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Chapter 132: Reunite

Lessons had been cancelled for the day and Team FADE had, along with presumably several of their fellow students made the entirely understandable decision to take advantage of that fact and sleep late.

The reason for the change to their usual schedule was a simple and entirely welcome one. With the matter of which students of Halo Academy would compete in the Vytal Tournament decided and preparations for the larger festival already ongoing throughout New Vale it was time for the students from Shade, Atlas and Haven academies to arrive and the Professors along with the campus's support staff would all be occupied for majority of the day; with Professor Goodwitch scheduling an assembly shortly before noon.

Arctus and Felix, realising that their parents would most likely all be in the same place had decided that a video call was in order; the Bear Faunus wrapping an arm around Diamond and pulling her into a loose hug as she positioned herself so that she would be in frame, the three of them seated on Arctus's bunk which was rarely if ever slept in and had been relegated to use as a sofa

"You getting in on this?" Felix asked, tail swishing as he patted empty space beside him and directed the question to Eagle. His partner had spent the night in Team GORE's dormitory rather than her own and returned to the usual teasing before claiming the shower; currently she was exiting the bathroom clad in comfortable sweatpants and a tank-top as she towelled dry golden yellow hair that hung about her face.

"Definitely, uh just gimme a sec" she nodded before finding a comfortable hoodie with the academies' logo emblazoned on the chest to wear; she knew Yang Xiao Long well enough to know that letting her see the hickies and bite marks that Hellion had left on her neck, chest and shoulders would lead to an unspeakable level of teasing and there was a very real chance that Weiss Slate knew her mother well enough for the two of them to talk. A moment later she took a seat beside her partner and the Lion Faunus made a silent gesture to enquire if everyone was ready before finally beginning a video call to Yang's Scroll which after ringing for a few seconds was answered.

"Hey Mum"

"Hey Aunt Yang"

"Hey Miss Xiao Long" Team FADE greeted the blonde woman in almost perfect unison, as Yang gave them a bright smile and waved with her instantly recognisable golden cybernetic hand before transferring her Scroll to it so that she could scratch Scruff behind the ears, the Slate family's ageing mastiff having leapt onto the sofa with his tongue lolling out at the sound of Arctus's voice.

"Hey, it's great to see you" she beamed before leaning back over the sofa and calling out "I've got Fluffy and Arctus in a call!"

moments later the door to the living room of Schnee Manor was opened and Blake and Weiss entered, Blake trying valiantly to mask her suspicion of the mastiff which was large enough to stretch across both Yang and Weiss's laps as she did so.

"Hey Mum" Felix repeated the greeting for Blake and Arctus merely smiled and waved which Weiss saw and acknowledged

"We've got the day off from classes so we thought we'd say hi" Felix considered trying remain nonchalant before quickly deciding against it and allowing a concerned look to fall across his face "You're okay right? I mean with everything…..the press aren't?"

"Felix" Blake's tone was gentle and she seemed to understand exactly what her sons' fears were even if couldn't articulate them fully "We're safe; your Aunt Winter has her best people on the job and the press don't know anything….Qrow called in a few favours and had the footage disappear whilst making sure that the authorities know about a dangerous criminal who can change their appearance"

"Blake's right" Yang nodded "If the situation changes we'll let you know but right now all anyone knows is that we took an extended vacation because of the amount of stress Blake was under at work and we're in the coldest place on Remnant….Chilling"

"I suppose that's something" Felix mumbled, fidgeting uncomfortably as his eyes darted over to Eagle who nodded in silent understanding and agreement

"Whoever it was that tried to frame you knows where you live" the freckled woman explained, Felix quickly chimed in as he saw both of his mothers' eyes widen

"We checked Uncle Qrow and Aunt Ruby's old places and they've both been broken into" he sighed "And I went to Patch, there footprints all around the house but it doesn't look like anybody picked the locks"

"I'll call Sun" Yang said simply as she frowned at the news "He'll keep an eye on the place for us"

"We'll keep you informed if anything changes" Blake repeated her wife's sentiments "I get that you're worried and it would be pointless to keep you out of it but please focus on you're studies"

"We are" Felix waved his hands as if gesturing to something out of sight "We've got half the academies' library in the dorm; we've got a thesis and we're qualified for the Vytal Tournament"

"And we are unbelievably proud of you Fluffy" Blake assured him with a smile

"The whole family is" Yang added I spoke to Corvid yesterday, she says she's gonna try and book some time off of Team CLIR's current job so she can watch your matches in Port Alistair with Ruby and Penny….the twins love Menagerie but they still wish they were in New Vale for the festival"

"I'll bet Felix nodded"

"The girls will be cheering you on as well" Weiss added with a bemused grin "I'm certain that Gangrel is actively trying to dissuade them joining Atlas Academy with the amount of comments about 'Jar-heads' and 'Bootlickers' he makes"

"Did he know what the teaching job involved when he took it?" Arctus enquired with a snort as the rest of Team FADE Laughed.

"I think it's more a matter of the Academy not being prepared for him" Weiss chuckled "Unfortunately he didn't get the day off, with his previous work experience the task of organising the students travelling to Vale was delegated to him; he said he's going to stay on campus for most of the day to have one on one training and reviews with some of younger students who need additional support"

"They've got a good teacher" Diamond noted, beneath all the of the older Bear Faunus's grumbling about the workings of Atlas as a whole and the calibre of Hunters its' academy produced she knew that Gangrel Slate cared deeply and would see each and every one of his students to success.

"They certainly have" Weiss nodded, smiling almost giddily at Diamond who failed to notice the warning looks that Arctus was shooting her way; fortunately Weiss did see them and quickly cleared her throat "I actually have to head into the SDC labs in a few hours I have to go double check some paperwork. Arctus I'll let your sisters know that you called, I know you'll be busy but if you and Diamond are free then you're always welcome to come home for a weekend"

"We'll try" the Bear Faunus nodded; Felix made to continue the conversation with his parents only to be interrupted by Eagle holding up her own Scroll for him to see and pointing at the time

"Hey Blake, Yang I'm sorry it's been a short call but we've gotta go"

"That's okay son, call when you can. We love you"

"Love you too" as the call ended Team FADE quickly began preparing to depart, Eagle quickly finding more suitable clothes and collecting her armour whilst Diamond gave Arctus a gentle nudge

"Hey….is your Mum okay, she seemed a little off?" Arctus tried to avoid eye contact and gave a non-committal shrug

"Probably just overworking herself again….either that or she's been drinking some of the coffee Aunt Ruby gives her; the stuff is like rocket fuel" Diamond seemed to accept the answer without suspicion and idly polished a small smudge on the surface of her cybernetic arm whilst asking another question

"Hey….You wanna jump in a video call with my parents later? I know we'll probably busy but-"

"Absolutely" Arctus assured her, understanding that with everyone else on her team having such large and interconnected families she occasionally felt left out and more than a little homesick despite being a student of New Vale for several years. The conversation was brought to a halt by Felix

"Okay let's go" he gave a savage grin and something from his younger, less mature and more belligerent self seemed to rise to the surface in a moment competitive bravado "We listen to Goodwitch's speech and then when the new students get here we show 'em who they're up against"

It was mid afternoon and the pale autumn sun had passed its' zenith, what little warmth it offered rapidly fading as it began set, lengthening the vast shadows cast by the Hive Towers of inner city New Vale. A bridge between two of the larger Hive Towers situated close to where Vale's Exclusion Zone once stood served as an ideal vantage point for Yang Branwen and Pyrrha Nikos; both of them wearing nondescript clothes which obscured their faces to disguise them whilst leaving Yang free to use any of the Semblances at her disposal should the need arise. There was still a possibility of Grimm still lurking in the ruins of Old Vale which had been devastated by extensive bombing runs, years of students using the area as a testing ground and the implementation of the Yashima Protocol several years prior; therefore the sight two women using binoculars to watch the airships currently nearing Halo Academies' campus were simply dismissed as tourists or enthusiasts eager for the Vytal Tournament who didn't wish to venture out of the relative safety of the city.

"So many Auras, so many Semblances" Yang whispered hungrily; as the Chimera turned to face her Pyrrha saw that the blonde abomination was almost salivating and her fiery red eyes shone as if lit from behind with the use of the Semblance she had stolen from her timelines' Artemis Tan, where Pyrrha used binoculars Yang could simply see the Auras of the incoming students

"You're a fighter Nikos" she continued "You must feel it, the need to kill, the need to-"

"I am a warrior and you are a poorly trained animal. Do not compare us" Pyrrha spat, paying no mind to the way her partner bristled and instead turning her attention back to the ships that carried the students from the other academies and noting how the differences between them reflected the Kingdoms' from which they hailed.

The Mistrali vessel transporting students from Haven was made in the Kingdoms' unique fashion, with appearance like that of an upturned and historic ocean vessel with wings that could be described as almost bat-like; the ships' weapons batteries were a mixture of archaic cannons and freshly commissioned laser batteries whilst in several places armour was simply absent to display gears and inner workings. Mistrali airships were an interesting combination of nobles traditions and the cold application of science and were something Pyrrha had privately always admired despite the connotations that had become attached to them in the latter days of her war in her own timeline.

She turned her focus to the Vaccuan vessel carrying students from Shade Academy; it was an unapologetically ugly thing, all blunt angles and reassuringly armoured heft. The things' boxy form looked as though it should be incapable of flight yet like the Vaccuans who had built it persisted regardless, the thing had no paint-job to speak of only hazard strips and Vaccuan flags applied directly to a dull metallic exterior which bore patchwork repairs and battle scars courtesy of both Grimm and particularly daring criminals. It was a reliable and resilient old vessel with a rich history worn on its' hull, Pyrrha could respect that.

Finally she turned to the Atlesian ship; far larger than the other vessels and notable in the fact that it was surrounded by a swarm of fighter craft which had been deployed from its' bowels and flanked by a pair of escort vessels, yet it sported the icy Kingdoms' traditional pristine white and gleaming chrome colours; a machine of war draped in colours of surrender wrought by a Kingdom that posed as helpful allies even as they crafted new ways to assert dominance over Remnant as a whole. Pyrrha had always found Atlas to be distasteful and the fact that their technology was now grafted to her body in the form of her cybernetic arms did nothing to change her opinion, they were a Kingdom of bigots who claimed to be enlightened, pursuing invention without benefit and combat without honour; she shook her head as she peered through the binoculars and saw that even now the Atlesian vessels had their weapons locked on their supposed allies.

"So you do feel the bloodlust" Yang chuckled "I can see it building-"

"We learned that Qrow Branwen and Glynda Goodwitch, who are certainly the leaders of any opposition to our Queens' are in the same place" Pyrrha cut her off, not bothering to deny the accusation "As is the subject of my retribution…..I'm concerned by the fact that there are now more students. There are more eyes watching our targets and as the tournament draws closer that will only become more true"

"We could bring down the ships" the Chimera chuckled darkly, clearly jesting "Your 'Attractiveness' shall we say and well….I have something for the job" Pyrrha remained silent, choosing not to dignify Yang's comments with a reply until a few moments had passed and a thought occurred to her

"We should change our base of operations"

"Why?"

"Because we're lurking in an abandoned house very close to teenagers who are almost certainly going to want to party….amongst other things"

"Right, right" Yang laughed as comprehension dawned on her "The kind of education that isn't part of the-" the Chimera trailed off, her eyes becoming unfocused as the light from the stolen Semblance she was using faded and she became simply vacant for a few moments

"Our Queen sends word?" Pyrrha asked once the blonde woman returned to her senses

"She wishes to speak….The meeting point will be beyond the cities' walls" Yang paused for a moment "I'll go alone. Watch our base while I'm away, we'll relocate tomorrow" Pyrrha was on the verge of arguing and telling the Chimera that she didn't trust her to give an honest account of their progress alone, that she believed the blonde woman would seek a justification to dispose of her; she was robbed of the opportunity however as Yang had already departed, looking over her shoulder to call back to Pyrrha from some distance away

"Don't worry about the kids, I'm sure your magnetic personality will do the trick"

Professor Goodwitch's message to the entirety of the student body of the academy had been an inspirational and motivational speech intended to fill the students with the same pride that she herself felt for her Kingdom and its' academy, it was also a stern lecture on how she expected her students to comport themselves now that all of Remnant would be watching, delivered with a firm reiteration of rules regarding dealings with the press who would almost certainly overstep their boundaries. The students, especially those who hailed from outside of New Vale and already had to adjust to life in the Kingdom themselves had been tasked with aiding the incoming students from the other academies to do the same as despite the competition that it encouraged the Vytal Festival was still a display of solidarity and unity between the Kingdoms and finally the students had been instructed to return to their dormitories and change into their uniforms before reporting to the main entrance to receive their guests.

Arctus had seen more Atlesian military parades than he could count and instantly recognised the show of force for what it was; Goodwitch had arranged it so that the arriving students would make their way through the yellow brick road leading to the academy, flanked by heroes of students who had made the ultimate sacrifice before coming face to face with the students of Halo Academy standing in strict rank and file.

"Are Goodwitch and your Aunt Winter trying to show off for each other?" Diamond noted with a bemused snort, clearly coming to similar conclusions as her partner as she nodded from their fellow students to the Atlesian warship and its' attendant fighters. The students were arranged by year group with the Fourth Years being the furthest back, with Goodwitch positioned in front of her students whilst the rest of the professors being stood behind the Fourth Years; fortunately the nearest Professor to Team FADE happened to be Qrow, who made no effort to reprimand them for their ongoing discussion and in fact quickly found himself contributing to it.

"Trust me that's not showing off, not by Atlas standards….I remember the way Jimmy used to do thing"

"Didn't he bring the flagship?" Arctus asked

"Yeah, along with half the fleet" Qrow drawled, refusing to dampen the mood by commenting on how that had ended "He didn't even want Atlas students bunking in Beacon, they had to come down from their ships for classes every day"

"That's just really impractical, what was he even trying to achieve?" Eagle demanded

"He framed it as a security matter" Qrow shook his head disdainfully

"Yeah right" Diamond snorted "It's sending a message, telling people 'We're not here to be friends, we're just here to win'"

"Yeah well Aunt Winter's in charge of Atlas now and Goodwitch won't let Atlas students have special treatment like that" Felix interjecting, becoming serious as he added "They've landed" Team FADE immediately fell silent and straightened themselves up, standing to attention; Qrow debated informing the team, who had certainly earned his trust and confidence that the Atlesian escort vessels and fighter craft had been specifically requested by Professor Goodwitch as a security measure but decided against it, choosing not to distract them as the students came into view led by Professors Lie and Nora Ren.

The Atlas students were easily recognisable in their greys and whites with some of the students sporting berets to denote some special privileged or station within their own academy whilst medals glinted in the sunlight on the chests of several students, possibly those who had fought the White Fang in their assault of the previous Vytal Festival. The Haven students had a dour and almost sinister appearance in their solid black uniforms featuring traditional Mistrali shirts broken only by the armbands adorning each students' left bicep which were evidently used to identify the students by year group. The students from Shade Academy were a raucous bunch, completely devoid of uniform which only made them far more striking amidst their counterparts and even as the students drew close to the main entrance in became clear to see that they carried themselves differently to the other students, making little effort to appear stoic or imposing to students who would become their competition.

The four groups of students came face to face with each other and remained silent, with the only sounds being the wind whipping around them and the distant rumble of airships' engines until Professor Goodwitch stepped forwards and began to speak; from their current position the human members of Team FADE were unable to properly hear her words though Felix and Arctus quickly realised that she was giving the newcomers a warm welcome whilst also delivering a variation of the speech that her own students had been recently subjected to before finally informing the newly arrived guests that they would be taken to the amphitheatre in an hours' time for the beginning of their orientation and that until then the mess hall was open and food was available.

Almost the moment Goodwitch dismissed them the illusion of regimented discipline vanished.

"Hey Felix! Yo Xiao Long that you?" Team FADE, who had already sought out Team NEON with Eagle peering over the heads of shorter students to find Team GORE came to a halt as a voice with an instantly recognisable Patch accent called out to their leader

"YO!" Felix stood with outstretched arms as he greeted Grease Thunderbird of Team GRAY, a fellow alumni of Signal Academy and native of his island home

"Heely, you scary mother-fucker how've you been?" Helios couldn't help but laugh at the greeting; Team NEON and GRAY had faced each other before and with Helios spending the summer of Patch he had come to know many of Felix's old friends quite well. Beside them he saw Diamond chatting animatedly with her old Sanctum Academy friend Razzmatazz whilst the other members of the two Fourth Year teams chatted amongst themselves with the exception of Nyanza who hung silently around the periphery of the group in silence, casting furtive glances at his ex-girlfriend.

Helios was on the verge of calling his partner over and keeping him where they could see him due to his concerns when Razzmatazz's voice rose above the rest of the conversation

"Hey Diamond I've had a great idea….we saw all those empty houses on the way here, we should throw a welcome party! You've got your bass right?"

"Yeah, Ether's got his guitar as well" Diamond nodded enthusiastically, her friends' energy becoming contagious "Hey Ether, you up for this?"

"Uh yeah sure" he shrugged, finding it hard to maintain the distance he'd initially intended to keep from Razzmatazz and adding "I can call my sister as well, she's working at a recording studio now and I know she wants Creatures of Grin to do more" hearing the plans developing Felix, missing the look Helios was giving him quickly added

"Amethyst is around somewhere, she'll definitely be able to get some supplies; hey Nyanza….um I-" the Lion Faunus suddenly realised what Helios had been trying to tell him and the group suddenly fell silent as their eyes darted from Nyanza to Razzmatazz and the tension became almost tangible.

After a moment the bushy tailed feline Faunus shrugged

"You're gonna need a generator and lighting even if you can get speakers….give me a couple hours" the tension vanished and Felix breathed a sigh of relief whilst Ether and Olivine pulled their friend aside and began compiling a list of what they would need and Razzmatazz shot him the faintest of smiles before forcing herself to look away.

Felix couldn't help but be glad that whatever other problems they may have to deal with at least one potential crisis had been averted.

The sun had set by the time Yang Branwen reached her destination, her journey to another clearing in woodlands located between settlements in New Vale's territory made more difficult by the absence of Adam Taurus whose skills in procuring vehicles for their group to use was the product of a misspent youth in a deprived and uncared for slum in Lower Atlas; whilst she could have used the Semblance taken from her Remnants' Ruby Rose she was unwilling to do so at present as she was certain that her enemies within the Kingdom would have learned of the police officer she had killed and would have found the death to be anomalous.

She had finally reached the place that the pulsing and throbbing parasitic Grimm integrated into her body had been directing her to however and without the ambient noise of a city to disguise it the sound of wingbeats carried on the still air, announcing Pantheon's presence long before the monstrous Grimm descended into the clearing and the flock of Nevermore that accompanied them and the feel of an honour guard or retinue perched in the trees around them.

"Let's get Panthe-On with it then" Yang grinned, making the pun entirely for her own benefit before becoming more serious "Does my Queen wish to speak me in person, or am I hear to deal with you?" Pantheon didn't respond, merely letting out a guttural snarl that conveyed utter contempt for the Grimm hybrid that stood before them. Yang watched as tremors and spasms shook Pantheon's body and contorted their many limbs into excruciating positions before the sentient Grimm finally came to a halt and sunk down to Yang's eye level before speaking, or more accurately allowing Salem to speak through them.

"Where are the others?" she demanded; Yang sank down to one knee and bowed deeply before answering

"Nikos remains in the city, keeping our base of operations free of intruders; Taurus departed for Atlas….he believes that he can find and exterminate Branwen and Goodwitch's allies there"

"Winter Schnee and her confidants" Salem mused, the memories from Ozymandias Eldritch making sense of the Faunus's actions; she steepled her fingers and her body language imposed on Pantheon's physical form was disconcerting even to Yang

"And what have you achieved by remaining in New Vale?" Salem continued silkily "I presume that there have been no great victories that I was unaware of?"

"I've located Qrow Branwen my Queen" the Chimera offered the knowledge up, presenting herself as the one who had gained it "He is a Professor at Goodwitch's academy, his mind may be as sharp as ever but his back is broken"

"Good" Salem all but cooed "Eldritch's insufferable machine did something of some value before it was destroyed"

"There's something else my Queen" the Chimera cast her eyes downwards "I fear we may have missed our opportunity to land a killing blow, students from the other academies arrived in New Vale this afternoon and now there are simply too many Hunters and onlookers present for us to-"

"Yang, Yang, Yang" Salem's voice was gentle and soothing, like a parent to a child with a grazed knee "Why would you ever assume that this isn't according to my plans?"

"My Queen?" Yang cocked her head in open confusion

"Now I will admit that Branwen being in the academy itself may complicate matters but rest assured my child that I was well aware that the Vytal Tournament would bring more Hunters and students into the Kingdom of New Vale and I am in fact counting upon it, our enemies play into my hands even if they don't realise it yet"

"What do you need me to do my Queen?" Yang asked simply, not daring to risk Salem's wrath by presuming to know more than she did

"Continue to see that no more harm comes to my Grimm within the city" Salem answered "And search for the opportune moment to strike at our enemies….Branwen and Goodwitch must be disposed of if we are to move forward but it must be done in silence and with precision. Kill them but do nothing which would alert Remnant to your presence"

"As you wish my Queen" Yang bowed deeper and remained in that position until she became of Pantheon's body shuddering once again as Salem's presence left it; upon being dismissed the Chimera rose to her feet and seized Flesh-Seeker before the towering Grimm before her could rip it free of the ground

"You know something, I think we're similar in a way" she noted as she gave a smile that was utterly without warmth

"How so?" Pantheon demanded, their voice a multitude of snarls which caused the Nevermore above them to bristle

"Simple" Yang sneered as she stepped closer to the monster "I think we both preferred being an only child" she released her grip on Pantheon's weapon and the Grimm took to the air, the Chimera's maddening laughter following them as they departed.

The party was in full swing and could be considered a roaring success by those who had organised it.

Teams FADE and NEON had selected one of the more structurally stable houses in the remains of the Exclusion Zone and along with Ether's sister, their bandmates and a handful of the students' other friends had not only managed to install lighting and a truly gargantuan sound system but also a makeshift stage to perform on, Amethyst had managed to procure a truly mind-boggling amount of alcohol for the party which despite her friends' jokes had been proven to be a wise choice as news of the party spread throughout the students and it grew far beyond what Team FADE had initially anticipated; with several cars parked outside of the derelict house and students spreading out to other nearby buildings.

When Felix and Helios had slipped out of the party it had been clear to them both that their presence would almost certainly not be missed for quite some time as Onyx Ursabane had been introduced to the concept of a moshpit with predictably devastating results whilst Raffia cackled maniacally from the sidelines and Hellion, realising that the party was a little too chaotic for Eagle's senses and jarring to her senses had taken her to a quiet and secluded corner in a nearby building. Creatures of Grin, the band which Ether Arashi was a member of along with his sister had put on a performance which the almost certainly illegal house party seemed far too small of a venue to contain and had ended with Diamond being encouraged by a crowd of cheering classmates to take the place of their bassist as they performed their signature metal covers of songs originally performed by Weiss Schnee, Arctus's cheers and encouragement being easily identifiable amidst the cacophony.

Which meant that there was no one to hear the whine of pleasure as Helios bit down on his neck whilst roughly pinning both of the Faunus's hands above his head with one hand whilst the other fumbled with his boyfriends' belt.

"Fuck….Heely" Felix whimpered as he tried to free himself of the redheads' grasp so that he could return the favour until a single thought pierced through the fog of alcohol that currently dulled his thoughts

"Wait, stop" he managed to pant, taking a moment to catch his breath as Helios came to an immediate halt

"Not here" he added "We're too near to the party, even if nobody walks in us I don't really wanna be able to hear other people fucking while we are" he gestured to his ears to remind Helios that his hearing as a Faunus was more sensitive than that of a human, Helios nodded in understanding

"Back to the academy?" he offered, voice low and husky and his own tolerance for alcohol keeping him from slurring his words though he was plainly intoxicated

"Too far" Felix shook his head and reached out to grip the taller mans' wrist, all but dragging him along an abandoned street away from the party and the houses around it in which other students were almost certainly acting on the same urges that had led the couple outside.

After a few minutes of looking for a suitable location they were brought to an abrupt halt by the sight of a chillingly familiar figure stood in the middle of what had once been a busy street, everything about their body language implying that she had been waiting for them to arrive.

"Who are you?" Helios demanded, the presence of the woman whose face remained hidden beneath a heavy fur cloak and whose ornate golden armour gleamed in what little light the shattered moon provided was enough to sober the pair instantly and though neither of them had brought their weapons to the party and Helios had seen no reason to wear his own armour, the two of them both braced themselves and prepared for what seemed to be inevitable.

"Hello again Helios" the unknown woman greeted him "I truly wish you recognised me"

"Oh I recognise you" Helios replied coldly "Whoever you are I know that you're involved in a murder, that you're involved in the Grimm attacking the city….Put your weapons on the floor" the woman sported a shield and a sword, slung across her back and clearly made in the style of the Nikosi tribe along with her armour. Seconds passed and she made no effort to reach for weapons, either to draw them or comply with Helios's demand; the redheads' temper bubbled over in an explosive fashion

"Your presence is an insult to my people and I will not suffer it!" he charged forwards and Felix quickly fell into step beside him; their lack of weapons or back up and the fact that their drunken states would affect both their co-ordination and their ability to use their Auras effectively entirely forgotten.

Then Felix was brought to a stop.

The Lion Faunus's legs slipped from under him as he felt the sensation of an immense pull on the cybernetic part of his tail yet he didn't fall; looking over his shoulder he saw a dark aura had manifested around the metallic limb and his eyes widened in horror as he looked to Helios and realised that his boyfriend was still wearing the metal bracers that covered his forearms, the warning he intended to give was silenced as he was flung at a nearby wall by the same unseen force that had halted him though he at least managed to use his Aura to soften the blow as he smashed through the brickwork of an abandoned house.

Helios's rage reached an entirely new pinnacle as he collided with the woman with earth-shattering force and for reasons that he wasn't concerned with at that moment made no effort to use her magnetic Semblance against him.

"Good Helios!" she commended in the same overly familiar way as she blocked his opening blow with an open palm, though its' force still sent her sliding backwards and Helios continued to press the advantage

"Whatever else has happened here, it's good to know Kataigida raised you to be a warrior!" she cheered as she met Helios's barrage of attacks, countering each blow as though she'd known his intentions in advance

"The Nikosi are in good hands it seems" she caught his wrist and struck the inside of his elbow whilst kicking his feet from under him and using his own momentum to throw him aside "And you are a credit to them" the realisation that whoever his opponent was their compliments seemed to genuine unsettled the young man and he lunged at her once again a maelstrom of blows being redirected until he launched a spinning which the woman countered by seizing his leg and throwing him aside only to have him levitate and hang in the air as she used her Semblance again, suspending him with his own armoured bracers as though they were shackles and slowly turning him to face her

"You are of the tribe" she murmured as she drew close, gently cupping his chin "Separate yourself from these outsiders child….none of them will survive the coming storm"

"Who are you?" Helios demanded furiously

"I can't tell you that" the figure shook her head and seemed to be genuinely saddened by the fact "I'm sorry" Helios didn't respond verbally and instead used the magnetism holding him in the air to pull himself up and deliver a two-footed kick to his opponents' face; he was released and fell to the ground whilst she staggered backwards with her hood falling away from her and as Helios rose to his feet the sight that greeted him left him stood in dumbfounded numbness.

He had seen Pyrrha Nikos's face in history books, recording shown to him by members of his tribe and the stature in her honour of the campus of Halo Academy and he knew that despite the impossibility of the situation that the deep scarlet hair and vivid green eyes that matched his own he was currently staring at belonged to his long dead relative.

Pyrrha spat out a mouthful of blood and gave a chuckle of sincere amusement before using her Semblance again to simply hurl Helios through the air and as the young man tried to rise from where he had landed in a crumpled heap he saw that Pyrrha Nikos, or the woman who wore her face had vanished.

"Heely, you okay?" Felix asked as he limped over, finally extricating himself from the debris he had been left under; clutching at his side whilst cuts to his cheek and eyebrow dripped blood

"I'm alive" Helios managed to croak out "But I don't think I'm okay" whatever jokes Felix intended to make about the mood being ruined were forgotten as he heard the tremble in his boyfriends' voice and quickly helped him to his feet

"What's wrong?" Helios shook his head and wiped eyes that were suddenly watery before burying his face in Felix's shoulder; he knew that he should tell him that they needed to end the house party and get their fellow students back to the academy, he knew that they needed to speak with Qrow but for the moment the words would simply not come and Felix held the man close as he realised that something had shaken Helios to his core.

The morning came far too soon.

Felix had sent a text message to Diamond and instructed her to find away to end the party without raising suspicions to which she had responded that she had an idea, although it was one that she did not personally enjoy the idea of; as he and Helios made their way towards Halo Academy they passed the abandoned houses that had been used and saw that the speakers and other equipment were being disassembled and several other students were leaving the venue as the police brought an end to everyone's fun, citing various public order laws, though they were at least understanding enough of the situation to do so without there being any legal ramifications.

Upon arriving back at the campus Felix and Helios had explained to their team-mates along with Team GORE what had happened and the supposed identity of their attacker with Eagle being the first to suggest that they wake Qrow or Goodwitch and inform them or better yet speak with Ren and Nora, they had been Pyrrha's team-mates and would want to know what had happened; Felix sensing that Helios was in no way ready to discuss the situation instead had made the compromise of texting Qrow a brief summary of the events and requested that they meet the following afternoon before finally suggesting that everyone get some sleep just as the sky began to grow light outside their dormitory window.

The few hours rest had done very little to curb the pounding headaches the students were suffering from regardless of them being the product of loud music, drinking too much or in Felix and Helios's case being thrown at a wall.

"Anyone else feel ill?" Arctus grumbled, pushing his plate away as the various scents filling the air assaulted his nostrils and the dull buzz of conversation filling the mess hall scraped against his nerves; Felix could manage no more than a quiet snort of amusement as most of the good humour the party had left him with had been drained by its' conclusion

"Anything important?" Eagle asked as she watched her partner fiddle with his Scroll absently whilst picking at his own breakfast

"Text back from Uncle Qrow, he wants me to come to his apartment later" Felix nodded, swallowing a mouthful before continuing "Nothing weird in the news though….and Redwood's seen a few more cheap cars; nothing I'm interested in buying though-" the Lion Faunus came to a halt as an equally exhausted and worse for wear looking Team NEON joined them with Helios leaning down to kiss Felix's cheek

"You okay?" he murmured, the redhead merely nodded in silence

"Here, you must have missed it" Nyanza said simply as he deposited an envelope addressed to Felix in front of him, in truth Felix had not been expecting any post and had not checked the small postbox in his name near the entrance to mess hall, the envelope offered no indication of its' contents and so he quickly tore it open and scanned its' contents before stopping and re-reading the letter several times to make sure he was understanding it correctly, his eyes widening and a smile forming on his face as he did so

"Dude what is it?" Diamond asked

"It's from Styx and Stone's Industrial" Felix began, the name alone was enough to get the attention of the rest of Team FADE though Team NEON looked nonplussed by the answer

"The SDC is making plans to start a mining operation, they've found some Dust deposits that haven't been touched" Felix explained "Styx and Stone's Industrial are the company that they're gonna be working with to build a new mining town; we applied for a job working with their preliminary surveyors"

"So what does the letter say?" Diamond repeated more than a little impatiently and Felix could contain his enthusiasm no longer

"We're passed initial screening, they want us to come into their office for an interview….I think we've got this"

"Oh shit Dude" Diamond breathed out before letting out a small cheer whilst Eagle let a squeal of utter joy and struggled to decide who she wanted to tell first

"I would join in" Arctus managed to croak out "But I really can't deal with any more noise" the statement was naturally enough to trigger a round of laughter loud enough to leave the Bear Faunus clutching his aching head as he sunk deeper into his seat.

Salem sat atop her throne wrought of solid bone and Grimm matter amidst what had once been an artificial island; the river which ran through the untouched swamplands and the trees along its' sodden, muddy banks grew steadily more corrupted with each passing day as the twisting and grasping tendrils of her influence reached outwards and spread the sickening rot that preceded the full takeover of her creatures of Grimm and the root-like architecture that followed them as she steadily raised a new fortress from the poisoned ground itself.

The sound of wings roused Queen of Grimm from the slumbering state that she had been in and caused the Beowolves curled at the sides of her throne to let out low rumbling growls, her mind drifting along the web of interconnected consciousness that was the Grimm hive mind and the tides of raw animal hunger that flowed through it; turning her eyes skyward she gazed through the trees, which even were reduced to dessicated husks encased in veins of Grimm matter which grew thick ropey tendrils which would later harden to become the beginnings of a roof.

Pantheon had returned

The winged and many-armed monster swooped low and landed on the platform which the throne stood upon and folded their vast pinions along their back before bowing before the throne which had once been their own, though they had willingly abdicated it to the one true Queen.

"Your efforts have gone well" Salem cooed in satisfaction, it was a statement rather than a question as Salem; connected to the same areas of the fragmented hive mind through her connection to the sentient Grimm as she was had been able to able to sense each and every time a new Spawning Pit was brought back into the fold. Pantheon had been acting as her prophet and harbinger of destruction as they began connecting Grimm Spawning Pits in a loose but clearly identifiable path between her current location and the city of New Vale itself where her currently expanding influence within.

"Thank you my Queen" Pantheon bowed their head deeper and their inhuman voice managed to sound unmistakably pleased with the praise

"I summoned you back because I have a new task that must take precedent at the moment" Salem continued, her voice showing open annoyance at the interruption of her plans

"What do you require of me my Queen?" the monster growled

"Humans have spotted several miles away from the edge of my domain, where there are no settlements and they have their tools and machinery with them" she explained, irked by the idea "Simply unleashing packs on them may draw more unwanted attention that we cannot afford….I want you to investigate the matter and use your own discretion, attack when you see fit but learn what you can first"

"As you wish my Queen" Pantheon unfurled their wings once again and took to the air, the flock of avian monsters that accompanied them close behind as they departed and sought out their new prey.

Salem's lips twisted into a cruel smirk as she watched them leave, they really were a simple creature.

It was obvious that Pantheon saw her as some divine force that would unify the Grimm once again and lead them to some final, glorious victory where they would feast upon the remains of the living and stand upon the remains of their cities howling at the sky in triumph. Salem had nothing so primitive in mind, she had spent decades at war with the Kingdoms before being consigned to the darkness and silence in the moments between moments and had ultimately failed; where once she had thought that she had lost her mind in the isolation that lasted longer than eternity she now realised that she had in fact reached a state of enlightenment by reconciling two indisputable truths.

The first was that the Grimm were simply a manifestation of destruction, they were an ending that sought out things to inflict themselves upon and she as the embodiment of their will was no different. The second was that the truest, purest oblivion was not war or carnage or mayhem but simply nothingness; the same endless void that she had clawed her way back into reality to escape.

Salem had no intention of battling the Kingdoms and taking them apart, taking piecemeal victories over the course of ages.

She planned to swallow Remnant whole and engulf it in a darkness and silence from which it would never return.

Authors Notes:

Okay so, following on from my authors' notes in the last chapter: The Vol.7 finale was visually stunning and had some great moments, I don't think it made up for what happened in Episode 12 and I still feel that the ending of this volume ran counter to the themes and narrative that it had established, but that's something I made a post about on Tumblr. That being said, I think I'm gonna continue to watch RWBY depending on how I feel about Vol.8 when it comes around and how Rooster Teeth handles things moving forward.
Also, I'm not sure exactly how many chapters are going to be in this volume of the story but I know what this volume needs to accomplish and this to me, feels like a midpoint.

That being said, let's summarise shall we….I'm having to redo this because I didn't save it the first time.
Students will use any opportunity to sleep except for the times that they should be sleeping, its science.
Eagle was getting it, mind your business.
Of course Yang is immediately best friends with the Schnee/Slate family dog.
So Yang and Blake are safe, Team FADE have seen some of what the Evil copies have been up to and Adam hasn't arrived in Atlas yet.
Bootlicker….the FNDM's new favourite word.
Of course Weiss is giddy, she's just waiting to hear if Arctus has asked the question yet.
Nice save Arctus.
People using the Hive Towers as a vantage point to see if there's anything cool happening at Halo Academy would definitely be a thing since it's landed for the first time in ten years.
Yang Branwen is honestly a treat to write.
"I am a warrior and you are a poorly trained animal. Do not compare us" oof.
I liked writing the ships from the different Kingdoms in a way that showcased their different personalities and aesthetics; also Pyrrha having absolutely no respect for Atlas much the same way that Team GORE don't.
Yang has something to bring down an airship….I'll just leave that there.
You know Goodwitch's speech was basically "Don't you dare fuck this us for us".
Ironwood being roasted even in death….Because Vol.7
Atlas students: hard-ass. Haven students: Kinda creepy. Shade students: It's a titties out kinda look….until you get to know them individually.
"You scary mother-fucker" throwback to second year.
Of course the first thing students are gonna do is throw a party; the only reason it didn't happen in Atlas was because it's an icy nowhere.
Also come on, you didn't really think I was gonna have Nyanza go full incel?
Yang Branwen has no bike….shame.
"Eldritch's insufferable machine" Salem remembers Nickel.
Salem has had a lot of time to plan, she knows what she's doing.
Yang has tried to antagonise all of the new allies now, not that Pantheon cares.
Onyx in a moshpit….enjoy.
Ether's band having a cover of one of Weiss's songs is a callback to Vol.1 except now Diamond is part of it.
Felix was also getting it this chapter, mind your business.
Oh come on you knew that this was gonna happen.
Pyrrha literally yanked Felix by the tail with her Semblance; pure disrespect.
So Helios and this Pyrrha can go toe to toe….remember that Helios was drunk and uncoordinated here.
And now he's seen Pyrrha. This is the first time any of the main characters have actually met any of the evil copies face to face.
Diamond literally snitched on herself to break up the party.
Styx and Stone industrial…..Yes it's a terrible pun, but also Styx as in the river that runs through the underworld…..You'll figure it out.
But yay for Team FADE.
Salem's base gets more and more uncomfortable by the day.
Humans spotted by the swamp….with a river running through it.
So Salem is on a different page entirely to Pantheon.
She's not trying to invade, she's trying to obliterate and her plan involves having a network of spawning pits….but that will become more relevant later on.

Thank you to SumoSnipe and Funlander for their reviews on the last chapter.
Either Ren or Nora, flip a coin you've got 50/50 odds.
Carcharodon needs theme music at all times.
I mean licking faces at terminal velocity is a little on the rude side as well.
Of course Arctus is gonna caddy, that's what being tall gets you.
I didn't have that scene planned but Nickel interacting with Team CFVY is a great idea.
Yang has Artemis, Ruby, Neo and Sun's Semblances….maybe a couple others, including one that can bring down an airship; I'm not gonna be more specific than that.

As always thank you to everyone that reads this, with a special thanks to those of you that follow, favourite and review