Chapter 50
Author's Note: Fifty chapters! Thank you all so much for sticking by for so long! What with school starting last week, things have been hectic, but hopefully this chapter meets all your expectations! Enjoy!
Torchwick strolled out onto the top of the airship to see Neo circling one of the Hybrids, the bull with the unusual tartan uniform. And he knew to stay away as Neo and the bull seemed to be having a silent confrontation with each other, both having their weapons out, Neo with her parasol and Ryan carrying a chainsaw.
"Yeah… you're gonna want to fight me."
He turned and smiled. "Ah! My favorite winged pal! It's been far to long!"
Gavin nodded, pulling out his shotgun from his back. "Torchwick, what's going on? Why are you helping the Grimm? They're gonna destroy everything!"
"That's the plan!" He grinned.
Gavin fired, but Torchwick quickly dodged the buckshot and fired an explosive round that sent Gavin into a stumble. He then leaped up as Roman tried to swing at him, pumping the weapon, but he cried out as Torchwick spun and knocked him back with a kick to the gut, almost sending him off the ship.
"But why?!" Gavin pulled the trigger, growling as it clicked empty and swinging it over his shoulder. "What do you get out of it?!"
"You're asking the wrong questions, Birdy!" He replied. "It's not what I have to gain, it's that I can't afford to lose!"
Gavin pulled out a pistol, but with a twirl Torchwick blocked the bullets with his cane before they locked in a furious melee, Gavin taking hits over and over until Roman swept his feet from under him and fired a round straight into his chest, sending Gavin tumbling to the ground with a burned hole on his shirt.
"I may be a gambling man, but even I know there are some bets you just don't take!" He continued.
There was a thud, and Gavin watched as Ryan laid on the ground, holding back the blade that Neo was pressing towards his throat.
"Like it or not, the people that hired me are going to change the world! You can't stop 'em, I can't stop 'em!"
Ryan noticed a button on Neo's parasol.
"You know the old saying." Torchwick aimed down at Gavin. "If you can't beat 'em-!"
Ryan moved his head so Neo stabbed at the ground, and he pressed the parasol button. It opened and taken by surprise Neo was sent flying off the ship into the sky, straight into the flock of Nevermore and Griffons circling the ship.
"NEO!" Roman yelled in horror.
"I don't care what you say! We will stop them and I will stop you! BET ON THAT!" Gavin yelled, kicking Torchwick's leg as he stood up and jumped back, reloading his pistol. Meanwhile, Ryan lunged at Roman with his chainsaw over his head.
Torchwick sidestepped and rammed an elbow into Ryan's face, before smacking the cane into the back of his neck and kicking him. He then fired a shot at Gavin, who ducked, before lunging forward and beating him continuously.
"You've got spirit! But this is the real world!" He growled, furious at the loss of his partner. He whacked Gavin across the head before spinning and jabbing the end of his cane into Ryan's stomach, doubling him over as to help with the knee he sent to his face. "The real world is cold! The real world doesn't care about spirit!" Gavin kicked him in the knee, but he just brought down his staff on his head, again and again, until Gavin laid in a daze. Ryan tried to stand up but clutched his stomach in pain.
"You wanna be a hero!?" Torchwick roared, raising his cane. "Then play the part and die like every other Hero in history!"
Gavin closed his eyes, but there were a sudden thud and a gulp, and he looked up to find an Alpha Griffon standing where Torchwick had just been, tilting its head back from swallowing the criminal whole before letting out a roar.
Ryan shoulder charged it from behind, knocking it off the hull where it took flight, flying into the sky. Ryan then stumbled forward before picking up Gavin.
"I'm fine." Gavin coughed, spitting out some blood before wiping his mouth. "So, how was your fight with Neo? Sorry, I missed it."
Ryan stood in silence, before giving a little shrug.
"Okay... So, now what do we do?"
Ryan shrugged again, before dragging Gavin back as a Nevermore swiped at them as it flew past. Another shadow fell over them, but this time a damaged dropship landed next to them, Ironwood stepping out to meet them.
"Is the ship cleared?" He asked.
"Yep." Gavin nodded.
Ryan looked up and watched as his Avenger pulled up. The back opened and a soldier waved at him from the back. "We need you, sir! The pilot's still having trouble with the controls!"
Ryan nodded, patting Gavin's shoulder before running and jumping on board. The Avenger pulled out before leaning forward, diving down before heading back to the school as cannons blazed into the sky.
"Guess we're the only ones on this ship." Gavin blinked, before turning to Ironwood. "So now what?"
Ironwood looked around before smiling. "Well, as you said, there's only us. So how would you like to command a battleship, Mr. Free?"
Gavin started to smile, eyes shining with delight before he gave a salute. "I'd love to, sir!"
Ironwood nodded, quickly firing his revolver behind him and sending a Griffon tumbling off the edge. "Very well. Let's get down to the command center."
"Don't worry, friend Ruby! Your vitals are completely stable!"
Ruby gave a small grin before wincing again as she clutched her arm, which was wrapped up in Sun's torn-up shirt. "There's a lot of blood…"
"Your aura is currently healing your wounds." She replied. "You are in no danger so long as I'm here to protect you!"
Ruby looked behind her at a Deathstalker which feebly dragged itself on the ground before slumping, at least two dozen swords sticking through it's torso. "Yeah… you're doing a good job."
"We all are!" she replied. "We will win against the Grimm! Don't worry!"
Ruby smiled, before thinking back to Mercury's fight and warning. "Hey, Penny. Are you sure you're alright?"
"I am working at maximum capacity!" She replied. A Griffon slammed into the ground behind them, dissolving into black dust.
"I mean…" Ruby told her about what Mercury had hinted. "I think he and whoever he worked for… were trying to… kill you."
Penny's smile fell away. "I cannot be killed. But do you mean… deleted? Broken?"
"Yeah…"
"That would never happen!" Penny exclaimed, for the first time in anger. "I promised to be your friend! How could I honor that promise if I was broken?!"
"I know. But I think they were going to make it look like you were killed, to cause panic." Ruby sighed as she looked around at the dark sky and battle around them. "They still made it happen."
"No longer." Penny's eyes glowed red. "Father has managed to recapture his ship. I can have the main cannon targeted on the Dragon Grimm. If we kill it, we can win this battle and save Beacon Academy."
Ruby looked up as the Grimm Dragon swooped over the school, finished with dropping Grimm and content with flying around as if simply watching the chaos from a distance as an audience member. Her silver eyes narrowed. "Alright. What do you need me to do?"
Inside Beacon, the elevator doors opened to reveal Ozpin, Pyrrha, and Jaune, who sprinted out to run through the corridor.
"What is this place?" Jaune asked, looking around as he ran.
"It's… a type of vault." Pyrrha replied hesitantly.
"You've been here before?" He asked, and when she didn't reply he swallowed. "What would this school need to hide?"
They finally pulled to a stop in front of the machine, with Jaune's jaw dropping and Pyrrha's heart beating faster.
"What?" Jaune stared at Amber in shock. "Who?"
"Jaune…" Pyrrha turned to him, but Ozpin called her over.
"Pyrrha! Get to the pods!" He then turned to Jaune. "Mr. Arc, if you'd like to help, you can stand here."
Jaune looked around, Geoff's words ringing in his head as he nodded, turning back with his sword and shield out.
"What do we do now?" Pyrrha asked as she stepped up to Ozpin, who was typing on the keyboard.
"We, do nothing." He replied as the second pod opened. "You, Miss Nikos… have a choice to make."
Pyrrha looked back at Jaune, and she felt her chest well up. But she nodded and stepped into the pod, allowing it to close behind her.
"Are you ready?" Ozpin stepped up to the pod.
She nodded slowly.
"I… I need to hear you say it."
"Yes." She leaned back and stared ahead.
"Thank you, Miss Nikos." He whispered, before pressing a button.
Immediately, the machine hummed louder. Amber's eyes fluttered open as an orange aura surrounded her, traveling up the pipes from her pod into the roof, before coming down into Pyrrha's.
She started screaming in agony.
"Pyrrha!" Jaune spun around and stared at the sight, turning to Ozpin. "Ozpin! What's going on?!"
"I'm… so sorry." Ozpin whispered, looking away.
"PYRRHA!" Jaune yelled, running at the pod and slamming a fist on the glass, panic taking him over. She stared at him through the glass, pressing a hand against the glass which he covered with his own. "PYRRHA, PLEASE! I CAN'T LOSE YOU!"
An arrow suddenly shattered through Amber's pod, breaking the glass and impaling into her chest. Her eyes widened and she gasped as alarms started beeping.
Ozpin and Jaune turned to find Cinder Fall standing with an obsidian bow in her hand, smirking as she lowered it.
"You!" Jaune exclaimed. "You're the one I saw in the arena!"
Her eyes narrowed. "So it would seem." She drew out with a smirk. "But your futile attempts were in vain."
As she said this, they heard Amber die. She let out a sigh as she slumped over, and all the aura that was in the pipes shot back out of the tubes and shattered her pod, flying to be absorbed by Cinder. She started to float in the air as long trails of flame came from her eyes, with orange energy swirling around her.
Pyrrha beat on the glass, and Jaune sprinted forward, his sword out to strike at her.
"Stay back!" Ozpin yelled.
Cinder just smiled as she cast a fireball right at Jaune, who was flung back as he blocked it with his shield and he slid back to slam against the pod's controls.
"Jaune!" Pyrrha screamed, before using her semblance to shatter the door in front of her. Cinder batted it out of the way without any difficulty, and she smirked as Pyrrha charged out, summoning her weapons.
Ozpin grabbed her before she could gain speed.
"Take Jaune and get out of here!" He ordered. "Find Glynda! Ironwood! Qrow! Bring them here right away! The tower cannot fall!"
"But I can help!" She protested.
He turned to stare at her in the eyes. "You'll only get in the way."
She paused before nodding, running to Jaune and carrying him in her arms as she ran back to the elevator. Cinder descended to watch them leave, before turning to Ozpin.
"This whole time... right beneath our feet." She remarked. "She was right about you."
Ozpin just glared at her.
She shook her head as she tutted. "Such arrogance."
Up above, chaos reigned.
