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It didn't take long for everyone from JPBY and WRRN to get their clothes on and make for their gear. Although Blake had to carry Yang's boots as she ran off without them. Ozpin didn't call but he was more than ready when the six of them funneled out of the elevator into his office. Although he did look surprised at Weiss, Ren, and Nora.
"I assume you have told them about the risky situation we're in?"
"We know that a member of your team is being held hostage in a nest of terrorists," Weiss said. "It is not something we plan to overlook."
Blake moved to hand the boots off to Yang. "Jaune has the location on his scroll. Show him."
He wasted no time handing the device off after pulling up an image of the location. The Headmaster wasted no time getting the holographic screen up on his desk and digging up a more comprehensive schematic of the place. It was an areal view as he frowned at the rectangular space in the middle of the hotel.
"This would make for a perfect ambush location... could be filled with civilians we'd have to worry about. A natural shield."
"Torchwick said that everyone there is supposed to be White Fang soldiers. That Cinder knows we'd bring some sort of help and wants to kills us quickly." Jaune explained.
"Did he happen to tell where miss Rose is being held?" Ozpin asked hopefully.
"The northern building but never said which room she and others would be in."
The man sighed. "I supposed just telling just everything would undermine the whole secretive angle he wants to play."
"He did tell us where other kids were being held," Amber added. "Remember we need to get them out, not just Ruby."
Jaune relayed this and opened up the various locations scattered across the city. All were distant from one another but even more so from the hotel. Likely from design as any Hunters and Atlas soldiers that go there won't be able to rush over and help them.
"If we truly want to avoid suspicion then an army marching in it out of the question. We can have the VPD block off streets at all these locations as such a thing is standard operating during any raid in populated areas. Although setting up snipers beforehand will give up the element of surprise and they may move her." Ozpin copied the data and sent a message to Ironwood as he spoke. "A better choice would be to go in fast and focus everything on the northern building. Minimizes the risk to all of you and-"
"We already decided to go along with the ambush to lure Cinder out." Blake said.
"What?!" Weiss cried and Ren looks appalled at the thought. "If they even have half the weaponry you told me about on the way here then this will be a blood bath for all four of you!"
Jaune made to counterpoint but Ren joined in. "Not to mention you are all basing this information from a notorious thief. One that may change his mind if the wind begins to blow once more."
They had to inform them on who they got it from. There was no other choice here as keeping that sort of thing hidden didn't sit right went the three of them were knee deep now.
"I know it doesn't sound like the sanest idea in the world... However, we cannot let Cinder get away again, at least not unscathed. She could try again or get revenge and this might be the best chance we're ever going to have."
"Still, I think it's better not to engage in actions that place anyone at the most risk." Ren said firmly.
"This is a terrible idea..." Weiss added. "Though I see your point here, don't agree with the unnecessary risks. This is my teammate and getting her back and never needing to worry against would be all the better..."
"I really don't care what we do," Nora shrugged. "Just as long as I get to smash something."
Pyrrha bit her lip, it was clear she wanted to add her voice but decided to remain quiet and Jaune turned to the Headmaster. His neutral expression dominated his face and it was impossible to tell what he was thinking. It was Ozpin's words that first spurred the thought of taking Cinder out here and perhaps he was thinking about Vale and the situation developing within it's walls. Seconds ticked by as everyone waited to hear from him and his holoscreen relayed an incoming call from General Ironwood and he turned slightly to the partially transparent screen.
"To maintain the elevate of surprise while saving all the hostages will mean you will have fewer Hunters able to rapidly come to your aid. I will call Ironwood to get a better analysis of the area and threat. See what plan can be formed from it. Then I will judge the risk and see which choice is worth investing in."
"I'm sure we can come up with something."
"This is supposed to not look suspicious?" That was the first thought to enter Jaune's head when they turned on the sidewalk and Blake lead them inside.
His whole team made their way inside but not WRRN, they had a different role to play. There are barely any vehicles around and none of them were parked in the center. This reeked of being a trap but perhaps because Jaune already knew what was about to happen. There were a few groups of people scattered about chatting causally. The closest to the entrance had a few that were obviously Faunus while others had no traits visible but he knew they were White Fang.
If Roman didn't lie to them that is.
"Breath Jaune, take a deep breath and remain calm." Amber said trying to soothe this beating heart.
To say Jaune was nervous would be undercutting the word, he knew what was bout to happen. Pyrrha was similarly nervous and wore it about as well as Jaune didn't. Yang was the only one who held her cool but more because of the fury within drowning out any sense of fear. Held on the cylinder the General had provided him and fingered the pin. If anything went wrong it could mean death for any member of his team. All because he made a bad call in coming here like this. Ahead of him, Blake's exposed ears twitched and her hand came around to grab the grenade clipped to her back. Jaune knew Pyrrha and Yang did the same.
"Here we go..."
"Now!"
Jaune pulled the pin the moment Blake shouted the order. They had just reached the center of the parking lot when the hotel became a hornet's nest and they just kicked it. Doors all over the first level were smashed open, windows shattered on both floors. Four cylinders, so large his hand couldn't wrap around it, it was the length of a plastic water bottle but with more weight to it.
Suffice to say it took some effort for Jaune to turn around and throw it behind him. The others did the same and the grenades clattered to the ground and rolled for a second. They were not normal smoke grenades like the General said. Instead of slowly releasing the smoke like a normal one they exploded like a frag grenade and quickly created four clouds that shielded them from sight. It left plenty of space in the middle for them to see, except the North that had the smoke far closer to the team. Jaune or everyone in general did not want to kill their own visibility. Had the roads not been blocked off by the VPD Jaune might have worried about panicking citizens outside.
Gunfire sounded from behind the smoke, it wasn't the White Fang blind firing at them but the Hunters Ozpin sent. They were acting their roles and keeping the gunners busy, while the Knights began marching through the smoke to kill them, not reacting to the fact that they were technically being flanked.
Ozpin didn't have many Hunters to spare, just groups of three for each building and their role was to keep the White Fang busy. The rest were either rescuing hostages in other parts of the city. Or they need Hunters that were subtle enough not to be seen approaching and didn't have too many options. They would keep the gunners from trying to join the fight in the parking lot and that's the best they could hope for right now.
Yang ducked behind Jaune and his shield while Pyrrha did the same with Blake as their Faunus hefted Pyrrha's shield. The smoke provided a useful screen against the White Fang shooters but the Knights had no problems marching through the smoke to attack them. Exactly as everyone predicted as their resident champion stepped forwards and her hands glowed black.
Instantly she began throwing tossing Knights around, into each other, back behind the smoke, turned them while firing to hit their friends. Pyrrha didn't hold back and bits and pieces of a few flew off, some lost arms, or had jagged bits puncture their head courtesy of Pyrrha. They didn't feel pain or had any self-preservation as they marched in from the east. The west was far more chaotic. Yang let out round after round from Ember Celica. High explosive rounds from the Schnee Dust Company impacted the ground and sent the Knights flying into one another, rounds that hit dead on interacted as expected, even ones that missed would affect the White Fang's cohesion to some extent.
For now, Jaune and Blake were content to hold their shields as shots from high-powered dust rifles bounced off. Pyrrha continued to separate metal machines at their waist as Yang switched fire to the North. That direction lay too many Knights and no shielding as Blake and Jaune had to shift themselves to better block the shots. The Knights came out from the screen dangerously close as they needed time to thin the east and west. Pyrrha threw out her hand and lifted pieces, jagged or otherwise, from the ground and trusted it to their new assailants. It wasn't as effective as one might think, the distance combined with how quickly she did it meant the attack knocked a few bots down or separated them from the rifles they held. Didn't destroy any or even embed anything.
Yang's assault was far more useful, she shadowboxed the air in front of her and sent more asphalt and machine parts into the air. Being only five yards away had made it dicy, and ahead even stuck Blake's shield nearly knocking the poor girl to the ground if not for Pyrrha grabbing her.
"I don't mean to be rude but we're too close together!" Jaune cried, then as if he activated some unseen cue at a play an arrow impacted the center of their defensive half-circle.
They didn't have time to register it as a screening vortex appeared and sent everyone a fee good feet into the air. Jaune land painfully onto the asphalt, his head slamming against the ground and aura flaring to prevent damage. Jaune staggered to his feet and saw Emerald to the eastern half of the parking lot.
"Yang!" He pointed and she wasted no time offloading her remaining rounds several yards away from where Emerald was.
"Damn those stupid illusions!"
Yang realized what just happened when her gauntlets clicked dry and her head turned to where her opponent was actually at.
"I'm still kicking her butt." Shells rained around her as Yang reloaded and charged, Emerald was revealed but where was Mercury?
Pyrrha made to support Yang with her rifle and Emerald fell back but the lack of cover was a detriment to everyone here. JPBY had to scatter to avoid getting hit by the gunfire from what few Knights that remained.
An arrow impacted the ground near Jaune and he dove out of the way from another explosion. He didn't know where the shots were coming from but had little clue as to how Cinder was making them will all this smoke everywhere. Until he finally saw her and what he knew from some images was Adma Taurus near her but not next to her.
"Yang behind you!" Blake cried and Jaune spared a glance to see Mercury coming down above his fellow blond.
There wasn't much time to react as he fell like a hammer but luckily they had Pyrrha, an invisible force grabbed his legs and threw him at Emerald. The girl had to duck out of the way as her companion impacted the ground and slide a few feet. Arua flared from all that force being applied and he rolled over likely groaning from the pain.
"Go help Yang!" Jaune ordered Pyrrha, she needed help to fight those two and her semblance was far more useful there. "Blake get over here!"
The first thing Jaune noted was the dress Cinde usually wore was gone. Replaced by a black catsuit and her hair seemed to be tied behind her head.
"If all goes well our backs should remain clear."
Blake took up position next to him as the two squared off against Cinder and Adam.
"Arc is mine." Cinder said frowning, today wasn't going as planned and it was comforting to see her react poorly to it.
"I remember our agreement Fall." Adam looked... overly edge for Jaune's taste, the guy looks as if he read a catalog about goth kids then bought whatever was on sale.
Jaune's first impressions aside, the man turned into a blur as he raced forwards and connected blades with Blake. Sparks flew between them and Jaune made to rush Cinder. They needed to separate these two and prevent any chance for them to cooperate. She didn't bring out any blades or a bow while Jaune closed the distance and instead lifted her hand to send balls of fire his way. Cinder could be doing anything else but was determined to roast Jaune alive. He avoided what he could and tanked the rest with his shield, if it kept her focused on him then more power to her.
Blake was having a good time keeping Adam occupied, he came right for her and instead detonated a shadow clone. While blasted back he moved in the air the best he could to land and get on his feet. He didn't look phased by the attack, even if he staggered to get up.
Blake didn't waste time capitalizing on the situation. She feinted a lunge toward his head with her cleaver that was immediately parried. The opening created the perfect time to strike at his center mass with her katana. Aura was useful for blocking such moves but the force still applied and you would feel the damage even if there wasn't any. His balance gone, Adam leaped back to remaining his footing or be caught in an unfavorable situation with someone that duel-wielded. Blake remained still as he did so.
Adam didn't seem to catch that it may be a trap. So when he tried to hack away at his old partner once more he found his sword hitting another clone and forming an ice sculpture of Blake around his blade.
As if being encased in the stuff wasn't his only problem, Adam barely had the time to register several icicles incoming until seconds before contact. Out from the smoke covering the entrance of the hotel came Weiss, the rearguard had done their part and she pointed to Yang and Pyrrha dealing with Emerald and Mercury. Ren and Nora had them to deal with but Weiss was adamant about getting to fight Adam and she moved to support Blake.
Jaune fell back as Cinder also noticed the new arrivals, her frown grew as she realized the backup she had to be pacified now. Her bow finally made an appearance and she took aim at Blake.
Qrow seemed to take this as a cue to appear from the smoke and strike at Cinder's unsuspecting rear. It was in the nick of time for Jaune. The constant barrage had heated his shield to an unbearable degree to hold and he sadly needed to discard it.
To make matters worse eight knights made their way through the smoke, Cinder turned from her position from the ground and ordered. "Get him!" The cry was almost as loud as the gunfire.
His shield gone Jaune made to use his aura. As fortune would have it his shield floated up of its own volition and while crude it was better than nothing. Pyrrha rushed by hand outstretched revealed the cause and it clattered to the ground once she made the distance for melee. The Knights single-minded nature meant they still tried to shoot at Jaune when Pyrrha began hacking them apart. He ducked down to caress his steaming gauntlet, that left arm just couldn't catch a break.
Qrow was on far more even terms with Cinder but gunfire from rooms was also hitting him from behind as enough smoke had cleared. Not enough to completely expose the parking lot but it would only take a minute. Still many of the White Fang had abandoned the rooms to try and help their comrades or get better lines of fire on the fights raging below. The Hunters that had been hard at work clearing out rooms but dislodging the White Fang was still taking the time they didn't have. JPBY and WRRN were all still in the kill box and the only fight they were winning was against Mercury and Emerald. The goal was never to fight them in single duels but to overwhelm her lackeys then deal with the bigger threats. It was going half well but time wasn't on their side here. They needed to land a hit, something that could do damage that Cinder could not avoid. Knock her to the ground and swiftly drain at least some of her aura. As much as he wanted Qrow's help the guy had a niece to rescue.
Jaune held the staff out in front of him and eyed the wind dust, they already panned to replace these... "Amber how do you take these crystals off!?" He cried.
"Turn then pull, it's admittedly quite crude!"
The white gen came off with a hard tug, the smoke was clearing out and without it, the fight Cinder was going to be that much harder. So would everybody else except Yang, Nora, and Ren who were going to town with an unarmed Emerald and battered Mercury, the remaining knights were the only issue in that battle. Pyrrha finished off the remaining bots attacking them by having their head cave-in with her semblance when Jaune ran up beside her.
"Pyrrha, I'm going to take her out into the parking lot when we're out there throw and shoot this." He placed the crystal in her hand and she looked ready to protest but they did not have time to argue. "Just do it! Please!"
Jaune didn't wait for an answer as he rushed Cinder who busy trying to fry Qrow by chucking various balls of fire. The man was quick enough to avoid it but not much else, she definitely had more control over the Maiden powers than he ever would.
"I can handle this, go get Ruby!" Capturing Cinder is important but the number one priority had to be Ruby and the other hostages.
"Don't gotta tell me twice." Qrow had like been waiting to rush off to find her and now that he had an opening he was off like a jackrabbit. All the while spinning his blade to block incoming gunfire as terrified guns desperately tried to stop him.
"Why couldn't you take any other road that day!?" Cinder hissed. "I'm sure there were plenty alternatives!"
Jaune ducked backward, evading the blow that aimed to strike his head off as the glass blade passed mere inches from his face. The secondary sword following up the attack, jabbing just below his chest plate. He felt as it sank in and recoiled as aura made to protect him while retreating.
Jaune didn't have his shield so he needed to make do with a one-handed sword against someone that was duel-wielding. It was fortunate there was space to maneuver out of the way and fall back into the center, the smoke had finally cleared up and he soared one glance to see Blake Weiss being fired upon. Weiss especially had to start making ice spikes to cover herself while dealing with quick jabs from Adam. Blake did what she could. He did catch the admittedly cathartic sight of Nora's hammer slamming into an unarmed Emerald and sending her body crashing through the door of a hotel room.
His sightseeing nearly cost him his head as a ball of fire flees by, Jaune felt the heat travel past before meeting her glass blade. One of them that was, he needed to stagger back not to have his kidney stabbed at with her spare. Cinder had a predatory grin that frankly frightened Jaune as she twirled her duel blades in a taunting display before lifting them in an overhead strike, aiming for Jaune's skull. He noted it was only the one blade and leaped back before she could draw away his defense once more. This wasn't going anywhere but fortunately, he wasn't banking victory in a duel with her.
Jaune saw as the crystal flew through the air and towards Cinder and he dove to the ground. There was no real cover to shield himself with but he wasn't about to take the blast standing. The only indication of Pyrrha's shot was the enormous gust of wind blowing over him. To everyone else it might have seen as yet another explosion, to Jaune, near ground zero, it was a world-shattering difference. The shriek Cinder made as she soared through the air was more a bonus. Jaune had just enough time to turn and witness her body crash into pavement hard, aura flicked and broke from the incident.
"Thank you Pyr," He whispered before moving to capitalize on the moment, the Knights were all but mopped up at this point.
There were more than a few pockets of White Fang dug in deep and Adam was still fighting hard but it was Cinder Jaune was after. The blast had blown her several yards away and almost to the northern building so it was quite the rush to get there. As fortune would have it Jaune went unopposed, when Cinder didn't so much as twitch in that time he had high hopes of arresting her easily.
"Should have asked Ozpin for handcuffs." He thought before he noted an odd best radiating around Cinder.
Then said air ignited into a ring of fire that knocked him, sending his sword from his hand and clattering to the floor.
"Y-You..." A low growl caught his attention and Jaune saw Cinder.
Her hair looks like she had just been hit with a blow dryer, the fine black clothing she had was torn in places, and her left eye red where it should be white. Cinder staggered forward and swayed while doing so.
"Could you not just lie down and die?" She hissed, seemingly forgetting the battle raging around them Jaune began crawling away as she let out an animalistic cry of despair.
"I had everything prepared! My place at Beacon secured, the CCT would've been mine, downtown Vale a chaotic cesspit of Grimm, Ozpin watching as hit city fell apart and the Maiden..." Cinder sighed, even as her heels tapped the asphalt.
He had to wonder if she wasn't trying to remove all the air from her lungs as it took so long. From her hands, two black curved blades materialized to fill them.
"I'm going to take my time tearing you apart."
Jaune stopped crawling back as he eyed something behind her. His head cocked to the side and he felt a smile threaten to spit his jaw off. With it formed Cinder only became more infuriated.
"Why are you smirking-"
Soon the steady hum of Atlas military Bullheads reached her ears, half a dozen flew low and over the hotel. Some lowering to the roof where they began depositing troops. Adam had stopped from his fight and surveyed the area, machines wrecked and his allies' cronies down he made a snap decision and ran some of the White Fang nearest to him followed their leader. Most sensed the now impossible situation and few began dropping their weapons while most either tried to flee or fight on.
"You just ran out of time!" Jaune staggered to his feet and deployed the staff, more to look imposing rather than an attempt to fight with it. If the Hunters weren't already bad enough, the squads of soldiers moving to surround and cut off avenues of escape were. "If I were you I'd put those swords down."
To his surprise, the blades did fall from her hands and shatter like jars into thousands of glass shards. She wasn't surrendering as he hoped. Her eyes lot up, as in literal fire burned from the sides and the bloodshot left somehow looked far more imposing than before.
"Move out of the way!" Amber screamed sensing and knowing the danger as the air chilled around the pyromancer.
She unleashed a storm of ice where Jaune once stood. Although he hadn't moved far off Cinder's focus seemed to be on covering the ground in a thin layer of ice. It has extended across the parking lot and many including Blake and Yang had to flee out of its way. The purpose of doing so clear later when she brought her hands together, that heat grew like a sauna until she unleashed the largest fireball he'd ever seen. The attack was half the size of her and it rocked the ground as it struck, instantly the ice vaporized into a thick steam that blinded everyone.
"No, no, no, no!" Jaune repeated like a broken record as he immediately knew what Cinder was trying to do.
He rushed forwards staff raised to strike before he felt a pain in his left arm.
"Jaune wind!" His hand was thrust out as he except the immediate screen was blown away but instead of a dumbfounded Cinder, there were only broken bots and damaged asphalt.
"Brothers damn it!" Amber cried and he had to share in her sentiment, Cinder got away again. All this and she still escaped at the last minute.
The gunfire soon died down as the remaining White Fang were finally overwhelmed and arrested. Qrow held harbinger at the ready and Ruby poked her head out from behind, his job was more successful at least.
"There's Ruby, lets see if she's alright."
"Ruby!" Yang wrapped her sister in a bear hug, lifting the poor girl off her feet. ""
"Ack! A-Air Yang! Air!" The younger sibling wheezed out.
"We just got her back so try not to break her," Weiss staggered over to them, still a bit woozy from getting blasted. "Are you alright Ruby?"
"P-Please help!" She begged with sincere desperation.
"Yeah, you're fine." It didn't take long for the rest of Team WRRN to reunite.
Jaune smiled at the sister's antics as Ozpin approached them. With a worried expression plastered on.
"We're all good," Jaune assured. "Cinder fled but we at least got those two now." He pointed at Emerald and Mercury who were in the process of being carried away by some of the Hunters.
"We're taking it from here," Ozpin said sternly. "If there are any injuries do not hesitate or wait to seek medical care, the situation is coming under control now." He moved towards the groups of kids who all looked lost as they stood or sat on rubble.
It was a bit hard to get help here via the road as Weiss covered it with ice to knock over a semi-truck and Nora blasting up the street with grenades in dealing with Cinders back up. That was the price to pay for covering the south though and property damages aside the raids across the city would make up for it to the City Council.
Jaune found a reasonably shaped piece of rubble and slumped onto it. Today had been a frantic and violent one but it was finally over, the smoke was dying out, and what remained of the White Fang we being taken captive. Cinder did get away but was wounded and she lost both Emerald and Mercury the latter of which lost his mechanical legs. Cinder might try something else but they got all the hostages and her army was shattered again.
Jaune couldn't help but feel a bit smug, imagining the look on her face about today. The losses had to be mounting at this point, she had to be losing steam to keep fighting with all the raids she allowed to happen all over the city.
"It's only a matter of time, well get you Cinder. Stop whatever you plan next like always."
Roland stepped off the airship with a yawn, their craft had been delayed when it was late and they had to wait at the airport. Only get a chance to sleep on the ride here. Also beginning to wait was his wife Juniper and six of his daughters, Terra couldn't leave work and Saphron decided to stay. It had been the first time in years they set foot in another kingdom, especially when the Vytal festival was going on. This wasn't entirely for leisure, Jaune... If something was going on with him a scroll call wouldn't be right.
Roland had to go in person and not one else wanted to be left behind. That there is a festival going on did not help matters, perhaps having everyone for a surprise visit would help matters.
"We're going to the hotel first right?" Ginger, one of the youngest asked eagerly. "Unpack everything rest a bit..."
"Yes, we have time to do so." He assured to the approving nods and smiles around him.
They needed to get a few cabs to get anywhere, a large family always carried that issue. Vale was a city getting out of hand though, sticking together would be necessary. Although if the council thought the festival could go on then perhaps the situation wasn't as bad as the media said. Roland needed to see Jaune for himself and so would the entire family.
"Won't this be a present surprise."
I thought about having a scene where they met with Ironwood and discussed the plan and bring up variables like not being able to despatch as many Hunters and having Weiss and her team offer to deal with any reinforcements and the ETA time of Atlas airships. I decided against it because I thought instead of having a 1000 word scene of them discussing it I could just show the plan unfolding and finally get to the action. So that's why there wasn't some big prep scene with everyone discussing what they wanted to do. It felt like I was going to waste time writing it.