?"
"You say that as if I'll be here to suffer it," Ash replied, as he continued to walk to the exit. He waited for a moment to see if the professor would say something, but when he remained silent, Ash began to run. He ran without the aid of his semblance, rounding corners as tightly as he could. Soon, he was outside, sprinting as fast as he could with the city of Vale in the corner of his eye.
Once he got to the limo, in his rush, he nearly ripped the door from its hinges as he entered. Within a moment, the engine roared to life and the limo screeched out of Beacon's main avenue, barreling straight towards Vale with a smile on its driver's face.
The defense of Vale was very slow going. Minutes were hours and every swing of their weapon only proved to tire the Hunters and Huntresses in training. The Grimm continued to pour out of the once hidden tunnel that connected Vale to Mountain Glenn, and due to the negative emotions coming from the terrified civilians and lowering morale of the Hunters and Huntresses, there was never a lack of Nevermores, both old and young, in the sky. They did all they could to lessen the amount of property damage, but there were some occasions when it absolutely couldn't be helped. The main cause of the damage to buildings have been due to the Giant Nevermores falling from the sky, either cut in half by the barrage of bullets coming from students like Coco Adel, or fell as a whole when they were killed by Lava as she flew by them, clipping their wings or cutting their jugular
Those who were fighting against Grimm on the ground have been forced to retreat from fights several times due to unfavorable circumstances. Deathstalkers and King Taijitus became their least favorite opponent, being able to attack from different directions alone and having to take precedent against all others when it came to groups. Even when they managed to fell one, another came out of the tunnel. A mere hour after the tunnel had been opened, and many of the students were already exhausted from the constant fighting, always placed in another skirmish once they've finished the current without being given even a single moment to catch their lost breath. Even Team RWBY wasn't spared from such misfortune.
The four girls found themselves surrounded by droves of Grimm next to Team JNPR and the unusually enthused corgi in the middle of the plaza. Beowolves, Ursai, Creeps, and two Deathstalkers made up the opposing group, all simply snarling at them as if they were waiting for a signal for them to attack. Behind the Grimm, the teams could see several teams, such as Team SSSN, LAVA, and CFVY, trying their best to make their way to them, but to no avail as more Grimm blocked their path.
A single screech from one of the Deathstalkers became the signal they'd been waiting for. As the loud screech pierced the sky, a dozen Beowolves pounced at the teams, roaring at them as they flew in the air. Everyone with the exception of Jaune and Zwei prepared their firearms and took aim at a single Beowolf. Seven of the Beowolves were immediately taken out of the air by a single projectile, but the rest were allowed to continue. Jaune stepped in front of Ruby and blocked one that aiming for her, allowing the reaper to extend her scythe and place the blade behind the Beowolf's nape. She took aim at another Beowolf that had yet to attack and pulled the trigger, allowing the recoil of the shot to push the weapon back, crushing and cutting the first Beowolf's neck before being stopped by Jaune's shield.
Blake created a clone of herself as soon as a Beowolf got to her with the intent of impaling her with its claws and teeth, keeping it as its usual spectral form before it solidified into ice as the clawed hand went through the head. With its arm now stuck in the ice sculpture, it was left defenseless and stunned as Yang came by and delivered a powerful hook to its temple, firing off a blast from her weapon as it made contact with flesh. Behind the blonde, Blake appeared in time to shoot down another Beowolf aiming for her partner. They gave each a nod of gratitude before jumping in opposite directions, attacking the Grimm before they have the chance to attack and overwhelm them.
Nora moved in between Ren and an oncoming Beowolf with Magnhild already in the form of a hammer and brought the head crashing against the Grimm, forcing it to the side along with its brethren. Without a second thought, she morphed the weapon into a grenade launcher and shot a grenade towards the Grimm tangled together by their limbs, blowing the group apart. As she smiled at her accomplishment, Ren grabbed her by the shoulder and vaulted over her, kicking a Beowolf in mid pounce behind the girl before unleashing a barrage of bullets at it, eventually piercing the flesh, catching the few behind it. Even in the middle of battle, Nora found the time to hug her childhood friend in glee once he landed.
Weiss and Pyrrha looked at each other and nodded. Weiss stabbed Myrtenaster into the ground while Pyrrha leaped in front of her, shield and javelin raised, ready to defend the heiress against anything that moved in to attack her. A large glyph with the icon of a snowflake in the middle appeared underneath all of them, very nearly covering every nook and cranny of the plaza grounds. Two Ursai, seemingly enraged by the glowing glyph, decided to stop whatever she was doing, only for Pyrrha to get in their way. Throwing Akoúo at one of the Ursai's open, roaring mouths, she was successful in momentarily stopping one of them before using her semblance to rip the shield from its mouth, tearing and breaking its cheek along with its fangs, as the shield's edge slammed against the other Ursa.
The air around them turned ice cold, turning their breaths into steam as it left their lips; even the ground and the grass developed a light coating of frost. The glyph glowed brighter before large icicles began to rise from the ground at an alarming rate, seemingly avoiding the Hunters and Huntresses, while mercilessly impaling the Grimm. Try as they might, the Deathstalkers' larger bodies proved to be their downfall in the situation. Icicles grew directly underneath them, puncturing their soft underbellies and encasing them in ice, unable to even voice out their pain. Weiss released her weapon from the ground and the glyph disappeared almost immediately, leaving behind dissolving carcasses on icicles and a chill in the air.
Once more, the heiress checked her weapon and released two empty vials from the cylinder, before loading in more Ice Dust. A platoon of Grimm lie dead at their feet, and yet more still continued to pour out of the tunnel. Around them, they could see their fellow students either fighting for their lives or scrambling away from Deathstalkers, Nevermore projectiles, and King Taijitus. An hour in their small war, and it remained a back and forth battle with the Grimm very slowly gaining the advantage. They all knew that the only way to get back any momentum they once had and even give them the win was to close the tunnel. Though with the train cars keeping the hole open, they would first have to move it out the way, but with the Grimm constantly coming through it, it was an impossible task.
"Pyrrha, can you push the train cars back into the tunnel?" Jaune asked as he reunited with his partner, standing back to back with their shields raised, ready to defend. Pyrrha glanced to the side at the tunnel, looking it over once before returning her gaze to the front. She placed Miló on her back and tapped her partner's shoulder. She got on her knees and stretched out her hand towards the wreckage, focusing her semblance to move the cars, only moving it a few inches.
"It's not budging," she reported, as she tried again, trying to focus even harder than before. Once more, the train was surrounded in a purple coat as it struggled to rise against the rubble and push against other cars, but once more to no avail. "There's too much weight on it. We'll need to move the rubble on top before we can even think about moving it."
"That's the same as asking to move a building," Weiss commented, as she dug the tip of her blade into the neck of a downed Creep. Anyone could tell at this point, the heiress was beginning to tire. Her breathing was irregular, and she was starting to sweat. "Even if we have the time to move it piece by piece, we don't have anyone to move them. Anyone who tries will inevitably get crushed. We just might have to wait patiently until the military comes… whenever that is."
Weiss willed her legs to move, running towards her partner currently cornered along with her sister by a pack of Ursai. She created a glyph below her, lifting her off the ground by mere inches then thrust her rapier forward. Two more glyphs appeared at the tip of Myrtenaster, one the color of Gravity Dust, and the other ice. The Gravity Dust pulled her forward, pushing past everything to get to her friends. Every Grimm she passed was encased in cubes of ice from the chest down, leaving them roaring and screeching at the three of them as they uselessly struggled against the thick ice.
Ruby activated her semblance, leaving behind a flutter of petals next to her sister and partner, decapitating the frozen Grimm as she zipped past them. A little bit of hope returned to Vale's defenders as they were finally given a short time to rest as well as look around to view their surroundings. Lava landed next to them, with her newly repaired sword gripped tightly in her right hand, while the sheath seemed to have been lost long ago as it was no longer hanging at her hip. Unlike the others, she didn't seem to be as exhausted; barely breathing any harder than if she went on a short jog.
"Are you guys ok?" she asked, looking around at the slowly dissipating corpses of the half frozen Grimm. She let out an exhausted sigh at the sight, her wings fluttering open and close as if it was directly connected to her lungs. She drove her sword tip into the ground and began to draw boxes on the ground in similar placement of the nearby buildings from a top down view. "There's too many Grimm and we're too spread out to do anything about it. Blake is north of here with the monkey Faunus that keeps trying to talk to her and the blue haired flirt that hangs around him. Team JNPR moved east of here. They have other teams with them, but the others are getting too scared. My team is west of here. If we can gather everyone here, then we might be able to stand a chance."
"I'll go north and see if I can help Blake and Team SSSN," Yang declared before breaking out in a frantic sprint towards the direction directed, very quickly disappearing behind buildings. Any footsteps she may have been audibly making was quickly drowned out by the sounds of fighting.
"It looks like Team JNPR is pretty far out there. I can go there the fastest. I'll meet you guys back here as soon as we can," Ruby announced, looking over the hastily drawn map as best she can. The distance between the teams were very uneven, if one of them were too early then, they'd have to hold out in the plaza where the Grimm's presence was the thickest. Before she took of towards their sister team, Ruby turned to Weiss with a worried expression. "Be careful. Wouldn't want Ash seeing you weak again, right?"
Before the heiress could respond, Ruby took off towards Team JNPR, already disappearing behind a building. Even though the cloaked leader was gone, Weiss still felt the need to reply to her accusation, but once more, before she could, Lava grabbed her by the waist and took off into the sky, turning into the direction of her team. At first, Weiss was terrified of the rapid rise and sudden turn, but once the dragon had steadied her wings, Weiss became much more calm, enabling her to survey the city from the sky.
It almost seemed like the city was already on its knees, just waiting to die. Grimm ran almost unchecked throughout the entire city, except for the small number of students fighting skirmishes here and there. Soon, the remaining members of Team LAVA came to view, in front of Junior's Club alongside the owner's guards. Aiden was in front, swinging his giant weapon at whatever Grimm brave enough to try and move him back even a single inch, though useless as they were mercilessly swatted aside if they weren't cut in half by the giant blade.
Aaron was everywhere else, bouncing off between Grimm slashing, stabbing, or filling them with bullet holes. When he caught sight of the dragon and the heiress, he focused his semblance, glowing a light green as the air gathered two yards ahead of him, dragging any Grimm along with it, as well as trapping them, struggle as they might. Once more, he activated his semblance, gathering wind to his side before letting it explode, pushing him towards the entrance if the club where Valora was waiting for him to get clear, aiming her crossbows at the Grimm trapped by forceful wind.
Instead of the usual steel tipped bolts, one crossbow was loaded with a yellow tipped bolt while the other was loaded with one that had a red tip. Once Aaron was next to her, she let the yellow tipped bolt loose first, striking a Beowolf in the chest, injecting it with the Lightning Dust within the tip. The lightning spread to the other Grimm, burning their fur and skin. The red tipped bolt was let loose next, striking the same Beowolf in the chest. Aaron deactivated his semblance, releasing the Grimm from his trap, before they all blow away when the red tipped bolt exploded in a blazing ball of fire.
As the Grimm's bodies, hit the walls, crushing their bones and puncturing their organs, the others began to run away from the group. Lava landed next to her partner and released Weiss from her grasp once not even the last of the Beowolves' tails could be seen. Junior's henchmen backed away from the dragon in slight fear, but went ignored by the students. From behind the red and black clad guards, Junior came out of the club, his usual unamused expression on his face.
"Weiss Schnee, as thanks for saving my club – which is what you're job is supposed to be anyway – I'll tell you something you might find interesting," the large man said with a gruff tone of voice. Lava became curious immediately, mainly how the heiress and the owner of the shady club they found themselves in front of now were acquainted. However, before she could ask and before Junior could continue, Weiss spoke up.
"I already know where he is, so whatever you're going to say, it's useless to me," she immediately dismissed, looking around, more interested in their dark surroundings and already decrepit and mossy building walls. Though Weiss couldn't see them, Team LAVA looked at each other, quickly realizing what the two were talking about and wondering how she found out. "He's at Beacon right now. According to Pyrrha, he's injured. Not sure how, not sure why, but I know he's there. So if you're going to show your gratitude, I'd say you owe me a favor."
"What? You can't just—"
"Oh can't I? Or would you prefer owing all of us a favor?" Weiss glared at the club owner, daring him to argue with her. Considering recent events, she had no patience with someone trying to swindle her, especially when it came to the person in question. Team LAVA understood what she was trying to do and acted interested in the favor from the older man. "They appear to be interested. So, what'll it be?"
"Fine! You, alone," Junior finally relented, frustrated as he was played yet again by someone who is far younger and less experienced than him. He marched back into the club along with his henchmen, with what the students could imagine as steam coming out of his ears and the top of his head.
"Alright guys, we have to go back to the plaza," Lava told her team once they were finally alone. They looked at her incredulously before looking at each other. Behind them, in the direction of the plaza, the constant battle against the Grimm could be heard in a mixture of roars, screeches, and human and Faunus screams of pain and fear. "We're too spread apart. The rest of Team RWBY is trying to gather everyone in the plaza right now. It's our best bet of surviving this thing and ending it as soon as possible."
"In what way, Lava?!" Aaron screamed, stunning his partner for a brief moment. There was anger and frustration burning in his eyes. He angrily placed his daggers at the leather sheaths at either side of his hips. He motioned at the direction of the plaza as his Faunus ears twitching as he listened to the screams. "The plaza is where the Grimm are coming from. We're going to die if we go back there. We can't even say for sure that we'll be able to keep the Grimm's attention on us. It's better if we split them up and just kill them when their numbers are thin. Divide and conquer right?"
"The Atlas military will be here soon," the dragon tried to argue, but the uncertainty in her voice was obvious to them all. Aaron glared at his partner for her desperate attempt at lying, and even Valora and Aiden were disappointed in the attempt. Lava turned to Weiss in hopes that she could at the very least help her explain. "Weiss, do you have any idea when the military's going to get here?"
"Civilian transportation take roughly two hours to get here from Atlas, but the military is supposed to be twice as fast. They should've been here a while ago," Lava's hope died with the revelation, forcing her to recognize the screams of her fellow students in the distance. Weiss looked up and found a large murder of Nevermores flying over the city, almost seemingly unchecked except for the bullets and Dust being shot at them, but that was sure to run out very soon. "There's a possibility that they're being delayed by more Nevermores. Either way, it's our job to defend the city. It'll be easier to support each other if we're all at the same spot."
A howl of a Beowolf along with some crashes echoed throughout the shady neighborhood and all five turned to the direction of the sound. A pack of Beowolves rounded the corner in full sprint towards them, attracted to the large amount of negativity in the area, a theory quickly discarded as a rather beat up Paladin with countless holes and frayed wires on the external armor rounded the same corner. One of its arms was dangling uselessly at its side, while the other swung back and forth as it chased down the Grimm.
"Hey! That's an Atlas Paladin! They're here!" Aaron said excitedly, focusing his semblance at a central point in front of the fleeing Beowolves, and once they were nearby it, the air gathered at the point, dragging the Beowolves along with it, disabling their movement. The Paladin caught up and, without a need for a second thought, slammed its left fist down on the congregation of Grimm, crushing them, bones and all.
"Unfortunately, while you are right, that is Atlas made, the military isn't here yet. Doctor! Over here!" Weiss raised her arms and waved them, hoping to attract the professor's eye despite the Paladin's limited view. It stopped for a moment before walking up to the five of them. "How'd you get past all the Grimm?"
"This armor is useful for such things, Miss Schnee," he replied through the Paladin's speakers, though it seemed like the armor's speakers had also been damaged in the skirmish it was in as his voice came out in varying volumes and clarity. Through the cracks in the armor, they could just make out the older man's clothes, forcing them to wonder exactly how much more damage such a Paladin could take. "I saw Miss Rose and Team JNPR at the plaza and they sent me to come fetch you all."
"Fetch us? Professor, there's no way we can hold the middle. We'll just be overwhelmed if we stay there," Aaron argued, albeit a bit estranged to the fact that he was arguing with something, much, much bigger than him. Behind the Paladin, the sounds of panic and pain had died down, only what seemed to be the students' final stand. "Unless we can find a way to plug up that hole, our best bet is to spread the Grimm out. Fight them where we have the advantage."
"I heard you were quite brazen in your initiation. Why the sudden change in attitude?" Oobleck challenged, though his voice was distorted, the threat of the challenge still made it to its intended target. Aaron faltered slightly, and was about to argue again but the longer they took, the more danger the city was as well as the others. "If the city is to see another day, and we have a hope of surviving this, then we all must stand together. Peter Port and Glynda Goodwitch are holding the east and north quadrants of the city and are making their way to the center. We can win Mister Shader but only if we go to the plaza now."
"All right fine," the wolf relented, jumping on top of the damaged Paladin, simply sitting there with his legs crossed as if it was his rightfully owned mount. The rest of them simply stared at him. "Well come on. Everyone on board the uncomfortable Paladin."
Without so much as another word, everyone but Lava climbed on the Paladin and in a moment's notice, they were headed back to the plaza. Lava was flying above them, slowing down to match their speed and warn them of anything given her elevated position, while taking some time to drift off and take down another Nevermore that got too close.
As they got closer, they could the fighting more and more: gun shots, explosions, buildings breaking, glass shattering, and the death of countless Grimm. Lava was the first to see it. The students were all gathered at one side of the plaza, opposite of the tunnel. Some were unleashing every single bullet they had at the Grimm that constantly poured out of the hole, knowing that due to the small entrance, they would hit something; while the rest were fighting against the Grimm that managed to escape the barrage of bullets and Dust, cutting down what they can and trying their best to not get pushed into the middle where they would surely be critically injured.
And though it might seem dire, with the Hunters and Huntresses looking as if they were slowly being pushed back, but the Grimm were focused solely on them, not even turning their heads anywhere else. Their plan to contain the Grimm within the plaza was working, and now, it was a desperate struggle to stay alive, a sort of cage match. They had reinforcements coming soon in the form of two of Beacon's professors in addition to the professor in the Paladin they had now. And even if Weiss were right with Nevermores stalling the Atlas military, they'd be able to hold out, as long as the military does show up as promised.
The moment the Paladin breached the perimeter of the plaza, the students on it jumped off to help their friends and peers while the Paladin itself kept going and slammed its shoulder against the body of a King Taijitu while stepping on a Deathstalker. It stunned the Grimm for a brief moment, but quickly recovered from it, both turning to attack the Paladin. Before they could though, the back of the Paladin flew open and Oobleck jumped out of it with his thermos extended, swatting aside a Beowolf that decided to come after him. The King Taijitu slammed its white head at the armor while the Deathstalker struck its battered body with its tail. Oobleck decided to launch an attack on the Paladin as well, turning in the air so he could so. He swung his thermos at it, launching four fireballs at it, adding an explosive finish to the Atlas creation. The pieces of the Paladin struck and embedded themselves in the bodies of the King Taijitu and Deathstalker, both screeching in pain.
The professor joined his students at the side, allowing them to retreat for the moment to catch their breath and reload their weapons. In the middle, Weiss joined the rest of her team as they grabbed the last of the ammunition that Jaune brought them with his backpack. Once more, they were running low on ammunition, which wouldn't usually be a problem but, their situation requires as many bullets that all of them could possibly carry to help limit the amount of Grimm that they'd have to face at a time, and with a lot already wounded and the others suffering exhaustion, it was a plan they couldn't part with. Weiss was the first to break away from the middle, rushing to the side that didn't have a professor helping hold off the Grimm.
The first Grimm she came across was a couple of Ursai that were rushing their firing squad at their blind side. She stabbed her weapon into the ground and ice began to appear on the ground, going forward like a splitting ground towards the Ursai. Before the Ursai could get half way to the firing squad, they were stopped by a large wall of ice, unable to stop and admire it as several students attacked both from the side and quickly killed them. Weiss smiled at their achievement to protect each other, but in her moment of victory, an Ursa ran towards and swung at her with its heavy paw. She heard Ruby call her name, but fruitless as it connected with her side, pushing her towards the tunnel where a Deathstalker was already towering over her.
She turned to it and saw it raise its tail and bring it down at her. She closed her eyes and waited for the incoming blow, listening to her teammates scream her name in panic and, strangely, the slight hum of an engine and tires screeching on the ground come closer and closer. She opened her eyes quickly, turning to the direction of the misplaced sound and found the hood of a black automobile come rushing towards her. It reminded her of her sixth birthday, and the semi that tried to run her over, but much like it then, she was spared. As it went past her, she recognized the short, black limo, and caught a quick glance at the driver.
The limo slammed against the side of the Deathstalker that dared to attack the heiress. The Grimm was pushed back towards the tunnel, as the limo continued to transfer its momentum to it. The driver's door opened suddenly, and Ash jumped out of it, planting his left hand and both feet on the ground, allowing the friction to drain his momentum, before pushing off the ground, headed straight to the heiress. Before anyone could say anything, Ash scooped up the heiress on the ground and ran as fast as he could to the congregation of students. The limo continued and slammed the Deathstalker against the fallen train car that kept the tunnel open. Unable to even slow the limo's speed, the Deathstalker was pinned to the train car by the base of its tail, while the damage of the collision crushed the inner workings of the limo. Fuel was very quickly leaving through the bottom, coating the Deathstalker and the ground with it.
"Ash!? What are you doing here?" Weiss asked as they joined the other three members of Team RWBY. The dragon allowed her to get her feet on the ground before he let his arms retract back to his side. "Pyrrha said you were injured, so why are you here?"
"Someone ignite the fuel! Blow them all up!" he screamed at the other students, momentarily ignoring the heiress. Ruby morphed Crescent Rose into a rifle and took aim at the limo. A single shot from the weapon rang out throughout the city, and the fuel was quickly set ablaze. The fire raced up back to the limo, and in a moment, the vehicle exploded in a large fire, killing anything that was close to it with the heat and shrapnel, while knocking others down. "Thank you Miss Rose. I'll explain my being here at a later date, Miss Schnee. For now, we must focus on defending Vale."
Before any of the four girls could grace his reply with one of theirs or their questions, Ash turned to the side where the amount of Grimm was the thickest and ran towards it to help as best he could. The members of Team RWBY looked at each other before turning back to the wingless dragon, simply watching him for a moment.
"I know he saved Weiss and came to help us, but damn, I'm gonna miss that limo," Yang said jokingly, blasting a Beowolf with a single shot of Ember Celica in its memory. She turned back to the dragon, as he implemented hit and run tactics, heading in closer to the tunnel than everyone else, and striking any isolated Grimm that he finds his way, attracting its attention as well as everything around it, before running close to the middle and ducking past them, back to the side, simply allowing the bullets of others get the kill. "Well, he's gotten better at dodging I'll give him that, but he'll only last so long like that."
"Let's go!" Ruby declared, as the four of them ran to rejoin Ash.
As he baited another group of Grimm towards the middle, he found himself once more by Team RWBY's side. Without a word, they began to fight nearby, dispatching of any Grimm they knew they could eliminate alone. With a sigh, he rejoined the skirmish, not wanting to be outdone by any of them, despite his clear disadvantage. He caught sigh of a familiar awkward blonde providing support on the other side, facing down an Ursa Major alone. Jaune took several steps back when the Ursa roared a challenge at him.
"Mister Arc! Fight!" the dragon yelled as loud as he can. Jaune turned to the sound of his voice, and wondered what the dragon was doing fighting with them, before turning back to the Ursa as it roared at him again.
Jaune steeled himself and accepted the Ursa's challenge, raising his shield, ready for a fight. Like what he would do before his training with Pyrrha, he rushed the Ursa and brought his sword down at whatever part of the Ursa his blade could catch. It sliced its right leg, and he prepared himself for the next maneuver. He forced his shield up, surprised that the Ursa was actually in the process of bringing its heavy paw down at him. Focusing his strength on his shield arm and his legs, Jaune pushed the paw away, giving him the time for one attack. He saw the opportunity and sliced at the Ursa's head, feeling the pressure of its flesh and bone before the blade was freed on the other side, with the Ursa's head falling at the opposite side. At his victory, Jaune looked back at the dragon but found him already in a fight of his own. Knowing that he'd be able to deal with it himself, Jaune refocused on the skirmish.
Ash dodged and dodged, as it was the only thing he could do without sacrificing his defense for an already small chance to retaliate. A group of ten Grimm, consisting of Beowolves and Ursai were his opponents, a number that he'd never even properly defended against. The people around him were preoccupied with fights of their own, and calling for help would only endanger them and break the formation they spent so long trying to maintain. But dodging is only ever a temporary solution. While he was preoccupied with three Beowolves at his front, an Ursa snuck behind him and drove its claws into his back. The dragon screamed in pain and turned around, driving a tightly closed fist to the temple of the Ursa, activating his semblance for the brief second of impact. The Ursa's head twisted to the side, earning the dragon the sick sound of its neck breaking. Unfortunately, with his back turned to the Beowolves, they were free to attack his back. Three sets of claws scraped across his back.
"Ash!" he heard Weiss yell in panic. At the sound of her voice, he focused his strength into his legs and pushed back against the claws. Extending his arms to his side and drove his elbows to the chins of the two at his sides while driving his head back at the one directly behind him, activating his semblance as he struck the Beowolves, keeping it active until the four of them slammed against the ground, killing the Grimm with the force while only slightly disorientating Ash. Soon, he found Weiss next to him, extending her hand to him, he took it and she pulled him up. "Are you all right? You shouldn't even be here."
"I'm sorry for disobeying you, Miss Schnee, but I—" he tried to defend himself, but Weiss wouldn't allow him. She forced a hand to his right cheek and grabbed him by the arm before dragging him away from the fight, behind some buildings.
"Do you really think that's what I care about at this moment?" she asked accusingly, glaring at the boy as fiercely as she could. As far as she knew, Lava has yet to find out that her brother had joined their fight without even a wooden weapon to help him fight. If she were to find out, then all of Remnant would more than likely explode with her rage, and even more so when Glynda Goodwitch finds him. "You're not capable of fighting Grimm yet. That's why I'm angry. Go back to Beacon, you'll only be getting in our way here."
"You heard me while you were asleep, didn't you?" he asked, with a slightly worried and despondent expression. Weiss recoiled slightly surprised that what she heard the winged Ash say in her dreams was actually something he said, instead of just a part of her dream. The small response was enough for him. "It may be earlier than either of us ever intended, but right now is still the 'next time.' Let me prove myself to you now. Please Miss Schnee, I beg you."
Ash got down on one knee with his eyes closed and head down, and no matter how much Weiss tried to get him back up, she remained unsuccessful as he seemed to be rooted to the ground. Frustrated at his stubborn attitude, Weiss closed her left hand into a tight fist and brought it down on the back of the dragon's head, but even then wasn't graced with even so much as hum in reply. If he wanted to die, then she'd rather be the one to do it herself. Her heart ached at the thought, but it was one that was backed by her resolve.
"I want you to live, Ash. Please, just go. It doesn't have to be Beacon. You can just leave the city. Trust us to protect it. It's our job," Weiss tried to reason with him once again and unlike her other attempts, this one made the dragon stand to face her, but his expression was anything but convinced. His expression was the amalgamation of blank and disappointed, but it told her enough to know that he was determined to stay. "The Atlas military will be here soon. Winter now knows that you're no longer my butler and she knows that you're a Faunus – she's known for a while now. She wants you to work for her as an—"
"I have no intention of working for another Schnee but you," he disclosed as he pulled her into a hug. He felt her struggle against him, but he wouldn't allow her to break free. She continued to struggle listening to the others fight for their lives while they spoke. "I want to live as well, Miss Schnee. I want nothing more than to stay by your side, or at least where I'm able to see that you're safe, even if you hold nothing than spite towards me."
"Then, please Ash, go. If you go now, then I'll rescind my last orders to you," Weiss stopped struggling and returned the embrace softly, feeling his heart beat faster, as it seemed that her heart was as well. It's for that reason that she found it strange when he began to shake, as if he was cold, as if he was afraid. "Ash? You're shaking."
"I love you, Weiss," he confessed, as he continued to shake and his heart beat even faster. Weiss's body felt warmer against his as her blood rushing to her cheeks caused them to turn red, but along with it, came a dreadful sensation in her heart. Ash's voice was full of fear, so much so that she was sure the Grimm could sense it. "I love you so much that what I'm about to ask you causes me more pain and fear than you would ever know."
"Ash what are you—" she began, but was quickly cut off by the dragon.
"As of what the situation is right now, Vale will fall before the military arrives, and along with it, us," Weiss could now feel his tears fall against her cheek as he shook even harder than before. As if it was contagious, fear began to rise within her as well. It wasn't the hopelessness of possibly dying that she and her team felt in the tunnel, this was pure fear. A fear that screamed it wouldn't be her perishing, but someone else: the dragon in her arms. "I want you to attack me, drain my Aura completely. Without Aura, my semblance will attract the attention of every Grimm in the plaza and lead them back into the tunnel, leaving the rest of you to deal with whatever Grimm left roaming the streets."
"You want me to kill you, condemn you to acting as a martyr so the rest of us live?" she was angry, and her voice carried it along with her displeasure. Her eyes burned and very soon she no longer knew whose tears streamed down her cheeks. A hand squeezed her heart and she was willing to bet that the specter's other hand was squeezing Ash's. "Even if I hated you, even if you deserved it, there's no possible way I could. If you want to play the part of the martyr then I'm coming with you. If I can help it, then I'll die along with you."
"Please, Weiss. I beg of you. Don't cause me to falter," Ash hugged the heiress tighter, as if he didn't want to let her go. For a moment, it took away her ability to breath, but it wasn't the dragon's grip on her that caused it, but the part of her that already agreed to his plan, knowing that she couldn't stop him. She tried to speak, but once more, he interrupted her. "It has to be you to drain my Aura, I trust you the most. If you don't want to, then I'll continue to fight against the Grimm with you all, but you know we'll suffer more casualties that way."
After what felt like hours to them, Weiss pushed Ash away so they could face each other. She had a resolute expression on her face, coming to a decision. He was right. The Atlas military should've been there already. Even if they were temporarily halted by flying Grimm, the warships should've been equipped with enough artillery to level an entire mountain if not two. He took a step back and let out a deep sigh in relief, smiling at her even as she readied her rapier, ready to even take his life.
"Ash, are you sure there isn't anything else we can do?" she asked, shaking slightly as she prepared herself for making one of her nightmares to come to reality. He thought for a second before he took a step forward and hugged her again. "Is there anything else you want to say?"
"I don't care if it's a lie," he said slowly as his fear slowly dissipated the moment she agreed to his plan. She returned his embrace but pulled her head back enough so that they could look at each other. His eyes were steady, the fear in him earlier either completely hidden or already gone. "Please, just this once, tell me that you love me too."