A/N: Another first-time TFTA participant, tackling a subject that is certainly deserving of more attention than it got in RU:
After Cinder made her "You're either with us, or against us" claim regarding the huntsmen, how did the teams around Remnant handle it?
Title: Schism
Author: Raven
The young man coughed, his hands trying to disperse the thick black smoke around him. The carcass of a giant arthropod was evaporating with a soft hiss and a stench as foul as if it was going through all stages of decay in the span of a few seconds - which, Nacht suspected, wasn't far from the truth. Hearing a quiet clattering sound behind him, the Hunter jumped to the side, under the canopy of palm leaves, and literally fell through the ground. The Grimm closed its mandibles with an audible snap but caught only air. Almost immediately after that loud swearing resonated from under its legs. Nacht jumped from the shadow, aiming at the monster's head. The spear-mounted gun cracked with a shot, accelerating Hunter's leap, and Donnerlanze pierced through chitin and deep into the flesh.
The Grimm screeched and shook its body, trying to throw the Hunter off, but he firmly held to his weapon's shaft. The scorpion bent, lifting its front legs off the ground and forcing Nacht to hang in the air, but at this moment something struck its chest with a loud crunch. The scorpion fell, crushing Nacht under itself. The Hunter hissed, hopelessly trying to crawl out from under its body. Fortunately, the corpse began to evaporate, allowing Nacht to breathe again.
"You alive?" grinned the red-headed man in a burgundy-colored cloak, extending his hand to Nacht
"Despite your best efforts, Xenios," answered the Hunter, getting up from the ground and shaking the sand out of his wide sleeves. Both men laughed.
"So we are rushing to their help and they have the gall to exchange jokes?" called out a third voice, laughing.
The Huntsmen turned to the speaker - a tiny girl in a blue silver-decorated caftan.
"Glad to see you too, Ydel. All good on your side?" - asked the redhead.
"No casualties so far," smiled Ydel, but then frowned as she saw her comrades' concerned look. "Ochre is checking the grounds, but yours should have been the last one. Should we head back to town?"
Nacht flinched as if he heard a particularly loud sound and rushed to the northern dunes. Xenios and Ydel, having learned to trust their friend's ear, ran after him. Still, the three were too slow, arriving only to see the Grimm's last twitching leg turn to smoke.
"Well, you sure took your time!" shouted Ochre with mock indignation as she fixed her twin shields on her hips.
"You aren't sinless yourself, oh great leader, leaving no glory to us!" answered Ydel in the same tone.
The team's captain shook her head and sighed.
"Alright, let's return to the town".
Fire and smoke filled the little girl's world. The cries, long since silent, still echoed in her ears. Something warm was dripping on her from above, but she shut her eyes and curled into a ball, too afraid to look on the nightmarish reality.
Until recently, life in the small village in the Mistrali outback went by its course, protected by a team of experienced Huntsmen. Two days ago, three travelers appeared at the gates asking to spend the night in the village before continuing on their way. The mayor, beloved by the villagers for his kindness, agreed. The three spend the rest of the day wandering around and left at dawn. It was then when the girl's father became suspicious, noticing them go in the same direction from which they came. He told the girl to be ready to hide under the floor should something bad happen.
At sunset, the three returned with their band and stormed the village, scaling the wall at the place where Grimm attacked it a week ago, leaving deep cracks in the wood. The father ordered the girl to hide and ran to help protect the village. This was the last time she saw him.
A loud roar tore the girl from her cocoon of memories into reality. Screaming, she jumped away from the sound and opened her eyes. The Ursa tried to fit its head under the planks, snapping its teeth an inch away from the girl's leg. Suddenly, the beast's face twitched, and after a couple of seconds began to evaporate.
"Is there anyone here?" asked an unfamiliar voice. "There are no more Grimm out there, it's safe to get out!"
Not believing her ears, the girl crawled from under the floor and raised her eyes at her savior - a pale woman dressed in grey.
"By the gods..." muttered the Huntress, kneeling next to the girl. "Are you alright? The monsters are gone, all is going to be well..."
The girl began to cry.
'Why... Why would they do this?" she asked in between sobs.
"This is what happens when people decide they are above law and order. Those are the true monsters..." whispered the Huntress, seemingly answering her own thoughts as much as the girl's question.
"Hey, chief, what have you got here?" - asked a male voice from aside.
"A survivor. A girl, no older than ten. We can't leave her there!" the Huntress shouted back.
"And what do you propose, adopt her? Not with the kind of risks we take every day"
"Actually, that's a good idea, Feng. I've got relatives in Vacuo, maybe they'll agree to take her. Better than leaving her in the wild, right?"
Ochre sat up in her bed, wiping tears from her eyes.
"A nightmare?" asked Nacht from the corner of the room.
"Something like that, yes," answered the captain, getting down on the floor and walking up to him.
The Hunter stood on a bended knee in front of a makeshift altar.
"Praying?"
"Something like that"
"You know, you never told us about this Lawrence of yours"
"I didn't?" asked Nacht, clearly surprised. "Well, time to fix this mistake. Lawrence Scorpionbane is a distant ancestor of mine. He was a Huntsman before they even were called that. During the Great War, he took command of one of the guerilla squads, striking deep into the Atlesian occupied territory. My whole family reveres him".
"A hero of chaos against forces of the order?"
"You're a poetic soul, aren't you?" answered Nacht with a smile. "But you're not wrong, one can describe him in such way".
"Do you believe he is watching over you?"
Nacht furrowed his brow.
"That's a difficult question. My father certainly did. It's more of a habit than a ritual for me, I guess. Still, if he is somewhere up there, I think he'd appreciate he is not forgotten. It's the least he deserves".
"...I want nothing more than to stand at your side as you fight for that brighter tomorrow".
The screen went black as heavy silence filled the bar. Ochre was the first one to break it.
"So what do you think?" she asked in a hushed voice.
"A woman from gods know where proclaims an army from gods know where to be enemies of the people", Nacht said thoughtfully. "I must admit, I have much more questions than answers".
"Still, she got CCTS running again. I think she deserves at least some trust," - chimed in Xenios.
"I don't like her," suddenly said Ydel, as if waking up from a trance. "She has evil eyes, cursed. Like a viper".
"Again with your superstitions, Ydel?", frowned Ochre, but was cut off before she could continue".
"Don't call my people's beliefs superstitions!" interrupted Ydel, getting up from her chair.
Bar's regulars looked at the quarrel with smiles on their faces, clearly expecting a fight to begin soon. The Huntsmen shared a look and stood up, approaching the girls.
"Ochre, sunshine, not here. Come on, let's go," Xenios whispered, carefully wrapping his arm around Ochre's waist and pushing her towards the doors.
Nacht and Ydel remained and the table until the former shrugged and nodded to the exit as well. This night team ONYX's room was empty.
Nacht pulled Donnerlanze's blade from the corpse of the Grimm, suppressing the compulsion to once again look to his left, from where short orders and gunfire could be heard. Although the Huntsman had enough problems for himself, the knowledge that an ally was fighting near him with a tactic unfamiliar and alien to him was disturbing his concentration. The team's reaction to Ochre's suggestion to participate in ADVENT's joint exercises was, to put it mildly, controversial, but the captain persuaded her comrades to give it a shot. Now Nacht was beginning to regret changing his mind so easily.
Suddenly a soft rustle reached his ears, followed by a loud scream. Jumping through the shadows, Nacht rushed to help. Soon he saw a giant Scarab, a soldier screaming and kicking in its spiky limbs. With a mechanical whirring, Donnerlanze shifted into the sword form and Nacht fired a couple of offhand shots, trying to distract the monster. The maneuver was successful - the Grimm threw the soldier to the ground and charged at the Huntsman. Nacht prepared to jump away from the strike when several arrows whistled through the air, piercing the arthropod's head and killing it.
"The hell you are doing?" shouted the soldier. "You were supposed to hold the right flank!"
"What, should I have left you to die?" Nacht shouted back, irritated.
"We have more than enough guns here," the trooper answered with a glare. "By breaking the formation you risk not one, but all of our lives! Damned desert barbarians..."
The squad leader cut his tirade off with a slap and muttered an apology, but it was too late. Clenching her fists, Ydel spat under the trooper's feet and stormed off towards the town.
"What is she thinking?!" asked Ochre, irritated. "To damn such an opportunity…"
Xenios, having just arrived, threw a surprised glance at her and turned to Nacht with a questioning look. The Huntsman shrugged, and the two men followed their comrade. Ochre stood in her place for a minute, looking at their backs, before finally shaking her head and running after them with an angry expression on her face.
The huge head of a dog-like Grimm hung on the wall, casting a shadow on a central table. A motley company of Huntsmen and ADVENT troopers sat at it, drinking and celebrating something.
"Where did you get that thing, Aegir?" asked Xenios.
"ADVENT met the bastard on their last patrol. Gifted the head to the bar when they came to brag about it," answered the retired Huntsman
"You do understand this is a work of a taxidermist's instrument, not a blade?" Nacht said, coming to the counter.
"I was hunting Grimm when your father was half your height, boy, of course, I understand this. But the kill is a fact, they have witnesses. Claim to have, at least."
"Are those witnesses the ones at the table with our brave soldiers?"
"Yes, but it's not only them. AZUR paid for the celebration, so for the rest of the day, the drinks are free, as long as you raise your glass to ADVENT. As you can imagine, this attracted all sorts of people".
Nacht shot a curious look at the table.
"You drinking, Nacht?"
"I think I'll pass, Aegir," the Huntsman responded, leaving the counter for his team's table near the corner.
"For you to refuse free booze?" asked the bartender, but received no answer. Xenios shrugged in response to his questioning look and turned the conversation to another topic.
The Hunters flinched and they heard a loud crash from behind the doors.
"What's even going on over there?" asked Xenios.
"Our dear ladies almost clawed each other's eyes out while you were away," answered Nacht, who was sitting on the corridor floor. "I managed to stop them, but now they're taking their anger out on the furniture".
"Dammit", muttered the redhead, biting his lip. "Well, better this than the alternative. Why did this even start?"
"Take a wild fragging guess".
"ADVENT?"
"Good boy. Have you heard that they overthrew the government?"
"That's the top topic in at least three bars out there. But what does this change? I've heard it was peaceful, and besides, when did we in Vacuo ever care about the government?"
"No idea. Still, I can kinda understand Ydel. I don't really like any of this either".
"Yeah, yeah, you dislike active displays of authority. But doesn't ADVENT protect people from Grimm and... other enemies? How's that any different from that Scorpionbane you idolize so much?"
Nacht just shrugged, staring at the corner. At last, he sighed and got up.
"Alright, let's calm them down before they smash the windows out. I'm not going to approach Ochre without you".
Xenios downed the mug, not sure if he was drinking to honor the tradition or just to forget. This day, the day team ONYX was formed at Shade, they would always gather in a bar and celebrate their lasting friendship. And yet, today he sat alone. Ydel and Ochre got into another fight this morning, and Ydel went off into the desert. Nacht followed her, and Ochre, her hands still clenched into fists, left the room to join an ADVENT patrol going in the opposite direction. And Xenios was dragged by his habit to their usual place, wondering if he was the only one still clinging to their past unity.
"So where are the other three?" asked Aegir. "I believe you always showed up together on this date. Are they late?"
The look in Xenios' eyes was enough to make the bartender stop his questioning and refill the Huntsman's mug. Xenios took the drink with a grateful nod.
"Oh, what do we have here? A filthy renegade, is it?" called out a voice from behind Xenios' back. He turned towards its source and saw three burly men, hostility clear in their eyes.
Before the Huntsman could answer, Aegir frowned and slammed the counter with his fist.
"Watch your mouth in my bar! Xenios and his team..."
"What, you're protecting him? Do you think he's worth it? All the actual Huntsmen joined forces with ADVENT, but I haven't ever heard of him participating in a patrol. He's just sitting there, enjoying his undeserv..."
Xenios kicked the thug's knee, cutting off his rant. While the man was spending precious seconds to shift his attention back to the redhead, the Huntsman followed with a strike to the ear. The groaning body hit the floor.
Xenios stood up, leaving Lien on the counter, and went to the exit. The thug's cronies recoiled as he walked past them, too afraid to attack.
This all was wrong, all of it, thought Xenios. And yet... was there anything he could do?
"Ydel Tenger, we are going to approach the nearest ADVENT outpost and offer them our services!" said Ochre in a demanding tone. "Do you not understand that only this way we can truly protect the innocent? Every second of hesitation plays into the hands of the XCOM terrorists!"
"I am not going to serve a demon!" answered Ydel, her hand darting to her dagger. Ochre put her hands on her shields in response.
"Wow, wow, easy there! The hell's going on here?!" shouted Xenios, together with Nacht placing himself between the Huntresses.
"A mutiny," a dark smile crossed Ochre's face as she explained to the redhead before turning back to her rival. "Ydel, if you would place some old superstitions above your oath to protect the people, then this team has no place for you!"
"Ochre…" a shocked whisper escaped Xenios' lips.
Nacht put his hand on his sword's hilt. In the ensuing silence, even the usually quiet clang of Ydel's bow was as loud as a thunderclap. The archer was yet to raise the bow at her captain, but this proved enough for Ochre.
"You have a choice, boys - with me, or against me. But remember that you will regret the wrong choice until the end of your lives," her tone left no secret about which choice was the wrong one.
Xenios suppressed the shaking in his hands as he took a deep breath and walked up to Ochre before turning to Nacht and Ydel.
"For fuck's sake, Porphyros…" whispered Nacht.
"Please, Nacht," pleaded Xenios, his voice shaking as though he was trying to convince himself of his own words. "We still can fix everything. We can all be friends and comrades again - the four of us, and the rest of the town".
"Shut up, gingerhead. We both know that's bullshit".
Ochre's face twisted in rage.
"So that's how it is, Nacht? You'll betray our friendship for some old steppe fairy tales?" she said, poison in her voice. "I thought bet…"
Nacht took a deep breath. Xenios, suddenly remembering his friend's heritage, jumped on Ochre, kicking her to the floor and covering her body with his. Nacht leaned forward and screamed.
The whole room shook. Windows rang and shattered. The sound wave hit Xenios and Ochre, throwing them into the wooden wall with such force they broke through it, tumbling down the red sand.
Struggling to keep her balance, Ochre stood up. Xenios was lying next to her - alive, but unconscious. Slowly shaking off her disorientation, team ONYX's former captain looked into the room through the hole in the wall. She saw Nacht - bent in two and coughing blood, his hood slipping from his head and baring his batlike ears. Ydel, on the other hand, was already firmly standing on her feet and aiming her bow at her former friend.
The bowstring clanged against the armored wrist. Barely reacting in time, Ochre put her twin shields before herself. The fire Dust capsule broke on impact, exploding in a cloud of embers. Hearing a whistle, Ochre jumped to the side. Two ice Dust arrows dug into her footprints. She had to go on the offensive.
Ochre jumped, then jumped in the air again, using Ydel's new arrow as a platform. Surprised, Ydel lost concentration and failed to avoid the next attack. The shield's edge knocked the archer's bow out from her hands. Ydel parried the next blow with her dagger and jumped away from Ochre.
"Ochre - one, Ydel - zero," the captain allowed herself a mocking smile.
The smile faded away when Ydel leaped at her with incredible speed, leaving a blur of afterimages behind herself. The dagger hit the shields with the strength of a dozen copies, the force of the blow burying Ochre's feet into the sand. Scowling, she grabbed Ydel's wrist and prepared to strike at her head.
A shot thundered through the air. Whizzing, Donnerlanze's spear form crushed into Ochre's ribs, sending her flying to the side.
"We're leaving," croaked Nacht, barely having enough strength to stand.
Ydel nodded and grabbed his shoulder. Picking up her bow on the way, she activated her Semblance, taking off into the desert.
"So what are we going to do now?" asked the archer, warming her hands against the fire.
"Well, we've got a bill waiting for us in the town, ADVENT will probably shoot us on sight…" the Faunus answered, squinting "Not a lot of options here".
Ydel forced a faint smile on her lips, knowing what four letters her comrade had in mind.