F3: Hello fellow readers and welcome to chapter 17. We left off where we found out that Mars is actually a faunus due to the necklace that kept it hidden. Also Star is trying to understand more about her semblance. RWBY is property of Rooster Teeth and Monty Oum. OC characters are owned by me unless stated. With that said Let's Roll Out!
Volume 4-17 Blue: Brawl in the Desert.
It was starting to get late as Star had finally returned from her training at Oscuro as she entered Mars home as she caught the smell so something cooking as she let out a hum.
"Something smell good in here." Star said getting Velvet and Cardin's attention but she noticed that Mars wasn't with them.
"Where'd Mars go?" She asked.
"She headed up to her room. She hasn't came back down. Though I wouldn't blame her." Velvet answered which now confused her.
"Is she alright? She's not sick is she?" Star asked worried for her friend. Velvet and Cardin looked at each other for a moment wondering what to say next before they looked back at Star.
"How about you shower and then come eat. We'll explain everything then." Cardin said. He did have a point as her training had made her a bit sweaty so it would be appropriate to get her self cleaned up. Luckily the home had a bathroom with a shower.
After taking a ten minute shower as it felt refreshing for her she came back down as a bowl of alfredo stir fry was ready for her.
Star sat down at the table as she took a bite of the meal tasting its creamy filling. She gave out a hum in delight as her tail wagged happily at the taste.
"Wow. This is great. You're cooking is getting better." Star complimented.
"Thanks. I had some help with it this time." Cardin said.
"Okay but what is going on with Mars? Is she okay?" Star asked again.
Before Cardin got a word out they heard footsteps coming from the stairs as Mars came down into the open. Though Star immediately saw something she didn't expect to see was a long blond tail that touched the ground slightly. That completely surprised Star as she got a look at her friend.
"I'm guessing this is what you guys were wanting to talk about right." Star replied as they nodded.
The three of them went into detail about how they figured out that Mars was Fenix daughter as they showed her the letter that was written by Fenix and the picture that showed Nia with a new born baby that had the same tail that Mars had.
Star took in all of this information but she already knew that Mars was Fenix daughter although she didn't want to exactly tell her right from the get go otherwise it'll be like opening a can of worms that and the worms might just jump at her.
"So your saying that this necklace kept her faunus trait from showing. Why would your mother want to hide your tail?" Star asked as Mars only shrugged Cardin placing a bowl of the meal in front of her.
"I wish I knew but maybe I can get some answers out of him when we get back to the capital. Hopefully we'll be able to resolve the conflict before then." Mars replied.
"Yeah. So afterward you all get some sleep. We're going to need our energy for whatever tomorrow brings us." Cardin replied as the four of them ate their dinner. Though Star can't help but look at Cardin for a moment.
She could tell that Cardin has grown from how he used to be. From a brute and a bully to not only other people but to faunus into now someone that cared deeply for the people that are around him. All because of one person that helped him out which made her frown a little.
"That trial must've started sometime ago. I hope that she's okay." Star thought as they continued eating their dinner till they all went to bed preparing themselves for tomorrow.
=RWBY=
Morning came to Corquina as everyone had gathered up and was preparing themselves for the ride ahead of them. Luckily it was still early in the morning as Carmine and her men had gathered outside the town with their vehicles fixed thanks to the help of Nebula and Dew as the violet haired girl brought the truck around to the exit of the town.
"Alright everyone! It'll be another hour till we get to the capital! Hopefully by then everything is still intact. Remember we'll be entering a possible hostile situation. Stay safe and we might just get out of this alive. Alright everyone let's move out!" Carmine ordered as Star and her company loaded up in the truck as Nebula took controls of the truck.
Everyone else started up their vehicles as Carmine took lead in her motorcycle. Nobody moved an inch until Carmine gave the signal to move out as she sped ahead of them. Her men quickly followed their leader as Nebula with everyone else picked up the rear. Their tires ripped through the sand as they were now in the home stretch heading straight toward the capital hopefully nothing has happened by then.
Meanwhile in the capital May was currently keeping a lookout for any White Fang while Melanie and Vanessa were talking with Fenix about a battle plan.
"If we set your men here along the ridges we can prevent them from getting close to the town as they can bombard them with bullets. Plus if they have any launchers we can have snipers on the towers to pick them off before they hit the academy." Vanessa replied.
"And what about this Theodore fellow? How should we deal with him?" He asked.
"I haven't seen him this morning. More than likely he figured out that we were on to him and decided to bail or head to the property to lead the attack himself. I honestly wouldn't put it past him if he did." Melanie replied.
"So if he is now going to be our enemy we'll have to deal with him as well." Fenix said.
"Yes. Though we have to prevent them from destroying the academy first." Vanessa added as she looked at the map of the town and the mountains.
"No doubt they'll be keeping their supply of dust bombs protected against our snipers so we won't be able to snipe them off. I'm not sure just how much they've gathered but I bet it's more than enough to destroy the academy." Vanessa replied.
Just then a ping was heard on Melanie's scroll as she looked at her scroll and saw it was a message from Velvet as a smile came to her face.
"Alright. Great news. They've found Star and are heading to the capital with Carmine. Said that they're about an hour away." Melanie said.
"Well tell them to hurry up. I'm not sure when they'll attack." Vanessa said as then May came down from the tower above them.
"Ma'am their is someone on the mountain cliff." May said as Vanessa grabbed a pair of binoculars and looked where May was pointing. In her sight it was Theodore but now wearing White Fang gear as he simply stared at her through the binoculars as if he knew he was being watch. He then lifted his scroll up as it looked like he was dialing a number.
Just then Vanessa's scroll rang. She looked at who was calling but already had an idea who it was as she answered it putting it on speaker.
"Good morning Miss Tora. I take it you slept well." Theodore replied.
"Cut the formalities Theo. I'm not exactly in the mood." She snarled.
"I see. This must of come to quite a shock to you that you were housing a member of the White Fang as your vice headmaster. Though I'm surprised that you didn't figure me out sooner guess that can say how intelligent you faunus are." Theodore replied taking a jab at her.
"Really? I suggest you don't underestimate me Theodore. This tiger still has it's claws." Vanessa replied.
"Oh I know that very much so. Though enough with the chatter I have called to make one simple demand." He stated.
"And what is that? You want us to surrender. Not likely to happen." Vanessa replied.
"Of course. Your pride wouldn't let you. That I could care less about. Though I do care about is that sniper girl you have with you or to be precise what she has in her possession." He began which only confused them but it completely shocked May and Melanie.
"What do you mean? What does she have?" Vanessa questioned.
"She has a medallion. At first it is nothing special but in the right hands it is an important key to something very special that is hidden within the academies." Theodore replied.
"Something special? Like what?" Vanessa asked.
She heard him chuckle at the other end of the line "My dear girl that is something for me to know and for you to never find out. You are to surrender that medallion or my little friends here will march into the academy and take it from you by force. You have one hour to respond. If not then your academy and your capital will fall." He said as he hung up.
After a silent pause the elder tiger faunus looked toward May.
"May? What medallion is he talking about?" She asked calmly.
May stood their hesitant not sure what to do but she eventually grabbed something from her hoodie pocket before bringing out the medalion that Theodore was talking about.
"Ah so you still have it." Fenix replied.
"Though what is so important about it? Mars gave it to me before they left to find Star." She replied.
Vanessa took the medallion as she inspected it. It had a symbol on the front of it as it looks like Shade Academies symbol. She turned it around and noticed an odd pattern that it had that made her question it. However she looked at it more carefully as she now remembers where she'd seen it.
"This pattern on the back it looks like it's made to fit something." Melanie replied as she looked over it.
"I think I know where it goes but we're going to need to confirm it. May keep a look out just in case and contact us if their is any movement. You two follow me." Vanessa ordered as Melanie and Fenix followed her while May stayed put to make sure nothing bad was going to happen.
After a rather long ten minute walk they came to what was the back of the academy as their was hardly anything but a control console nearby with a circular shaped hole.
"Okay... where are we?" Melanie asked her mother.
Vanessa however approached the console with the medallion in hand. She held it up to the device as to compare them and with a smirk they were both a solid match. She then placed the medallion in the device as it suddenly came to live. The room shook as they felt the floor moving but it was going down like it was some kind of large elevator.
Suddenly they found themselves literally underneath the academy as they saw above there were stalactites pointing down at them along with various dust crystals all around them that lit up the dim cave underneath.
"Unbelievable." Fenix muttered completely taken aback by this. Even the two tiger faunus were left speechless from just the sight itself. However the elevator stopped as they saw in front of them a bright gold door that emitted a bright orange glow.
"A door? Down here of all places?" Melanie said quite confused at what they are seeing. Vanessa however examined the door and she suddenly went wide eyed as she knew where she'd seen the door from. She suddenly brought out a small but old booklet as she started to flip through its pages before stopping on one in particular. It was a drawing of a door that looked like it matched the door that was in front of them right now.
"That... can't be." Vanessa said as she looked back at the booklet and then the door again.
"What is it mom? You figured something out?" Melanie asked.
Her mother closed the booklet but still kept it in her hand "Apollo's book mentioned something about a large door that he encountered before the great war started but he could never find a way to get it open. I think it mentioned this particular door. He called it the Door to Summer." Vanessa replied.
"What's so special about a door? I don't get it." Fenix asked.
"Maybe their was something behind it but he couldn't get it open because their was certain circumstances that had to met first." Vanessa said but that was when she finally put things together that it even surprised her.
"This door... needed the Summer Maiden." Vanessa replied but her daughter only groaned.
"Summer Maiden? Not that old fairytale again. They don't exist." Melanie replied.
"It is a possibility though. Maybe he plans on forcing this open and take whatever is inside it. Something we do not want. We're still waiting on Star and company to get here so for now we have to protect the academy no matter what." Vanessa replied as the three of them decide to leave the area now fully aware of what is underneath it now all they had to do was to make sure the academy doesn't get overwhelmed.
=RWBY=
In that moment Star and company were nearly their to the city as they could see the walls of the capital in their sight which a relieving sight for them.
However one of Carmine vehicles pulled up beside them and they began talking with Nebula. The vehicle then pulled back ahead of them as Nebula took her right hand and knocked on the back. Star came to the small open window to see what's going on.
"What's up? Is something wrong?" Star asked.
"No nothings wrong. Just a change of plan. Were not heading to the capital instead were heading straight to the property and taking it back before they do anything. Carmine knows where to go so we'll just follow her." Nebula said as she continued to follow the group.
"So were attacking the main base of operations. I suppose the quicker we get this done the better right." Star said.
"Yep now hang on cause we're going to be picking up the pace a little bit." Nebula said as she put more acceleration into the truck so she could keep up with the others that were taking a different direction almost as if they were going around the capital toward the mountains. Star only hoped they know what Carmine was doing and that they were prepared for what's coming to them.
Luckily it didn't take them long to get to the capital or at least around the capital as they were now heading to the mountains. Another ten minutes of driving as they suddenly came to a stop. They were now at the edge of the mountains and the property wasn't far off from them.
"So the property is up their huh. Doesn't look too steep of a climb." Star said as they all piled out of the truck.
Carmine then walked up to them "Yep this is the spot. It usually takes thirty minutes to walk it from the capital due to the terrain but I know these mountains like the back of my hand. If we take this way we can surprise them and take them out. Though we make sure Trifa stays alive since now we know what's going on. Star I suggest you text the others and tell them that we're at the property and we're going to need backup." Carmine ordered as Star took out her scroll and began to message May of the situation.
"Alright here's what we're going to do. We can't rush in or they'll figure out what were up to. So we are going in carefully and set ourselves up for a surprise attack. That'll catch them off guard. I've informed Woody that we're coming up so he had better get out of their before this happens." Carmine said.
"We'll come around from the north end that'll give us plenty of coverage so that we're out of sight. Let's get this done but we better be fast." She added.
Star suddenly got a ping on her scroll "Yeah and we better do it fast cause we've only got about half an hour before the White Fang attacks." Star replied.
"Alright lets go people." Carmine ordered as her men and Star's company slowly crept there way toward the property to make sure they weren't spotted. It took a total of twenty minutes to everyone situated as they were now out of sight but they could watch what they were all doing.
Star noticed that Trifa was walking around nervously almost as if she doesn't want to go through with the attack as other White Fang members were preparing for the order to attack. The group saw them wheeling around some kind of equipment that looked like some kind of cannon and they had several of these lined up and they were pointing directly at the academy.
"Cannons. So that's how they're going to bomb the academy." Star said.
"Amplified by those things will increase the destructive capability of the dust. It'll make one hell of a boom that's for sure." Mars said.
They heard someone coming next to them as Woody knelt down to them.
"Hey. About time you all showed up. This place is really jumping." Woody replied.
"No kidding. Plus after this is over you've got some explaining to do." Mars growled her tail thrashed a little. Woody looked back and noticed her tail and then stared back at her.
"Don't ask. I'll explain that later." Mars added as they focused on the task at hand.
Velvet however noticed someone heading toward the outer edge of the property but toward the cannons and to say the least they were all shocked.
"Is that Vice Headmaster Theodore? What is he doing here?" Velvet asked quite surprised that he was there.
"I'm not sure but he kept muttering something to himself that sound weird." Woody said.
"Oh. What did he say?" Carmine questioned.
"He said... 'For the will of our queen.'." Woody replied which made Velvet froze from just hearing that.
"That's... exactly what Coco said. You don't think that he works for..." Velvet started.
"Salem. No doubt about it." Star replied which confused the others.
"Before you ask we don't even know who that is." Star added quickly as the group waited for something to happen.
=RWBY=
Vanessa patiently waited the long ten minutes in her office for the call from Theodore but she already had an answer for him. Though thanks to the message from Star that May had received they already had a trump card up her sleeve so she can handle the situation much more quickly.
Her scroll rang and it was Theodores number that had appeared on as she picked it up but put it on speaker.
"Time is up. Now I assume you have your answer for me." Theodore spoke.
"Yes actually but before I tell you I want to tell you what I have found. This medallion is a key to some kind of large door underneath the academy. Though it is heavily locked and I doubt that even you could get in without the proper circumstances. But from what I can gather you don't have that don't you." Vanessa replied but to get a small growl from the other end.
"You need the Summer Maiden don't you. For whatever is inside that door isn't but doubt you want it for yourself. No... I bet someone wanted you to retrieve it. Well without this medallion you can't even reach it. So my answer is no. You can't have this." Vanessa stated.
"Then I afraid that you have doomed yourself and your academy. I wish we could've come to an understanding but I guess we can't have everything can we." He said before disconnecting.
She quickly rushed outside to the balcony of her office as she stared outside.
"Snipers! Get ready!" She shouted out as May readied her rifle as so did others the surrounded the academy.
Meanwhile at the property Theodore looked over the cliff that eyed the academy.
"Prepare to fire on my mark." Theodore ordered as his men began loading in the first rounds of dust bombs as all of them were pointing directly at the academy.
"Fire some toward the city. Let's cause as much havoc as possible." Theodore ordered as they pointed two of the cannons toward the capital market district.
"Ready..." Theodore started but he didn't get the chance to finish as a sai came flying in at him from behind slicing at his arm. He looked behind him and noticed that it was Carmine as her two sais floated next to her.
"Ah Carmine. Isn't this rather unexpected. Here to reclaim your home I take it." He replied.
"More like I'm here to kick you out of it. Which is why I'm going to give you one chance to stop what your doing and get out right now." Carmine stated sternly.
Theodore only chuckled at this "My dear girl. I'm afraid that you are out numbered." He said as he snapped his fingers. When he did many men and women of the White Fang came out and pointed their weapons directly at her.
"Now how about you stand their like a good girl and you won't get hurt." He replied.
Though Carmine didn't move as she only smirked at this "Actually about that... it's you who's actually outnumbered." She said as suddenly they heard gunshots coming from the left side of the property seeing her men charging at them firing their weapons at the White Fang.
"It's an ambush!" Theodore shouted as now a battle was underway. Star and the others came out of hiding and began their attack on the White Fang as the fox faunus charged at one of them hitting them with her gunbreakers while Mars literally pounced on one of them leading with her knee striking anothers face.
"Fire the cannons!" Theodore shouted as the one operating the cannons fired their payload toward the academy. It had turned into a war zone at the property as their are fights breaking out everywhere on the property. Velvet summoned a copy of Ember Celica and was currently punching her way through the enemies in her path. Carmine was using her quickness to go from enemy to enemy but she was mainly focusing on disarming them and not actually hurting them.
The remaining members of Team NDGO were taking care of some of the men that would pose a threat but the amount of White Fang members were starting to get rather out of hand. Even some of Carmine's men were getting overwhelmed by them as Theodore fired his gun at them aiming to actually kill them. The cannons also continued to fire their payload of dust.
"What is the progress? Is the academy rubble yet?" Theodore asked firing another shot killing one of Carmines men.
"Our bombs aren't getting through sir. She must've set up snipers to prevent any getting through." One of them ordered.
"Continue firing they are bound to run out of ammunition." Theodore ordered he did as ordered.
Star knocked another guy out of the way before moving on to another which was working. However she noticed Theodore right ahead and decided to rush at him. He noticed her coming as he began firing at her but Star was too quick as she avoided the shot from his gun. She swung her gunbreaker at him as he blocked the attack.
"You are really starting to get rather annoying. They deserve this for being arrogant and must know their place." Theodore said.
"Oh is that what you think? Or is that what Salem thinks?" Star countered. He was quite shocked at this but then his mouth morphed into a grin.
"So you know about our queen. Then you cannot be allowed to live." Theodore said.
"Yeah heard that before. Just try it buddy." Star said as she shoved him back before rushing forward again striking at his chest and mid section both landing direct hits as he was pushed back.
She then went for the ones operating the cannons but Theodore was suddenly quicker than her as he delivered a solid palm strike to her chin making sure stumble backwards as more cannon fire could be heard launching another payload of bombs.
"Even if you stop me the academy and the capital will be destroyed and will be overrun by grimm just like Beacon was. My lady will be very pleased about the result." Theodore replied.
Images of that terrible day flashed through her mind as Star was gripping her weapons so tight her knuckles were going white. She aimed a glare at him with a dangerous glint in her eyes "Sorry but that isn't happening. Not while I still draw breath. You're going to fail and I'll make sure of it." Star said as she leaped forward swinging her gunbreakers at him.
Carmine began disarming the White Fang members before knocking them out afterwards so they wouldn't be get in the way.
Though a large burly man charged at her a punched her in the left side of the skull knocking her back as she collided into the side of one of the houses. She felt blood coming down the side of her head when she got up.
"Probably wondering why your aura didn't protect you from that huh? Specially designed brass knuckles that can punch through aura. Quite an asset to us to deal with annoyances. Now I'll deal will you so that our leader doesn't" The grunt said as he cracked his knuckles as if ready to attack again.
Carmine readied herself as the burly man charged at her again but as he was about to strike her again a thick string of web caught his fist. He looked behind him and noticed Trifa had caught his fist.
"Traitor! You'll pay deeply for this!" He shouted. Trifa fired another one from her other hand trapping his other arm as she then tugged hard forcing him to the ground. Once he was on the ground she fired web shots from her hands trapping his arms and legs to the ground preventing him from moving.
"That should hold him." She said. Carmine only looked at her for a moment.
"So... your helping us." Carmine said as Trifa nodded.
"Yes. I have my own reasons for this." The spider faunus added.
"Well whatever reason it is we have to stop them from firing more of those dust bombs. Think you can do that." Carmine said.
"Leave it to me." Trifa said as she headed to help Star out.
Star was starting to have some difficulty with Theodore as he wasn't going down so easily. Theodore went to throw another punch but Star blocked it with her gunbreaker as she struck him with the other but even regardless of how many times she hits him he still wouldn't go down.
"How is he still standing? I thought I would be able to take him out." Star thought.
"Running out of breath are we? Not surprised because most people can't keep up with me." Theodore replied.
Star came to a quick conclusion "It's your semblance isn't it?" Star asked
"Good guess. My semblance gives me unnatural stamina and strength. In short I can last a lot longer in fights which is bad news for my unlucky opponent." He replied as he readied himself for another fight.
"Okay if it's going to be that way...then I'll match him" She thought, and with concentration she activated her semblance as her tail began to split as two more tails sprouted from her one as she went into three tailed state.
Theodore noticed this too as he saw her fingernails get longer and pointed and her canines were sticking out slightly.
"Now let's find out who can keep up with who." Star growled as Theodore smirked at this as he finally found something worth a challenge to him. Star rushed at him as he rushed at her with his right fist ready to pound into her flesh but this time Star was more than ready for him as she front flipped over him making him lose his footing. She then pointed her gunbreakers at him in their gun mode and began firing at him.
His aura did shield him from the dust bullets as he charged at her again only to get the same result as Star this time side stepped him but during mid step she actually roundhouse kicked him in the side of his skull which to his surprise sent him flying into one of his men that was controlling the mortor knocking the guy out.
He rubbed his head from the sudden impact which again caught him by surprise.
"You're quite strong. I'm guessing your semblance gives you more than just a change of appearance." He said.
"Oh you'd be surprise what I can do now. So you better get ready." Star said as she readied herself. Theodore quickly charged at her as he will not be outdone by some fox girl.
"Sir! We've got incoming from below! It's that bandit group!" One of his men shouted out.
"Fenix... alright that'll give us more numbers than them." Star thought.
"You'd best surrender while you still can. I've seen how many men Fenix has and once he gets here you'll be the one that is outnumbered." Star replied.
"Then I'll just have to kill you before that happens." Theodore replied.
"I have worked too long and too hard for this just to blow up in my face. For the glory of Salem, Shade Academy will fall!" He shouted as he charged at her with all his might.
"Guess I'll have to up it one more." Star thought as she allowed her fourth tail grow as her canines now became more prominent. She also activated her maiden powers as well as a small blizzard of snow began to surround her. She then covered the front half of her weapons in ice till it formed an icy blade on each one.
Theodore was now close to her as he went to deliver a right hook to her when something suddenly grabbed his fist. He looked back and noticed it was Trifa holding him back with a spider thread and with all of the men that were on the cannons tied up.
"You'll pay dearly for this you traitor!" Theodore shouted.
"I was never one of you to begin with." Trifa said.
Star then charged forward as she crossed her gunbreakers together then with all her might slashed across his chest. However it didn't cut him but it something else entirely suddenly his body temperature started to drop rapidly as even breathing let out a cold chill. He then noticed that his left arm started to form ice on it and it was spreading. Soon his right arm joined as well as his legs as he was starting to be imprisoned in an ice prison completely persevered and frozen.
The other White Fang members saw this as they were now worried about what they could do to them and so one by one they started to throw down their weapons and place their hands in the air to surrender. At that moment Fenix and his men were just now arriving at the property.
"Well... seems like our help wasn't needed after all. Great work everyone." Fenix replied as his men were beginning to round up those that had surrendered all but Trifa who was nearby but with a worried look about if her family is okay.
"Mama!" A cry was heard nearby as her eyes went wide turning quickly as she saw two children coming at her. More precise her children as she went to one knee and opened her arms. She immediately wrapped them in her arms as they hugged their mother.
"My babies. Your safe." She said as tears of joy were coming to her eyes. She also noticed another person coming toward her that was male as his bat wings were folding on his back.
"Hey honey. You okay?" He said. Trifa stood up as the two of them embraced.
"How did you get out?" She asked.
"Oh I had a little help." He said as Cardin came from behind to rejoin the others.
"Anytime Yuma. Glad to be of some help." Cardin said as he got a good look at what had happened.
"Well guess I missed some action. Though looks like things have quieted down finally." Cardin added.
"So what do we do with Mr. Frozen over here?" Mars asked looking at the frozen Theodore.
"We take him back to the academy to be interrogated and then..." Fenix started but suddenly a shot rang out piercing through the ice and Theodore. Everyone took cover immediately as they wondered where the shot came from.
"What in the world was that?!" Star asked as she looked around for whoever fired the shot.
Mars went to the encased Theodore and noticed where the shot went through as their was a hole right through his left shoulder. Right through the heart.
"Don't think we're getting anything out of him. Shot right through his heart. Killed him instantly." Mars replied.
"How about we all get back to the academy? Plus we got these other White Fang members to put behind bars." Fenix replied as the group headed out as they escorted the remaining White Fang members out of the property.
On the top of the mountain Yatsuhachi was standing their with a long range rifle pointing directly as the ice with Theodore in as he then slung the rifle over his back.
"Target eliminated." Yatsu replied as he walked away stepping through a black portal that leads to where ever he went.
F3: And that is chapter 17. Looks like things are just about wrapped up as the gang are now returning to the academy as the story nears its end. Next will be the epilogue of the story. If you like this story please it me know in the comments. Also if you want to keep up with future update make sure to follow as well. With that said this is Fireuser3 and I'm out.