A more minor infestation of Grimm had flooded the southern entrance to the launch site, prompting a whole other mission entirely to sort out this group of stragglers.
Blake, Yang and Marrow took up this mission and were now making their way through this section of the mine.
"So you two seem rather close for teammates…" Marrow noted as he peered further in.
"We were partners back at Beacon." Yang explained while looking up in the case of centinels appearing from above.
"We've been through a lot together as well." Blake added as they came to a halt upon Blake picking up the sound of some movement.
"You ever wonder if you should maybe branch out from working together?" Marrow asked as a large frosted Beowolf jumped out from the shadows, that Blake easily dodged with a shadow clone.
"We've been there and done that already." Yang primed her gauntlets and nodded to Blake who spun Gambol Shroud around, and stabbed it into the ceiling before swinging herself over the Beowolf, distracting it while Yang ran right at it and threw out several fast punches before Blake then pulled Gambol Shroud right at it and threw the Beowolf away from Yang as she detonated the explosives she laid out on it.
"Man I'll never get tired of these things." she chuckled before looking back over at the dumbfounded Marrow.
"Oh, but yeah, we figure we should try working together a bit more." Blake smiled in Yang's direction before several more beowolves appeared the second that first one dissolved.
"Well let's see how well that helps you here." Marrow bolstered himself up, then ran forward, firing off shots from his weapon before transforming it into its boomerang form and throwing it out towards the pack of beowolves.
It wasn't long before the mine was cleared out completely.
"And I'd say that's a job well done." Marrow pat his chest. "Maybe I was wrong to be so quick to judge you two teamwork wise. Maybe I'm just not used to having that kind of energy in my team." his tail drooped down now.
"I know everyone says you're a liability, but I hardly think that's the case." Blake put a hand on his shoulder.
"Yeah, you got a pretty sick semblance." Yang folded her arms behind her head.
"You're right. I just gotta try harder to show the team how capable I am!" Marrow puffed his chest up. "Watch out world, Marrow the reliable is on his way!"
Blake and Yang both glanced at each other before collectively shrugging.
"Too much?" he asked.
Training went off without a hitch for both Blake and Yang, with them running atop large projected buildings in the training room as Atlesian Knights fired on them.
"Surprised you can actually keep up with me!" Yang chuckled as she ducked under an overhang, sliding herself forward before letting herself drop slightly and firing a shot off below her to boost herself back up towards the next roof.
"I'm surprised you're able to keep up with me in all honesty." Blake confessed as she hooked Gambol Shroud onto another ledge and pulled herself towards the next projected building.
The pair quickly reached the back of the room and looked to each other.
Blake threw Gambol Shroud to Yang, prompting a devilish grin from Yang as she fired a shot off behind her.
Spinning Yang around, Blake finally released her in the direction of the two Atlesian Knights who at the moment they saw Yang flying at them, comically dropped their weapons in surrender, not that it did them any good.
In the briefing room, Blake couldn't help but chuckle at the end of a story Yang told her.
"So yeah, as it would turn out my Uncle Qrow didn't know there was a male variant uniform till it was too late."
"I couldn't imagine him pulling off that look now." Blake rolled her eyes as Qrow entered the room from the edge, prompting slight snickering from the pair.
"What's so funny, you two?" Qrow asked as he took a small cup and filled it with water from the cooler.
"Oh nothing, nothing." Blake shook her head.
"Yeah, it's an issue you could just skirt around…" Yang notably emphasized the skirt part.
"Remind me to punch your Dad the next time I see him." Qrow groaned, knowing exactly what they meant. He soon left the room as the pair sat down on a couple of chairs near the front of the projector.
The air in the room grew still as they shared a knowing look at each other. "So…" Blake began before Yang interjected.
"So… I was thinking maybe we could take Marrow's advice and branch out a little. Like I mean, I get why they don't want me out in Mantle as much because of my reputation not exactly being cleared from the Vytal festival, but I mean it's never gonna get better if I don't face people again." Yang shook her head.
"Yang, I-" Blake clearly had something else pressing on her mind that she wanted to discuss, but she decided to stop. "You're right, we should maybe branch out a bit. I'll see if any of the Ace Ops are open for a mission with me."
Before Blake left the room, Yang took her hand, and looked at her knowingly. "We can talk about it on our own time."
She returned a nod to Yang before leaving the room. Watching as she left, Yang took a deep breath and held her hand as it shook slightly. "It's not like last time…"
"RUBY HEAD'S UP!" Yang shouted as she slammed her fist into the head of a Sabyr, knocking it in Ruby's direction, prompting the younger girl to spin her scythe blade's head around and swing upwards, slicing the Sabyr clean into two pieces that dissolved in front of her.
Slinging her scythe over her shoulder, Ruby held a cheeky grin on her face. "Not bad, right?"
"You definitely are taking advantage of your new upgrade. Sadly, I can't risk using mine too much out here without the worry of damaging infrastructure." Yang explained as she stretched while walking over to her sister.
"So, how has Blake been doing anyways?" Ruby asked curiously. "I know you two have been going on missions, you got somethin' going on there?" she teased.
"She's been fine, and I uh… Don't know what you're talkin' about sis!" Yang shook her head in denial, a clear blush of embarrassment from the question on her face. "I'm supposed to be the one who puts you on the spot with questions like that! Not you! How would you feel if I started saying stuff about you and uh…" she glanced over towards the more open street where Harriet was signing autographs for some kids that were eager to see her.
"Remember to stay at home after curfew so you're safe, kids!" she pat the head of a girl who clearly styled their hair similarly to her own.
Ruby scoffed. "As if. She's not as nice to us as she is those kids. Especially you…" Ruby remarked, remembering her rude words to Yang at the mine. "How can you be okay with people still thinking what you did to Mercury was wrong? He tricked you and everyone at the Vytal Festival."
Resting a hand on her sister's shoulder, Yang simply shrugged. "Nothing can really change what they think now, at least not till we catch Mercury and make him fess up. But honestly, Ruby… I couldn't care less about that. You and the others know the truth, and that's enough for me." she walked past her sister now as Ruby followed behind her. "Let's get back up to Atlas. I could use a long nap after that mission." she confessed with a yawn.
"Citizens of Mantle, I encourage you all to stand up for yourselves and defend yourselves as best as you can!" the voice of Robyn Hill stated, as the pair of sisters stopped and noticed she had a small crowd gathered around a makeshift stage.
"General Ironwood is wasting valuable resources on repairing Amity Colosseum when our wall is in need of better reinforcement! The huntsmen he's sending haven't been enough to keep us all safe, as I've heard plenty of talk of citizens down here going missing or turning up dead. Strong supporters of my cause have turned up dead!" Robyn explained as her gaze now met the pair of sisters.
"He's now been enlisting the help of children with questionable records to do his footwork for him! Tell me, is this what you're willing to support for us?!" Robyn asked the crowd before Harriet appeared in a blur of electricity on the stage, much to the surprise of the crowd.
"I hate to cut the party short, but it's time for everyone to get inside. Curfew is starting shortly and I don't think anyone here wants to get caught by monsters." Harriet explained, speaking into the microphone.
"The only monster here is you!" shouted a heckler from the crowd.
"That's uncalled for!" Robyn took hold of the microphone back before holding her hand out. "Since you took the time out of your busy day to join us on stage, Operative Bree… Perhaps you can answer some questions I have for you."
Looking at her hand, Harriet glared up towards her.
"What's the deal with that?" Yang asked her sister.
"It's her semblance." Ruby informed Yang as they approached the gathered crowd of supporters. "She can detect lies."
"Why has General Ironwood been enlisting the help of children down in Mantle? Where have all those resources meant for fortifying Mantle really been going?" Robyn bombarded the Ace Operative with questions as she held a finger to her ear.
"But sir?! Are you certain?! Fine." Harriet took Robyn's hand. "I'll answer one question. The kids are here on a special assignment from Beacon's late Headmaster Ozpin. They traveled far and hard, overcome unimaginable odds to reach Atlas and relay a message to General Ironwood. As far as the general is concerned, they're all worthy of being respected as Huntsmen for that." she stated almost like she was reading off of a script given how unenthusiastic she sounded.
Their hands glowed for a moment before it came back green, prompting Robyn to release her grip.
"Well, there you have it folks." Robyn turned towards the crowd as Ruby and Yang had suddenly earned their attention.
They were suddenly met with applause for their efforts, prompting a blush from Ruby as some kids approached her.
Some skeptical looks were thrown Yang's way that she decided to ignore while smiling proudly at the attention her sister was getting from her crowd of adoring fans. "I wish Mom could see you now." Yang muttered under her breath.
"Hm?" Ruby looked to the blonde who was just smiling in her direction.
"Can you sign my weapon design?!" a boy asked her as she looked it over.
"Whoa that's real cool!" Ruby grinned, sloppily signing her name on the corner of the blueprint.
Robyn crossed her arms and looked to another Happy Huntress that was standing off stage before taking a couple of steps back.
"Alright, you heard the lady!" Joanna Greenleaf shouted out. "Go home everyone! It's time to let the grown-ups do the work to keep you all safe!" she took her weapon off her back to signify that she was serious.
"Wait, do the Happy Huntresses patrol the streets at night?!" Yang asked her.
"Yeah, they do a lot of the legwork down here in Mantle." Ruby stood herself back up after signing one last autograph book for a kid.
"Guess someone's gotta stick up for the little man." Yang smirked while Harriet made her way down.
"Shouldn't you two report back to LZ? You gotta be up tomorrow for your next missions." Harriet stated.
"You're right." Yang scratched the back of her head as Ruby walked over to her.
"Did the general ask you to stick up for us like that?"
"Kid, I'm not one for speeches like that." with that, Harriet sped off ahead.
"Yeah…" Ruby followed behind Yang, leaving for their transport back to Atlas.
One of the many drones that was getting coverage from the scene zoomed in towards Robyn a little more closely as from an alleyway a considerable distance from the rally stood Arthur Watts with Tyrian Callows.
"What a pitiful display from that operative." he shrugged. "She didn't even put her heart into that performance. But that woman's semblance made it not matter."
"Should I kill her?!" Tyrian asked eagerly as his tail swung from side-to-side. "She's Ironwood's most vocal opposition next to Jacques Schnee!"
"But unlike, Jacques, she can actually gather a crowd of ordinary people and get them all to support her. If I didn't already have my money on another man, I'd say she'd win that election with a landslide." Watts chuckled.
"Of course, she won't win! All the better reason for me to eliminate her, right?!"
"No, you won't touch her yet, Tyrian." Watts stated. "We need her alive at least until the election's over."
"Are you thinking what I'm thinking then?" Tyrian couldn't help but laugh.
Watts pulled up the public invitation for her election party on his scroll with the address listing. "I think I have a plan." a smile twisted on the doctor's face while Tyrian's laughter continued.
Several drones flew up to the pair after Watts waved his hands, the rings on each finger glowing. "This will certainly do the trick…" projected out of each of the drones was footage of Penny fending off Grimm in the city from varying angles.
Commentary: Here's the Blake and Yang mission chapter, although I'd say it's half Blake and Yang, half Ruby and Yang. I figure the sisters could use some more time together.
Not much on the first half of the chapter, although Blake and Yang do take Marrow's advice into mind, despite proving to him that they synergize well on the job.
The second half is again another bit involving Robyn Hill as a character, where her semblance is learned about and Ironwood does actually give her what she wants somewhat, only to really make the crowd go home. It also does get Ruby and Yang some fan admiration that they definitely don't mind too much.
Also that footage Watts is gathering, yeah it's what you're assuming.