It was a good thing Jaune was a heavy sleeper. He hadn't woken up when the soft alarm Melanie set had gone off.
As much as she wanted to do this for both hers and her sister's sakes, Miltia was still hard-pressed to get out of bed so early in the morning. Especially when she was wrapped in the safe and loving embrace of Jaune's arms. In her dazed state, she had nearly fought off the waking hands of Melanie as she squeezed Jaune even tighter. Eventually, however, the haze in her brain cleared and she remembered what she had to do. She remembered it was her idea in the first place.
Getting dressed in the darkness was simple enough. Both twins had laid out their outfits the night before inside their suitcases. Now that she thought about it, what had even been the point of packing anyway? They wouldn't be bringing any luggage with them to Mountain Glenn. That would just be foolish. No, it would stay here at Beacon with Jaune. He would look after it. And eventually when it was time for him to leave as well, hopefully sooner rather than later, he would bring it back to them. Or if he couldn't it was no big deal anyway. It wasn't as if there was anything irreplaceable in those cases anyway.
With her blades securely fastened to her wrists and donning her favorite and newly-mended blood-red dress, Miltia looked like she was ready for either a fight or a night on the town. Knowing her sister, those two things were not mutually exclusive. However, unlike most nights, it was not Melanie who was itching for a fight. If they didn't get their way tonight, there would most certainly by one.
She took a deep breath and eyed her sister in the darkness. The outside lights filtering in through the singular window gave just enough illumination to see that Melanie was ready as well. With a soft nod, the other girl made her way toward the door. Miltia was about to follow, but remembered there was one thing left to do.
Stepping carefully across the floor, Miltia moved next to the bed which she and Jaune stared and looked down at the sleeping boy. A faint smile spread across her lips at the sight of him. So peaceful. So unaware. Hopefully he was having pleasant dreams about her. She longed to return her cold body to his warm embrace, but she knew that she had to forego that comfort for tonight. It was for the greater good. There would be plenty of opportunities for cuddling after tonight. Hopefully.
Bending down, Miltia brought her lips to his face and pressed them lightly against his forehead. Nothing too much to risk waking him. When she stood up again, that smile was still present on her face. "Don't hate me too much when you wake up," she whispered. "I'll totally make it up to you later. You'll like it."
She felt a shiver run through her body as she thought about all the ways she might repay him for abandoning him here at Beacon. For venturing off to Mountain Glenn without him. Surely he would understand, right? This was something personal that she and Melanie had to deal with. Something that as much as he would want to help with, he simply didn't understand.
Taking one last moment to steel her resolve, Miltia nodded to herself before walking back over to the doorway where Melanie stood. A second later the door was closed, the soft click telling that it had shut and locked completely. Miltia took a deep breath as she stood in the eerie silence of the hall.
"You okay?"
The younger twin nodded once more. "Yeah. Just..."
"Nervous?" Melanie smiled.
"Mmhmm."
It was hard not to be. It wasn't everyday that she snuck out of an academy for aspiring huntsmen, hijacked a Bullhead, and went off to the old abandoned city where her parents had been killed.
Yeah. Nervousness was an understatement for the girl.
"Well, let's get the fuck outta here," Melanie insisted as she grabbed hold of her sister's hand. "Sooner I can get out of this shithole the better."
Beacon was far from a shithole. However, it might as well have been for Melanie. Her free spirit was suffocated here. The girl would have much preferred walking the streets and staying at cheap motels every night over this place. Now that they were leaving the sanctuary of Beacon, that might just be their fate until Junior's club was repaired once more.
It didn't take long for them to get out of Beacon's guest dorm. No one had made any attempt to stop them either. At around four in the morning, no one without any sort of hidden agenda would be awake yet. Luckily it seemed as if the two of them were the only ones with such an agenda.
The warm night air kissed Miltia's bare skin, and it was enough to make her begin to sweat. Either that or the nerves. A glance over at Melanie showed that she walked with her usual swagger and confidence. It was a sharp contrast from how she had been behaving the previous day. Had her fear over confronting their past been squashed so easily? Or was she simply that eager to escape the prison of Beacon Academy? Whatever the case, seeing Melanie's cool and collected attitude gave Miltia renewed confidence of her own.
"So what's the plan?" Melanie asked as they neared main air ship landing pads.
"Same plan as I told you yesterday."
Melanie scoffed softly. "I can't believe you're gonna make me do this."
"What? You always talk about how you have a nice ass. Use it."
"Whatever."
Miltia smirked. "Don't start getting shy on me. We need your sluttiness now."
"Fuck off," her sister snapped. "I haven't gotten laid in weeks. If anything you're the slut for all the sex you and Jaune have been having."
While Melanie wasn't wrong, this was different. "Being in a committed relationship is like, the opposite of sluttiness."
"Oh I'm sorry," her sister said as she grabbed hold of her left hand. "Is that wedding ring on your finger invisible or something? Nah, you're just fucking the first guy you ever fell for."
Miltia pulled her hand back from her sister. "Shut up," she spat. She wasn't a slut for being with Jaune. It was called dating. She didn't need to be married to have sex. Melanie knew that too. She was just being a bitch.
"Fucking months, even," Melanie continued. "Not since before Jaune showed up at the club. So if you want, I can show you just how slutty I can be and hop into bed with Jaune. Think he'd like a threeway? Or should I just cut my hair short and pretend to be you?"
The pure spite coming from Melanie was almost palpable. All because she had called her that one word. "Sorry," Miltia said softly.
A long breath slipped through Melanie's lips. "Whatever. Let's just fucking get this over with. The sooner we get on that ship the better."
Maybe Melanie was more nervous than she showed. Maybe this anger was being used to cover up the fear in her own heart.
Miltia's mind went back to her sister's idle threats. The thought of sharing Jaune with her was out of the question. He was hers. Miltia was possessive and proud of it. She would fight anyone tooth and nail who tried to take Jaune from her. Be it someone trying to steal him away from her romantically, or an enemy trying to take his life.
Her mind then returned to the other thing Melanie had said. She looked down at her hand. Specifically her left ring finger. What would it look like to have a ring on it? What would it feel like? Would it feel constraining to have a band of precious metal wrapped around it? Or would it feel somehow liberating?
Would she and Jaune ever get that far in their relationship to even consider such a thing? Would he even want that kind of arrangement with her of all people? How would his family feel about him marrying a girl like her? A criminal like her?
Miltia shook her head clear of the thoughts. Now was not the time to be getting worked up over such things. Not when they had important work to do tonight. And not when she and Jaune had only been together for a couple of weeks. Even contemplating marriage was an absurd thought which was absolutely out of the question this early.
Casually strutting up to the landing pads, the twins made it appear as if it was just any other day. Like they had a scheduled flight they were arriving for, and nothing at all was out of the ordinary. If there had been any onlookers, no one would have given them a second glance. Luckily this early in the morning there was no one else out and about.
Beacon Academy had twenty four hour a day service to Vale in case of emergencies. A pilot was always on standby, and tonight they would take advantage of that lapse in security.
Miltia pulled the door to the passenger's compartment open, and she and Melanie hopped inside. Their sudden entrance must have startled the pilot, if his initial physical reaction was anything to go by. He turned back to regard the two. "Little late to be going down to Vale, don't you think?" He pulled out his scroll for a brief moment before continuing. "Or I guess a little early depending on who you are."
"Yeah, my sister and me are like, total early risers and all that," Melanie lied.
"What are you kids headed to Vale for so early then?"
Miltia wanted to correct the man to tell him they weren't kids. However, picking a fight with their ride to Mountain Glenn wouldn't be the best idea. "Visiting family," she said simply. It wasn't as grievous a lie as Melanie's was either.
"Sounds good. Names?"
Melanie blinked. "What?"
"What are your names?" the pilot repeated. "We keep logs of this kind of stuff. You know, for security purposes."
She hadn't thought of that. No matter. It's not as if this guy could know any of the students by name alone. "Ruby Rose," she finally answered.
This was going surprisingly easier than expected. Perhaps she had just been preparing for the worst, but Miltia thought that it would take more convincing to hitch a ride. Maybe Glynda's threat of keeping them from getting to Vale had been an idle one. After all, outside of every pilot having a picture of the twins, there was no way they could have recognized them on sight and prevented them from boarding. It even looked as though Melanie would not need to seduce the pilot.
As the man entered the name onto a data pad, Melanie shot her a dirty look. "Bitch..."
"What?"
"You're gonna make me be Yang?" her sister whispered.
"Be Weiss then," Miltia whispered back.
"I already said we were sisters. And who the fuck doesn't know the Schnee family?"
"Then just be Yang." A small smile formed on her face. "After all you are like, the older sister, right?"
Melanie rolled her eyes. She obviously wasn't a fan of gloating about being the older twin being thrown back in her face. "Whatever." She turned her attention back to the pilot and spoke louder. "And I'm Yang Xiao Long after getting a much needed tit reduction surgery."
A brief and uncomfortable silence settled over the ship before the pilot finally began entering her name as well. "A little too much info, but sure," he said.
Miltia winced at the backhanded insult. Luckily it hadn't blown their cover. Here was a man who was just doing his job and probably didn't think much of transporting the students of Beacon Academy. They were already an odd bunch. Super strong teenagers with incredible weapons and abilities were normal for the school. To this pilot, the eccentric personality of Melanie must not have stood out at all.
"Okay girls, strap in. We're taking off."
Neither complied with the request. For Melanie it was a simple matter of not liking to take orders for others. For Miltia on the other hand, well, she needed to get close for what came next.
The Bullhead rose and departed Beacon on its way to Vale. The plan must have been to go to its designated landing pad, drop them off, and then head back to the school. Miltia had a slight change of plans, however. There was no point in going to Vale and securing another ride when they had a perfectly good one here.
She stood from her seat and approached the cockpit. "Change of plans," she said. "Take us to Mountain Glenn."
Despite not looking back in order to keep his eyes on the skies, Miltia could tell the man was shocked. "Mountain Glenn?" he asked in surprise. "Why on earth would you want to go there?"
"Field trip?"
The man shook his head. "You kids aren't scheduled for your missions until later today. And with huntsman supervision," he added warily. "What's going on here?"
His hand went to reach for the onboard radio, but was stopped short when a pair of curved claws met his throat. His movement stopped in a heartbeat. "Take us to Mountain Glenn," she ordered.
"But-"
The blades inched closer to his flesh. "Mountain Glenn and no one gets hurt." Miltia was glad Jaune wasn't here to see this side of her. As much as she could let her guard down around the boy and play the part of the affectionate girlfriend, deep down this was still who she was. Who she feared that she would always be. A ruthless enforcer. A girl who would commit violence on behalf of those she cared for.
The pilot nodded nervously. "Yeah. Sure thing. Mountain Glenn."
The Bullhead abruptly turned, a new course plotted. Miltia stood right there to make sure he didn't do anything stupid. Surely he wouldn't with two armed and presumably Beacon-trained students on board with him. Especially when they had threatened him with violence.
Miltia's heart was pounding in her chest as the Bullhead veered away from Vale and went off to where it had all begun.
Well this was... different.
Jaune stood in an elevator he had not previously known existed. Not that he knew Beacon inside and out or anything, but it was odd that this elevator existed in Headmaster Ozpin's office. What was even odder was the fact that he seemed to have a tall and extremely intimidating bodyguard escorting him to his destination.
The boy always thought that he was tall for his age. At six-foot-one, he did stand above over most of his peers. However, Glynda Goodwitch was as tall as he was. She may have been in heels, but even without them she was still well above average for a woman. Then came the other two. Headmaster Ozpin must have been half a foot taller. The same for the third person who was accompanying him in the elevator. The imposing man in the white uniform whose name he had not gotten yet.
Why couldn't they have all been Professor Port sized? At least then it wouldn't have felt like he was being led down to an execution chamber instead of... wherever it was that they were going.
Never one to stay silent in an uncomfortable situation, Jaune spoke. "So..." he started. "Where are we going exactly?"
"A basement of sorts," Ozpin answered smoothly. Calmly. Surely if there was any nefarious intent here he couldn't have been so calm, right?
Jaune nodded. "And your friend is down there?"
"She is."
He nodded again. It seemed a little bit unusual to keep a mortally wounded woman in a basement. Why wasn't she in a hospital? Or maybe Beacon's basement was its medical facility? Jaune couldn't say. In any case, he still did wonder why so many people were needed for what was just supposed to be a test of his Semblance. To see if he could indeed heal this huntress who meant a great deal to Ozpin.
"Well, I hope I can help then."
"We all do," the mystery man spoke. Jaune looked back and up at the intimidating figure. "Mr. Arc, if what we believe is true, then you have the potential to save many lives. More than you could possibly imagine."
Ozpin had told him something similar to that. Of course it made sense. If his Semblance had the ability to heal others, he could go into some sort of medical profession. He could even be some sort of field medic for huntsmen. There was the potential there to be a hero in ways he had never thought possible before.
But did he even want that anymore? After everything he had seen and done, the idea of being a huntsman and a hero was not an appealing one anymore. That fairy tale was just that. A fairy tale. Romanticized and twisted to seem like something great and noble when in reality it was a harsh and cruel job. One where people died. Both those deserving and those not.
"I'm sorry, but I didn't catch your name," Jaune said to the man.
"My apologies," he said as he reached out with a hand. "General James Ironwood."
Ironwood's grip was frightening, and Jaune felt as though his hand was going to be crushed in the vice grip that was his handshake. It may very well have been if not for his Aura.
"James is an old colleague of mine," Ozpin explained. "A trusted friend, as well as the head of Atlas Academy. A friend of the woman we hope to heal."
That made sense to Jaune. If someone like Ruby or Melanie had been injured, there was no doubt that everyone who was their friends would show up hoping that she would make a speedy recovery.
The elevator finally reached its destination and the doors opened. To say it was a basement was an understatement. This was... Jaune didn't know what to call it.
Massive pillars stretched up so far that he could barely make out the ceiling above them. Wall-mounted braziers housed green flames which dimly lit the enormous... cavern-like basement of Beacon Academy. Jaune had already been nervous. The fact that it looked like he had just stepped foot into some sort of secret lair only made his body react even worse than before. His heart rate spiked. His palms were sweaty. A slight shiver made his body shake as he stood in awe of it all.
A hand on his back finally prompted him to move forward. "This way, Mr. Arc," the gentle voice of Miss Goodwitch said.
He complied, and forced his body to take a step forward. Then another. Soon enough it became easy, despite the fact that each step he took brought him further and further away from his only way of escape. He had to keep reminding himself that they weren't here to murder him. If they wanted him dead, there were plenty of ways to do it without going to such elaborate lengths. Without needing two academy headmasters and a powerful huntress. He was just one boy after all.
Boots squeaked on the polished tile floor as they continued. People had gone to such expensive and elaborate lengths to decorate this place, and yet it was so far out of the way that it was not practical to be used regularly. Just what was this place really? And why would Ozpin keep his injured friend here?
Jaune shook his head. No. He did not want to even ponder such questions. These issues were beyond his pay grade. He was here to help out a wounded huntress. Not know about whatever secrets these incredibly powerful and dangerous people were keeping. He had already gotten involved in business he shouldn't have once before with the White Fang. He wasn't about to do so again.
Finally after what seemed like an eternity of walking they reached their destination. A chamber more well-lit than the rest of the cavern. Lit by the glowing blue of computer monitors, attached the a pair of massive pods. One of which contained a human body.
Jaune stopped and swallowed hard. The wounded huntress. Seeing her up close and in person sent chills down his spine.
The simple white undergarments she seemed to wear contrasted sharply with her dark, tanned skin. She appeared to be asleep, or more likely, in a coma. Ozpin had said that she was only being kept alive by highly advantaged technology, after all. It was very likely that this technology also kept her in a sort of stasis as well.
"James," the elder man suddenly spoke. "Will the technology keeping her alive be at all compromised if the pod is opened? How long will we have if it is?"
"It's hard to say," the other man answered. "There should not be any issues with the glass being opened for Mr. Arc to use his Semblance. However, I don't know for certain. This kind of scenario has never been tested before. I believe that he should use his Semblance as soon as he is physically able to."
Ozpin nodded. "Very well." He turned to look at Jaune. "Mr. Arc. If you would, please have your Semblance ready to use as soon as the pod is opened."
The nervous shaking did not subside as Jaune nodded in confirmation. "Uh... yeah. Right."
A slight frown formed on Ozpin's lips. "Do you have any questions before we begin?"
Jaune had so many questions. However, he dared not ask any of them. He merely looked down at his trembling hands as he attempted to activate his Semblance. "No," he lied. "Well, just one. All you want me to do is put my hands on her and use my Semblance, right?"
"Correct. Just how you did to your friend the day of the club's bombing. Just how you practiced with Glynda."
He nodded again. "Right."
Each step he took felt like a mile as he approached the pod. The sterile stench of death hung in the air around him. The soft humming of machinery filled his ears. His pulse pounded inside his head. His shaking fingers glowed with a dim light as he came face to face with the woman behind the class.
Her face was scarred. Had it been as a result of the attack? There were no other physical signs of injuries on her. No bound or bandaged wounds. No cuts or bruises. Only the facial discoloring.
With a soft whoosh the air pressure was released, and the door to the pod suddenly opened. Slowly but surely Jaune had gained access to the living flesh and blood of the woman held inside. He raised his hands and moved to place them on her bare abdomen.
Hoping against hope that his nerves would not interfere, Jaune pressed down on her flesh. White Aura coursed over and through her body. He closed his eyes and felt his Aura flowing through her much like it had with Miltia. And just like with Miltia, he could feel a slight bit of what the woman had inside of her. Not on a physical level, but something far more indescribable. Something beyond the normal human senses. Aura was a manifestation of the soul. He had felt Miltia's soul, just as she had felt his. He was feeling this girl's soul as well.
It was weak. Like it was barely there. Like she was barely clinging to life. He had to do his best to amplify it just like he had with Miltia.
For long seconds his hands remained on her. For long seconds his Aura did all it could to heal whatever wounds she had suffered. There did not appear to be any physical changes or improvements in her.
Until her eyes slowly began to flutter.
Until they snapped open.
Her mouth opened.
And she screamed.
With that scream came a terrifying display of power and energy. Gusts of wind and bolts of lightning shattered the glass of the pod around them. Jaune was sent flying back before he could even think about what was happening. Landing on his back, he looked up and saw the swirling debris in the air and the bright illuminating light of the storm she had conjured. It would have been a truly marvelous sight to see if his life had not been in such peril.
As he lay there watching, a single voice cut through the air. "Glynda, get Jaune out of here now!" shouted Ozpin. Looking over to the man, he saw a bright green shield of light surrounding him as he made his way closer to the wounded woman.
Before he could even think to protest, a pair of strong hands lifted Jaune up and to his feet. "Come with me," Glynda urged as she pulled him by the arm after him.
His body and mind were both too stunned to argue. The more primal part of him even agreed that he needed to get out as soon as possible. He couldn't even look back at whatever was going on between Ozpin, Ironwood and that woman before he reached the doors which led from the chamber.
Glynda didn't stop moving once they had escaped the room. She didn't say a word as she led him back through the basement and to the elevator. Jaune didn't say a word either. He had no idea what he had done. He had no idea who that woman was or what kind of Semblance she possessed to give her such power.
All he knew was that he had done his best. And he wanted nothing more than to get out of not just this basement, but Beacon as well.
She couldn't believe she was back here. She couldn't believe she had been roped into this.
The temperature wasn't cold, but the chill that ran through Melanie's body was the first thing she felt when she had exited from the Bullhead. The crumbling remains of a ruined city surrounded her. Untouched by human hands for a decade. Unvisited by anyone with sanity of a brain.
So what did that make her? What did that make her sister?
She glanced back at Miltia, who at this time was forcing the pilot out of the Bullhead with the tips of her claws. Her sister could be just as ruthless a bitch as she herself was. All she needed was the proper conditions. No amount of playing house with Jaune would ever change that. Survival was ingrained into their psyches just as much as the need for food and water was. Sometimes survival came with forcing others to do something against their will.
Still, the decision prompted her to ask what was going on. "We're taking him with?"
"We need our ride home, don't we?" Miltia replied.
Melanie shrugged, conceding the point. Yeah, after being forcibly taken like he had, the pilot would undoubtedly leave them behind and return home to report what they had done.
Now that she thought about it, would they become wanted by the authorities? Hijacking a Bullhead wasn't exactly a crime that could be overlooked. Then again they had given them Ruby and Yang's names. Even if it would be sorted out in short order, the thought of them being taken into custody was an amusing one.
The humor was quick to leave her body as her bladed heels crunched along the broken and ruined pavement that once made up Mountain Glenn's streets. The combination of destruction by Grimm and neglect had made the roads unsuitable for any sort of vehicular traffic. They may as well have been walking along some graveled path. A tough prospect for anyone, and doubly so for those in heels.
This hadn't exactly been her idea, so Melanie looked over to her sister for direction. "So what do we do now?"
To her displeasure, Miltia shrugged. "I dunno. Take it in. Remember what happened here. Just... get over it."
Get over it. Easy for her to say. Did she even know what that meant? Did she even know how to do it? It wasn't as if there was just a magical button they could push and get over the trauma of their parents dying and their home being destroyed.
Melanie sighed. "Whatever." She turned to look at their hostage. "Come on, pilot boy. Let's get moving."
Everything around her looked the same. Drab. Gray. Broken. Melanie couldn't remember much about her life here prior to its destruction. She didn't remember what street she lived on. She could barely even remember what the outside of her home looked like. For all she knew she could have been standing mere feet away from it right now. But she would never know. Every dilapidated structure looked liked the one next to it. And there was no one she could ask either. Her parents were dead. Outside of a few specific events and memories she could recall, her childhood here might as well have been a mystery to her.
Her jaw clenched as they went in deeper. Why were they even here? This was stupid. Bringing back all these images wouldn't do shit to help her. All she could remember was the night her world had nearly ended. All she could remember was being forced onto the train by her parents as they told her they would be on the next one. But there was no next one. The train that she and Miltia boarded had been the last one before the tunnels had been overrun by the Grimm.
With those memories came pain. With them came fear. Melanie blinked hard to fight away the tears which were forming in her eyes. She hated this place. She hated the way it made her feel. She hated how weak and helpless she felt in this moment, as if she was still that crying little girl who had been rescued by Junior. She was stronger than this, damn it! Why did she have to be reminded of who she used to be?
She flinched when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned to see Miltia next to her. "Hey," she smiled sadly.
"Shut up," she snapped. "I wasn't crying."
"I know."
Melanie knew that was a lie. And she knew that Miltia knew it was a lie too. All too often their Semblances betrayed them. Miltia had sensed the deep, powerful sorrow in her heart and come over to comfort her. She both hated and loved the girl for that.
"You feeling okay?" Miltia asked, already knowing the answer.
No. "I'm fine." It was a lie to convince herself of the fact more than her sister.
"You can let it all out if you need to," Miltia continued. Her own eyes were glistening as she too seemed on the brink of tears. "No one's here except us."
And the pilot. But it's not like he would care. It wasn't as if his opinion even mattered.
"Fuck..." Melanie breathed. Everything inside of her told her that she would feel better if she let her emotions spill out. A lifetime of suppressing them and squashing them under the powerful influence of alcohol worked against that instinct, however. "I just... I miss them," she continued. Her voice cracked with the last word. "Why couldn't they have come with us?"
"Because they loved us," that soft and knowing voice of her sister told her.
"Then they should have made more room!" she insisted. "They made room for us! Why wasn't there enough for two more people?"
"I don't think there was room for us," Miltia argued. "Dad made room for us."
The thought of their dad doing anything and everything within his power to make sure his girls survived only made the tears in her eyes sting all the more. "Fucking..." she cursed. Hearing the words aloud only made things worse. Hearing how much her parents loved her, hearing that they had died for them, only made her miss them more. "I fucking hate this place."
"I know. Me too. But like, we have to face it. We have to put it behind us."
"How? How am I supposed to do that?"
"Maybe like this," Miltia said as she pulled her into a hug. "By not trying to forget. By remembering everything. And being okay with it."
Being okay with it? Being okay that their parents were dead? That they had died for the sake of their children? How could any parent expect their child to understand that? How could they expect their child to be okay with that? It was perhaps the most paradoxical thing Melanie could ever imagine. It was the most selfless, and at the same time the most selfish act she could think of. To save your children's world at the cost of their world.
"They loved us," Miltia said again as she held Melanie tight. "They did what they did for us. So maybe, like, we just have to remember them like that. Don't think about everything we lost. Think about everything they gave us."
Melanie's fists clenched down on her sister's clothes as she held her tighter. The tears flowed freely now. Her face buried into the younger twin's shoulder. She remained like that for long seconds before pulling away. She looked into the twin mirrors of Miltia's own liquid-green eyes. "When did you get so fucking smart?"
Miltia smiled at her. "I always said you were the dumb one."
Melanie couldn't help but smile back. "Oh fuck off."
A moment later Miltia took her by the hand and led her over to one of the ruined homes. "Come on. Let's go say hi."
Blinking through her tears, Melanie looked up at the hollow shell of a house. "Was this one ours?"
She received a shrug in return. "Dunno. But does it matter?"
It didn't, she supposed. Miltia obviously had a plan here. She might as well go along with it. A quick look back at the pilot showed that he was standing idly by a few feet away. Close enough that he wasn't a flight risk, but far enough that he couldn't hear the soft-spoken details of the conversation.
Standing before the blank grey walls, Miltia looked up at what was probably once a vibrant home. "Hey, mom. Hey, dad. It's Miltia. I know you guys always had a little trouble telling the two of us apart when we were little. It's why I started cutting my hair and all." Her hand rose and ran through its short black length. She seemed to choke on her words for a moment before continuing. "I just wanna let you know... we know why you did what you did. We didn't back then, and it hurt a lot. But now we know you did it for us." Her arm came up to wipe her eyes. "Because you love us. And you wanted us to survive. I think you'd be proud to know that we're survivors. It's not always fun or pretty, but we're still here. And we're doing the stuff you said." Her gaze turned to Melanie. "We're looking out for each other. Mel's such a troublemaker, but I always have her back. And I always will, because I love her. And I love you both too. Thank you for loving us enough to do what you did."
It was taking everything Melanie had to keep from breaking down right there. Since when had Miltia become such a poet? Since when did she wear her heart on her sleeve like that? She was supposed to be the quiet one.
She felt a hand on her shoulder. "Mel, you wanna say anything to mom and dad?"
The logical part of her brain told her that what Miltia was saying made no sense. Their parents weren't here. If there was some sort of afterlife, and they could hear what their daughters were saying, then hearing it wouldn't be restricted just to Mountain Glenn. But... there was something about being here that really did seem like closure. Talking to them here and now seemed right.
Even so, she was having trouble coming up with anything to say. Melanie shook her head, the tears running down her cheeks as she did. "I can't."
The hand on her shoulder moved to her back, and Miltia pulled her into a tight embrace. Her lips came close to her sister's ear. "Just tell them you love them."
Nodding against her sister's chest, Melanie quickly broke away and looked down to the filthy, broken street. She took a deep, shuddering breath before finally speaking those words. "I love you, mom and dad."
She didn't know why the words made her feel so good. Deep in her heart she had always loved her parents. However, she could not recall the last time she had ever uttered the words aloud. She could not remember the time she had actually thought about Mountain Glenn to even acknowledge the loss. Every time those emotions became too strong she had turned to the bottle in order to snuff them out. Perhaps there was something to be said about confronting your fears and losses.
Melanie brushed a hand through her long locks, clearing it from her face before wiping her own eyes. Her own words had been painfully short compared to Miltia's. It was a stunning reality that she had to acknowledge. "When the fuck did you become the talkative one?"
Her question was met by a soft giggle. "I dunno."
"Whatever. So what's next?"
Miltia was about to speak when a horrifying noise sounded in the air. One completely unfamiliar to both girl's ears. A primal, bestial sound that sent shivers down their spines.
Turning to the source, Melanie's eyes widened when she saw the terrifying black and white form of a Beowolf stalking toward them. "Fucking shit..." she whispered harshly.
She had not seen one of the creatures since the fall of Mountain Glenn. Even then, her memories of them were nothing but twisted shadows of darkness which haunted her nightmares. Living safely behind the walls of Vale, she never expected to see one again. One thing about them was unforgettable, however. Those glowing, baleful red eyes which glowed even in the early morning light.
Her fists clenched as adrenaline coursed through her body. Every instinct told her to run. And yet, she could not outrun a Beowolf. Neither could Miltia. And using the pilot as bait while they ran was out of the question since they would be sacrificing their ride back to Vale. There was only one option. Stay and fight.
As if sensing her intent, Miltia moved to stand side by side with her, claws raised and ready. "Well, I guess we totally found out what's next," she joked sardonically.
Melanie would have laughed if not for the horrific situation they found themselves in. "Plan?" she asked simply.
"You go low and I go high?"
One of their classic double-team strategies. Melanie would strike low with her legs while Miltia attacked high with her claws. It worked well against human opponents. Neither had ever faced down a creature of Grimm before.
Still, it was their best bet. "Read my mind, baby sis." It was more than just a turn of phrase. For the two of them it was all but reality.
Yellow-white fangs dripped with something resembling saliva as the Beowolf growled. Hateful eyes switched back and forth between the two, as if it could not decide who would be its first target. The twins would not give it a chance to pick.
Dashing forward as if they were one, Melanie and Miltia briefly split apart to divide the beast's attention. Melanie dashed left while Miltia went right, and would meet again in the middle to deliver their signature strike.
Her heart was racing as she turned to attack the Beowolf from its side. This was suicide. That was the only thought going through Melanie's mind. This was a Grimm. A fucking Grimm. And she was running right at it. What madness was this? They weren't fucking huntresses. How could she or Miltia possibly think this was a good idea?
As she closed in, the creature's head whipped around to face her and bared its teeth. Fear gripped Melanie's mind and body, and she hesitated. Her feet skidded across concrete before her bladed heels could connect, but it was not her that suffered the consequences of her fear. Miltia's attack struck home, but instead of being a part of a combined attack, she was alone. The Beowolf howled in pain as a pair of wrist-mounted claws slashed into its hide, but it retaliated quickly and swiped the red-clad girl away with its own monstrous claw.
"Miltia!" she shrieked in horror.
Jaune wasn't here. If Miltia was wounded... she was done for. Absolute terror seized her heart as she ran over to where Miltia had been knocked back nearly twenty feet. Grabbing hold of her sister's back, she lifted the girl slightly as she checked for injuries. "Miltia," she repeated. "I'm so sorry. Are you okay? Please tell me you're okay."
With a slice grimace her sister rose under her own power and back to her feet. "I'm fine," she said. "Aura took it."
A wave of relief surged over her, but with that relief came shame. She had froze in her attack, but Miltia had not. She would have loved to blame it on her unusual emotional state with being back here. With talking to her parents. But she knew the truth. She was a coward. She was facing down an opponent the likes of which she had never fought before. It wasn't weaker than her. It didn't fear her. It was a mindless beast with one purpose in its existence. To destroy. To destroy humanity. To destroy her parents. To destroy her.
This monster was terrifying. How did huntsmen and huntresses fight these creatures on a regular basis? How did they keep it together in the face of such horrors?
"Try again," Miltia said as she readied her blades once more.
How was she so brave? How was she so calm right now? Had Jaune's little hero complex worked its way into her through exposure? Through his Semblance when he saved her life? ...Through sex? In any case, seeing such a strong and determined side of her sister filled Melanie with much needed confidence.
"Okay," Melanie breathed. "I won't fuck up this time."
"I know you won't."
With Miltia's words filling her with resolve, the two once more split apart and prepared to hit the Beowolf from two sides at the same time.
Melanie didn't freeze this time as she went in low, kicking at the legs of the beast with bladed heels. At the same time Miltia came from above, slashing and stabbing at its torso. The combination of attacks from both sides forced the Beowolf to become unbalanced and it collapsed onto its side under the barrage of blade strikes.
A normal human opponent would have been finished by the assault, but not this monster. No, it was still alive, or at least as alive as a Grimm could be. Neither girl wasted and time in following up their attack on the prone an helpless thing. Hands and feet rose and fell over and over again, like something out of a horror movie, as the Beowolf was gutted over and over again by falling blades. Howls of pain and fury resonated in their ears as the creature squirmed beneath them until finally it moved no more. It lay there dead, penetrated dozens of times by their weapons.
Breaths came out in ragged gasps as Melanie stared down at the disintegrating Grimm. That vile and disgusting beast. A monster which if not for them may have been responsible for the deaths of others.
Looking over to Miltia, she saw how the girl also stared down wide-eyed at the remains of the Beowolf. She may not have shown it physically, but there was fear in her heart as well. Melanie could sense it.
She grabbed Miltia by the hand. "Let's get the fuck outta here right now."
Miltia nodded. "Yeah."
Looking back in the direction they had come, they expected to see the pilot standing there waiting for them. He was nowhere to be seen.
"What the- where's the fucking pilot?"
Miltia was busy looking around as well for any sign of him. "Fuck," she breathed. "I think he took off during the fight."
Panic gripped her once more. No. That couldn't be true. He wouldn't have left them to face the Beowolf alone. He wouldn't have left them trapped in Mountain Glenn with no way out. Right?
No. That's exactly what he would have done. He had been kidnapped at blade-point. Melanie probably would have done the same if given a distraction to escape.
"Fuck!" she screamed. "What the fuck are we gonna do now?"
There was no way out. They couldn't very well walk back to Vale. Not through unprotected and uncharted territory. Did they even know which way Vale was?
Melanie gripped her head in her hands. "Fuck," she repeated. "Fuck!"
"Stay calm," Miltia said, placing a hand on her shoulder.
"Calm? How the fuck am I supposed to be calm after that?" she shouted. "After our fucking ride just ditched us?"
"I don't know!" her sister shouted back. "But standing here yelling won't help!"
Melanie knew she was right. But still... it was easier to be angry than it was to be logical. It was easier to be violent than to sort things out verbally.
But right here and now she had no outlet but her sister. She had no one to blame but Miltia.
And despite the fact that it had been Miltia's idea to come out here, she would never do such a thing to the girl.
"Okay," she breathed, closing her eyes as she did so. "What do we do?"
"Let's just... I don't know. Sit down for a minute, think things through. There's gotta be a way back to Vale, right? Like the tunnels or something?"
Melanie's heart skipped a beat. The tunnels. The last place they had ever seen their parents alive as they boarded a train to take them back to Vale.
They would indeed be confronting their fears today. They would be facing every single deep and dark detail of the events from ten years prior.
Jaune couldn't explain what he had just done. Or what had just happened. That was okay, however. He didn't want to know. Glynda told him he didn't need to know either. The huntress who he had attempted to use his Semblance on had just reacted poorly to waking up after suffering such a grievous injury.
Sure. Why not.
Whipping out his scroll on his way back to the guest dormitory, Jaune wanted to see what the twins were up to. He hadn't heard from them all day. They hadn't even been present when he had woken up in the morning. Presumably they had gone off to do their own thing. Maybe some training. Or maybe they had snuck off to Vale again in order to secure some more... birth control. He wasn't about to ask questions about that either.
That was fine, however. It wasn't as if he didn't already have plans of his owns for today. Helping out Ozpin. Saving a life. At least he thought he did. The woman was alive and well after her Aura had been amplified by his own. Supercharged, by the look of it. He really hoped that Ozpin and Ironwood were okay. But if they weren't surely something would have happened by now, right? The people in charge must have known what they were doing. The headmasters of Beacon and Atlas academies weren't incompetent.
Finding Miltia's name in his contacts, Jaune called her. After the first few rings he glanced down at the scroll with a frown. When it went to her voicemail he left a short message inquiring about where she was.
It wasn't like her not to take his call.
Next was Melanie. Again, he got her voicemail. This time he just hung up. Something didn't seem right about this.
He was about to try Ruby, but then remembered that she and her team were out on some sort of Beacon field trip mission thing today. Disturbing her right now would probably not be the best idea.
When he reached his room, it dawned upon him that all he could really do was wait. That was, until he noticed a piece of paper on the desk that he had not seen in his sleepy early morning haze.
Grabbing it, Jaune realized it was a message from Miltia. At least it would explain where she had gone and probably why she wasn't answering.
And it did. At least until he read a very specific and odd portion of the note.
"Going to see their parents...?" he asked himself.
Jaune recalled a conversation he had with Junior a number of weeks ago. Miltia and Melanie's parents were dead. They had been killed at Mountain Glenn.
They were going to see their parents.
The true meaning of the note hit home.
They were going to Mountain Glenn. Alone. How they had gotten there didn't really matter to him right now. He just knew that he had to do something.
Grabbing hold of his scroll again, there was one more number he knew he could call. That person would not only be able to confirm his suspicions, but he would be able to know what to do next.