Hunting or Bust
Dust 75: Who We Were
It's been so many years since we lost you, but you've never left our hearts.
We keep moving forward, Monty.
((((((((Hunting))))))))
"P-Penny? C-Can you hear me?" Slowly stepping forward, she focused only on the sweet freckled girl as the world faded away.
The fight had started with the crowd cheering and hoping for the best as they called out both of their names. Penny reciprocated those feelings quickly for the crowd while she just tried to quiet the conversations with Sasuke, Jaune, and everyone else that filled her head.
Her body tensed and pushed itself, dodging the many swords the Atlas girl commanded without even touching them. She was strong and certainly had earned her spot in the finals with the rest of them. It was exhilarating and for the first time in days Pyrrha had paradoxically found peace and comfort in fighting and battle.
But then something happened. Penny summoned her swords above her head and they...multiplied. What had to have been no more than ten swords had suddenly turned into two dozen. And then five dozen. Then a hundred with more appearing every second. Suddenly Pyrrha was surrounded on all sides, seeing no way out of it than to force the swords back with her Polarity.
But then she felt it.
The clank and response of metal that wasn't meant to bend or move. Pyrrha's eyes widened in shock and horror as Penny's had settled into much the same. The hundreds of swords that surrounded her vanished leaving only a few flying back at Penny, some of them pelting through her body as others entangled her in wires. With the sharp magnetic push they had been sent back with there was little that could be done to stop them. And in the end something had to give.
"Penny." Pyrrha whimpered, dropping to her knees and reaching out to the girl.
Her lifeless, dull eyes stared back unblinkingly as she laid on the floor in pieces.
Pyrrha's mind raced. She knew the girl was a robot. Her mind considered that she needn't feel guilty because she wasn't actually a person. The redhead recoiled in horror and pushed all of those horrid thoughts down as quickly as they dared to pop up. Pyrrha's mental state and control were a whirlwind of undecipherable madness.
A powerful gale force wind washed over the tournament stage and sent the robot girl's body part sailing off the stage.
Pyrrha watched Penny's remains fly away until they slammed into the wall leading into the seats. When she looked over she finally noticed how everyone was panicking and running away while pointing in her direction. The fierce warrior slowly turned her head and looked up.
It was the largest Nevermore she had ever seen.
Its wingspan was wide enough to cover the entire Amity stage, and its talons had broken through the barrier set between the stage and the seating area.
Pyrrha's instincts and years of training were telling her to grab her weapon, prep her shield, and defend against the first attack it made before sliding under its legs to escape.
But her heart and mind were drowning them out and drawing a blank. Hurting Penny. Causing so much panic and distress. It was so terrible that Pyrrha had just frozen from the shock. She just stared up and watched the monster raise its beak before lunging down to bite her.
"PYRRHA!"
A red blur struck into its side and knocked the giant bird off course. Pyrrha looked up and spotted a red-hooded figure falling out of the air between her and the Nevermore. Tears in her silver eyes and one of Penny's blades held tightly in her hands.
"Ruby?"
"Pyrrha!" She was yanked out of her stupor when she felt her partner grab her arm and pull her into his embrace. With a startled gasp she looked up as Jaune hugged her closely and looked down at her, "Come on! We gotta get out of here!"
"J-Jaune?"
"Come on!"
"Jaune!" Pyrrha dragged herself up to her feet and looked up at her partner as her eyes watered, "I-I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! For everything!"
"Now isn't the time for that!" Jaune yelled over the Nevermore's screeching as he dragged her further down the stage, "We have to get away from here!"
"I-I did this! This is all my fault! P-Penny! A-And all these people! I'm sorry!" Her breathing came in short and ragged gasps as she lowered her head in horror, "I-I didn't mean for this to happen."
"I know you didn't Pyrrha! I never believed you would do this!"
"B-But it still happened because of me! E-Everyone is going to-"
"Pyrrha." His calm, caring voice in spite of the fear and chaos around them surprised her most. She looked up at her best friend; his expression sad and pitying but not angry or betrayed like she expected. He gently ran his hand under her eye, clearing away the tears that stained her cheeks as he whispered, "I'm not going to leave you."
The cawing and screech of the Nevermore was sharply interrupted by the repeated pounding of metal upon flesh. What followed was not a deathly howl of a beast preparing to rampage, but the dying screech of an animal being sliced to pieces by dozens of weapons at once. Slowly Pyrrha turned back...
"No one here was ever going to leave you."
Standing atop the dead Nevermore as it dissipated into nothing were her teammates and friends, as well as students from every school that had taken up arms and slayed the Grimm when the chance was given. Ren, Nora, all of Team NKTS, and dozens of others stepped off the body of the beast and joined her on the stage.
Pyrrha's eyes immediately focused in on her red-hooded friend as Ruby stepped off the Nevermore with her scythe in hand and Penny's sword at her side. Without even thinking she stepped up to the shorter girl and shook her head, "Ruby, I'm sorry. I never meant to go this far. I-I thought I was being attacked, and I pushed back, a-and when I did-"
Pyrrha felt a strike to her chest, but instead of the punch she was expecting she looked down to see Ruby hugging her tightly with her head in her chest. The young scythe-wielder kept her face buried but spoke loud enough for Pyrrha to hear, "It was Emerald and Mercury. They were the ones behind this. They did something to Yang too. You aren't to blame for this."
Those words from her young friend would have eased her conscience a great deal if she took them so easily. But Pyrrha had a sinking feeling that the reason Ruby was burying her face in her armor was to hide the tears she was shedding, "Ru-"
"CAAAAAAAAAWWWWWW!"
Several Nevermore and Griffons followed the lead of the giant beast and flew into the arena to cause havoc. A group of them dived down on the students in hopes of catching them off guard. But before they could reach they were hit by a couple of well-placed rounds and fireballs.
"Children, this is no time to dawdle!" Port's boots slammed on the stage as he walked up the center of it with his axe blunderbuss in hand.
"He's right students," Oobleck walked besides his cohort with his flaming club in hand, "This is no time to be woeful. The Grimm are invading and people are in dire need of help. Do you know what that means?"
"It means it's time for you to put all your training to good use! This is what we've been preparing you for, my young Huntsmen and Huntresses! Don't disappoint us!"
"But Professors, if we leave now it'll just be you two-"
"Handling a swarm of Grimm coming at us from all sides in the midst of panic and dread? My dear~," Port chortled as he cocked his weapon, "Has no one been listening to my stories? That was a regular Thursday evening when I was but a boy!"
"There are others outside this arena, fellow Hunters and civilians in true need of your aide!" Oobleck yelled over the fireballs he sent hurtling towards the beasts around them. Several Grimm dropped out of the sky and still barely a dent had been made in the overlapping blackness, "I understand your hesitation at facing this overwhelming threat, but there are people putting their trust in you to carry on ahead and help them. So go and show them what you have been training for! I wish you the best of luck my students."
With those words of encouragement from their teachers, the gathering of students headed for the exit where everyone else had retreated to. Pyrrha was handed her sword and shield by Tenten and Naruto, patting her shoulders and showing their support before they ran ahead. She and Jaune reached the edge of the arena before she paused and looked back.
"Pyrrha?"
"I'm sorry, but I need to do something first." Pyrrha jumped off the stage and ran along the space between the seats and the arena. As she rounded it, she spotted what she had been looking for.
Penny.
In pieces left atop each other unceremoniously after being thrown off by the Nevermore.
The screeching of Griffons drew her attention as she raised her sword to fight before a large wall of gravel and dust shot up between her and the Grimm. She looked back and spotted Gaara along with some of her others friends having stayed behind to allow her this moment.
Pyrrha holstered her weapons and bent down besides the decommissioned android. She slid the amputated arms and leg off the girl's torso and looked down into Penny's lifeless eyes. A chill ran up her back as she remembered not ten minutes ago this girl had been full of life and excited at the idea of facing her.
Whether she was human or android, she was no longer alive. And if the people who had stayed behind with Pyrrha during the attack were any indication, her loss would be keenly felt by all of them.
The champion slowly reached forward and covered Penny's eyes, sliding her eyelids back down to close them forever. She stood back up and stepped back, allowing Ruby the chance to rest Penny's sword back down with its owner. Once she did she stepped back and stood by Pyrrha's side.
The redhead reached down and circled her arm around Ruby's shoulder to pull her into her side. She didn't make any note of the soft sobs Ruby made after lowering her head. And she hoped the hooded girl would not mind as her own eyes watered as well.
((((((((Hunting))))))))
"RUN!"
"GET OUT OF HERE!"
Blake and Weiss struggled against the flood of rushing people that ran in the opposite direction of where they needed to go. The people were in a panic and doing whatever they could to escape from the monsters swooping down on them from above. Some people weren't so fortunate to escape, screaming out for help as they were hoisted away into the night.
Blake fired up at every winged Grimm she could see before they could lift off with someone in tow. But she cursed to herself as she realized for every person she saved from abduction, she missed someone being taken away to a cruel death. The cat Faunus shut her eyes in frustration as she and Weiss emerged from the crowd and regrouped, "How did this happen so quickly?"
"All the Grimm that were just on the edge of the city after Yang's accident have been emboldened by this new wave of terror." Weiss rationalized, trying to stay calm even as her fear was growing more obvious in her tone, "And after what happened to Penny..."
"Did...why would General Ironwood make something like that possible?"
"I-I don't know." Weiss knew Blake wasn't asking her personally for the inner workings of Atlas and its military, but even still the Schnee heiress was flabbergasted at the idea of her Kingdom creating artificial humans and introducing them into regular life like that. She closed her mouth with a snap and shook her head, "It doesn't matter! We need to reconvene with the others! Ruby isn't getting my calls but what about Yang? Have you-"
"Blake!"
"Yang!" The call finally connected through the Scroll as Blake heard her partner's frantic voice, "I'm so glad you picked up!"
"Is Ruby with you?"
"No, she went to Amity while Weiss and I stayed in the fairgrounds. Weiss has been trying to reach her but we've gotten no luck." She heard nothing from the other side of her screen, "It's Ruby. You know she can handle herself."
"I know, just-"
"It'd be better if we were all together during this." She shared the thought and one look at Weiss showed she felt the same way. Her eyes narrowed as she looked up at Beacon, "We need to meet up."
"Okay! I'm trying to make my way out to the - Uh oh."
"Yang?" The call suddenly cut off and left her with static, "Yang!" As unease filled her chest to the point where she felt sick, Blake's expression hardened as she sprinted towards the academy with Weiss hot on her trail.
The two Huntresses sprinted back to their school as quickly as they could before sliding to a stop. Their eyes widened in horror as they saw all the familiar monsters fill the courtyard.
Nevermore and Griffons fell through the air as Beowolves and Ursae raged on the ground. And amongst all these monsters were Faunus dressed in grey and donning Grimm masks to hide their faces.
The White Fang had infiltrated Beacon during the invasion.
Weiss drew Myrtenaster and stepped up to her teammate's side, "Blake?"
The black-clad girl didn't answer her but slowly drew Gambol Shroud in both hands with white knuckles. She had wanted to find a way to stop the White Fang before they did something irredeemable and crossed a line that would mark them forever. But it was too late.
They had brought havoc to her home and her family.
((((((((Hunting))))))))
Cutting off the call so abruptly was probably going to send Blake into a fit. But Yang dint want to attract unwanted attention. Looking down by her feet, Zwei looked cautious and careful with his ears pressed down on his head. The blonde peeked around the corner again.
The Alpha Beowolf stalked the halls of Beacon like a wild animal in new hunting grounds. The beast stepped forward and looked in every room before shuffling to the next one.
This whole thing didn't make any sense.
Not just the fact that Penny had actually been a robot acting like a human around them this entire time. Or that she might have been some pawn to help setup this attack
But this Beowolf in the halls of Beacon. Grimm were fast and one of the first things she learned when she was training was that in an event with large amounts of negativity been released at once, Grimm flooded in far faster than expected. However the Grimm should have been swarming into the streets of Vale where the negativity was highest.
Why was a Beowolf coming to Beacon? How did a Beowolf get far enough into the school to be roaming the halls?
These were questions she needed answered but not at this moment. Once the Beowolf had shambled forward, Yang took a deep breath to calm her breathing. She stepped out as quietly as possible and crouch-walked along the halls with Zwei following after her.
She needed to get out of Beacon and find her team. She was worried about her teammates. She was worried about her friends! She was worried about Ruby!
"Hnnnnnng."
Yang paused as a quiet whimpering reached her ears. The brawler looked down at Zwei to see the little corgi had also noticed the noise and was rushing over to see where it came from. Careful to make sure she didn't make a noise, she followed her dog until they reached another corner.
She spotted Sakura crouched in the corner and trembling out of sight from the Grimm. Yang had only met the girl a few times during her stay with the Skyggen doctor at Beacon but she knew she was studying medicine, not fighting. There was nothing she could do for the disaster happening right now so she probably stayed in her room. However since Grimm were roaming the halls and looking everywhere the pink-haired girl must have evacuated and tried to hide where they couldn't find her. It was a solid plan…
Except the Grimm didn't find people by sight. And the poor girl was a beacon of fear at the moment.
Yang watched as a Beowolf prowled along the ground and slowly approached the small ditch in the wall Sakura hid in. As the monster approached, Sakura heard it coming and covered her mouth before she could scream. She had to save Sakura but if she used her weapons she would probably draw in other Grimm. Concussive kinetic blasts were perfect for killing monsters but they were also very, very loud. Yang's eyes turned to the side and as she considered how much noise that would make, she shrugged her shoulders and decided to do it anyway.
She lifted the locker over her head and spiked it across the hallway, watching it sail into the Beowolf's skull and crush it with a sickening crunch.
"Sakura," Making her way over and kneeling in front of the terrified girl, she watched as terrified green eyes took her in and recognized her, "Are you okay?"
"Y-Yang?"
"What are doing here?"
"M-Madame Tsunade, s-she told me t-t-to stay at Beacon." Her teeth wouldn't stop chattering until she closed her eyes and focused, "She wanted me to stay safe in case anything like yesterday – o-oh, I'm sorry." She looked guilty bringing it up but the blonde Huntress just steeled her eyes and showed it didn't matter at the moment, "I-I don't think she prepared for something like this happening." Her eyes widened, "But she's in Vale! D-Do you think-"
"Vale is definitely under attack." There was just no way the city was fine and safe while only Beacon was under siege, "But there are Hunters and soldiers and androids in every street so don't worry about her. We need to worry about ourselves."
Sakura shook her head, "I-I-I don't get it. H-How did Grimm get into Beacon?"
"I don't know." Yang whispered.
"And what are the Grimm doing? They aren't just destroying everything. T-They look like-"
"They're searching for something."
"Is it other students or-"
"Don't know and don't care. We need to move." Sakura nodded and tried to stand but couldn't lift herself up. Her knees were shaking and had given out. She was terrified of leaving this little spot she found because that meant she'd have to face whatever new terror waited around the corner. Yang understood why she was scared. Hell she was scared too! They were in the middle of a Grimm invasion and she had no idea where her team was! But instead of fretting she took a deep breath and remembered what Qrow and Minato had said to her earlier.
Show them who she really was, not just the mistake she made.
"Sakura, do you see this little guy?" She scooped Zwei up and held him in front of the frightened visitor. With a weak hiccup Sakura looked into the innocent, loving eyes of Zwei as the corgi panted and licked her nose, "This is my dad's dog, Zwei. He's tough and can handle a lot of stress, but I can't risk losing sight of him during all this panic. So can you hold on to him?"
Without waiting she forced the dog into the panicked apprentice's arms and watched as her fear subsided. Sakura was no longer focusing on the horror around her but the small animal in her arms that drew her attention away from it, "If you look after Zwei then he'll look after you, okay?" With a small sniffle the pink-haired girl nodded and Yang grinned in relief. She extended Ember Celica over one arm and offered Sakura her other, "There are going to be a lot of hurt people that need help. I can handle fighting the Grimm and Zwei will watch your back, but they need you to help them like we can't. Are you ready to do what you've been training for?"
Tears still pricked her eyes but Sakura nodded with more determination in her eyes than she had a moment earlier. She reached up and squeezed her hand.
"Then let's go."
((((((((Hunting))))))))
Alpha Beowolf. Classification: Elder Grimm. Size: 2~4 meters. Features: long bone fragments, dense armor, long claws, sharp fangs, powerful legs, monstrous roars. Strategies: separate from pack, avoid lunges and slashes, focus on single weakness and exploit until victorious.
The Beowolf's file repeated through Ironwood's head on loop as he was surrounded by three Alphas while innocent civilians cowered and hid wherever they could. He knew he was just distracting himself by revising the data for the Grimm by memory.
Otherwise he'd be reeling from shock at the attack and the loss of Penny for all of Remnant to see.
One Alpha lurched at his back while he was daydreaming and swung at his head. The large claw of the beast carried a lot of force behind it but was stopped rather easily against Ironwood's right arm. The general didn't even budge as he held the claw back before pushing it away, drawing his pistol from its holster and firing a shot into the head of the Grimm behind him.
Its head jerked back violently from the shot placed right under its jaw. The general twisted around, buried his fist into the place he guessed its gut was, and watched as the Beowolf doubled over by his shoulder. Pressing the barrel of his pistol against its head while it was lower, he pulled the trigger and reduce its head to chunks of black.
"RAAAAOOOOOWW!"
"GRRRRRRAHHHHH!"
The other two Alphas rushed him after witnessing how he slaughtered the first one. It was actions like this which made him believe these monsters were mindless.
The seasoned Huntsman waited for the beasts to get closer as he watched them lunge through the air. The Atlas general ducked under their snapping maws and slid underneath as they sailed over his head. As they landed, Ironwood charged in and pistol-whipped one across the snout. He lashed with a kick into the other one's knee, letting his powerful prosthetic do the rest as the Beowolf's leg snapped under his boot.
As one toppled over with a whine of pain, Ironwood turned to the other and started to beat it senseless. He knocked the monster's head back and forth with his fist and pistol. The Grimm tried its best to fight back but failed under the Atlas general's relentless barrage. Ironwood cracked the armor on its head, shoved his knee into its body, smacked it down to the ground, and pressed his pistol against its temple. With three rapid shots the Beowolf toppled over and disintegrated.
"RAAWWW!"
Ironwood spun around and used his pistol to block the snapping jaw of the Beowolf. The beast's teeth scratched against the length of his gun and its tongue lashed out to run over his fingers. Ironwood gritted his teeth and snarled before he reached up and grabbed the Grimm's bottom jaw. And with a yell he yanked down, tearing the jaw away along with a foot of flesh and fur still connected to it. The monster went limp against him and the general tossed the beast away before wiping himself off.
He looked over and saw the Grimm he killed were fading away at the foot of students leaving the arena. Ironwood caught his breath and checked the ammunition for Due Process before nodding, "What's the situation back in the arena?"
"Professor Port and Professor Oobleck stayed behind to fend off the wave of Grimm."
"That's a lot, but I know we can rely on them to handle it." Ironwood refilled his pistol and lowered it down before turning to the group of students from each academy. The general might have felt a swell of pride seeing all the students from around Remnant banded together to fight this threat, but this was no time for sentimentality, "The Grimm are charging on all fronts; Beacon, Vale, and Amity as well. We're evacuating everyone down into Vale as quickly as we can, but when they're down there they'll still need protection from Grimm."
"So what should we do sir?"
"I can't make that decision for you." James looked over all the young Hunters-in-training watching him expectantly as he answered them clearly, "All of these people are terrified that what they know is starting to crash down around them. Whether they retreat to Beacon or Vale they will be met with more terror and more Grimm. So you have a choice to make that will decide how you continue on for the rest of your life; will you stand up during this fight or will you turn away? I won't judge you for whatever choice you make. This is the first real tragedy you will be facing and in times like this whether you can fight or not will be tested. So what will you choose?"
Ironwood had fully expected a few of these young students who hadn't seen real panic to take the offer to walk away. It was easy to say that you would act nobly during a terrible event but it was an entirely different matter faced with one. He was ready to see some of them walk away before it was too late.
He didn't expect such strong, resolute stares from all of them in response.
With a chuckle he shook his head, reprimanding himself for expecting anything less from the next generation, "Alright Huntsmen and Huntresses, we are prioritizing two courses of action above all others. Protect civilians, and slay Grimm. Amity has nearly been evacuated so that leaves only two points of interest left, Beacon and Vale. We must protect Beacon at all costs otherwise we risk losing the tower and communication around Remnant. But as long as the people in Vale are in danger then the Grimm presence can only get worse. So we need to put up a front in two spots."
"So should we split up? Half of us to Beacon and half of us in Vale?"
"No," Ironwood disagreed, "Right now the people fighting in Vale are capable Huntsmen and Huntresses, my soldiers, and Atlas androids. They require the help of people who can look after themselves and work alongside unfamiliar fighters easily. I'm not sure which location is more difficult but don't go into a fight that would leave you at a disadvantage just to bolster numbers. Make the choice you think is right and then start heading out."
"What about you, General?"
"My Flagship just shot down another one of my carriers and is firing wildly downwards." The students looked over and finally noticed in the panic that one Atlas ship was out of formation and attacking others, "I have a sinking suspicion that it's been commandeered so once everyone is off Amity...I'm going to go over there and put my gun in that pirate's face."
Many students made a quick mental note to never get on the general's bad side.
While the teams helped escort people into Airships and Bullheads, they decided where they were going to fight. NKTS stood together as their leader looked between his teammates, "So what are we thinking?"
"I wanna protect Beacon. It's our home now." Kiba said.
"If we lose the CCT then the whole world will be separated." Tenten nodded, "We can't afford to lose it."
Naruto nodded in agreement before they all turned to their last teammate, "Sasuke?"
"The people in Vale don't have a lot of time. Damages to the school can be fixed but if we lose them," The Uchiha shook his head, "They need help."
"Okay, so are we going to Beacon or Vale?"
"I think you all should go to Beacon while I help in Vale."
"Wh-"
"Listen. You heard what General Ironwood said, the people going into Vale have to be able to handle themselves and work in time with others. I think I can do that. I'm not saying that you all can't do it either it's just..."
"Some of us need to hold down Beacon, and others need to make sure people are safe." Sasuke looked at his best friend and saw understanding in his eyes. He still didn't look too happy about what he was suggesting, "So we leave you alone to fight for Vale by yourself?"
"No. I'll keep fighting down there until I'm sure things can be handle without me and then I'll head to Beacon. Or if you secure Beacon first come on down and help me. There's a lot we need to do so..."
Kiba sighed and shook his head before patting his teammate on the shoulder, "You're lucky we can trust you to look after yourself man, otherwise we'd be dragging you back with us."
"Do what you can, but stop if you get overwhelmed." Tenten warned while showing her concern for her partner, "You don't have to win the whole fight."
Sasuke nodded between his friends before looking at Naruto. The whiskered Faunus tried to show unwavering confidence but his ears were laid flat. A telltale sign that he was worried or anxious. Without a word the Uchiha just held his hand out between the rest of his team and waited. Slowed they all reached in and placed one hand atop each other.
A silent promise to one another. To come back home and see each other again.
((((((((Hunting))))))))
("To whoever is absconding with my Flagship, I will give you this one chance to stand down now without punishment. Torchwick? Do you hear me? Stop this now or I swear-")
A cane came down over the speaker and reduced it to a crumbled mess releasing random sparks, "Boring conversation anyway." The thief leaned next to the console and looked at his accomplices, "So we've got one angry Ironwoid on his way to claim his ship. Any suggestions?" The tiny girl besides the gargantuan Faunus jumped on her toes and waved her hand wildly, "Yes, cute little assistant with the blood on her hands? What's your idea?"
Neo skipped forward, blew a raspberry up at Han mockingly as the horse Faunus rolled his eyes, and then drew her Scroll out for Roman to take. He looked at the screen as a black queen piece flashed over it before he shrugged and jacked it in. The screens and lights around the Flagship flashed red and activated an alarm as Roman looked around curiously.
Suddenly yells and screams cried out from every terminal as Atlas soldiers called in.
("What's happening?!")
("Control! The Knights are turning their guns on us and firing! We need you to take them off line!")
("They're aiming at citizens! We can't stop them! Don't-")
"Oh I think I'll call this 'Treachery of Atlas Automatons'. Now that's something interesting to hear." Roman watched the radar as Ironwood's ship filled with androids turned their guns on him until they fell out of the sky. He patted his young partner on the head before looking back, "Han-ny, you wanna join in the fun?"
"I'm taking a pod and going down to the city." The Noble Guard turned his back on the criminals and walked away, "Don't cause too much trouble for my people while you're at it."
"You wanna go down into the Grimm-infested city?"
"I want to rejoin my people." Han corrected, "Today is the beginning of our victory and I will stand beside them at this crucial hour."
"Sure, enjoy the fun." The two criminals looked to each other skeptically, "What a drama king, am I right?"
Neo made a show of running her finger along her neck.
"Yep, he is a total buzzkill."
The multi-haired girl shook her head and repeated the action slower and more deliberately.
"Wha - no, we can't kill him. I mean we can but we shouldn't. Remember that all the snarling little beasties would throw a fit if one of their leaders or messiahs or whatever were to die. Don't focus on that." Roman pointed back to the terminals, "Why don't we just cause a little more havoc, huh?"
((((((((Hunting))))))))
Ozpin stared blankly at his screen as reports and alerts chimed in within seconds of each other. The number of horrors he had seen in his life were vast and he thought he had grown used to them in time. But once again when faced with calamity like this he could only feel his stomach drop.
Grimm attacking civilians.
White Fang raiding in the streets and in his school.
Atlas androids turning on the people.
A Flagship had been apprehended and James hadn't called in since he warned he was going to take it back.
Once more the Huntsman had to wrestle with the idea that he could have stopped this. One glance aside and maybe he could have seen the villain in the shadows. One extra question and maybe he would have realized that James had entered a robot to join their competition. These thoughts assaulted his conscience relentlessly as he watched Vale burn.
Huntsmen were already being ordered to mitigate the damage. Qrow and Glynda had gone out into the city to help. Jiraiya and Tsunade had reported in, already in the streets and fending off more Grimm than either had ever seen before. Peter and Bartholomew said they were holding down Amity while the last people were leaving.
And here he was in his office. He couldn't leave Beacon. He couldn't risk leaving the tower abandoned or they risk losing communications around the world. But even so the old headmaster felt his nerves grate and hand tighten with frustration he hadn't felt in a long time.
"Ozpin!" Minato rushed into the room after his patrol around the school, "The students from Amity have arrived and are helping hold back the threat but the White Fang and Grimm are already in our halls! We've tried holding them back but some wings have already been lost!"
"We'll recover the school properly after we've finished evacuating the people. What about Bullheads and Airships?"
"The main launchpad is still being cleared out but we have a landing zone on the side we're ferrying people out of." Minato stepped up to the desk and slid his knife away, "But the people are scared and drawing more Grimm in. We can't do this fast enough."
"Then we can only do what we can."
"Ozpin, I don't think the school will last. I know the tower needs to be protected but if you die-"
"Then I die." Ozpin stated, "My death is no great loss Minato, but the loss of the CCT is detrimental to the entire world. The loss of communication would be damning not only Vale but the entire world to separation." With the loss of the tower came the loss of communication. With that came isolation and receding into Kingdoms for safety. With that came separation and the destruction of the peace they had so desperately striven to protect.
And with that...came her chance to attack. One that would make this look childish in comparison.
He was so distracted he didn't notice Minato walk over to his side until he placed a hand on his shoulder, "This place is important, but don't sell yourself short just yet sir. We still need you." Ozpin patted his hand, "I saw Naruto and the others get off their ships and start to thin the herd of Knights and Grimm. Others are apprehending White Fang after knocking them down. It might seem bad now but-"
There was a rumble and shake through the room. It took a moment for them to realize it wasn't just a quake through the school but through the entire city as well. They looked between each other before running to the window, having the best view of the city from the top of the tower.
That's when they saw it.
Massive. Monstrous. It had holes and tears in its wings and yet it sailed through the sky without trouble. It's head was massive, more bone armor around its skull than any other of its kind and a mouth so big it looked like it could eat a Bullhead whole.
And the roar.
The sound of it chilled them to the bone.
As the winged abomination flew over everything, blobs of black ooze seeping out of its skin and peppering the ground beneath it. It was hard to tell whether the action was deliberate or not.
But when the black ooze splashed against the ground something happened. From that darkness emerged...Grimm. Grimm of every type crawled out, readjusting to their new existence for an instant before going for the kill.
Ozpin and Minato watched as the Wyvern flew out into the city, "Dear god." Minato muttered in disbelief, "Ozpin, is this...is this real?"
The old headmaster had to gulp to swallow the lump in his throat, "We need to do something."
"Atlas' only remaining Flagship shot at the others. And the other ships are being used to transport people. How do we-"
"Minato, we need to find a way to stop that monster." Ozpin said with unnatural calmness, "If that creature creates Grimm, this only complicates the battle."
The blond Huntsman looked out across the sky as the Wyvern cut through the clouds in the light of the moon. He slowly drew his knife and looked down at it before gripping it tightly.
"I'll handle it."
((((((((Hunting))))))))
"On your right!"
Sasuke twisted around and sliced through the face of a Creep.
"We got more over here!"
He aimed his shotgun down and fired, launching himself through the air to join CRDL's side in killing a massive Boarbatusk.
"Watch out!"
A wall of Gaara's dirt and gravel shot up to ensnare the pack of Beowolves charging through the street. Before Sasuke could attack Qrow, Glynda, and Jiraiya slew the beasts first.
"Good work kids!" Ruby and Yang's uncle complimented them, "Defintiely making our lives a little easier!"
Cardin grumbled as he propped himself on his mace, "We're pulling our weight too you old bastard."
Sasuke wiped his cheek and caught his breath. It was the first chance they had gotten to breathe since arriving in Vale. The Grimm were relentless and there were Hunters and soldiers down every street fighting monsters and guiding civilians. So far the Hunters and students aiding them had done a good job of taking back the city.
But there was no end in sight to the night's battle.
"Everyone, stay alert!" Goodwitch, studious as ever, warned them, "There might be a lull at the moment but any second now we'll be seeing more of them!"
Sasuke nodded and took his sword back up as he heard Jiraiya whisper to Qrow, "Is she always like this?"
"Every party needs a pooper."
He and all the other Hunters prepared to fight before they stumbled on their feet when a powerful quake shook the ground. Sasuke looked up and saw a giant beast cut through the sky, pelting the ground with black liquid that soon gave birth to more Grimm. Dread and shock took his body for an instant before they felt another quake shake the street.
A Goliath rounded the corner and crushed the side of a building as it did. The giant behemoth stomped forward in its charge as Grimm flanked its side. Pavement and concrete splintered under the pressure of its run as it cleared everything in its path. Sasuke watched it approach and wrestled between standing his ground or retreating back.
However the sudden eruption of pink crystals from the street, skewering the lesser Grimm and piercing the hooves of the Goliath, made the Hunters and students look on in shock.
With a pained trumpeting the Goliath attempted to break through the Crystal. But a series of quick, violent explosions over its back and head made the Grimm cry in pain and retreat. It turned in the street and toppled the buildings around it before disappearing from their sights.
Forcing the massive Grimm back was amazing, but Sasuke couldn't help staring in shock at the Crystal lining the street and the blond bomber standing over them in a white Atlas uniform.
"Hey!" Deidara yelled in disdain down at the Hunters and students below him as he jumped down the Crystal and onto the street, "What were you assholes doing?! Were you gonna knock your hard heads together and see what happens?!"
Yep, definitely Deidara.
"Hey prick we were more than ready to handle that thing ourselves!" Qrow argued back as he stepped up and matched the rowdy blond's glare, "Just because you drop in blowing it up like a fireworks show doesn't mean you did us any favors! And why the hell are your garbage sentries firing on us?!"
"Look gutter trash, does it look like I know what those useless toy soldiers are doing?! I'm trying to clean shit up before it gets past our knees!"
"Okay enough!" Guren appeared and forced herself between Deidara and Qrow, "We don't have time for this! You guys are Huntsmen and Huntresses, right? Well we could use some help. There's a building that collapsed in the street and we think there are people still inside. We'd have taken care of it but I'm worried about displacing the wrong boulder and he would only nuke the problem."
"Then I may be of assistance." Glynda stepped forward and looked back at all of them, "I can handle lifting the debris up if you can recover anyone inside. We only just recovered this block so I need the rest of you to build a perimeter to secure it. Students, I want you to spread out down the streets and locate areas in need of our assistance. Fight if you must but if it looks like it will be too much, step back and call us."
As Glynda gave orders, Sasuke stared in disbelief at his two former associates standing in front of him. He'd last seen them carrying his brother after their falling out. But now here they were, alive and dressed like Atlas soldiers.
"What are you doing?" Deidara sharply interjected with a glare, "This is why you abandoned us, wasn't it? So you could play being a Huntsman? Then go and do it already."
"We'll still be here." Guren said, her voice more accompanying than her partner's spiteful drawl, "We can talk after."
"Right." He nodded and focused back on his mission. He was supposed to protect Vale and meet up with his teammates as soon as possible. He didn't have time to waste confused and wistful.
As the students spread out to search the adjoining streets, Sasuke started jumping up the walls and reached the top of the buildings. The young Uchiha started leaping from roof to roof while surveying the streets below. He cocked his gun and fired a stray shot down into any Grimm or Knights he saw roaming the streets.
If he continued at this pace-
A powerful torrent of blue fire shot up from the street and nearly enveloped Sasuke. He twisted in the air to avoid it but the shift of momentum caused him to miss his target. He slammed into the edge of the next roof hard, losing grip of his sword and dropping down into the street bodily.
"It's the Uchiha!"
"Get him!"
Sasuke tried to lift himself up but the moment he raised his head, he saw a White Fang boot swing in. His head shot back before a punch crashed against the back of his skull. Suddenly Sasuke was surrounded and being attacked by several White Fang members, stomping on his body to keep him on the ground. He tried to yell for them to stop but they refused to listen.
So his fist whipped out to strike one in the crotch. He caught the foot of another and struck the side of their knee hard enough to earn a cry. He snapped up to his feet and floored one with an uppercut before he made his escape. He dove across the ground and reached out for his sword-
Only for a boot covered in milky white Aura to stomp down on his left hand hard enough to crack the pavement beneath it.
Sasuke writhed and screamed in pain as he felt the bones and nerves in his hands sting like fire. He tried to pull his hand out but it felt like an iron clamp was flattening his fingers.
"Well well, Uchiha, such a surprise to see you." Panting, Sasuke looked up to see Han was the one breaking his hand so brutally. Slowly Sasuke looked around and found the street around him filled with White Fang who watched on as he was held in place. The pressure on his hand intensified as Han looked down, "We've been waiting to find you."
((((((((Hunting))))))))
She wasn't sure what was causing the Knights to turn on them but she doubted it was deliberate. Despite her not-so-gracious opinion of Atlas, Blake doubted they would turn their androids on people so brutally. Especially when they made a point of aiming at them and not the White Fang or Grimm.
So it was up to her and Weiss to clear the courtyard.
Blake found footholds in the air thanks to her teammate's Glyphs. The cat Faunus launched herself off one, sliced through a Knight or Grimm in her path, leapt off another Glyph in, and repeated. The numbers weren't thinning drastically but at this rate they could handle the problem much faster.
Blake dropped down between a group of White Fang members that were quickly coming upon her. Gambol Shroud switched to its sickle form before she tossed it up. She felt Weiss take hold and grabbed the ribbon, yanking down and pulling the heiress along with it. She turned her pull into a spin, rotating around and letting Weiss circle around her rapidly as she formed Glyphs that released icicles and fire in every direction.
They both slowed to a stop and looked around at all the beaten Faunus and destroyed Knights. With a quick look between each other they nodded and started running back towards Beacon, "Now that we have Knights to worry about this has gotten a lot more cumbersome!"
"The Knights are numerous but as far as abilities go I don't think they'll match us!" Weiss' admission of the Knight's abilities did little to ease Blake's worries. True they were mostly used for guard duty and holding Grimm back, but enough of them could pose a threat. She had learned that lesson quite a few times during her White Fang days. Thankfully a large number of them were easier to handle when there was someone to fight beside.
The two Huntresses-in-training spotted two large Grimm form from a pool made by the Wyvern. One an Ursa Major and the other an Alpha Beowulf. The ebony-haired and ivory-haired fighters looked between each other and nodded before breaking off to follow each beast.
The Beowolf's stride was great and Blake was sure she'd never catch up if she was just running after it. But with the help of her Shadow she propelled herself forward in time to cut the head off the beast. The cat Faunus rolled to a stop with both her katana and sheath drawn. With a look around she stood back up and prepared to follow Weiss-
"Get back!"
She heard a desperate, terrified cry a few meters away. Blake turned and looked at the wall of the cafeteria, the brick and mortar crumbled away from the damages. She heard shots being fired before she approached the hole and peered in.
There were bodies along the ground. From many different schools. Some were killed by Grimm. Some were killed other ways. And there was a student firing his gun at his assailant as he slowly stepped forward.
Blake felt her heart stop and blood go cold as her body became heavy. She felt a rush of overwhelming emotions wrack her brain and freeze her body. Despite years of training and her instincts demanding she move, she couldn't do anything but stare at his back as he walked.
Until he raised his red blade up.
She moved without thinking and fired several shots.
His blade twirled around and cut the bullets without even looking back at her.
"RUN!" She yelled at the frightened student, lighting a fire under him as he scrambled to his feet and ran. Once he was gone Blake stepped out properly and faced the cruel, horrible terrorist at the center of this attack.
Her former partner.
"Blake," Adam's voice was eerily calm and welcoming as he turned to look at her through his mask, "It's been so long. I've been waiting to see you again."
((((((((Hunting))))))))
"Well, brothers and sisters of the White Fang, it looks like we have a captive audience in this young man." Sasuke hissed as the pain in his hand started spreading through his whole arm. The recently released Noble Guard looked around at the others as he kept Sasuke's hand pinned under his foot, "You all know who this is, right? You've seen his showing during the tournament, correct?"
"Yes!"
"This is one of the last true blood descendants of our vile enemies, the Uchiha. The accursed bloodline that hunted our people during the war and for generations before it! The people that gave birth to Madara Uchiha, the demonic soldier who slaughtered more people than any other and killed a village of Faunus without remorse!" The massive horse looked down at the young Uchiha under his foot, "What say you, Uchiha? Do you deny these facts?"
"You," Sasuke took short breaths and looked up at the enraged man. As his vision tunneled from the pain he noticed just how many White Fang had gathered. Among all the similar looking people he saw the old man they had fought with Gaara, a blonde woman watching carefully as he was tortured, and a red-haired woman with a fox tail standing a feet feet away from them. He pushed through the pain, "You don't have to do this."
"Your refusal to answer might as well be an admission of guilt. Now this world has not been kind to Faunus, but one silver lining was that your tainted kind was wiped from Remnant. How many more of you are there?"
Han applied more pressure to Sasuke's hand as the ground cracked and he felt bones pop. Refusing to voice his screams, the young Huntsman bared through it, "My mother...and father...were killed when I was young. I have no one else."
"And yet we have reports of those wannabe Uchihas, continuing your racial cleansing at the urge of another Uchiha. I guess you're a liar on top of an abomination. Now then Uchiha, I'm going to ask you a question, and if I don't get a proper answer..."
He stomped down as hard as he could, and the result was blood squirting out from under his Aura-clad boot and along the street. Sasuke swore that even some of the White Fang gasped and gagged in shock at the punishment his hand received. But the pain was so much that he blacked out for an instant.
"-t believe for a second that your hands are clean of blood. That you play at being a Huntsman at this silly little school while ignoring the pain you've caused. So answer me, Uchiha...how many of our people have you killed?"
...
"I caused one man's death." Sasuke admitted to the Noble Guards and anyone else that could hear, "He was captured and taken in to our camp for questioning. He was tortured. He broke. I was prepared to kill him in order to prove I could fight my family's fight as well but I froze. And the man...the Faunus I had written off as just a terrorist...was a father. A man grieving for his lost daughter. He attacked me, nearly killed me...and was killed in response to that."
Han scoffed and shook his head, "See, if not directly these Uchiha-"
"The second White Fang member I met I had planned to kill. I had resolved myself, no matter what hesitation or doubt I might feel, to end their life." He continued, "I found him wandering the streets. I attacked him. We fought and caused an accident nearby. I abandoned our fight and rushed in to help people. I was nearly killed until I realized the boy I had tried to kill had followed me in to help. I thought I could kill him. I thought it would be easy. But one look at him and I realized I couldn't do it. We didn't fight. We stood together. And we still do now."
Off the the side, the red-haired fox stood up a little straighter.
"He made me want to be better. He made me want to be a Huntsman that helps people, regardless of race or allegiance. And from there I have seen so many people struggle and fight for what they believe in and think is right." People flashed in his mind, friends and family and those he wanted to be so much more that pushed him on, "I know you all have reasons for joining the White Fang. You're tired of the prejudices and those awful glances in your direction. Maybe you're here because you want someone to live a better life and this is how you see that happen. I don't know. I believe you all have your reasons, but I won't justify them. These people need me. I have people I need to get back to. And you all are risking their lives for your reasons alone. So this is what I offer you...just stop and walk away. Walk away now and leave before this gets any worse. Because when I get up and take my sword…"
Sasuke looked up with red eyes, "I won't be plagued by hesitation anymore."
Some of the White Fang stepped back nervously. The other Noble Guards looked between each other silently. But only Han shook his head in disdain, "Arrogant, even in your punishment. Well Uchiha if you are so certain that you can take this fight back from us, then-"
A large rock broke against the back of the horse's head. All eyes turned in the direction it came from.
Cardin yelled out, "Hey asshole, aren't you supposed to be some kind of freedom fighters or something? All I see are a bunch of pathetic, wannabe Huntsmen that decided they like to play dress up." Cardin spiked another rock across the street and Han smashed it in the air. The other members of CRDL walked out and joined their leader's side in facing down the White Fang, "If you lot wanna test yourselves against the real deal, we're happy to oblige."
Han shook his head, "Brothers, take care of these-"
It was in that moment, when Han was distracted, that Sasuke realized what was happening.
Gaara dropped down from above and landed in the street beside him. With a wave of his hand he channeled a torrent of sand and dust into Han's chest and knocked him off Sasuke's hand. The Uchiha took the chance to scramble to his feet, grab his katana, and run away with Gaara as his hand hung limply at his side.
However a wall of blue flames cut them off in their retreat. The two young men slid to a stop and turned back as the Noble Guards stepped up to face them. Sasuke held his sword tightly in his good hand as he hissed when he felt a finger on his left hand twitch. Gaara looked at his side, "Sasuke, your hand-"
"Don't worry."
"You need immediate-"
"Focus!" Sasuke stabbed his katana into the ground and grabbed his hand before stuffing it under his right armpit. He groaned in pain as the pressure of squeezing down on his mangled hand was unbearable. His breathing was sharp and pained but he picked up his sword again and pointed it at his foes, "Out of sight."
"Gaara," Rōshi spoke up, "Do you really wish to make this your fight? Would you abandon a chance at a better life fighting alongside this criminal?"
"I don't know what you mean." Gaara stood proudly at his side as his form became shrouded in sandy brown Aura, "He isn't a criminal but one of the noblest men I have ever met. One with enough kindness to offer the people who torture and ridicule him a chance to walk away from their evil deeds before it is too late. When I see that, how could I possibly step away from his side?"
"I'm disappointed by your decision." The old red-haired man shook his head and summoned his Semblance as well as red Aura enveloped him, "But if that is your choice, then we have none other than to – huh?" A pair of large red hands circled Rōshi's chest and lifted him up. The fox Faunus lifting him up turned and spiked him down into the street. Rōshi bounced off the concrete and left melted black pools of asphalt where he impacted.
"What the hell are you doing, Red Death?!" The blonde Noble Guard yelled, "Have you lost your mind so close to our victory?!"
"This is not my victory! You are not my brothers and sisters!" The fox woman cried out in anger, her entire body cloaked in Aura and the mask she wore in her hand. She clenched her fist and shattered the mask in her hand as she stood in front of Sasuke and Gaara, "I am done sacrificing pieces of my soul! I am done being a lifeless tool! To hell with the consequences and whoever might get hurt in the process! I won't fight for you! I won't fight for him! I won't fight for anyone else!"
The White Fang looked between each other before channeling their Semblances.
The fox woman beside Sasuke was already prepared for battle as Gaara's features disappeared behind his Aura. Sasuke took a deep breath and focused his sight on Han.
A layer of purple Aura covered his body.
((((((((Hunting))))))))
Ruby stood on the edge of the Flagship and looked out over everything. Usually the sight of Beacon and Vale would be breathtaking.
But now it was just horrifying.
Smoke rose up as far as she could see. Even up here she could see buildings topple and crash into the streets. And the Grimm...that monster flying through the air...
How could there be so many Grimm at once?
No! Ruby shook her head and focused back on the task at hand. This was the only Atlas ship left flying in the air after it had finished blasting the rest out of the sky. General Ironwood said he was going to reclaim the ship from whoever took it...but then his ship fell out of the sky when the robots turned.
He might be dead. How many more people could die before the night was over?
The thought petrified her. The idea she might not see her teammates or friends again left her feeling cold. She wished they were here with her now. That they weren't all separated during this crisis and could handle this together.
But she was a Huntress. She had a duty to fight and take this ship back for the people's safety.
As she approached the deck she spotted an Atlas solider staggering out the door and falling to his knees. She dashed over to his side and saw the blood down his face, "Are you okay? Who did this to you?" The soldier only panted, too shocked to answer her, "Okay, stay here. I'll-"
She spotted the glint of medal in the corner of her eye. The injured soldier pulled out a thin sword and swung for her head. Ruby put some distance between them and reached for her weapon before the soldier lunged for her. She drew her scythe and parried the blade away before spinning Crescent Rose around and forcing her assailant to retreat.
The tall, bloodied solider stood up straight with a cocky smirk on his face. A pattern appeared over his body and fluttered away to reveal a short, petite young girl with pink and brown hair. Ruby recognized her as the girl that had helped Torchwick get away.
"Well I'd say I'm surprised to see you here, but honestly the surprise would be if you didn't somehow show up."
Ruby gulped and turned to look behind her. Standing by the doorway with his cane in hand, Roman Torchwick smirked her away. The young Huntress gripped her scythe harder as she realized she was stuck between two enemies with no support.
"Oh Red, this was a bad choice."
((((((((Hunting))))))))
They couldn't stop for anything.
Naruto leapt forward, slashing a Creep across the head with his kodachi as his orange hand crushed an Ursa's arm. The moment he landed he twisted and cut an android's weapon before it could shoot Sun. He felt his monkey friend kill a Beowolf behind him to return the favor. The fox ran forward and slid on his knees under Yatsuhashi's wide swing. Jumping back up to his feet, he kicked another robot in the head and felt his back crash into another.
He panted, "How are we doing?"
"Holding up." Kiba answered, "I love killing monsters but if we keep going at this rate we're gonna run ragged."
"Heh, is that worry in your voice?"
"Haha, well we can't all be like our exalted leader and just be too stupid to realize how bad this is."
Naruto laughed but cursed internally as he realized his partner was right. They had killed a lot of Grimm and Atlesian Knights already but it seemed never ending. How much longer before they were run completely ragged and couldn't even fight anymore?
As he pondered this question, Naruto spotted a yellow flash through the air. He looked up and saw his father drop down from the tower before Teleporting down to the ground. He dashed in a direction and cut everything in his path.
"Dad?"
"What?"
"My dad. My dad just dropped down and ran like a bat outta hell. Where's he going?"
"I don't know." Kiba answered his rhetorical question. The tattooed Inuzaka turned to look at his partner and saw the conflict in his face. Realizing what he wanted, he sighed and knocked his fist on his leader's back, "Check it out and come back as fast as you can."
Naruto nodded firmly and chased after his father as he rounded Beacon. Some Grimm tried to attack him along the way and he quickly dealt with them. As Naruto came around the school he saw an improvised landing zone being utilized while the main one was being cleared of Grimm. He came up closer and spotted soldiers and Hunters holding the line while civilians who had been exploring Beacon panicked.
The whiskered fox pushed his way through the crowds of crying, worried people as he spotted his father speaking to a pilot, "Dad!"
"Naruto?" He turned around, "What are you doing here?"
"I was fighting with the others before I saw you drop down from the tower. What's happening?"
"Listen man I don't know what to tell you!" The pilot yelled at them over the engines, "I was told to transport civilians and that was it! I'm not supposed to be carrying Huntsmen on dangerous missions!"
"Look, do you see that thing up there?!" He pointed up to the Wyvern making rounds over the school and city, "That monster is only going to make the panic worse and more people will get killed! I'm not asking you to fight it for me, but we need someone skilled to help us move around it while we fight!"
"I get it, but that guy ain't me! Ask someone else!"
Minato clicked his tongue and moved over to the next Bullhead before Naruto stopped him, "You're going to fight that thing?!"
"We can't move the Bullheads without taking a huge risk while it's in the air. Plus it's dropping Grimm everywhere it flies over which only makes this problem worse. It has to be dealt with now."
"Y-You aren't going to handle it by yourself, are you?"
"No. I was going to contact Jiraiya and a few of the others to help me take care of it. I don't think I can handle it by myself." He then looked at his son, "And I'm not taking you with me."
"You just said you could use help! I know some people who are good shooters and can fire from a ship!" His father didn't look convinced as he pressed on, "Tell me it wouldn't be even a little bit easier if I helped you!"
Minato and Naruto stared each other down before the older blond relented, "I'll think about it." Naruto grinned as his father turned around, "I'm going to keep looking for a pilot. You go contact a few of those strong shooters and we'll make a plan."
"Got it!" Naruto walked out of the landing zone and entered back into the crowd of civilians. He worked over his Scroll before he noticed people standing in his way, "Sorry-"
"Young man, do you know when they'll take us?"
"I'm sorry but I don't-"
"We've been standing around for nothing! We need to get out of here before the Grimm get us!"
"Why are they making us wait?!"
"Mommy?"
"It's okay sweetie."
"People! People!" Naruto called out to the crowd in an effort to calm them down, "I'm sorry we're making you wait but we're trying to figure out the best plan to get you all out of here! We don't want to risk transporting you while that Wyvern is in the air so we're forming a plan to-"
One person in the crowd lunged out and reached for his face. He lurched back to avoid it but the hand swooped down instead and crushed the Scroll in his hand instead. With unbelievable speed his attacker leapt up and wrapped his legs around Naruto's neck before yanking down and slamming the blond's head into the ground.
It stung but he was lucky to summon his Aura in time before his head cracked like an egg.
He forced his hand between his neck and the leg around it before slipping out. Naruto drew his sword and swung into the dense white blade of his foe, causing the civilians to scream and stumble backwards. The blond pressed forward and struck from every side, being thwarted by his opponent's staggering reflexes as he knocked his short sword away each time.
He reached out and grabbed his attacker's arm before he could slip away. When he stopped Naruto finally got a chance to look at his white-haired attacker and the strange bone-like weapon in his hand. Naruto hissed, "I don't know who you are, but you made a serious mistake." His eyes panned over to see the Hunters making their way through the crowd to apprehend his assailant, "I hope it was worth-"
They were blown off their feet by the series of explosions behind him.
Naruto slammed into the ground as all fours ears started ringing in pain. As his brain shook and recoiled from the explosions, he turned over on his back and looked at the fiery remains of all the Bullheads that had been parked on the platform.
"Dad." He whispered, "DAD!"
He charged into the burning debris and pushed his way through. He used his Semblance to lift large pieces of broken ships out of his way as he dug in. Over the sound of burning wreckage and screaming people retreating into Beacon, Naruto called out to his father with no response in return.
He saw burning bodies in the wreckage of the ships. But after some searching he finally found his father on the ground. He dropped down by his side and saw his chin and part of his neck had sustained burns from the explosions.
Naruto carried his father away from the burning ships and laid him down away from the wreckage, "Dad! Dad wake up!" His father gasped and wheezed in response but his eyes didn't open, "DAD!"
"Oh my, looks like his esophagus was burned from all the smoke and fire. That will be bad if not treated properly."
His head snapped up and he saw standing next to his bone-wielding assailant was a tall, pale, skinny man with silky long hair. Naruto didn't recognize either of these men but he seethed with rage as he growled, "Was this you?! Did you do this?!"
"Yes, I apologize. We were advised not to let people leave just yet in order to cause the most panic and fear." The strange gentleman replied almost casually as ships crashed down into the burning bodies within them, "Kimimaro here was sent in to get people's attention as I set off the bombs."
"You fucking bastards!" Naruto summoned his Semblance and took up his blade, "You'll pay for this!"
"Oh, that Semblance. You really are on of the Noble Guards, aren't you? How fascinating." The strange man's smile unnerved Naruto, "This really is a serendipitous chance for us to get what we want."
"What the hell are you talking about?!"
"Well you see the rules for us working with the White Fang is that I cannot experiment on any of the Noble Guards while we work together. It would be a little rude for me to dissect and experiment on the heroes of the White Fang. Even if finding out more about your unique Semblances and Aura characteristics would benefit our cause, young Adam was adamant that I not put a hand on any of you. But you...hehehehe."
Naruto shuddered in fright.
"You're a Huntsman. A brave and noble soul that would give his life to save others during times like this. It would not be unexpected for you to suddenly go missing and be reported as killed in action." The man smiled knowingly, "We'll take you back with us and start the testing as soon a possible. Your healing factors. Your upper limits. How much fight you have in you. It will all be necessary information to help us learn."
Sweat dropped down the side of his face as Naruto snarled, "Over my dead body."
"Oh dear boy I'm sorry for misleading you, but of the many things we'll be doing together...death is not a luxury you'll be afforded."
((((((((Hunting))))))))
Done
So far the character shorts seem to be for 4 chapters on the side story. If you'd like it done a different way please let me know.
I'm finally putting these ideas in my head to word. HAHA!
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