Mortem - Inevitable Change
"Thrust. Block. Form One. Remember, keep the tip of your sword aimed at your opponent. You are a threat to them. Remind them. Do not lower your guard."
Jaune nodded his head, panting as his sword cut through the empty air. He moved his body as she instructed, walking around him as she examined his form.
"Form One." Sheath sword. "Form Two." Take sword and shield out for a fight. "Form Three." Sword forward, shield protecting half of his body. "Form One." And sheath.
"You're getting better," she smiled.
"I have a good teacher." She chuckled at that, making Jaune smile with pride.
Three months of pure training and practice. Jaune had to admit, he felt pretty good about how far he had come, and the fact that he was able to wield his family's weapons was a mark of pride for the young man.
He did his best to focus on that pride and ignore the Goliath in the room. He wanted to think he was doing his family proud by wielding Crocea Mors. It was better than thinking about what his mother thought of him…
"Why don't we move to practice duels now?" she asked, holding up two wooden swords for them. Jaune nodded his head, putting Crocea Mors down before he took the offered blade and readied himself for a fight.
He took a deep breath as Pyrrha wielded her own weapon, holding the sword tightly in her hands as Jaune readied himself.
"Just say wh-whoa!" Jaune screamed as he lifted up his sword to block an attack from Pyrrha, nearly falling back as her sword flowed through the air.
She was so damn fast, and Jaune knew she was toying with him. She wasn't taking this fight seriously. If she did, he'd be on the ground already. Jaune felt his body retreat as he protected himself, barely able to keep up with his teacher.
"In a real fight, Grimm won't wait for you to be ready! They'll attack without warning, relentlessly, showing no mercy!"
He nodded his head, blocking another blow with his shield, feeling it trembling from the force of her blow. He did his best to stand his ground as he grinned at her.
"Grimm also roar and growl a lot more."
"Are you asking me to growl at you?" she chuckled.
"It would help my immersion."
Pyrrha chuckled at that, before she furrowed her brow and leaned her head forward. "Grrr! Raaah! Roar! Ahhh!" Her half-hearted growls were the symphony of her victory as Jaune's sword was knocked out of his hands and he fell onto his back, laughing.
"No! I-I surrender! Don't eat me!"
The two laughed at their joke, before Pyrrha slipped her foot under his sword. She kicked the sword up and caught it in the air, before holding the weapon out to Jaune. He smiled as he took it, before quickly blocking a simple thrust from Pyrrha.
The two continued to practice, with Jaune staying on alert despite Pyrrha's calm movements. He knew she was holding back. It wasn't an exaggeration to say that Pyrrha was probably the strongest individual at RA-27, and he thanked the stars that she was around to teach him and the others.
"Remember how many weapons you have, Jaune."
"Huh?" He blocked her sword, before glancing at his shield. "What-?" Her leg suddenly slammed into his, and he cried out in pain, falling over and onto the ground. "Ahh…"
"Sorry," she apologized, holstering her weapons, before she helped him back up. "But you need to remember that you have other weapons on you. Your fist, your legs, your-"
"Head?" he asked, holstering his own weapons. He smiled as he jerked his head forward. "Headbutt my enemies?"
"That's… not how you headbutt," she chuckled. She reached her hand forward, brushing a lock of golden hair from his forehead. "The hardest part of your body is the center of your forehead. What you need to do is try and smear the other person's nose with your forehead."
"Right." He nodded his head as Pyrrha tilted her head down as an example. He did the same, and when the two lifted their heads back they found themselves… close.
"Uhh…"
"Sorry!" Pyrrha stepped back, holding her hands up as her face turned as red as her hair. "I am sorry, I was just uhh teaching you how…"
"It's okay." He held up his hand, smiling at her. His face felt flushed as Pyrrha apologized once more, bowing her head. The young man chuckled at how easily embarrassed his teacher became.
It was funny. He had seen her carve up Grimm with ease, and yet she would buckle under praise and gratitude.
A month of the two working alongside Cardin, Nora, and Ren. Team ACRNN was making a name for themselves. Helping others, saving lives, it was the kind of life Jaune had hoped for.
A week ago, they saved a recon team from a pack of Beowolves. A few days before that, they escorted a trading caravan to RA-28 and back.
They were saving lives. They were heroes… but for all the good they did, Jaune couldn't help but feel like it wasn't enough. He and his mother hadn't spoken ever since she gave him Crocea Mors…
"Am I interrupting something?" a voice asked, and Jaune was knocked out of his thoughts as he and Pyrrha turned their heads to find a one woman audience staring at them.
"Saphron!" His sister. Of course. Jaune groaned to himself as the blonde woman's eyes bounced between Jaune and his teacher, before honing in on her brother. "Nothing. Just training."
"Right. Well, do you mind if I borrow my brother, Miss Nikos?"
"N-no. Not at all," Pyrrha replied. "Jaune, good work today. I'll see you at the new landing zone when you're done?"
Jaune nodded his head. The newly installed landing zone was some of the best news RA-27 had gotten lately. Most supplies were run between RAs with land vehicles since most of the air force was devoted to fighting on the front lines.
Finally, after what felt like months, planes would be flying to help the citizens of Atlas instead of just carpet bombing the Grimm. As nice as it was to hear about Grimm deaths, people were starving and dying between Residential Areas…
"I'll be there." The first use of the landing zone was today. Supplies for the people of their little town.
"Good. Bring Cardin too, would you?" He nodded his head again before Pyrrha bowed to the two siblings and walked away, leaving Jaune and Saphron alone. Her stupid smile made him roll his eyes as he sighed.
"Don't."
"I'm just curious if you're looking for a gold star from your teacher."
"Sis."
"She's barely older than you, and you're not getting any younger."
"You're funny," he replied. She chuckled at his annoyance and as much as he wanted to join her, he had to ask. "How's mom?"
"Quiet. Still mad at you. If she knew I came to see you, she'd probably have my head…"
"So same old, same old?"
"Yeah…"
With Jaune gone, Saphron was the oldest child. The one who was supposed to help mom. He bit his lower lip as she gave him a small smile.
"We all really miss you."
"Yeah, I… I miss you too."
Lying to mom to see someone she shouldn't. It was almost funny how similar Jaune and his sister were. He wasn't able to muster up much of a laugh, though. He walked towards her and together the two walked through RA-27, making idle small talk between them.
Nothing major. Nothing extreme. Jaune didn't even tell her about all of the Grimm he had killed lately. It was just a short walk to try and feel normal.
"So… Pyrrha."
"Saphron, she's my teacher."
"By like a year! And does she even have a degree?" his sister replied. "Besides, look me in the eyes and tell me she's not pretty."
Well, she had him on that one. Jaune's cheeks turned a subtle shade of pink as he frowned. "Pyrrha and I are just friends," he sighed. "She's great, but… I don't know. Shouldn't dating be the least of my concerns with the world going to hell?"
Saphron smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes. The two leaned against the building of a small general store as she avoided his gaze.
"I remember when you were talking about how badly you wanted a girlfriend. You were so excited," she chuckled. You were the weird kid, remember? I don't think you ever thought girls were gross or had cooties or anything…"
"What do you mean 'I was the weird kid?'" he teased, and she chuckled a bit more honestly this time.
"You used to ask mom and dad to watch romance movies."
"I like romance movies! You know, true love conquers all."
"Yeah. Well, it'd be nice if it did, huh?" she muttered, staring off at the shacks and huts that made up their little town. "Look, all I'm saying is she's cute, she's tough, and she can babysit you. To me, you're not gonna find a better woman."
Jaune rolled his eyes, gently elbowing his sister. "You're one to talk. Have you spoken to her yet?" This time it was Saphron's turn to blush and Jaune grinned with pride. "You know, I think there's a thing about people in glass houses who shouldn't toss stones."
"Uh huh. Look, I'm working on mustering up the courage to talk to her."
"You've been doing that for a week."
"Well, I can't be using headbutts as an excuse to get close."
"I was not-! Were you listening in on us?" Saphron just shrugged her shoulders as Jaune huffed.
The two continued to talk, watching as the sky began to darken. It was twilight now, and Jaune sighed as he reached into his wallet.
"It's getting late. Should probably get back to work."
"I'd rather you deal with moving boxes than fighting against Grimm." Jaune took out a small wad of crumpled up lien and he counted them off before handing the money over to his sister. Hard earned money for the jobs he had done for the community. She took them with a nod.
"Take care of everyone, okay?"
"I… Yeah." She nodded her head as he began to walk past her, but her voice made him pause for just a moment. "I wish you could give this to mom yourself. Lying like this feels wrong."
"Yeah… It does," he muttered, before he kept moving, leaving his sister behind.
It didn't take long for Jaune to find Cardin and together the two began to make their way to the new landing zone. Perfect timing too considering they could see two large airships flying over to their town.
"First time I've ever seen them slow down around us," Cardin grumbled.
"It's a nice change of pace. I hope they have some good food on there. Maybe pineapple so I can finally put something on the pizzas or something…"
"Pineapple… Who the hell likes pineapple on their pizza?"!" Cardin shouted.
"I do. I like the sweet and savory taste."
"I really wish the Grimm had eaten you last week."
"Guess I should have let that Ursa eat you the week before that, huh?"
"It got the drop on me, Jauney-boy. Just dumb luck."
This was their friendship. Well, friendship might have been a strong word for it, but Jaune and Cardin found comfort in their dislike for one another. Rarely were they happy to spend time together, but at least they could banter and joke around.
It was the best of a bad situation, Jaune supposed.
"Where are Ren and Nora?"
"With some of the guards hunting," Cardin replied. "Bet they just wanted some privacy so they could… you know."
Jaune groaned as they walked, shaking his head. "Cardin, that's disgusting. They're our teammates."
"Yeah, and Nora's got a fat ass. Ren would have to be stupid not to get that while the getting was good. If he doesn't, I will," Cardin grinned, earning another disgusted groan from Jaune.
"Somehow I doubt she'd reciprocate." The two watched as the airships began to land, just in time for them to reach the small base being used as a hangar. It wasn't much, little more than a hangar and landing pads, but it was enough as the two large VTOLs began to descend.
There they found Pyrrha waiting for them with a smile.
She waved at them. Any greeting would have been blown away as the wind picked up, beating the three back as dust and dirt was kicked up and the two airships finally reached solid ground. Several workers started approaching the ships, eager to help take the supplies off.
"Best behavior, both of you," Pyrrha whispered and Jaune raised his brow as one of the ships opened and a man stepped out to greet them.
"Pyrrha! Good to see you again."
"Commandant Amin," Pyrrha replied as the man's tail wagged.
Wait, what?
"Ugh, please. Do not call me that. Just Marrow is fine."
Jaune and Cardin shared a glance as they realized the man walking towards them, dressed in high ranking Atlesian military clothing, was a Faunus. A dog one, judging by his wagging tail.
Jaune hadn't met many Faunus, honestly. His town just didn't have many in them, and while he had seen a few here and there over the last few years, this was the first one he had met that was an officer in the military.
Good for him, he thought to himself as Marrow and Pyrrha spoke.
She held a hand out to him and he glanced down at it before wrapping his arms around her and pulling her into a tight hug. Jaune had never seen any military official so… affectionate. It was actually kind of funny, and he chuckled a bit until he noticed Cardin's toothy scowl.
The blond raised his brow as Pyrrha and Marrow pulled apart. They were both smiling, before they turned their gaze upon Jaune and Cardin.
"These must be your Huntsmen."
"They're still under training, but yes. This is Cardin Winchester and Jaune Arc."
"Hi, uh, sir." Jaune waved a hand as Cardin simply nodded his head.
"It's good to meet you both. I understand you have two other members of your team? Nora Valkyrie and Lie Ren?"
"Yes. They're both on a mission outside the city at the moment, though."
"Well, they're going to return to quite the surprise." Marrow moved his hand, gesturing to the workers onboard the large ships to start moving crates off. "Over fifty Atlesian Knights series, food, water purifiers, the works."
Pyrrha smiled at the news, though Jaune could see the hesitation. "That's fantastic, Marrow, thank you, but… Won't the soldiers on the front lines need the AKs?"
"Orders from the top, Pyrrha. We want to offer more help to residential areas like yours that live out here on the fringe."
"Hey, help sounds great," Jaune grinned. "Right, Cardin?"
"Yeah. Great," Cardin grumbled. He turned his gaze towards the ship and Jaune followed his stare. Humans and faunus were taking the supplies off the ship, helping the workers of their town to get things where they needed to be.
Jaune smiled at the sight, but it wasn't hard to notice Cardin's frown. The blond raised his brow as Marrow turned to Pyrrha.
"If it's okay with you, Pyrrha, I'd love a tour of the area. I want to make sure you have everything you need to help your people. Whatever it takes, the Atlesian government will provide."
"Nice change of pace…"
"Cardin!" Pyrrha turned her head to Cardin, glaring at him before Marrow held up his hand.
"No, no. It's okay, Pyrrha. I understand that the Atlas government hasn't been the best to you. We intend on changing that."
"Of course, Marrow. Thank you." She motioned him forward and he led the walk. Pyrrha glanced at Cardin and Jaune, glaring at the former. "Is there going to be a problem, Cardin?"
"No, ma'am. Not as long as the dog doesn't make one."
"Cardin," Pyrrha growled, glaring at him. She glanced behind the two, before motioning for them to walk with her. They obeyed, walking a few feet away from Marrow as he spoke to the workers of the new supply hangar.
Jaune had a sinking feeling in his chest as his teacher and teammate glared at one another. "You will not refer to a superior officer, or anyone, in that tone again. Do I make myself clear?"
"You really expect us to trust him?" Cardin replied. "You think he has our best interests in mind?"
"Cardin-" Jaune was interrupted by the young man, and the words he spat made Jaune cringe in disgust.
"He's a Faunus, we're humans. If it came down to it, who do you think he'll look out for? Pack mentality, Faunus only give a crap about other Faunus."
"Cardin." Jaune had seen Pyrrha upset before. He had seen her mad. This was something else. Something personal as she placed a hand on Cardin's shoulder and dug her fingers into his armor. Her hand was shaking. "I will not stand here and listen to you speak to Marrow that way. He is a good man. I owe him my life."
Cardin opened his mouth and she held up a single finger. Her emerald glare sent shivers down Jaune's back as the words died in Cardin's throat.
"Stay here and help unload the ships."
"What?! But-"
"That is an order. Go." She lifted her hand off of his body and Cardin sighed, shaking his head before he began to walk away.
Pyrrha and Jaune watched him, before the former took a deep breath. "Just when we were starting to like the guy, huh?" Jaune muttered. Pyrrha let out a weak laugh, nodding her head. "Pyrrha, I… I think I should stay here. I'll keep an eye on Cardin. See if I can talk him down."
The scarlet-haired woman turned her gaze towards Jaune, nodding his head. "Thank you, Jaune." She smiled at him and he returned the gesture. The two soon parted ways as Jaune resigned himself to Cardin Duty.
"You wanna-ah! Talk about what that was back there?" Jaune grunted, helping Cardin carry a large box off the ship. The crate was incredibly heavy, requiring both of them and even then their bodies were struggling to lift it. "What is in this thing?!" Jaune growled.
"Nothing to talk about..."
"I beg… to differ."
The two placed the box on the ground and Cardin sighed, leaning against the crate. "Look, animals stick with their own kind. I'm not blaming them. It's in their nature. So we should return the favor and look out for our own."
Jaune placed a hand on his head, rubbing at the bridge of his nose. "I don't trust him. He's gonna screw us over, just watch."
"Cardin, he seems like a nice guy. Pyrrha trusts him."
"Yeah, and Pyrrha's naive. She's tough and all, but she's no leader."
"She's done good so far," Jaune growled. Being a dick to someone Jaune didn't even know was one thing, but hearing Cardin speak ill of their teacher, the woman who took a chance on Jaune, who helped him become a Huntsman… "And maybe you're just being an ass."
"The hell did you say, Jauney-boy?" he growled, reaching for his weapon. Jaune slammed his hand on the crate, glaring at the brute.
"I'm saying, maybe you're just being a dick. We are finally getting some help and this is how you wanna act?! People need food. They need water! We need to survive and Marrow's trying to help!"
"Maybe we shouldn't need his help. Maybe we should just be tough enough to survive on our own."
Jaune groaned in annoyance, before he froze. His eyes widened as he glanced down at the large box. Cardin's brow furrowed and he opened his mouth, barking at Jaune.
"Hey! Don't ignore-"
"Shut up," Jaune ordered, putting a finger to his lips. He motioned to the box, before he pressed his ear against the metal and closed his eyes. He heard it again.
A growl. A deep, bone-chilling growl.
Jaune stood up, his eyes widening. "What's in this crate?"
"I'm sorry, sir. That's classified," one of the workers replied.
"I thought they were full of food, water, and supplies. Why shouldn't we know what's inside?"
"W-well, you see-" The worker had arrived with the shipmate, with Marrow. He was nervous, avoiding Jaune's eyes as Cardin scowled, taking out Executioner and slamming his weapon into the top of the crate and denting the lid.
He tore the broken lid off, and Jaune's eyes widened as he saw the crimson eyes of an Ursa inside, glaring at Jaune. The initial blow had stunned it, thankfully, and by the time Jaune took out his sword and stabbed at the monster's head, Cardin brought his weapon down on it again.
They killed the Ursa together, before they turned their weapons towards the workers who came with the ship.
"No one moves!" Jaune shouted. "No one. Not until we understand what's happening,"
"Oh, I understand. A bunch of animals decided to drag their shit into our house!" Cardin growled, aiming the Executioner at one of the Faunus.
"Cardin, not now!" Jaune growled.
"Why are you defending him?! I can beat the truth out of him right-" Cardin and Jaune both heard it. The sound of metal being hit. A ringing sound that gave way to tearing and bending as a large metal crate behind them was torn apart…
Jaune and Cardin turned their heads, listening to every ringing strike as they moved, standing beside one another as a white fist tore through the crate. It was pushed apart, a hole ripped through the massive crate as Jaune saw a Grimm he had never seen before.
It wasn't just that the Grimm was new to him, it was… how it moved. How it stood. It didn't move like an animal, but like a man.
The Grimm towered at least a whole foot over Cardin. It had a humanoid body, with its black body covered in white armor. The head wore a white mask with several small holes, each one glowing a dark red as it stepped forward. Every footstep was like a clap of thunder as it lifted its large, muscular arms.
"What… is that?" Jaune asked as the workers, both new and old, scrambled in different directions. Cardin growled, holding Executioner up as the humanoid Grimm smashed its fist into the palm of its hand.
The entire ship trembled with the force as Jaune and Cardin felt air blowing past them… Then it ran at them and Jaune held up his shield to block the first strike. The creature's fist collided with his shield, and Jaune screamed as he was knocked onto the ground. The force of the blow and the angle sent Jaune onto his back, holding the shield up as the monster tried to crush him.
"Hey!" Cardin ran forward at the Grimm, swinging his mace at the creature's leg. It dodged Cardin, moving out of the way of the blow and away from Jaune. It then threw another punch, which Cardin was barely able to dodge.
He swung back at it and the Executioner collided with the creature's chest plate. The weapon trembled against the blow as the sound of metal against Grimm armor shook the air around them. Cardin's eyes widened, seeing that the armor lacked even a scratch...
Jaune groaned where he lied, forcing his body up as he watched other crates and boxes being torn open from the inside. Grimm spilled out from them like a black flood as Jaune felt his blood turn cold. Beowolves, Ursa, Creeps, and more were breaking out of their prisons.
The Grimm were running in different directions, wildly attacking workers or leaving the landing pad to find fresh meat. Jaune reached for his Scroll to contact Pyrrha, but a cry of pain stopped him. He turned his head, finding Cardin on the ground with the Grimm on top of him, digging his foot into Cardin's chest.
"Cardin!" Jaune held his weapons tightly as he ran forward, kicking up dirt and stone as he moved as quickly as his legs could take him.
He pulled back his arm to cut at the Grimm's knee. There were holes in the armor for the joints to move, and he dug his sword into the black flesh, watching smoke pour out from the wound. He moved in for another strike, only for the Grimm to catch Jaune's sword in its hand. The blond had no time to react as it grabbed Jaune's shield in the other and lifted him up.
"Ahhhh!" Jaune felt his arms being pulled in two different directions. He screamed as the Grimm leaned in, staring at Jaune with every bloody eye it had. He stared into them as he felt his shoulders stretch. His fingers struggled to hold onto his weapons as he saw into the eyes of the Grimm.
Hate. Not an animalistic fury like Beowolves or Bogeymen, but raw, pure, genuine hate in the Grimm's eyes. Jaune's weapons were pulled out of his hands and thrown aside as his body fell to the ground.
Cardin caught him, quickly helping him stand on his feet as the Grimm towered over them. Jaune felt like his arms had almost popped right out of their sockets as Cardin held the Executioner in his hands.
The Grimm stepped forward and they stepped back. Then they heard the thunderous clap of footsteps from inside the ship, watching another humanoid Grimm inside, staring at the two with its spider-like eyes.
The monster in front of them raised his fist and brought it down on the two. Jaune and Cardin moved back as a scream cut through the air.
"Stay!" The Grimm in front of them froze in place, his fist inches from them. They felt the wind blowing past their faces as they turned their gaze towards Marrow and Pyrrha, the latter of whom was running over. The former stood still, pointing at the now frozen Grimm.
Pyrrha slashed at the Grimm's legs, cutting at the exposed flesh as the creature trembled. Cardin ran forward to help, but Jaune saw the other Grimm picking up one of the crates. It spun around, throwing the metal box at his teammates.
"Guys, look out!" He ran forward, tackling Pyrrha to the ground as the large box flew over their heads. Pyrrha fell onto her back, Jaune on her body as he saw Marrow's eyes widening.
He moved his arm, aiming it at the other Grimm now as it tore the lid off a crate and pulled its arm back. "St-" The Grimm threw the lid like a frisbee and it flew through the air like a buzzsaw as it froze in place. "-ay!"
Pyrrha gasped, pushing Jaune off of her as she turned her sword into a spear and threw it, letting it spin low to the ground. It made it a moment before the lid did, hitting Marrow's legs and knocking him to the floor. The lid shot over him as Cardin shouted out to the others.
"Hey! Could use some help here!" he shouted, dodging another fist as the Grimm tried to crush him.
"Go help Marrow, I've got this." Pyrrha held out her hand and Jaune watched as his shield and sword were returned to his hands thanks to her Semblance. "Marrow's Semblance lets him freeze what he's pointing at, but it only works in one direction and it takes a lot of his Aura."
"Right." He nodded his head. "Good luck."
"You too."
The two parted ways and Jaune watched as Marrow was stuck dodging thrown objects from the Grimm. The monster was moving so fast and throwing so much that Marrow didn't have time to use his Semblance. Jaune ran in front of the Commandant, using his shield to give the man some cover.
"You okay?"
"Yeah. Thanks for the help." Jaune peeked over his shield, eyes widening as he saw the creature reach for a forklift
"Marrow!"
"Stay!" Marrow pointed at it, making it freeze. Jaune sighed with relief, nearly dropping his weapons.
"Finally. What are these things?"
"Berserkers. They're not like other Grimm," he growled, his voice low. "They're smart. Elites."
"Great," Jaune sighed, before a scream caught their attention. The two turned their heads, watching as the other Berserker picked Cardin up and threw him at the two. "Incoming!"
Cardin slammed into Jaune while Marrow was able to dodge the Huntsman. Unfortunately the connection was broken and the other Berserker charged at the three, jumping into the air and letting gravity take care of the rest.
Jaune's eyes widened as the shadow loomed over them. The Berserker's feet aimed to crush their bodies under it… before a spear shot into it, impaling it through the neck. The crimson spear was stuck halfway through it as Marrow pointed his fingers at the other Berserker. Jaune had enough time to see Pyrrha jump into the air, avoiding Marrow's Semblance as he shouted out a command.
"Stay!"
The other Grimm was frozen as Pyrrha landed and held out her hands. Jaune and Cardin's weapons rose up from the ground. Pyrrha's spear tore its way out of the decaying body of the Grimm as the metal crates and lids rose up with them. Pyrrha aimed her hands at the Grimm as the weapons began to circle it, striking and cutting at the Berserker with precise and quick strikes, cutting away at every tendon and joint until the Grimm was nothing more than a black smoke fading away into nothingness.
It was… unlike anything Jaune had seen before. He knew Pyrrha was strong, but the way she wielded three different weapons and the metal debris so easily was a heavy reminder that Pyrrha was a league all her own.
The locals called her the Invincible Girl, and it was easy to understand why as she tore the Grimm apart within a tornado of metal blades… When it was over, she returned her teammates' weapons to them and dropped the rest of the metal to the floor.
"S-sorry," she panted.
"It's okay." Jaune ran over to her, reaching her before the others. He placed a hand on her shoulder and he gave his Aura to her, recharging her and letting her take a deep breath.
"Thank you, Jaune," she smiled. She nodded her head in thanks as Marrow raised his brow.
"Wait, what did he do?"
"My Semblance. I can give my Aura to others and supercharge them, or just help replenish their batteries." Jaune reached his hand out to Marrow. "Thanks for the help."
Marrow took Jaune's hand in his, and his eyes widened as Jaune used a little bit of his Aura to replenish the commandant's. He chuckled, tail wagging for a moment.
"Wow. You weren't kid-"
"Hey. Are we forgetting something?!" Cardin growled. He suddenly pushed Marrow's chest, stepping forward and glaring at the man. "What the hell did you do?!"
"What-?"
"You told us you were bringing supplies, but all you did was bring Grimm inside of our base! Your men helped them, your men ran off with them! So you better start talking or I'm going to-!"
"Stay." Cardin froze. Marrow took a deep breath and Jaune could see the man's brow twitching for a moment. His fingers curled into fists, before unfolding and he let out a quiet sigh. "I didn't mean for any of this to happen. I swear, Pyrrha, my only intention was to help you. None of this was my doing."
"I was tricked." Marrow turned his gaze towards Cardin, carefully enunciating the words. "I trusted those men and they betrayed me. I trusted the shipment, and I was wrong. This is my fault. I take full responsibility, but right now I want to help make things right. All I ask is that you give me that."
Marrow released Cardin and Jaune could see the man shaking for a moment. "Ugh, never do that to me again, mu-"
"Cardin!" Pyrrha growled, silencing him for a moment.
But only for a moment. "This guy literally brought Grimm onto our base and you're mad at me?! How the hell am I the bad guy here?!"
"Nothing will be solved by us arguing. Right now the civilians are our top priority. We need to find the Grimm and-" Pyrrha's Scroll suddenly beeped and she growled in frustration before she took it out and brought it to her ear.
"Captain, I am well aware of the Grimm inside the base. I-"
"No! Not inside! Out! Outside!"
"What?" A crash. A scream. Gunfire.
"We have Grimm on their way to the base! Ren said that there were hundreds of them! They're making a charge towards us now! We can't fight this many! We need the AKs now!"
Marrow overheard the call and he ran forward, running into the ship. Jaune followed, watching as Marrow looked inside one of the crates… and slammed his hand against the broken wall.
"The AKs are destroyed. The Grimm tore them apart while they were deactivated."
"How could you let this happen?!" Cardin screamed. "How the hell do Grimm just get onto your ship? How do your workers turn out to be traitors?! How-?"
"I don't know!" Marrow shouted, turning to Cardin. "I don't know. I wish I did, I wish I could go back in time and fix this, but I can't, and if we don't do something, your people are going to die!"
Marrow froze as Jaune felt… He felt…
Hopeless?
"This isn't happening," Jaune whispered, feeling his eyes sting and his vision blur. "This is not happening."
Grimm inside. Grimm outside. Jaune could already hear the screams beyond the supply hangar, listening to people trying to fight back against the Grimm within their hallowed walls. Listening to people die as the Grimm tore them apart.
"Mom." The Grimm were going to tear her apart. They were going to kill her, his sisters, everyone. No survivors.
"We can't give up." Pyrrha slammed the blunt end of her spear against the ground, catching the others' attention. "We won't. Marrow, how many people can fit on your ships?"
"These are supply runners. They're built to carry a lot of weight with small crews. Probably a hundred each, probably more."
"Cardin, Jaune, go to town and start evacuating people. Send them here. No time to pack. The only thing that matters is saving lives. I'll inform the local militia and we'll work together to get as many people out of here as we can. Marrow, until I get back, keep these ships safe and away from the Grimm. Secure a perimeter around them. I'll call the guard captain and send reinforcements to you as soon as I can."
"You're trusting hi-?" Cardin's mouth fell shut with one glare from Pyrrha.
"Go. Now."
"Fine."
Cardin turned and ran, leaving Jaune to stare at Pyrrha for a long moment. Their eyes met as Jaune tried to speak. His throat ran dry as his heart raced, drumming between his ears, almost leaving him deaf…
"It's going to be okay, Jaune." She placed a hand on his shoulder and wore a smile on her lips. "I promise."
She couldn't know that, and deep down inside, some part of Jaune hated himself for being so weak. He didn't dwell on it. He couldn't. He just took a deep breath and nodded his head.
"Be careful," he begged.
"I will. You too, okay?"
"Yeah…"
War. Jaune had been in fights before, but that wasn't like this. War was a monster all its own, and it had invaded the safety of their walled off city. Jaune told himself again and again that this city was what he fought for against the horde of Grimm.
Now he watched the flames consume it as Grimm ran rampant, attacking and killing anyone they found as human and Faunus soldiers opened fire into crowds. The pounding of their guns, the hisses of their bullets, and so many bodies laying on the floor from the massacre… They were slaughtering innocents, picking off anyone the Grimm missed as Jaune wondered.
Was that woman his sister? He just ran past her. He wasn't sure. She was screaming, and she was red. Blood? Or just the color of her clothes? Mom. She was old. She wasn't a fighter. Did a stray bullet hit her?
Don't think about it. Just focus.
He buried those feelings deep down inside as he ran forward, sword in hand. He didn't think about it. He just dug the blade into one of the soldiers and they fell to the ground together. They were struggling. Choked gasps as Jaune felt tears falling down his face.
Don't think about it. Don't think about who this man was. If he had a family waiting for him. If he was scared to die. Don't think about it.
He pulled the sword out, feeling the man's hand on Jaune's shoulder, trying to hold him close. Did he seek vengeance? Or did he just not want to die alone?
Jaune didn't spare it another thought as he stared down the barrel of a gun from one of the attackers. Jaune held his shield tightly, ready to move it in front of him only for Cardin's mace to slam into the soldier's hip.
There was a loud crack as a bone was shattered and Cardin glared at Jaune. He didn't say anything, just turning away as he holstered his weapon. His arms turned to stone as he reached for the door of a nearby store and tore it off. Jaune heard terrified screams from inside… before Cardin spoke.
"It's okay. We're Huntsmen. Go to the hangar, get to safety. Come on…"
Jaune watched as Cardin stepped out of the store with a small family, before he looked at Jaune and then at the fallen soldier he had attacked.
"Come on, Jauney-boy. We got work to do."
He grabbed Jaune's arm, forcing him up as Jaune saw the red on his sword. He gulped, taking a deep breath of the ashy air.
Focus.
Jaune nodded his head as he and Cardin began to move, fighting their way through the town as they found guards and civilians and told them the news.
Some argued, refusing to give up their homes or abandon their friends. Others just ran, accepting the order with hushed gratitude.
"Come on, get up!" Cardin argued, trying to reach down to pull the young woman onto her feet.
"No! I'm not leaving her!" she argued, fighting against Cardin as Jaune kept an eye out for other Grimm.
He swore he heard the sound of thunder, yet there wasn't a cloud in the dark sky above. Just a blanket of stars over them as their city burned.
"Look, your mom is gone. I'm sorry, it sucks, but she's dead! And if you don't move, you'll die too!"
Cardin tore the young girl from her mother's cold body. He pushed her towards a nearby guard, barking orders as Jaune heard another beep from his Scroll. An announcement was being made on a continuous loop telling the citizens about the evacuation, but he knew this was something else.
He took his Scroll out and saw an incoming call from one of the guard captains. He answered it and put it on speaker as Cardin walked over.
"Huntsmen! We need help! Grimm attacking the Eastern Wall! Huntress Nikos is holding them back, but she is overwhelmed! The Grimm horde has slowed down, but we don't have long until they get-ahhh!"
Was the speaker killed? Neither Jaune or Cardin said anything as they heard an explosion shake the foundation of their city, and they turned their heads to see flames reaching towards the heavens as plumes of smoke began to form.
"We've got to help Pyrrha!"
Jaune stepped forward, only to be stopped by Cardin. "Hey! What about the people?! We've got to help everyone we can get out of here!"
"Pyrrha needs our help! She's the best fighter here! If we lose her, none of us are going to survive long!" Jaune growled, pushing Cardin back. "If it was you, you know she'd come to save you!"
"Go." Cardin growled out the word. His shoulders fell as he breathed through gritted teeth. "Bring her ass to the ships. We don't have long until this entire place is overrun by Grimm."
Jaune nodded his head and his legs carried him all of three steps before he felt them turn to stone. He stopped and his heart ached as a question was asked in his own mind. His lips parted, trying to form the words as he felt… shame.
"Cardin." He called out to the man, unwilling to turn around. Had Cardin already walked away? Or was he just ignoring him? Jaune didn't want to know as he felt his fingers dig into the palms of his hand.
"What?" There he was. Cardin stood behind Jaune as their city was burned to ash. They could hear screaming from the people of RA-27, the roar and snarls of the Creatures of Grimm, and the crackle of fire as Jaune tried to speak.
Jaune hated himself for this. He truly, truly did as he turned to stare into Cardin's eyes. "My family. Can you… I need you to make sure they're okay." Cardin didn't say anything. He just stared at the blond as Jaune damned himself.
He was wasting time. People needed help. He shouldn't keep Cardin here. Every second was another wasted moment. Someone was dying with every moment of hesitation as Jaune finally spoke again.
"Please, make sure my family gets out of here."
If Cardin wasted time saving Jaune's family, how many lives would it cost? What if it costs Cardin's? What if Jaune was sentencing him and so many other people to die…? What if Cardin fought tooth and nail to save Jaune's family at the expense of another family? Kids dead because Jaune wanted to be selfish.
No. He had to be. He saw his mother's corpse staring back at him as he pleaded one last time.
"Please. Save them."
For the first time, Jaune felt he had wronged Cardin. He asked him an impossible question. He begged Cardin to ignore the other families for Jaune's. Jaune wouldn't be sure how he'd answer if Cardin was the one begging him, but finally Cardin spoke.
"Alright, Jaune." He nodded his head, and that was it. He turned and ran away, leaving Jaune to stand there alone.
The deed was done. No time for regrets, now he needed to help Pyrrha. He knew that if he and Cardin had split up before they might have reached more people, but there were so many Grimm and so much death that Jaujne wasn't sure if they'd survive on their own.
Time to find out.
The Eastern Wall was yet another warzone. Jaune ignored those slain where they laid, focusing on helping the living. Jaune impaled his sword into a Beowolf's hide. It roared in pain, before he watched it die with another strike.
He turned his gaze to find some of the local guards stepping out from behind cover. They looked like hell. Clothes ripped and stained red. Jaune didn't want to think about it as one of them just stared through Jaune. The other bowed his head.
"T-thank you, sir."
"Where's Pyrrha?" Jaune replied. A part of him felt guilty for being so short. The rest of him didn't care as the soldier pointed his hand behind Jaune. The blond nodded his head.
"Get to safety. Help anyone you can. The airships should be safe." He prayed to the gods above that they were safe.
And with that, Jaune turned and ran. He was able to fight his way past the weaker Grimm, though they did cost him precious times as the worst went through his head.
Pyrrha was already dead. She was impaled on the claws of some Grimm. Or worse, he wouldn't be able to find her. She was just gone and the Grimm would overrun their city and he would die alone and scared.
He damned his mind for putting that thought in his head as he heard a familiar voice. A scream…!
"Pyrrha!" Jaune shouted, before he watched her body fly out from a window. Her fingers clutched her weapons tightly as she plummeted to the ground. Jaune's eyes widened as her body slammed into a wooden bench. The wood splintered and snapped under her as Jaune ran to her, helping her stand as something leapt out of the house. It landed in front of them, the earth cracking under it.
A Grimm. One that Jaune had never seen before. It was like a slimmer, smaller Beowolf with a mane that was almost, but not quite black… It was red, darker at the base and brighter at the tips. It glared at the two with crimson eyes as a long tail slowly moved behind it. The long, black tail was almost like a scorpion's, but it ended in a curve blade that almost resembled a scythe. All along the tail were a line of spikes, reaching from the tip to the base of the tail.
It moved through the air like a snake as the Grimm growled, before charging at them.
"Look out!" Pyrrha aimed her rifle and opened fire. The Grimm sidestepped the shots as its tail shot through the air, aimed for Jaune. Pyrrha moved her hand, pushing Jaune away with her Semblance as the tail shot between them. The tail then swung towards Pyrrha, who fell to the floor and fired at the Grimm.
It moved, faster than her bullets and it leapt onto the nearby wall of another house. Jaune was shaking, but he picked up his sword and shield and stood his ground. The Grimm snarled at him, before its tail shot out towards Jaune and it battered against Jaune's shield.
He nearly fell back as Pyrrha threw her shield at the Grimm. The monster jumped away, dodging the attack as Pyrrha activated her Semblance and the metal shield collided with the Grimm's legs, knocking it down.
"What is that thing?" Jaune groaned.
"Don't know. Some kind of Omega Beowolf?"
"Great, as if the Alphers weren't bad enough."
"Get out of here, Jaune. You need to escape."
"I'm not leaving you. We can beat this thing!" Jaune replied, but all he earned was a harsh glare from his teacher.
"Jaune, this Grimm isn't like any of the others I've ever fought. I… I don't know what it is, but it's smart, like the Berserkers. Smarter, I think. It-" The two heard a crash and they both turned to face the same directions. Their weapons were at the ready…
Then Pyrrha felt something stab into her leg. She cried out in pain as she was suddenly pulled by her foot, the Grimm's tail coiled around her with the bladed tip inches from her chest. She hit the ground, face first, before she was pulled away from Jaune.
"Pyrrha!"
Jaune gave chase, watching as Pyrrha was dragged against the stone and dirt. Her body collided with the bottom side of a burning car, elbow sliced on hot metal as she was brought before the Grimm.
It growled at Pyrrha, only to watch as Jaune ran towards them both. The Grimm's crimson eyes glared at him as Pyrrha held her hand out to the car she had been dragged under. She ignored the blood dripping down her body as the car was torn apart, chunks of metal ripped from it and pulled towards the Grimm.
The Grimm howled in pain as a metal pipe was stabbed into its leg, before a car door was bashed against its head. It fell to the ground as sharp strips of the car rained down on her.
Jaune couldn't believe how fast the thing was. It moved like a black blur, dodging several pieces of metal once it dropped Pyrrha to the ground. Some of the metal shards sliced at its hide, only for Jaune to watch as it caught some shrapnel in its hand and brought it down towards Pyrrha.
Pyrrha caught the shard in her hand, using her Semblance and her own strength to hold it back as the Grimm pushed her down to the ground. Jaune watched as blood began to drip from Pyrrha's fingers as the metal tip neared closer and closer to her eye.
She didn't have the strength. Jaune screamed her name, sword and shield in hand, but he was barely able to stop before the Grimm's tail nearly impaled him. He blocked it with his shield, but it made another strike at him, flinging itself wildly to keep him back as the metal blade inched closer to Pyrrha's face.
Jaune gritted his teeth, fighting against the tail, but it was almost like it had a mind of its own. It blocked him, keeping him from Pyrrha as the Grimm pushed the blade down lower. It dug into Pyrrha's cheek, and she held back a scream with gritted teeth as it slowly split her skin open.
She tried her best to be strong. For his sake or her own, he wasn't sure. She used her Semblance, but it was clear she was running low on her Aura. Metal from the wrecked car stabbed at the Grimm's furry hide, but it pushed through the pain, focussing only on ending its opponent's life.
The attacks were growing clumsy and weak. Low Aura levels and the inability to focus as her metal dug into her cheek and slowly slid down her face. The Grimm bled black smoke as Pyrrha tried to be strong... but soon she began to scream. Jaune had never heard her like that before. Pyrrha was strong, a champion of good, the Invincible Girl.
And she was screaming, bloody tears streaming down her face. She was scared. Terrified. Was she going to die? Was Jaune? Was this the end?
"Ahhh!" Jaune dropped his shield and he wrapped his arm around the tail as it shot past him. He held onto it, digging his feet into the ground as he threw his sword.
It slammed into the Grimm's shoulder, making it roar in agonizing pain as Pyrrha finally overpowered it, wrestling the shrapnel from its grip and pushing it into the Grimm's same arm. Then she pulled back her hand and launched it back, using the metal embedded in its body to throw it through the nearest house… and probably the next two beyond that.
Jaune panted, gasping for air as he glanced down at his chest. His armor was in one piece. He was in one piece. He told himself that was enough as he pushed himself over to Pyrrha. She laid on the ground, too weakened to stand as Jaune placed a hand on her stomach.
"I got you. I… I got you."
He heard an alarm in the distance. He ignored it as he gave his Aura to Pyrrha. He could feel his fingers gently squeeze her clothes as he felt tears slide down his body.
The bloody cut on Pyrrha's face began to fade, and when Jaune wiped his hand against it, all he found was dried blood and a scar. He let out a quiet sigh of relief as Pyrrha's voice reached out to him.
"W-we need to go," she groaned.
"Y-yeah. I know. Can you get up?" She nodded her head, and Jaune smiled at her. "Come on, Pyrrha, we-"
Something black shot past Jaune. His eyes widened, before the long tail of the Grimm wrapped around him. He screamed in pain as he felt small spikes digging into him, stabbing against his Aura as his hands grabbed at the tail. He tried to free himself as Pyrrha's eyes widened.
"Jaune!" He screamed in pain as his hands fought against the Grimm's grip and in that moment something changed.
The tail became loose and limp and Jaune fell to the ground. He laid on the ground, groaning as he looked at Pyrrha. She was getting up, returning her weapons to her hands as Jaune and her saw the Berserker turning the corner.
It stared at them, slowly walking forward until it began to turn into an outright charge. It ran at them as Jaune picked up his weapons, and the Grimm behind them leaped over their heads. Pyrrha and Jaune watched as their bodies collided, slamming into one another with enough force to shatter nearby windows.
Jaune and Pyrrha were pushed back by the shockwave. They watched as the two Grimm began to fight one another, clawing and scratching at the other as Jaune's eyes widened.
"I… I've never seen Grimm fight before."
"No time to wonder why. We have to move." Pyrrha grabbed his hand and the two began to run.
Huntsmen. Heroes of the people. Reduced to running for their lives as he could hear the walls of their city being torn down. Fire consumed and destroyed the homes of the city as the Grimm feasted on the innocent.
"Pyrrha! Where are you?!" Marrow's voice shouted from her Scroll.
"We're on our way, Marrow! Are the ships okay?"
"Yeah, but not for long! We need to take off as soon as possible! We have a fleet of Lancers on their way! These airships won't survive under sustained assault from them!"
"We're on our way. Get the ships in the air."
Jaune knew Pyrrha wanted to ask how many people were there. How many survivors were able to make it? A few dozen? A hundred? She didn't ask, focusing on the mission as she and Jaune as fast as they could.
Did Cardin, Nora, and Ren make it? Did his family? He wasn't sure. He didn't want to know. He just wanted to survive.
By now most of the resistance had been wiped out or was at the evacuation center. The city was burning to the ground as Grimm picked off survivors and moved closer to the hangar.
Beowolves began to chase after them. Pyrrha held up her hand, throwing various metal items at the Grimm behind them. Whatever she could reach. Cars, appliances, trash cans, anything and everything as they kept moving.
They were getting close, but a nearby wall was torn apart as a Berserker burst through the stone. Jaune's eyes widened as he watched the Grimm's fist come down, aimed for Pyrrha's head. He moved on instinct, pushing her to the ground as the fist slammed into the ground.
Their eyes met. Pyrrha and Jaune stared at one another as the horde of Grimm came closer and closer, snarling and roaring for blood as the Berserker turned its head towards Pyrrha. It glared at her, before its body trembled for a moment.
Jaune stabbed his sword into the leg of the Berserker, but by the time he was sliding it out the Grimm hit him, throwing him back. He slammed into the ground as the wave of Grimm roared…
Jaune didn't say anything. He couldn't. His body hurt as he felt his Aura nearly break. He just wanted Pyrrha to run. To survive.
She was the best fighter here. She needed to survive. He didn't think about it. He didn't waste time even considering another option.
He sealed his fate. He didn't have any choice but to accept it.
What was instinct? An innate reaction to something. That's how she understood it, at least. Dogs wagged their tails, fish swam, and Grimm hurt people.
Do people have instinct?
She imagined they did. What else was that feeling in her as she breathed for herself for the first time in so long…? The feeling of watching people in danger, a Grimm charging at them, wanting nothing more than their death…
Instinct. That's what told her to protect them. She had to help. She wanted to help.
She made her choice and she fought the Grimm with hands and claws that weren't hers. It fought, like so many had before, like the red-haired girl, but in the end it died… She killed it like so many others and then she was alone.
This city was burning. Grimm killed those that tried to flee and she just did what came naturally. She helped people.
Grimm were cut down as she wondered where she was. Who she was. What was this place? Who did she see when she stared at her own hands? Like a dream, she allowed her instincts to take over until she felt something.
She didn't have the words for it. Something pulled on her mind as she followed the sensation, finding one man caught in a flood of Grimm. He was going to die in seconds. She didn't doubt that for a moment, but did anyone really deserve to die?
She didn't think so. So she moved to save him, cutting down Grimm with ease. They fell apart, fading in a black and red smoke as the man stared at her. He looked scared. She hoped she could help him.
She formed a circle around him, cutting down Grimm. A Beowolf leapt at her and she grabbed it by the throat, finding its head to be so soft and squishable. She crushed it like a rotten fruit, feeling it turn to smoke in her hand as Crescent Rose cut down the beasts.
Crescent Rose? When did she pick her up? Her hands were empty. How was she able to-?
Another roar. She looked up to the sky as she dodged the fist of a Berserker. A Grimm with large, bat-like wings rose over the horizon. It roared, loud enough to shake the earth and air as she covered her ears.
So loud. The Berserker's fist slammed into her, knocking her to the ground as the night turned into morning for a moment. The winged Grimm opened its black maw, revealing a fire inside of it. The flame burned bright, shining a light upon the city as she realized what it was about to do.
She ran to the man, wrapping her arms around him and throwing themselves through a window. Their bodies hit the ground as she shielded his body with her own and the city was bathed in the flames of the Grimm.
She hoped she was able to help him.
END
Chapter two, folks. I hope you enjoyed the chapter. A few things to mention before the story ends.
One: I wanted the story to be told mostly from Jaune and Ruby's perspective, so the reader knows what they do mostly. Because of this, I can't really write about certain details. Check out my Twitter if you want to talk to me on there and see what I couldn't mention and what were some other ideas I had to scrap.
Two: No, not everyone is dead. Jaune and his friends did make a difference. The story is dark, but hopeless, but you won't be hearing from them for a while.
Three: Yes, I'm continuing You, Me, and Everyone in Between. This story isn't replacing it, it's just something I want to do for fun. Please remember that, while I appreciate them, I cannot reply to anonymous reviews.
Four: The Berserkers are an original Grimm, though apparently a different type of Berserkers showed up in the RWBY manga. Oh, well. The inspiration for my version of the Berserkers were the titular Terminators from the movie franchise Terminator and the Sentinels from X-men movies. Just these big, powerful creatures that were almost completely silent, and were dangerously competent.
Five: I wanted Jaune asking Cardin to save his family to come off a bit grey. What do you think? Is it right for Jaune to ask Cardin to prioritize his family over citizens who might have a better chance of survival? I'm not saying it's good or bad, just asking a question.
If you enjoyed the story, leaving a review is always appreciated. One chapter and already over a hundred followers! That's amazing and I am so thankful. I hope you stay safe, take care, and remember, you are loved.
See ya next time.
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