Howdy! I'm back, once again LOL
You have questions about some things, but like I said last chapter, I wrote this fanfic before I knew some important details. After all this whole story became a thing between Volume 4 and 5. You probably have questions about a certain bird of ours that stakes she takes, but just be patient. I'll have some time to think about how to introduce it and have it properly on the scene.
Anyway, I hope you enjoy!
Disclaimer: I don't own RWBY
Chapter 38: After The Fall
What do you mean…I'm a Maiden?
Without you I am nothing.
I won…again?
I'm here to help.
Without you I am nothing.
Destiny?
My name is Amber.
My name is Cinder
My name is Pyrrha.
No. No. No. No. No.
Jaune awoke, head lighter than feathers. An intense piercing drilling into his skull. Hands weak, legs like jelly, he slid from the pod, gasping for air. The crash of his back against steel brought their attention away from the Grimm. Not a moment to waste, Pyrrha rushed to his side, her hands caressing him within her grasp. Whispering, kissing his forehead through the hazed delirium. It didn't make any sense to him, what happened. It was cool, as if winds had blown through the underground corridor. Despite the moist air, the thunderless storm, it remained like ice against his skin.
Ren cried out, his horns extending further, almost curling to cover his face. Nora and Cardin at his side, they moved between his raised hands and the power he used. Sliding under and about, the Grimm were thrown about, wrenched from their positions and the Grimm pools boiling with black muck. His power continued to spread, torturing the Grimm, making them suffer as they birthed in agony. Pink eyes turned to Jaune, his friend, no, his brother. Weaker than ever before, a broken shell. His fury rose, twisting his horns beyond the animalistic, turning demonic. Hands clenched into bare knuckles, crushing the Grimm where they floated.
Jaune blinked, struggling to breathe. Pyrrha murmured, running her hands up and down his face. Words leaving her lips, tears trickling down her beautiful flaming eyes. He could not speak, syllables trapped against the tip of his tongue. Blue eyes flaked with red, gazed into her emerald seas. Pain, suffering, agony. She clutched him, however not for dear life, but the miracle. Head lowered to his chest as she sobbed into him, keeping him close as if he would disappear.
"Jaune…" she whimpered, "I-I'm sorry…"
"Pyrrha?" he finally choked, "Sorry for what?"
For all of her control, her face flinched, "I…I have the Maiden's power! I'm the Fall Maiden! Amber died and she gave me her power!"
He did not react, simply blinking in silence. Eyes turned away, leveling at the ceiling behind her, "I figured…Amber refused the power Cinder took from her. No matter what I said to convince her, no matter what I tried to do, she would not listen. I-I don't know…it's…Cinder's dead, but I feel…I feel so different…like I just lost a part of me."
"What do you mean?" she asked worriedly.
"It feels…off," he murmured, "I spent all this time…everything I had done was to end her, to erase the future…but with everything that has happened, it still remains. But they aren't clear anymore. I see some of it, but it's…it's hazy. Some of it is just gone, like it actually was erased. Entire years, months and days, gone. Is that…is that a good thing?"
"I don't know."
"It's alright," Jaune shook his head weakly, "I don't expect you to. I have no answers for this, but gods, I really thought I was going to die. What I felt in Menagerie doesn't compare. This, I felt like my body was tearing itself apart, cell by cell. The heat, the drilling pain, I could feel it everywhere. The Maiden's power belongs to only women…I learned that first hand."
"It fought back, Pyrrha," Jaune's blue eyes snapped open, hauntingly pale, "it tried to break free, but it couldn't. Almost as if it were trapped in cage. It beat against me, it hurt me and, in the end, tried to kill me. Everything went out of control. The end I got…it wasn't what I was expecting. She…she actually seemed like she felt bad for what she'd done. It made no sense."
"It's not important right now anyway," he blinked, pushing himself off the floor. Collapsing into the pod, he stared at Amber's face, wounded, but she died with a smile on her face, "she…she didn't want to keep fighting…"
"I don't blame her," Pyrrha said, "she suffered enough, don't you think?"
Hand reached out as golden antlers rose from his head. Before they could take full form, Pyrrha's hand rested on his shoulder, warm and ablaze with violent flame, "she suffered enough, Jaune."
"But…"
"Didn't you say that you didn't want to upset the balance of life and death?"
"I…" head lowered against the edge of the pod, Jaune sighed, shaking in his suit, "y-you're right."
"Are you good to walk?" Pyrrha asked.
"Y-Yeah, but my feet are still kinda numb," he winced as she threw his arm over her shoulder, "Urgh! Get me to Nurse Peridot or find my sister Clair. My aura's broken completely and it'll be a while before it recharges."
"The Grimm, they're not defeated yet," Pyrrha frowned.
"Handle the Grimm," Ren said, "Nora and Cardin are getting tired. These spawning pools are more potent than I first thought."
"Why'd you get hurt too, Ren?" Pyrrha asked worriedly.
Ren was silent for a moment as his power choked the life from Grimm, "Whatever happens to Jaune, happens to me. His darkness; his light; I feel it too. His pain…his suffering…we are more than even brothers now. Pyrrha, you're a Maiden, use your powers and keep the Grimm at bay while I remove these pools."
A quick nod, the woman raised her arms. To her surprise, a blade of flame similar to Milo appeared in her open hand. Twirling it between her fingers, it had the same weight. Focusing her new abilities, the spear shed its extra length, ending with a leaf-bladed xiphos. Holding out her left arm, fire and wind rushed together until a fiery shield, almost exactly like Akouo covered her forearm. She glanced at Jaune, the flames still flickering over her eyes, "do you believe in me?"
Jaune smiled weakly, "always."
Yang watched as they zipped Yuma into a black body bag. Weiss had stopped shouting and Ruby had finally calmed down. Nodding with an empty gaze, Fireteam MSTN moved in to give commands to the infantry gathered within the school campus. Hundreds gathered to clean and close off the sector. All their friends, lieutenants and Fireteams had gathered together in attendance. Yet, with all these people, she felt so alone. Standing a respectable distance away from her, a woman she had never expected to find, watched her with a distance look in eyes that reflected like her own. A face almost similar, a head of hair that fell in a black waterfall, waving, curling and properly maintained. Wrapped around her ponytail, a bandana of red and white flowed over her hair ornament of raven feathers.
"Say something, Yang," she spoke.
Brows furrowed deep. Trying to stay calm, her dress cost three hundred Lien. The nails she wore took an hour to apply and the tiara was a gift from Weiss. Heels began to creak, a loan from Pyrrha; the necklace that hung between her bust, a gift from Blake. As her anger began to rise, her lilac eyes splashed with blood red as she whipped to the woman.
A gaze like daggers, it pierced through Raven's façade, "you want me to say something?!"
"Yang," Blake left Sienna's side as she moved to the Queen.
"You want me to say something?!" Yang marched to Raven, "I…I have nothing to say to you."
"Yang," Raven reached out, "you don't understand."
"Nothing you say, now or later," she paused, relaxing to Blake's touch, "will change my mind. Why are you even here?"
"Your future husband," Raven said, "I wanted to see what kind of man he was."
It seemed her reason didn't sit well with her daughter. Yang slipped out of Blake's hand, almost springing back to Raven with fire flickering to life between her golden locks. Fists shaking, her shellac had shattered in her grip, spilling diamonds across the concrete. They stayed like that, glaring at one another, the heat growing between their standoff.
"But you couldn't visit me? You couldn't even say anything to me, your own daughter?!" Yang spat, "After everything I've had to suffer, everything that's been on my mind – how…I…how long have you been in Vale?!"
"Yang–"
Yang activated Ember Celica, drawing several concerned voices. She was inconsolable, "I am a Queen of Vale – you will answer me, or I will have you arrested and thrown in a cell like Ilia and Adam! Say something, damn it!"
As the words left her lips, one hundred rifles were raised in Raven's direction. The King's Fist dropped everything they were doing, listening to her command without a question raised. The Fireteams present raised their weapons, with Lightning Squad taking special steps to prepare for bandit queen's next step. Crimson eyes darted left and right, hands up and off Omen's handle. This was not a situation she wanted to be in.
"Wait!" Blake shouted, getting between mother and daughter, "Wait! Stop this! Put your guns down! We just had a battle; we do not need another! Not now!"
Marsha stopped for a moment before relenting, "Queen Belladonna gave a command. Follow it. At ease, men."
Murmurs spread through the ranks as they looked between one another. Raven Branwen was infamous, a thief and a murderer. A goddess of death and a Bandit Queen beyond any of the rest in Anima. The crime families of Wave and even the Spider herself could not match her prowess. A criminal such as her, should not be allowed to be free. Many of these soldiers were once policemen, bounty hunters and former lawmen. Her accolades were their antithesis and they were told to lower their weapons?
"Do I need to repeat myself?!" Blake shouted, making several flinch, "Lower your fucking weapons!"
"Blake, what are you doing?" Yang asked through clenched teeth, "This…this–"
She shook her head, putting her hands on the girl's shoulders, "Yang…I love you. You know this. As such, I'm telling you what you need to hear. I need you to calm it down. You're at eleven, I need you at two. You are going to make an already bad situation worse."
Before she could say something else, Yang's hands wrapped around her wrists, gripping tight. Blake winced, confusion spreading across her face. Cat ears tensing and bending, she tried to back away but her grip only strengthened. Before it could get any worse, the fire raging through Yang's hair doused. Silence. Yang fell to the ground, collapsing back. She moved in, catching her head before it could hit the ground. At the sound of clicking heels, Gambol Shroud was raised, snapping to the woman with fury in her amber eyes.
"This is not your chance to be the mother you were supposed to be, Branwen," Blake threatened, "Sienna, you have gathered the members of Team KRWN now; get onto Shadow and get out of here. Inferno Squad!"
"Yes, your grace," Sergeant Aera saluted.
"Make sure everything is in order," Blake said, "when the King recovers from whatever it is they're doing down there, he'll have the next mission for Team KRWN."
"I don't take orders from anyone," Raven threatened, "I am here for Yang and the Arc."
"Then leave," Blake said, "leave! It's what you're good at right?! The gall of people like you."
Raven's hand shot to Omen out of practice but hundreds of rifles raised once again. Marsha moved toward her with her hand on her blade's handle, "I don't care how skilled you are, Branwen. You're not fighting all of us, at least you won't leave as pretty as you are now. Is that something you'll want to risk, bandit?"
"Get out of my face, huntress," Raven narrowed her eyes.
"I'd listen to them, Branwen," Winter entered the field, drawing her sword, "with explicit orders from General Ironwood himself, I am the liaison of Atlas to the King's Fist. Threatening the Queens of Vale will be an act of war with Atlas as well. Do you think your tribe can stand against the two most powerful militaries in Remnant? We've already had a scene, don't make it any worse."
"Stop," Sienna raised her hands as well, stepping into the scene. Neopolitan tilted her head as she twirled her parasol, resting it on her shoulder. Standing in the new battlefield, the tigress took a deep breath, thinking back to Ghira, "Branwen, Schnee. You don't get along, and you don't like each other. Honestly, I don't like you ladies either. Schnee for all I know, the General only put you on this assignment to watch me and the King; Branwen, I don't even know what you want."
"No shrewd comment for the thief beside you, Khan?" Winter glared at Sienna.
She and Neo shrugged, "she has her reasons."
"This is a joke," Winter sheathed her sword, "you're lucky I respect the King as much as I respect the General."
"Oh, believe me, the King is just that; a King," Sienna rolled her eyes, "he gave me a second chance. I am not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, Schnee. But before I was rudely interrupted, we have a chance to get back at the one who caused all of this. You saw it yourself, Branwen; something was done to these Faunus and it corrupted them."
"They have a human with similar effects," Raven crossed her arms over her chest, "don't they?"
Blake hissed as she hoisted Yang in her arms, "they are something called Yūrei. A person corrupted by Grimm flesh. Tapping into something within all of us, human and Faunus, it corrupts aura and the body. The souls themselves are at danger because of what she is doing. We have theories, but the prisoner is impossible to reason with. With Adam and Ilia in our custody, hopefully, we'll finally get some answers."
"Wait, t-they weren't the only ones?!" Sienna snapped to Blake.
"Everyone saw the Battle of the Docks," Blake said, "it took everything we had at the time to beat four of them. Jaune talked to me about some of the things he's seen and he believed that given your abilities as individuals, you have more than enough skill to strike Salem where it hurts. Together."
"Ha! You can't hurt her," Raven scowled.
"You can," Ruby suddenly spoke. Silver eyes glimmering with a fiery focus, "you can! I don't know what happened to you, to any of you to make you this…this afraid!"
"Watch yourself, Rose–"
"Shut up! Shut up!" Ruby stomped her heel, "shut up already! What are you going to do? What do you think you can do?! You like to hide behind your strength and masks but in the end, you're just as scared as the rest of us! It's pathetic! These men and women with us are just as scared as we are but they still stand and fight because that is the only way to face the darkness! They could easily drop their weapons and go back home, but that won't do anything to stop them Grimm and Salem! They stand and fight because they know that doing nothing will let her win!"
"She will win regardless!" Raven argued.
"Even if we lose, we will do it on our feet!" Ruby glared up at the woman, "That's what a Huntress does! That's all we can ever do!"
"Ruby…" Weiss and Blake whispered.
"You are so naïve," Raven scowled, "just like you mother…"
"Even if she…she is still stronger than you, Raven!" Ruby hissed, "no matter the cost, that is the mission. Stopping the forces of darkness, being the light for men and women like these soldiers behind you. For their families, their children!"
"You don't understand!" Raven roared, "She cannot be stopped! She cannot be reasoned with!"
"I don't intend to reason with her," Ruby said, "and she will be stopped."
"You don't know the things I've seen!" Raven growled, "You don't know the kinds of things she's created! I have fought, I have given everything I could for this pointless cause and what did it give me?! Nothing! Nothing but death and regrets!"
"Nope," Ruby scoffed, "it doesn't matter what you've seen, nor what terrible things she's created. To protect the innocent, to stand as the shield against her forces – that's what you don't understand! She showed herself in Vale and we didn't stop! We fought and fought and fought even when our weapons were broken! We bled for the people in the streets, in the projects, in the fields of their farms – in every hallway, every foyer, every empty home! You only think it's impossible because you gave up! You gave up on people; you gave up on yourself; you gave up on your family!"
Raven visibly flinched, taking a weak step back from Ruby. Fists clenched, she could hear the spring bolts clicking and safeties clicked off. The Schnee sisters had raised their weapons, the infamous Fireteams of the King's Fist raised their weapons as well, every blade and barrel pointed at her, "you're going to end up like your mother if you don't end this pointless crusade, Rose! I loved your mother…but she was too naïve for this world! You don't know what you're getting into. You don't even know if she can be defeated! It's suicidal!"
"No," Ruby stopped for a moment. She looked away from Raven as the woman glowered in her victory. Ruby however, snapped back at Raven with more conviction than before, "you're right; no, I don't know. But that won't stop me from trying."
Walking away from the woman, she held Yang's hand as she was laid on a stretcher. Raven could do nothing but watch, feet planted to the concrete like a statue. The red hood, the same silver eyes that shone steadfast sheen, it was like staring at a clone. Her attitude to life, her naïve view of everything around her as simple as black and white. Raven clenched her fists as the girl moved and commanded men and women left and right. Shaking in her heels, she fell back, gasping for air as her eyes met Ruby's.
"Wow, Raven Branwen, bested by a child," Sienna scoffed, "what a time to be alive, honestly."
"I'm…" she hissed, forcing herself to her feet, "I'm not saying it's impossible…but if I were to join this merry band, how do you intend to fight Salem?"
"As the High Leader of the White Fang for as long as I have, I had to meet with some…questionable people to get weapons and provisions. When I decided to get more violent, the need grew exponentially, as did our contacts," Sienna said, "the King has his own powerbase filled with companies and with that, their ledgers. Some run deeper in ink. Salem from what I've managed to gather, makes people her pawns, uses those pawns to get more pawns. A web of contacts until she, the mastermind, is lost."
"Everyone fears the Grimm. Human, Faunus; citizen or bandit," Sienna continued, "You can have a well-armed syndicate or even the great militaries of Atlas or Vale, it won't matter against a horde of Grimm numbering in the thousands suddenly appearing on your doorstep. That's what happened during the Battle of Vale. Tens of thousands of Grimm suddenly spawned within the city walls and the King's Fist, for all their technology and military prowess, almost lost the city."
"But I'm sure you knew that," Sienna gave her a pointed look, "that's why you couldn't say anything to your daughter, huh? You were here during the Battle, watching and waiting. At least that's what Qrow told me and Neo."
"I'm impartial to all of this," Winter crossed her arms, "but the General hopes that since my sister is the fourth Queen of Vale, he can mend some relations between our Kingdoms to avoid a war. I intend to ensure that relations do not sour further. We didn't get a chance to properly introduce ourselves because of Cinder Fall and Team ACID's appearance, but I believe it's time we got the pleasantries out of the way."
"That's Neopolitan; orphaned and mute. Do either of you know sign language?" Sienna asked. "Well, she learned everything she did growing up in Vale and Mistral, working for small time bandit gangs and the Spider, until she met Roman Torchwick. Her semblance allows her to create physical illusions."
"I am Sienna Khan," she said, "I grew up on a plantation in Anima…then I joined the White Fang. I gained my skills after years of fighting the SDC and Brotherhood. My semblance allows me to hyper-focus and take advantage of a weakened opponent."
"Winter Schnee, Atlesian Specialist. Military training in front-line combat and subterfuge," Winter nodded, "my semblance is glyphs."
Raven paused, sighing into her hands, "Raven Branwen. I gained my skills in my tenure with Team STRQ. My semblance isn't important to any of you right now."
Neo and Winter shared a look. Sienna knew this was a bad idea, but with a higher road to take, she sighed, "that's probably the most we'll get out of her right now. Now that introductions are out of the way, we can get on with the mission."
"Either way, as I was saying; these suppliers work outside the laws of the Four Kingdoms, after all that's how I got my hands on military grade equipment. Energy weapons, huntsman training for those with their aura unlocked," Sienna went on, "small time thieves are one thing, but when they get too good at what they do, they end up like Roman Torchwick and so many other groups. There are people who would pay a lot of money for ancient artifacts from before the Great War, and there are people who are not afraid to get them. Weapons are almost as common as people, but what separates the trash and the gold, lies in who has the most money."
"We aren't going to fight Salem with makeshift crap like what most use in Anima or Vacuo – if you want the good shit, you go to Atlas or Vale. But, therein lies the problem – we'd be arrested if we even stepped foot within the walls of the Kingdoms, so we did what we could with what we could get our hands on. There're arms dealers across Sanus and Anima that would happily supply whoever can pay the highest Lien. Huntsman, civilian; terrorist, Cultists. If we are too antsy staying in one place, then I know someone we can start with. Thanks to Schnee's airship and Shadow, we can cross the distance. Are we in accord?"
"Who are we meeting?" Winter asked.
"Well, she won't just show herself," Sienna said, "everyone saw the news – I'm not High Leader anymore. The White Fang was disbanded. She probably went into hiding. If there's someone who knows where anyone would be, it would be the Spider."
"You know where the Spider is?" Winter prodded, "The General has wanted her in custody for years!"
"Of course, he does," Sienna and Neo rolled their eyes. Neo tapped Sienna's arm, flashing through sign language. Winter and Raven watched, intrigued and bored, respectively, "well, Neo says that since you're a liaison now, you should know the Spider and the King work together. After all, her daughters are the Malachite twins, lieutenants of the King's Fist."
"I thought Xiong and Spider were at war with one another," Winter asked, "it was one of the reasons the Xiong Clan even left Anima in the first place."
"Since the King took control, he strong armed several Clans and syndicates out of Vale and Anima. A long war with a lot of people dead in the streets of cities and towns. What, you really think that the Battle of the Docks, and the Healing of Menagerie were the only reason I sought him out for peace?" Sienna scoffed, "I didn't order the Battle of the Docks, nor did I order the attack in Menagerie; I didn't even know he was there at the time. No, I looked for him because he was killing my enemies in Anima in droves. I prepared for war with these syndicates and when the time came, there was no war – just some suit and a division of soldiers at their backs. All of them, talking about this King of Vale, the same one that absolutely no one on the CCTN could stop talking about."
"From what I was able to gather, thanks to Neopolitan and Inferno Squad, the King made significant strides to keep the flow of information secured," Sienna said, "even going so far as to threaten the Spider and turning her daughters against her. Don't let this change your view of him, Schnee, sometimes in the underworld, you have to do some things to get the results you want."
"Hm, I like him," Raven nodded, "he knows that some lines need to be crossed. Maybe…maybe they do know what they're doing."
"Alongside the Spider, the Ankōshoku Clan out of Wind Path are our allies out in Anima," Sienna said, "I've worked with them before so it won't be hard to gather their support if it comes to that. The airships of the King's Fist fleet are also Ankōshoku models, so with a few strings we could get a good stepping stone to launch from."
"What, Schnee, you got a problem working with miscreants like us?" Raven smirked.
"I said nothing of the sort," Winter huffed, "I just want to know if we can trust these people."
"You've been undercover before, right? Special Operative specializing in front-line combat and subterfuge, you said?" Sienna rolled her eyes, "you should know well enough that trust isn't a factor – Lien is the only language these kinds of people speak."
"And where do you intend to get this Lien?"
Neo smirked, at Sienna's raised brow, "well, we do have Neo."
Red-faced and surprised, Winter choked, "I am not robbing banks!"
"Not just banks, Schnee, villages, towns," Raven numbered off her fingers.
"I won't say I'm against it either," Sienna nodded, "but we're getting ahead of ourselves. For all we know, the Ankōshoku could have some Lien set aside for us when we arrive."
"So, who are we looking for and why?"
"Her name is Zania Ranun, in league with an old Clan named Wave," Sienna said, "an arms dealer and a prolific thief. Vale has Torchwick, Mistral has Ranun. She helped supply my White Fang Chapters in parts of Anima. They were the best armed and best equipped chapters in the entire organization. If anyone has information on those who work with Salem, it would be her. However, I know she went into hiding. That's what Lil' Miss is for."
"Zania is not your run of the mill criminal; she has in her employ several Huntsmen and Huntresses who've strayed from their path. So, expect one hell of a fight if it comes to it," Sienna said.
"It's a four-day flight to Mistral if we left now," Winter said.
"Go, get on Shadow with Inferno Squad, I'll join you in a bit. There's something I need to do," Sienna waved them off, "Sergeant Aera, if Raven tries to run, shoot her, please?"
"My pleasure," the Sergeant saluted, "right this way, ladies."
Sienna took a slow, deep breath as her heartrate struggled to calm down. Moving across the school campus she tapped Blake on the shoulder just before she hopped into the ambulance, "Blake, I just wanted to say thank you. And that I'm sorry."
"W-What for?" the girl raised a brow, "you haven't done anything to me."
"We got off on the wrong foot since I had come to Vale," Sienna said, "I know that…certain people are a sore spot for the both of us. Even though the White Fang is gone, the marks it left on Remnant are not. Our fight isn't over yet, Queen."
"No, it isn't," she shook her head, "but we'll be standing and ready to continue the fight. For what it's worth, Sienna, I'm glad that you're here. Is there anything else you needed?"
"Something about Cinder Fall left much to be desired. She must have some information on her, a scroll perhaps."
Blake nodded as she slipped into the vehicle, "when me and my team are finished at the hospital, I'll make sure that when the autopsy and investigation is done, I'll make sure to have whatever information we gather will be delivered to you. Promise. I hope to see you again soon, Sienna. Good luck in Anima."
"Thank you, Blake," she smiled, "good luck to you too. I hear the Tournament is in three days."
"Yup!" Blake smiled, "but, we have some missions to complete beforehand."
As the ambulance door slammed shut and zipped off into the skyways of Vale, Sienna whipped around sprinting to the waiting bay doors of Shadow. The women of Team KRWN were there and surprisingly, amicable with one another. Raven had not tried to run and in fact, looked a little less bored as the tigress entered the bay. A nod to Ray in the cockpit and a salute from the rest of Inferno Squad, Sienna pressed a button, letting the doors hiss and slam shut on either side.
"Okay," Sienna nodded, "I just finished speaking with Queen Belladonna and she confirmed that an autopsy and investigation will be done on those where were killed and where they were staying. They didn't just arrive in Vale. Team ACID has been slaughtering Faunus left and right across the city and Cinder Fall has been in hiding for almost ten months, working with Roman Torchwick before his disappearance."
Neo visibly scowled, clutching her parasol. Sienna, taking their collective silence as a cue, "as such, when they get their hands on a scroll or anything that holds viable information, they will send us whatever they find through the CCTN. Hopefully, we'll have a secure channel so as to not jeopardize our mission. Sound good? Good. After we speak to the King and the General Ironwood, there are some things in Vale we need to finish investigating and then we will make our way to Mistral. I don't want to linger around here any longer than we need to."
Neo smirked, flashing sign language. Sienna smirked, "Hmm, Neo says you might have a chance to be a mother for once, Branwen."
One Day Later…
Jaune sat before the General and Ozpin. Holograms of the other Headmasters were present, even Professor Lionheart. At his back, Winter Schnee and the rest of Team KRWN had gathered in the rear of the room. Qrow in one corner, sipped away at his liquor, with Winter a few steps away from him completely disgusted in his antics. Beside Jaune, Pyrrha sat, clutching her arm nervously. Despite Goodwitch's attempts to calm her down, it did nothing to ease the dread growing in the Spartan's chest.
"Show me," Ozpin said.
Looking to the King beside her, receiving a nod, she sighed, lifting her hand up. Closing her emerald eyes, flames grew around them, flaring outward like wings. Her palm suddenly burst into violent flame, washing the room with light and warmth. Channeling her power further, clouds beyond the windows of the lonely tower of Beacon, gathered together, coalescing as a storm rumbled to life. Leaves flew outward, crashing against glass and windows lining halls and corridors. Cutting her connection, Pyrrha sighed as the flames doused themselves.
"So, it's true…" Ironwood scratched his chin, "incredible…"
"General," Winter rolled her eyes at Qrow, "what are your orders, sir?"
"Salem no doubt knows of this development," Ironwood said, pacing to the windows, "as far as we know, she doesn't have another pawn to use as a vessel for the Maiden powers. For all we know, she had more than just the Fall Maiden under control…"
"In the future, she turned Cinder Fall into her jack of all trades champion. She had all the powers of the Four Maidens, absorbing their auras, thus their magic. By the time we were pushed out of Atlas, she was nearly unstoppable."
"Then I guess we will have to ensure that whoever takes her place, doesn't get to that point," Ironwood nodded, "I know we got off on the wrong foot, Arc, but I don't intend to remain in muddy waters forever. Think of this as armistice. Specialist Schnee was telling the truth, as of this day, she is the liaison of the Atlesian Military and the King's Fist. As such, she is under joint command."
"I appreciate it, General," Jaune said, "As powerful as KRWN is, they don't work alone either. With Inferno Squad, my best special forces unit, they could use a helping hand – maybe the Ace Ops could give a hand with this war."
"Any resource you require," Ironwood thought for a moment, "while they do not know the depth of the fight…it's nothing I can't disclose after the Vytal Festival. If you were to have them under your command, where would you send them?"
"Team KRWN thanks to Sienna, know where they will be heading to once the Tournaments are over," Jaune said, "as a show of trust, I leave the Ace Ops at your discretion. While they face Salem's contacts in Eastern Sanus and Anima, I hope you can handle Western Sanus and Solitas – after all, you said the Faunus Mafia was a thorn in both yours and Professor Theodore's sides. This would be the perfect chance for us to ensure relations between the schools don't sour after the Festival."
Giving Lionheart a glare, all heads turned to the Lion. Jaune crossed his arms, but relaxed at Pyrrha's touch. Giving her a glance, she returned it with a sarcastic gleam. Uncrossing his arms, he sighed bringing attention back to him. Lionheart shrunk in his hologram but knew he could not escape now. With KRWN raising their own brows at the old headmaster, Jaune had other reasons for concentrating them in Anima. Winter was present when he called Lionheart out for being a traitor. She knew well enough the kind of trash he had become. KRWN in Anima would ensure Lionheart remained loyal, at least loyal enough to not kill off the Kingdom's huntsmen.
"Are we in accord?" Jaune asked, "we have brought all of this together when all Four Kingdoms arrived. I hope that when we all go our separate ways, we won't be distant for the next two years. This is more than a Kingdom, more than a crown I intend to take – it's the bedrock for peace and prosperity in the world. I don't want to lose that."
"And you won't," Ozpin nodded, "we will maintain correspondence and ensure the CCT Towers remain operational. Now with the tower being built in Menagerie, the CCTN won't rely on all four to remain functional. You may have just saved the world from any catastrophe."
"Nope," Jaune said, "not all of it. My plans don't stop there. The ultimate plan is to remove the towers completely. Judging by my time in the future and the past, these Towers are nothing more than easy targets, that Salem can strike at, anytime, anywhere. That's a risk that we cannot keep taking. In the future, General Ironwood had the ingenious idea of turning Amity Arena into a satellite that carried a CCT Tower into the atmosphere, where Grimm couldn't touch it."
"I…I did?" Ironwood gasped.
Jaune chuckled, "yeah, it was an amazing idea, one I supported from the start to the end. But, like all things in the future, Cinder Fall and team WTCH interfered. They caused it to fall from the sky and with that, any hope for Remnant was gone. Not this time. I intend to make sure that satellite takes flight and remains in our atmosphere. Communication is our rise and downfall. If we can't remain in contact with friends, family, allies and even enemies, we're sitting ducks for the Grimm to arrive anywhere. Despite all that the King's Fist has done to quell the Grimm Incursions across Sanus, we are not enough. The people need protection from Huntsmen and Huntresses, their Guardians. How far will that go if they can't even call upon a Huntsman School?"
"Alright," Ironwood rested his fists on Ozpin's desk, "I…I understand now. I think you know what my semblance is, right?"
"Yes," Jaune said sheepishly, "I took the brunt of it first hand in the future. That's how you found a way to punch through my aura and throw me off of Atlas."
"You d-did what?!" Sienna paled at Pyrrha's shout.
"It's in the future-past, Pyrrha," it was his turn to calm her down, "as he said before, we got off on the wrong foot. It's about time we calm down and start moving forward. There's no point in dwelling on something that hasn't even happened."
"After the Tournament, I will return to Atlas and send out Specialists and the Ace Ops especially, to scour the ice flats and the tundra wastes in Solitas. There are untold monstrosities that lie in the wilderness. There is one that I have been wondering and searching for questioning." Reaching into his coat, he placed a scroll onto Ozpin's desk. There was a flicker of light and color. Suddenly, a hologram of a man with white hair and a red glowing eye appeared.
"This is Doctor Merlot," Ironwood said, "there have been rumors of his supposed survival in the ruins of Mountain Glenn. He was a mad scientist who believed there was something inherently evil within the Grimm and that he had the power to remove that evil. When Mountain Glenn fell, he was thought to have died with it; but with my spies watching the Brotherhood, he has been mentioned multiple times in recent months, ever since you fought the White Fang at the Battle of the Docks."
"Doctor Merlot was a madman," Raven scoffed, "he didn't care about anyone but the Grimm, what makes you think he'd side with beings he deems as lesser creatures? Team STRQ fought against him and sent him running to Mountain Glenn. That was when the Grimm overran the city's defenses…"
"I remember that," Qrow hummed, sheathing his flask, "after we brought down his airship, he crashed just outside of Mountain Glenn's green band. We gave chase before he escaped into the city. Before we could even begin searching, the sirens went off – Grimm Threat Level Nine. The first in the Kingdom's history."
"You think he's there?" Theodore asked.
"Nope," Jaune shook his head. Gods I'm hanging around Ruby and Yang too much. "If I were a betting man, he'd already packed his things and gotten out of dodge just to be safe. That doesn't mean he got everything. If he was a man thought dead, I doubt he has much of an entourage sitting around – those are loose ends he doesn't need hanging around if something went south."
"Think of it as a quick mission for Fireteam RRAYNNBW. It'll be fun."
"Rainbow?" Winter raised a brow.
"Fireteams RWBY and JNPR put together," Jaune smiled, "Ruby thought of it. Honestly, I think it fits. Anyway, Sienna, you already have my support for your quest into Anima. Lionheart, I expect daily updates after they arrive. That's nonnegotiable."
"Y-Yes, your grace." Lionheart shrunk under his glare.
"Sienna, make sure to give Colonel Blanche a call when you arrive at Wind Path," Jaune said, "I want to make sure the Ankōshoku are still on our side. Kenji's father, Kiiro should have Lien and weapons ready for you when you land. Raven, your tribe could come in handy."
She narrowed her eyes but said nothing. The four women nodded their heads, "understood, King. We'll be on our way."
"Have a safe flight and watch out for Tempests and Tesla," Jaune waved his hand, "Ren in his specialization of the King's Fist made much needed updates to the Grimm database, especially with my knowledge of the future. Tempests are giant Grimm, bigger than even Atlas's largest airships. I watched in the future as they snapped his airships in two without a struggle. Tesla are similar in shape and size, but they are faster and serve as anti-air defenses for the Tempests. While nowhere near the same destructive power, they act as a mobile spawning point for Teryx, Ravagers and Razorwings. All are nasty without air superiority. If you encounter any, I would advise that you escape from their watch as quickly as you can."
"Orca and Broadsword superiority fighters can only go so far from their airships," Jaune said, "it goes without saying, you'll be deep in the field without support. I know you can handle yourselves and I know this isn't your first mission out…each of you, even you Neo, are more important to Remnant alive. Don't do anything stupid."
"We're already doing this," Raven rolled her eyes as she motioned the woman to follow.
Jaune smirked, "at least she knows. Anyway, now that they're gone…General, it's about time we got down to brass tacks. My army is well supplied and ready for deployment; your army is in the same boat, but separated across territorial holdings on all continents. With Menagerie as the Fifth Kingdom…they will need our help. Sea Feilong and Terremer still plague their waterways. It won't be long before Grimm take form to combat mine and their surface fleets."
"What would you have me do then?" Ironwood frowned, "I hold no hatred for the Faunus…it's just that Menagerie is thousands of miles away from the nearest Atlesian Naval Base. The Dust a journey like that would require…it would be a logistical nightmare."
"One of the reasons the Great War started was because territory was claimed and there was no communication to decide on it. What started as border disputes overseen by Atlas and soon enough, encroaching governments trying to stamp out human decency, spiraled into a decade long struggle that left over half a billion dead. I don't intend to repeat those mistakes. As King of Vale, recognized by a failing council or not, I am willing to give you a few naval bases on the south-eastern coast of Sanus to act as a staging point for your surface fleets. Already, the place I'm thinking of, is a small trading port for Orléans. Everyone knows what you did in Forever Fall when Sienna disbanded the White Fang. It's about time you cared about your image, General."
"Fear in the people, brings the Grimm," Ozpin said.
"And the Grimm bring Salem," Theodore finished, "this will do well for Sanus and Menagerie. Ensuring King Belladonna's support for the cause will make Salem lose her support. Forcing her to look back into the underworld, rather than turning the huntsmen schools into battlegrounds. That's why you made Team KRWN – you've set the board, forcing her to respond in accordance to your moves."
"Soon enough, when we find the other Maidens, we will enter the endgame where she'll have no choice but to declare checkmate," Jaune said, "soon, my friends. It will finally be over."
"What of the relics?" Ironwood asked, "you said that she used a relic to destroy Anima, another to melt Solitas…how did she get her hands on the relics?"
"Remember what I said about Cinder Fall being all Four Maidens at once?" Jaune shivered, "Cinder attacked Vacuo in the two years between her first assault on Haven and the sinking. She got her hands on the Relic of Destruction and with it, obliterated Anima. Because of that, Professor Theodore, Atlas and the King's Fist have your back. All you need to do is give us the call and our armies will arrive within a fortnight to aid you. When I fought in Vacuo, we faced Sulfur Fish in Combo A and B, along with Blind Worms…too many to count."
"Also, please don't reshuffle any teams we may send to you," Jaune sighed, "the Battle of Shade could have failed if I didn't show up when I did."
"I don't know what you're talking about, but I'll keep that in mind," Theodore nodded.
"Professors, Theodore, Lionheart – you two may leave. I have things to discuss with Professor Ozpin and General Ironwood that don't concern you," Jaune said, "just be ready to give us a call."
As their holograms fizzed out of life, Jaune turned to the two men before him. Walking to the desk, he tapped a few times, revealing buttons. With a few clicks and random patterns, he rested his palm against the surface. Golden antlers grew from his forehead, washing the room in white light, unblemished and pure. Alone in this pocket dimension, chairs were created. A motion left and right, the men and Goodwitch took their seats.
"Alright, so the brass tacks continue," Jaune said, "with the Vytal Festival coming to close a few days after the Tournament, we don't have much time to plan this. While some would say this can be done over the CCTN, its unsecured and easily hacked by someone with the right knowhow – Doctor Arthur Watts. The momentum I've gained will sputter out and die if we don't keep moving forward."
"With Pyrrha, a Queen of Vale as a Maiden, it has painted a literal target on Vale's back. Salem won't take this change of plan lightly, nor will she be willing to ignore me any longer. So far, she's sent White Fang assaults and Team RRGE…it won't be long before she sends more our way. I want to be prepared for whatever comes, and I want you to be prepared General. The Atlesian Fleet consists of several airships – you're going to need more. I am going to need more. Currently, I have five airships, that's not nearly enough to stand against a flock of Tempests nor Tesla."
"Atlesian Paladins are strong, but you will need more. With Weiss Schnee as a Queen, I hope to make Jacques Schnee pour more resources into creating bigger and better machines for your war effort. I have walkers, mobile artillery, tank divisions and of course, the might of the King's Fist infantry. I have other ventures aside from the SDC supplying my army with its Dust needs. You on the other hand, I saw how well your army performed against a horde of Grimm unlike any of us have seen."
"Salem's greatest unit of war is a Grimm called Monstra – the biggest Grimm I've ever seen. Larger than anything you can imagine, even Leviathan pale in comparison. Monstra is her mobile operating base, it is also a spawn point larger than Tesla. Created with Gravity Dust in its flesh, it was capable of flight. It is the largest thing anyone has ever seen – it was enough to completely trample over Atlas's farmlands with only a mile of unconquered land between it and the walls of the city proper."
"It…"
"It's a giant whale…" Jaune added, "I don't know how many she has in her employ but with just one, she was able to overwhelm Atlas and your military. If it weren't for some…actions made by some people among us, we were able to destroy it, but not without great cost. Tempests and Tesla were deployed to protect Monstra while it spewed Grimm Liquid into the battlefield. Teryx and Razorwings were unleashed to combat Manta Gunships and Orca Fighters. She had hordes of Grimm smash against the legions of Atlas and in the end, they almost lost."
"General, with naval bases, and Menagerie, an Island Kingdom, they will be facing worse things than Sea Feilong and Terremer. Leviathans; Jormun; Sea Titans, don't get me started on the Sharks. The technology of Atlas, the fighting spirit of Vale…the Faunus will need us."
"How was Monstra defeated the first time?" Ironwood asked, "Tell me everything."
"I…" Jaune paused, "I know you feel a certain way about how you act in the future. I just need you to remember, none of what I've said has come to pass yet and probably won't. Are you ready?"
"I need to know if I'm going to have a real plan," Ironwood nodded.
"Okay, don't say I didn't warn you. After the Fall of Beacon, you shut yourself off, unable to move on from Cinder Fall and Salem's actions to outsmart you. Using your fear, Salem turned you against yourself and your ideals, thanks to Arthur Watts, she knew how to use your semblance as her next tool. Over militarization, unnecessary Dust Embargos on the rest of Remnant, alienating the SDC…mistakes that seemed like good decisions in your head, came back to bite you."
"Atlas left Mantle to burn while me and my team fought hard in the streets below to protect the people of city. An election was held and Jacques Schnee was named a councilman, further sowing chaos and dissent in the city. Not only that, it was at a time where Human-Faunus relations were in the gutter. No one trusted each other and that only made our job worse when you, the protector of Atlas and Mantle, hid away behind your armada, shooting down any ship that dared to near your armada's blockade of the city."
"White Fang arrived with vehicles and weapons from your abandoned military outposts and the remnants of Argus's Military holdings. They bombarded Mantle with artillery, carpet bombs and the siege of Mantle had begun. You waited and watched, doing nothing while the fear, the anger and the hatred continued to spread. Without the Belladonnas with us, there was nothing we could do to stop the Faunus in the city from revolting. The very people we tried to protect, were soon enough our enemies."
"Just as the walls came crumbling down and the White Fang poured into the city, Monstra broke through the clouds and Tempests descended from the sky," Jaune frowned, "hundreds of them along with Tesla unleashing sky-blotting hordes of Razorwings and Winged Beringel. There was nothing we could do as they pushed against your armada. In a last-ditch effort, Weiss called her father, who sent the transport fleet of the SDC down to Mantle, airlifting as many people as they could. Mantle was ablaze and had fallen completely."
"When we landed in Atlas, your fleet couldn't fire on us because they were distracted with Monstra and the army Salem had already unleashed," Jaune said, "thousands upon thousands of Grimm came to life, smashing against your Huntsmen and Huntresses and even your Paladins were rendered useless against their onslaught. So, I made my way to the Academy, even against Ruby's advice and attacked you. I lost of course, but it was enough to knock you from the trance your semblance left you in."
"With your senses straight, you unveiled your CCT plan and like I said, I was on board," Jaune said, "with plans to launch it as soon as possible, we were needed to stall Salem. If you could get communication up, we could warn the rest of the Kingdoms and somehow, maybe get aid. But it wasn't to be. Too little, too late. Cinder with the power of the Summer and Fall Maidens attacked the Ace Ops and killed all of them with the help of Hazel Rainart and her allies, Emerald and Mercury. After they were done slaughtering the Ace Ops, they destroyed Amity and with it, any hope we had."
"As the air battle for Atlas continued, White Fang bombers flew into the airspace and carpet-bombed Atlas," Jaune's voice grew distant, "Because of you and your inability to feel a shred of empathy, Yang died to the White Fang and in turn, her sacrifice awakened my semblance. With nothing left for us, I led a suicidal charge at Monstra despite everything you said and did to stop me. Ozpin's reincarnation was a boy named Oscar and he died as well, but not without something to make up for it. He gave me his aura and in turn, Ozpins – that's how I have Ozpin's time semblance, and why I was able to use his cane in combat. Using the power of his weapon, I unleashed a blast that obliterated Monstra from within."
"It wasn't over with the defeat of Monstra as Salem was killed, if only for a few hours. In those hours, you declared me and the refugees from Mantle criminals and terrorists. With most of us arrested within seconds, we rebelled and turned our guns to you. The SDC under Jacques helped us, garnering your ire. You attacked the SDC and the Grimm they experimented on were unleashed, killing Weiss and most of Team CRDL. It wasn't long before Cinder found the Winter Maiden, killing Winter Schnee and taking the power herself. With three Maiden powers under her control, she opened the vault and stole the Relic of Creation, making Atlas fall."
"But she can't make atlas fall without creating something else," Goodwitch said.
"You're right," Jaune frowned deeper, relaxing at Pyrrha's tightened grip, "she created an inferno within the wilderness of Solitas that quickly grew with intensity, as it ate through the foliage of its alpine forests. A flick of her wrists, then volcanoes sprouted from the earth, spewing lava and heat unending, exploding with Burn dust. Solitas melted as Atlas crashed with the ruins of Mantle, killing you and millions. I barely escaped with the survivors on a fleet of SDC transport ships…until we were intercepted by Tempests over the Island of Vytal…"
"Everything I planned…" Ironwood blinked, wordless, "was turned against me?"
"Yes," Jaune nodded, "if you give into your semblance, you leave yourself open to manipulation. You and Sienna have similar semblances, except yours doesn't take advantage of the opponent. You can focus to the point of the inability to see anything but the thing you focus on. The longer you hide behind it, the more you leave yourself open to manipulation."
"What…" Ironwood flinched, his mind scattering, "I'm…I cause all of the pain the future…"
"James, it hasn't happened yet," Qrow huffed taking a sip of his flask, "concentrating on it is will do nothing good for you. The only thing you can do is make sure it doesn't happen."
A lone LAHAT zoomed across the clouded skies. Between each voluminous puff, over towering skyscrapers and between banners. Ruby and Nora watched with sparkles in their eyes as the King's Fleet hovered in position. Banners of many colors billowed off their hulls, awash in color and sunlight. As the gunship flew past and headed toward the East, urban sprawl slowly changed into untouched wilderness. Slowly, the walls pas them by, disappearing in a blur.
Their eyes trailed over further down the wire, narrowing at a sea of ruins. A derelict wall stood in the midst of reclaiming nature. Great mountains rose in the distance, towering above even the great skyscrapers of Vale. Cutting through clouds, piercing the very blue sky that wrapped around them. Curious, they turned to Jaune, questions already forming in their heads.
"So, where are we going?" Ruby asked, fiddling with her cape, "don't you think it's a little too soon…?"
"Ruby, I'm fine," Yang sighed, cocking Ember Celica, "I just need to break something."
"Yang!" six voices groaned.
"Nora, don't cheer her on," Ren shook his head.
"What?" she raised her hands in defense, "I agree with Yang. Breaking things can be therapeutic. I always make sure to find something to take the edge off. Sometimes it's pancakes, sometimes it's breaking legs. It's really all up to the moment. I don't like to dwell on bad feelings because it makes everyone around me all mopey – being mopey isn't fun. You know what is fun? Breaking things."
"Thank you, Nora. It's always good to know that someone understands me," they bumped knuckles with a giggle, "besides, this is all supposed to be some lowkey vacation, right? Jauney, you really know how to make someone feel better."
"Guys," Pyrrha spoke up, "let's…let's just try to enjoy this alright? Right before the Tournament, all of the terrible things that just keep happening…the war, the invasions, the…killing…"
"Didn't you kill in Menagerie?"
"T-This is different," Pyrrha's tone quieted, "we were under attack in Menagerie, army to army. We faced people who would have taken our lives if we did nothing…but this…I…she just gave up when I arrived…she just gave her life away, for me. It wasn't a sacrifice…I killed her."
"Pyrrha, that's not true–"
"Jaune, don't." her response was cold, "Don't lie to make me feel better. I'm afraid nothing will make me feel better. Especially now, with this power within me…in a way…I can still feel her."
"Amber?" Ruby asked.
Pyrrha blinked, staring at them with dull emerald eyes. Tears trickled down her cheeks as she shivered, holding her arms with fear. Shaking her head she made a sick chuckle, spinning on her heels. They parted as her eyes flared with fire. Rumble, tumble, shaking. Her breath hitched with the turbulence.
"Not just her…but Cinder too."
That name hit like a ton of steel. An involuntary shiver fluttered between them. Her delirious eyes, her screams and her hatred. Every flame she spout; every tear she shed. Eyes glanced to one another. Before Jaune could even act, Yang was the first to move. Arms thrown around Pyrrha, no words were shared. Jaune came to her side, sharing the warmth between them. One by one, they neared, embracing each other tightly. Heads pressed together, the fell to the floor of the LAHAT bay as one. Bringing their breaths together, their hearts beat as one.
"Pyrrha…" Yang whispered, "don't push us away. Not us."
"Y-Yang…you don't understand!"
"I don't need to!" she shuddered, "Blake pushed us away and disappeared for three days. Jaune pushed us away after the Battle of Vale…don't push us way too. Not you; not now. I love you, okay? We all love you. I know it's hard…I know you're in a place that's difficult to fight out of…but we are here for you. We are here with you!"
"Yang…" Blake snaked her arm around her waist, "Pyrrha, she's right. From the day we all met…even before all of this madness…we were in this together. You can feel afraid…you can be scared…"
"Then we'll be afraid together," Ruby nodded, taking her shaking hand, "it's okay Pyrrha…"
Her walls finally broke. Tears poured down her cheeks as her sobs ripped through the LAHAT bay. One by one, the others joined, tightening their grip. Words fumbled, her mind heating and burning within her head, "I…I always thought I'd be protecting people. I always believed it was my destiny to fight for good! I…I can feel all of their pain…Cinder and Amber. I can feel the things they have suffered at the hands of other people, the very ones I was supposed to…it doesn't make sense!"
Her arms tightened around them, her breath shaking and ragged, "I have memories of helping people, but I have memories of being scorned by the very same. I feel their hatred, their disgust, but I also feel their pride and adoration, but it's all so wrong! I can't figure out which is me and which is them! It's all just so much, so fast that I can't even process what's happening anymore…"
"Pyr…?" Yang murmured.
Taking slow deep breaths, she shivered, "I'm fine…I'll be fine."
"Pyrrha…" Nora tightened her hand.
"I promise…" she smiled, "come on…you said it yourself; we have something to break!"
All eyes trailed to the bay doors of the Levy. Skyscrapers were ascending, rising taller and taller. They were approaching their landing zone. Lights changed within the bay, giving the eight the signal they needed. Howls shook throughout the ruins, as Beowolves, Boarbatusk and all other kinds of Grimm noticed their appearance. The smell of incinerated Dust, the warmth of sentient emotions; the creatures of Grimm salivated at the thought. They watched, preparing themselves as hundreds of Grimm crawled from the underwork of the ruins. From fallen skyscrapers, to overturned vehicles. Fallen businesses and even holes in the ground, creatures slowly found themselves spilling into the landing zone.
But they were unfazed.
As the Levy landed, the bay doors hissed open. Without a second to waste, the eight of them burst into action, springing left and right, weapons drawn and semblances activated. Ren's immediately activated and masked them completely, no matter how far they ventured. Grimm exterminated before the creatures could even react. Whole packs simply turned to withering dust. Trading partners every few blocks, the eight of them ensured their combat effectiveness didn't rely too much on a single link. Crashing through their lines, through their formations and the targeting the Alpha's among the groups.
Jaune moved with Ruby; Yang moved with Ren; Blake with Pyrrha; Weiss with Nora; back again, they switched. Block to block, street to street, even building to building. Few words were shared between them as they cleared the Grimm in their sector. Speeding through swings, bullets and explosions, the Grimm could not find them, sniffing the air, trying to sense even the slightest inkling of negativity, but Ren's semblance refused to give way.
Punching through a wall of slithering Imps, their screams radiated through the hallowed streets. Quickly beheading them, Ruby and Nora were together, using their polearms to their advantage, cutting and bashing their targets down. In the opening, Yang and Pyrrha cut through, fists flying, Milo slicing. A blade of flame and winds moving at her command, Pyrrha concentrated, extending her knowledge of her newfound abilities. Yang followed her movements with little more than a nod between them.
A wave of fire erupted out with a simple flick of her wrist. As the fire tore through a column of Creeps and Beowolves. In the smoke and fire, Ren and Blake followed suit, their nimble nature and their quick strikes accentuated one another perfectly. Dash, dash, dash, they zipped in and around the Grimm who remained, cutting and stabbing at the weak points between bone plates. A pair of Alphas were no more, sizzling and disintegrating into nothingness.
Yang and Pyrrha fell back, clapping the hands of Jaune and Weiss, respectively. Glyphs coming to life in front of the Schnee and behind, the King fell into line, allowing the glyph to overtake him. A twirl of Myrtenaster launched the last duo in a flurry of white light and twinkling snowflakes. Bashing through a wall of Grimm muck, they blasted through a building, coming to a skidding stop.
Gone were the stairwells and the lobby of this once great hotel. Eating through the remnants of the structure, a Grimm pool that stretched from the boarded entrance to the rear. Skeletons of forgotten people were covered in black Grimm muck, mold and creatures dripping from the disgusting ceiling. He turned to Weiss, who only nodded as she twirled Myrtenaster once more. A gleaming glyph spiraled into life behind her, rising up and around the lobby. The instant she disappeared, Ren took her place, ram horns growing as Jaune's antlers took form.
Hands raised, magic came to life, shuddering the building down to its foundations. Beyond the wall, Ruby spiraled about, her semblance evolving further, silver eyes gleaming and glittering like the snowfalls of Weiss's glyphs. A rumble followed, Nora, with Magnhild, swung for strikes and home runs, sending Grimm back in pieces. Winds picked up, Pyrrha unleashed her power in a wave of energy, pushing back on the creatures who clawed for their blood. Blake, swung by, detaching and reattaching, swinging her katana, shielding with Gambol Shroud. Yang; punched back, facing her opponents head on, unyielding and unwilling to let the Grimm gain the upper hand.
Ren's eyes blackened as Jaune's glowed a vibrant gold. The Grimm pool slowly receded, splitting into multiple small pools. Little by little, it fled from their combined power. It fought back, screaming, unleashing creatures from its cesspools, but RRAYNNBW killed them as they appeared. After several minutes, the pools evaporated, revealing hundreds of skeletons drowned in the center of the impacted lobby. Panting, the two boys fell to their knees, struggling to catch their breaths.
No words. They forced themselves to their feet, running to their team's side. Focusing back on the task, they continued, running through the empty city, striking at the Grimm until the entire district was cleared. Now, beneath the shattered moon and thousands of twinkling stars, they sat around the campfire, melting smores. Laughter bubbled around as they told stories of the battles and duels, exciting feats of heroics and combat. Pyrrha however, simply resigned herself to smiles.
Yang and Blake reached out, taking her hands into their own, "Pyrrha…you did great. You're really coming into your own with those powers."
"Y-Yeah," she blushed, "I thought it would be hard. But, that's the thing – I thought. It's more than just power, it's an extension of what I can do. I don't have to think when using it – it just happens."
Hand open, fire sparked to life, flickering wildly before doused with a blink of an eye. Giving her girlfriends a blushed smile, she glanced to Jaune, who sipped at his drink with pride in his eyes. As the battle in the morning, no words were shared again between the eight of them. Slowly, they found themselves falling to the side, using one another for leverage and support. One by one, they closed their eyes in the wilderness of Mountain Glenn.
Is this what peace feels like?
Is this another trophy?
Is this all you can ever do?!
Three Days Later…
Breaking News:
The Vytal Festival Tournament has begun!
"Welcome, people of Remnant! This is Lisa Lavender with VNN. These last four months since the Winter Break, have been some of the craziest months we've ever experienced. Some time ago, the Battle of Vale nearly destroyed the Kingdom, but in our darkest times, heroes literally came from the heavens. Our King, Jaune Arc, and the Supreme Commander, Lie Ren, stood in the clouds healing the city, ending the Grimm threat. Now, after rebuilding, after the work they had done in the city – the Vytal Festival Tournament begins!"
Hordes of people cheered, screaming the names of the King's Fist Fireteams. Everywhere, from the streets and sidewalks, to the balconies and rooftops; the festivities had erupted. Marching bands of the local combat schools came into view, drums, brass instruments and even color guard, dancing and waving the banners of the school and kingdom. Confetti, deep fried food, stomping feet. While it was far from the first Vytal Festival she had covered, never had she seen the people as prideful as this. Leading the front of the first school, she blushed and quickly motioned her cameraman to follow.
"As tradition, the host school's competing teams start the procession! At the head of it all, Teams RWBY and JNPR, Vale's very own King and Queens! Ruby Rose and Yang Xiao Long, daughters of the world-famous Team STRQ and one of them a Queen of Vale! Beside them, Blake Belladonna and Weiss Schnee! Both Queens and heiresses!"
Turning her eyes over to JNPR, the music blared louder as the airships of the King's Fist hovered into view. Banners of varying color waved from their extending wings, drifting with the falling confetti, "Team JNPR, led by the King himself, Jaune Arc with Queen Pyrrha Nikos as his partner! At their sides, Lie Ren, supreme commander and right-hand man of the King and his own lady, Nora Valkyrie, one of the most physically powerful huntresses in Beacon!"
As the camera took in their appearance, gone were the power armors of the King's Fist, now they had returned to their school combat uniforms, "Behind them, Teams CRDL and CFVY! Leading CRDL, Cardin Winchester, son of Tanager Winchester, an important Valean Councilman and heir of the Winchester family in Viridian Hollow! I know the ladies of his hometown are simply gushing with support! The rest of his team, Sky Lark, Dove Bronzewing and Russel Thrush hail from minor nobility, but their skill alone will put the questions at rest!"
"As for CFVY, they are more than a caffeinated mess! Coco Adel, daughter of Java Adel, one of the richest women in all of Remnant! Yatsuhashi Daichi, the stoic giant; Fox Alistair, the blind warrior and Velvet Scarlatina, fiancée of Cardin Winchester and the hidden gem – from what Ms. Adel has told me! As one of the most critically acclaimed huntsmen and huntresses, even before they joined the King's Fist, this is turning out to be one hell of a tournament this year!"
The crowds erupted with fanfare and cheers as the teams moved through the courtyard, awash in flashes of scrolls and high-end cameras. Confetti continued to fall as Hornets and Broadsword fighters zoomed across the sky, meeting the earth-shaking rumble of the King's Fist celebratory artillery. Walking ahead of the procession, Jaune joined Ozpin's side at the podium.
"Vale, Atlas, Mistral, Vacuo – it has definitely been a tumultuous time. Not just for Vale, nor for Atlas – but all of us," Jaune nodded, "When I first came to Vale, I saw a mess. I saw people who were given promises that couldn't be fulfilled. That isn't the kind of King I want to be. As such, like all Festivals before – Amity Colosseum is a symbol of the Four Kingdoms, now Five! It is a work of engineering, a technological marvel showcasing our one drive to build something that will last."
"As the Tournament has begun, so too have the Admission Rounds!" Jaune cheered, receiving a deafening roar, "hundreds of teams are competing this year, so with the help of the Headmasters of the Four Huntsmen Academies, we have agreed to the introduction of the Admission Rounds. The rules are simple – much like the team rounds, this will weed out the teams who are not strong enough to compete on the stage of the world. As the King of Vale, I say to all the transfer students and tourists visiting this beautiful Kingdom, good luck!"
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