Shrieks and wails took over Amity Colosseum as everyone looked on at what they have just witnessed. A student from Beacon Academy accidently killing an Android posing as a student from Atlas. As curses and threats were thrown at the surviving participant and at Beacon Academy itself, everyone noticed that the screens started to bug out, until they morphed into a chess piece. A Queen chess piece.
Then a familiar voice spoke chillingly through the stadium's speakers.
"This is not a tragedy. This was not an accident. This is what happens when you hand over your trust. Your safety. Your children. To men who claim to be our guardians. But are, in reality nothing more than men."
The people in the crowd glanced back and forth at each nervously, and then back to the carnage in front of them on stage.
"Our Academies' headmasters wield more power than most armies, and one was audacious enough to control both. They cling to this power in the name of peace, and yet, what do we have here? One nation's attempt at a synthetic army, mercilessly town apart by another's star pupil. What need would Atlas have for a soldier disguised as an innocent little girl? I don't think the Grimm can tell the difference."
"And what, I ask you, is Ozpin teaching his students? First beating the defenceless, then dismemberment, now this? Huntsman and Huntresses should carry themselves with honour and mercy. Yet I have witnessed neither. Perhaps Ozpin as thought defeating Atlas in the Tournament would help people forget his colossal failure to protect Vale when Grimm invaded its streets. Or perhaps, this was his message to the tyrannical dictator that has occupied an unsuspecting Kingdom with armed forces."
Nyreen heard shouts of pure rage and spite from around her side of Amity Colosseum.
"We lost out home because of that Grimm attack!"
"My father is still in the hospital because of the Grimm!"
"My son lost an arm because of that attack!"
The vitriol being spewed from the crowd was getting too much for Nyreen to hear.
"Honestly, I haven't the slightest clue as to who is right and how is wrong. But I know that the existence of peace is fragile. And the leaders of our Kingdoms conduct their business with iron gloves. As someone who hails from Mistral, I can assure you; the situation there is… equally undesirable. Our Kingdoms are at the brink of war. Yet we, the citizens, are left in the dark. So, I ask you… when the first shots are fired… Who do you think you can trust?"
With the end of Cinder's speech, the crowds anger only grew more intense. Strong language was hurled at Beacon Academy, Atlas Academy, General Ironwood, Professor Ozpin and then at Pyrrha.
Some even started to throw empty cup at Pyrrha. One of the General's mechanical robots saw this as a threat and immediately 'subdued' the man.
This stirred up the crowd more, but everyone was silent as an alarm started to sound deafening everyone.
"Alert! Incoming Grimm attack! Threat Level 9!"
Of course. That's what Cinder's message was about. Sow distrust and hatred into the masses. Instil negative emotions to bring the Grimm.
All at once the crowd fled into the insides of the Colosseum as a Nevermore landed on top. Human and Faunus alike, pushed and shoved in order to get to safety. The Colosseum was full of screaming and shouting. It was getting too much for Nyreen's ears to bear, but these people needed her help. So, she gritted her teeth and pushed through the pain and hovered in the air, gaining the attention of her side of the arena.
"Come on, get to the emergency exits. A shuttle will take you to safety." Nyreen shouted as she urged and directed the crowd to safety as the Nevermore atop the Colosseum started to peck away at the shield protecting it.
Out of the corner of her eye, Nyreen noticed that instead of just pecking at the shield, it instead was clawing away at it.
"Mommy, is the scary Monster going to break through?"
Nyreen turned her attention on the scared people behind her. A young deer Faunus holding tightly to her Mom's leg as her fingers trembled.
The mother ruffled her little girl's hair.
"Don't worry, the Huntresses will save the day." The woman said as she tried her hardest to appear strong for her daughter, though Nyreen could pick up the terrified beating of her heart.
Sensing the building tension in the mother and the fear in the young child, Nyreen flew down towards them, with a comforting yet fiery filled smile. "Don't worry, Ma'am. My friends and I will protect you and your daughter."
The little deer girl stepped out from behind her mother's leg, and most importantly, her gaze away from the Nevermore.
Nyreen held out her hand to the little girl as little green orbs of light started to form in her hand. Within a few seconds flowers, started to bloom in a circle. Until it was a crown of roses full of life.
"Wow." The young girl gasped as she lightly touched the flower crown, making sure it's real.
"Here, it's yours." Nyreen said as the young girl glanced at the flower crown, then at her mother.
The parent nodded her head and smiled at her daughter.
The young girl turned back to Nyreen, and carefully took the flower crown from her and wore it on her head. "T-Thank you, miss."
"Hope you like it." Nyreen smiled at the little girl as she glanced back at the Nevermore, as parts of the shield started to give way. "Now you stay close to your mother, okay."
The little girl nodded here head as she held tightly to her Mom's hand. Nyreen smiled at the girl once more as she was playing with the flower crown. She then glanced at her little girl's mom, getting back to the situation, they're all in. "The shuttles will take you and your daughter to safety, Ma'am."
The woman nodded her head as she picked up her daughter into her arms, being careful with the flower crown. "Thank you! Say goodbye to the nice Huntress."
The little girl waved at Nyreen as the two quickly departed, leaving for the Shuttles to get out of the Colosseum.
Nyreen glanced around the stadium and saw that it was entirely empty apart from other Hunters and Huntresses that helped to divert the general public to the shuttles. Leaving only Nyreen's friends, some of the students from other Academies and Penny's... remains.
"CAAAAAWWWWWWWWWW!" Roared the Nevermore as it dived towards Amity Colosseum, shattering the shielding.
It crashed landed onto the stands and then onto the stage. Right in front of Pyrrha. However, the Huntress-in-training was still shell-shocked about what had happened to her opponent to even notice the Nevermore.
"PYRRHA!" Nyreen screamed trying to get her attention. As did Jaune and the rest of her team.
Nyreen flew towards the Nevermore ready to stop it from hurting any more of her friends. However, she needn't had bothered as Ruby used her Semblance to tear into the Nevermore's left wing, crimpling it.
The Nevermore recoiled in pain as Ruby stood in front of Pyrrha, clutching tightly to one of Penny's swords.
"LEAVE HER ALONE!" The scythe wielder yelled at the monstrous Grimm.
The Nevermore was gonna swipe at Ruby with its only useful wing, but it was pierced and pinned down by weapon rocket lockers from her friends and from students from the other academies.
The Rocket weapon lockers from Jaune, Ren, Nora, Yatsuhashi, Coco, Velvet, Fox, Sage, Scarlet, Sun, Neptune, Arslan, Bolin, Reese, Nadir, Flynt, and Neon were enough to incapacitate the Nevermore. Leaving it open for Nyreen to finish off with one of her arrows.
As the teams took a moment for themselves, Ruby fell to her knees in front of Penny's mechanical remains. Team ABRN were with Flynt, Neon and Team SSSN, while Jaune, Ren and Nora were checking on their teammate. Team CFVY and Nyreen were busy scouting the arena for any more bystanders that had not taken their chance to evacuate. Fortunately for the Huntresses-in-training everyone had evacuated onto the transports and gotten away from the Colosseum.
Nyreen landed right next to Team CFVY and noticed that Ruby had yet to move from Penny's side.
Velvet walked up to the other Faunus a squeezed tightly to her hand as her eyes drifted towards Ruby's crouched form. "She needs a friend to help her. Losing a friend like this..."
"I know." Nyreen said softly as she squeezed Velvet's hand as she made her way towards her mourning friend.
Nyreen sat right next to her friend, as she heard her speak up. "I know the other's need me... To be strong... I just... I feel like I was Penny's only friend. Her real friend."
Nyreen held onto Ruby's hand and squeezed it tightly. "I know Ruby... I know." Ruby leaned into Nyreen's chest, letting her tears out. Nyreen comforted her friend while rubbing her back with soothing words.
The two stayed together for a few minutes, before Ruby moved out of Nyreen's embrace and rubbed away any leftover tears. "Sorry, I'm supposed to be a team leader. I can't just sit and cry."
Nyreen rubbed the top of Ruby's head with a comforting smile. "Silly. You're allowed to grieve for your friend. Don't hide away your feelings to put on a brave front. You're only human Ruby. So, take a moment for yourself."
Ruby nodded her head, and took a breath of her own, closing her eyes to exhale slowly. She slowly opened them again after a few moments, getting to her feet and turning towards Penny. Ruby then crouched down towards Penny's head. "I'm sorry we couldn't go get smoothies together." Ruby spoke softly, but quickly clenched her hands into tight fists. "But I swear, they won't hurt anyone else. I promise."
The tension in Ruby's hands lessened as she placed her fingers over Penny's robotic eyes and closed them. She took another moment to herself as she rose to her feet and her attention settled on Pyrrha.
"R-Ruby... I... I'm so sorry." Pyrrha cried out as tears were trickling down her face. A Look of pure shock and horror, but also sadness was etched on her face.
"Me too" A small smile appeared on Ruby's face, which elevated Pyrrha's fears only slightly. "But it wasn't your fault."
"She's right." Jaune spoke up, as he walked towards his teammate with Miló and Akoúo̱ in hand. "Whoever was on the microphone. They're the ones that did this. And we have to make sure they don't take anyone else."
"It's Cinder and her team. Team MENC" Nyreen spoke up as her attention was directed at Ruby and Jaune. "I met her team this yesterday. I recognised her voice, that was Cinder. She's with Emerald, Mercury and Nevermore... If that is even her real name." Nyreen shook her head and clenched her hands into tight fists.
We'll get them. For all the death and destruction, they've caused. For everyone... For Penny...
"Emerald's Semblance let's her to make you imagine something that isn't there. Sorta like hallucinations. She made me see a little girl to distract me before they started their plan. I... I was too late." Nyreen turned her attention to Ruby. "I'm sorry Ruby. If I had been quick enough, I could've stopped her. Stopped Penny from..." Nyreen trailed off as she felt a hand tightly grip her own hand.
"You did everything you could have, Ny. I don't blame you."
The Maiden raised her head and saw that Ruby was in front of her wearing a comforting smile.
Then a spine-tingling scream echoed throughout the Colosseum. The group of Huntresses and Hunters in training stared at top, at the culprit of the screams. "Griffons!" Ren yelled.
"Anyone got a plan of attack?" Neptune called out as the grip on his weapon's Tri-Hard trigger relaxed slightly.
"I do... But you guys have to trust me." Nyreen spoke softly as she quickly drew her bow and notched an arrow.
Ruby glanced at her friend curiously as more Griffins, Lancers and Manticores surrounded the group. "I do, Ny. But what do you have in mind?"
Slowly Nyreen started to flap her wings as she hovered off the ground. "I need you all to get out of here, and I'll hold off the Grimm."
However, before she could get any higher up, Nyreen felt hands on her legs, pulling her back down. "Ny, no!" Both Velvet and Ruby shouted gripping tightly to Nyreen's legs.
"Listen! We don't have much time." Nyreen growled as she let loose an arrow as it impaled a Griffon's head, killing it instantly.
"There's a lot of people out there that need our help, and with a Grimm invasion in Vale, we all need to do a job we've been training for." Nyreen then turned to her friends, with the edges of her eyes blazing with red flames. "This is my job." Nyreen thrusted her arms up in the air as ice blocks started to surround the group of Hunters and Huntresses.
Soon enough ice pillars started to form around Nyreen and her friends as the Grimm dived towards them. Thankfully, she made it just in time as an ice dome stood. An ice dome strong enough to defend against the Grimm's attacks, for now, but one that leaves an exit for her friends to safely escape from.
"Wha... What is this?" Jaune mumbled out.
"An ice dome?" Ren asked as he patted on the dome.
Arslan from Team ABRN walked up to Ren and placed her hand on a piece of the icy wall. With a thrust of her hand, she quickly punched the icy wall. But there was no damage to the dome. Not even a crack. "Hmm... Impressive." Arslan nodded her head as she walked back to the rest of her team.
"Can we not punch the wall that's protecting us from the Grimm." Neptune complained.
"Yeah, like can we just chill. I'd prefer to get back to Kobalt and Ivory." Neon agreed with Neptune.
Coco gasped as she glanced at Nyreen. "W-Whoa... You're eyes..."
"N-Nyreen... W-What are you...?" Ruby muttered out also surprised. Really all were apart from Pyrrha and Velvet.
"That should hold them for now. Gives you guys some time to get to the airships." Nyreen said as she raised her hand and a fire ball appeared, lighting up the area inside the dome.
"But what about you. Nyreen, you can't take those Grimm on by yourself, no matter what these powers are." Jaune spoke up as he stood next to his team as Nora and Ren tried their best to console Pyrrha.
"Someone has to draw the Grimm away from the airships full of civilians." Nyreen replied as she glanced at her friends. She took a deep breath as she squeezed tightly to her hands and glanced at Penny's remains. "I-I don't want to lose anyone else today. Especially not those I hold dear. T-That's why I-I have to do this."
Everyone was silent as they all watched Nyreen rub away at the tears appearing in her eyes.
It wasn't until Velvet approached the smaller Faunus that Nyreen started to calm down. Velvet rested her forehead against her girlfriend's and sighed. "Just promise me, you'll come back."
"RARRRGH!" The Grimm outside of the ice dome growled and snarled as a few clawed at the dome, drawing everyone's attention.
"They have to ruin the moment, huh." Velvet joked, but Nyreen's grim expression remained.
Instead Nyreen stood on the tips of her toes and pressed a kiss onto Velvet's mouth.
"I swear, I'm going to try everything I can to make it back safely." The Winter Maiden declared as she squeezed tightly to the rabbit Faunus's hands.
Feeling the desperation in Nyreen's voice, Coco approached the two Faunus.
"We can try to cover you Nyreen, while you take out the Grimm." Coco spoke as she placed her hand on Nyreen's shoulder.
"But promise, you have to explain what's happening. What these powers are." Jaune agreed with Coco as he stood next to the rest of his team, as they changed their weapons into firearms.
Coco brought out her own weapon and turned it into the minigun. A Hard-light copy of the exact same minigun was in Velvet's hands. Finally, Ruby turned Crescent Rose into its sniper mode.
"Well, we're ready whenever you are, Nyreen." Ruby spoke as she reloaded a new cartage into Crescent Rose.
Nyreen nodded her head. "On 3."
"1..."
Nyreen started to flap her wings as she floated in the air.
"2..."
Swords of ice started to form in the air as Nyreen drew a new arrow from her quiver.
"3!"
The Ice dome faded away immediately, as Nyreen took to the air with a spread of minigun, snipe rounds and grenades fire around her. As soon as the dome dropped, they all faced a small horde of Grimm. A herd of Griffins, a few Lancers, and their Queen, Nevermores and Beowolves.
Jaune and his team wiped out the Beowolves first before they could harm anyone. Team ABRN and Team SSSN aimed their weapons at the attacking Griffins, cutting through a few of them. Coco's weapon Gianduja and Velvet's hard-light copy, tore apart the remaining Griffins and Lancers as everyone else retreated back into the insides of Amity Colosseum.
This left Nyreen to deal with the Lancer Queen and the Nevermores. Though she wasn't alone as Velvet, Coco, Ruby, Jaune, Nora, Ren and Pyrrha were watching on, taking shots at the Nevermores.
Nyreen placed her bow on her back as two large swords appeared in her hands. One formed from fire, the other from ice.
Noticing the deaths of her young, the Lancer Queen grew more desperate and her attacks more aggressive, as the Queen charged at Nyreen, but getting its stinger lodged into the seating area.
Nyreen took this chance to glide towards the Grimm, with her two blades trailing behind her, and slashed at one of the Lancer Queen's wings.
The Grimm screeched in pain, but there was little it could do as its stinger was still wedged into the seats.
Not wanting to wait any longer, Nyreen retracted the two blades and drew her bow and forming an arrow of her own, made of complete ice.
Nyreen notched the ice arrow and let it loose at the Lancer Queen, killing it instantly. Nyreen didn't wait around to take a breather, as she turned her attention to the Nevermores her friends were handling.
Sun, Neptune, Jaune, Pyrrha, Fox and Yatsuhashi were on one of the Nevermores back. Yatsu, Fox and Neptune were hacking away at one of its wings, while Jaune and Pyrrha handled the other. Sun fired his Nunchaku-Shotguns, and Neptune blasted Tri-hard at the Nevermore's head.
Meanwhile, Coco, Velvet, Ruby, Nora, Ren, Sage and Scarlet were attacking the other Nevermore. Coco and Velvet were firing at the Nevermore with twin Gianduja. This distracted the Grimm as the others scaled it and started to wither away the Grimm's endurance. First, Ruby had sliced off the Grimm's left wing, then Nora propelled herself, high into the air, and came down with her thunderous Magnhild war hammer, striking it on its head. With the two Nevermores worn out, Flynt, Neon and Team ABRN took the advantage and wiped out the monstrous creatures.
With the Grimm vanquished the Huntresses and Hunters-in-training noticed that the Lancer Queen had been killed by Nyreen, and the Winter Maiden herself was flying in the air watching over the group. Her fiery eyes still lit.
Ruby and Velvet waved at the Winter Maiden as she glided down to re-join her friends. "You guys okay?" Nyreen asked as the Flames around her eyes diminished.
Ruby tried her best to catch her breath, as she placed Crescent Rose back into its holster. "Y-Yeah... Looks like we got them all."
Meanwhile, Velvet rushed to the Winter Maiden, checking her over for any injuries. Thankfully, for the bat Faunus she was largely unharmed by the Grimm attack.
"I'm alright Velvet." Nyreen chuckled to herself as she leaned her forehead against the rabbit Faunus.
"I know... I just wanted... wanted to make sure." Velvet sighed as she pulled away from Nyreen. "Sorry... You have to go and be a hero."
Nyreen squeezed Velvet's hands tightly, but the rabbit Faunus felt her hands grew warm. It wasn't until she felt her hands cooling down again until she loosened her grasp from Nyreen's hand. She looked into her hands and saw a small star-shaped object. She then glanced at Nyreen's hand and she had her own star-shaped object. The stars themselves were two halves of a whole star, both identical to the other. Both halves of the stars were a metallic dark blue, but a small hollow section covered the back where the two would join together.
"Mama used to read fairy tale stories to me when I was little. She said that stars will always drift apart, go on their own journeys. But someday they'll come together again." Nyreen stepped on her tips of her toes and pressed her lips onto Velvet's. Nyreen pulled away after a few seconds and started to flap her wings. "And nothing will ever tare them apart."