You know the drill.
"Talking"
'Thinking'
"Pokedex"
Pokemon Moves
'Telepathy'
Flashback
"Narrator/Singing"
Disclaimer: I don't own RWBY or Pokemon
Chapter:69 War in Atlas
On a farm plains on the outskirts of Atlas. A squadron of Atlesian Military soldiers ready their guns just outside the city walls. As they watch, Grimm start running through the fields. On the edge of the floating landmass, the whale-esque Grimm Monstra roars, releasing a wave of Grimm Liquid that spawns a plethora of Grimm types: Sabyrs, Sulfur Fish, Apathy, Megoliaths, and more.
The forces of Grimm and Atlas clash as General Ironwood looks on from the safety of his office. He scowls, then presses a button on his desk console, speaking remotely to a subordinate.
"Yes sir?"
"I am evacuating all citizens to the subway. Prepare Manta Squad Omega, and dispatch to every part of Atlas," The General ordered him.
"But sir-" But Ironwood slams his fist on his desk.
"Now!"
Elsewhere in Atlas, civilians are seen lounging in a public park. High-pitched speaker feedback is heard before Ironwood broadcasts his announcement.
"Citizens of Atlas, please proceed to the nearest underground subway station for shelter."
One man gets up from beside his daughter, confused and looking around for a threat. As sirens begin to blare, people start to panic and run for the subway. Then man is frozen with fear until his daughter points to the sky behind him.
"Dad? Look!" The man's daughter said as a swarm of Lancers weave their way between the Atlas skyscrapers, sending the man stumbling back. A squad of Mantas swoops in, opening fire on the Lancers. The man hurriedly leaps to his feet.
"We need to go!" He said to his daughter as they both ran.
The Ace Ops and Winter have taken Yang, Jaune, Pyrrha, Ren, Randy and Nomad into custody, and cuffed them with Gravity Bolas. Their Manta approaches Atlas, and Atlas Military chatter can be heard over the in-ship radio.
"We can't get the Hard Light shields back up, sir. The generators took too much damage!"
"Then don't waste resource on them. Beta Squad, the creature?" Ironwood said.
"We tried bombs, missiles, but we can't make a dent, sir."
"Sir, Schnee here. Penny is still MIA, but we've apprehended Arc, Xiao Long, Nikos, Ren, Ryunosuke and Midway," Winter chimed in.
"Stand by for further orders, and don't let those fugitives out of your sight," Ironwood said.
"Yes, sir. Of course," Winter said.
Behind her, Yang turns to look at her with a grim expression while Nomad scoffs.
"Still just following orders," Yang said.
"Like any loyal soldier would do," Nomad said in a snarky manner.
Winter turns and narrows her eyes at the two, then gasps as Monstra slowly comes into view through the windscreen. Jaune, Pyrrha, Ren and Randy stare slackjawed at the gargantuan Grimm.
"That's where the Grimm took Oscar. It's even bigger than I thought," Jaune said as Vine narrows his eyes, clearly skeptical.
"Grimm don't take prisoners," The pale man stated.
"This one did. If you would just let us go--" Yang said as was about to get out of her seat, but Vine and Elm grab her shoulders, forcing her back down. Ironwood's voice comes through over the radio again.
"Cease fire. Manta squads, concentrate on secondary hostiles. Command is working on a solution for the creature."
"What do you have in mind, sir?" Winter asked.
"We aren't making any progress attacking the thing from the outside. But from the inside, it could be vulnerable. Science team is putting together a bomb. When it's ready, we'll drop it off as close to the target as possible. Then, your team will deliver it on foot. Sending your rendezvous coordinates now," Ironwood said as throughout his order, Winter's face goes through a cycle of emotions: pensiveness, horror, denial, and finally, resolution.
"Of course, sir. We will hold the point and we will get it done," Winter said Yang and her group look at her in shock.
"But Oscar's in there!" Jaune yelled at her.
"You can't do this!" Yang yelled at her as well.
"I won't let you hurt the kid!" Nomad yelled as he tried to stand, but quickly get himself subdued by Vine's Semblance and tries to get out of it.
As Yang and Nomad struggles to break away from Elm and Vine's grasp, Winter's expression changes back to one of regret. Her right hand trembles before she steadies it by clenching her fist.
Meanwhile, within Monstra's throne room, Salem is directing her Grimm by making sweeping gestures with her arms, similar to an orchestra conductor. Emerald is spying on her from a short distance away. She seems conflicted about the present situation, steels herself, then leaves the room. In the hallway, she encounters the Seer but is able to evade detection using her Semblance.
Behind a closed door, she overhears Oscar's physical torture at the hands of Hazel while hearing U. Pikachu's cries, and puts her ear to it to eavesdrop. In the room, Oscar is suspended off the floor by his wrists. His blood drips onto the floor.
"That stunt you pulled. She'd have killed you if you didn't just pop up somewhere else. Still, you can make things easier on yourself if you start telling the truth," Hazel said as he walks up to Oscar, who has a black eye, is bruised in several places, and has clothes peppered with dried blood, dirt, and scorch marks.
"You've never wondered why she recruited you? You, specifically, to help her find the Relics," Ozpin said through Oscar's body.
"We share a vision. She's gonna create a new world order, no Kingdoms..." He said as he steps close to Oscar, almost nose-to-nose. "...and no Huntsmen Academies."
Ozpin just chuckles and said, "New world order. No. When Salem gets all four Relics, there will be no world left at all. Don't you get it? She's been alive longer than you can comprehend. All she craves now is release. Death."
Hazel punches Oscar, sending him swaying by his wrists.
"Stop lying! Salem can't be killed," Hazel said as blinks repeatedly, trying to focus on Hazel's words. "When she came for me, I killed her over and over again. The longest she was gone was only a few hours, before she put herself back together. When I couldn't lift my arms anymore, she showed me that, through her, I could have the vengeance I needed."
"Oh, Hazel, don't you see? That is why she came for you. Because she could make you believe that this is what you needed," Ozpin said to convince him.
"This is what you deserve!" Hazel yelled at him.
"Yes! but Oscar? The people of Atlas, Remnant? You haven't done what you've done for justice. You've done it for yourself. Because she pushed you to think it would help you. Well, has it?"
In the Schnee Manor, Weiss and Vic has finished treating an unconscious Nora's injuries as best she can while Eis rests on the foot of the bed. Nora talks in her sleep.
"Now what am I good for?"
Weiss brushes a lock of Nora's hair out of her face while Vic look in worry.Ruby,Blake and Melenter the room, hot drinks in hand.
"How is she?" Ruby asked.
"We"ve done what we can, but she needs a doctor," Weiss said as Vic walk over to drawer with all of Nora's Pokéballs on it. He let's out a sigh as he and Weiss goes over to join their friends, and the both of them accept a cup from Ruby and Mel.
"Hopefully, May's able to reach the others. I'm… I really hope they're okay," Blake said as she glances out of the window at the Atlesian night sky, where distant red lightning can be seen flashing periodically. "Salem's monster is making Grimm faster than the Atlas military can kill them. The city won't stand a chance unless we stop it."
"It's massive. Way bigger than a leviathan. What can we even do?" Ruby questions as she thought of the giant Grimm.
"With how everything is, how can we get out of here without alerting anyone," Mel said as he leans on the door.
Weiss settles into a chair by the fireplace and said, "Penny launched Amity and our message went out. Do we just wait for someone to come? If they even come."
Ruby stares morosely at her cup, red lightning lighting up her reflection in the liquid within.
"How did it all get like this?" Ruby muttered as May then entered the room.
"Fiona said your friends haven't been heard from in a while. Unfortunately, the last thing they're worried about is a couple of kids," She said to them as everyone look at her. "Come on, I've got the ship ready to head back and-"
Weiss hurriedly gets to her feet, setting aside her cup, and said, "What? We can't leave."
"It's chaos at the crater. Atlas has its army, but Mantle only has us. People are dying," May said to them as Ruby and Vic appears conflicted, but Weiss is defiant.
"People are dying here, too. Don't you have family in Atlas?" Weiss questioned her.
"Yeah, do you care for them?" Mel asked as well.
"No. Mantle needed me, and to the Marigolds, that meant I wasn't their son anymore. And I made sure that everyone knew that I wasn't their daughter. So forget 'em. They've got Henry, yours have Whitley. You get what I'm saying," May said as Weiss felt appalled.
"It's not like that, not anymore," Weiss said as May angrily turns to face Weiss.
"Which side are you on, anyway?" May questioned her as Eis growls at her.
"We've heard that before," Blake said as May steps toward the Liepard Faunus to confront her, but Ruby chimes in.
"There are no sides! We want to help everyone. We're all facing Salem together. And together is the only way we're going to get out of it," Ruby said as May let out a sigh.
"So, how exactly do we get out of it?" May asked as the group ponders their situation, Whitley and Neige can be seen in the hallway eavesdropping on the conversation.
Meanwhile, Ozpin continues speaking through Oscar, trying to reason with Hazel.
"So long as this world turns, you shall walk its face". That was the curse cast upon her. But if Salem can divide Humanity beyond repair, and bring all four Relics together, she believes that maybe her curse will be broken. The Gods will rule against us and destroy Remnant, once and for all," Ozpin said but Hazel wasn't convinced.
"Nice story. But if Gretchen's death taught me one thing, it was never to trust you," Hazel said as he moves toward Oscar, the boy's persona talks to Ozpin in his mind.
'Please, let me,' Oscar said to him.
'But, Oscar--'
'You want him to trust us? Then trust me,' He said as he closes his eyes, and Ozpin yields control to Oscar.
"You want her to come out of the Lamp? Just say her name. She can still answer one more question," Oscar said as Hazel's eyes widen in anger, and he grabs and lifts Oscar by the collar.
"After all that, you're just going to give Salem the password?" Hazel questioned him.
"No, I'm giving you the password, and hoping you'll find the truth for yourself," Oscar said as Hazel slowly releases Oscar's collar, his scowl turning to an expression of surprise. U. Pikachu looks at them in anticipation while Emerald pulls away from the door, trying to process what she has heard.
Later, Mercury is seen packing an away bag with Emerald in the same room.
"He's a prisoner, Em. He'll say what he thinks will get him out," Mercury said as he kept packing.
"So you're still going to Vacuo, after what I just told you?" Emerald questions him.
"Those are Salem's new orders, and I know better than to disobey Salem," He said as he finished packing and heads for the door.
"But--"
Mercury just sigh as he faced Emerald, "Look, even if what he said was true, we can't stop Salem. You told me yourself, Hazel tried. He failed and he got in line. Big guy's not going to pick fights he can't win, and neither should we."
Emerald puts on a defiant expression. Mercury turns away, stepping into the corridor.
"And all of this is pointless, anyway. Salem's not ending the world," He said as Tyrian appears down the hallway, laughing, as Emerald exits the room and joins them.
"Of course she is! You're surprised? Salem is destruction incarnate!" The lunatic said as he let out a giggle. "Our mistress wishes to see the end of it all! There is no ideal more beautiful."
Tyrian claps his hand on Mercury's shoulder and curls his scorpion's tail around him, but just as quickly pushes him away.
"If you couldn't see that from the start, you must be out of your mind," Tyrian said as he let out a giggle and leers at Emerald and Mercury, his tail curling and uncurling sinisterly, then uses it to hurry Mercury down the hallway. "Now come along, Mr. Black. You and I have a date with the desert."
On one of Monstra's landing bays, Mercury is pushed roughly into a Manta aircraft as Emerald looks on, a mixture of dread and worry on her face. Mercury catches her gaze and gives her a solemn nod before Tyrian takes the ship into the distant Atlesian sky.
Meanwhile, in the Ace Ops' aircraft, Yang and Nomad stands up to confront Winter. Elm and Vine quickly get up, grabbing Yang by her arms while Vine used his Semblance to restrain Nomad.
"You can't blow it up with Oscar still in there!" Yang yelled at them.
"That creature causes more damage every minute. We cannot wait," Vine rebutted which angers Nomad.
"You bastards!" Nomad yelled as he tried to get out of his binds.
Winter has her back to the others, hiding her pained expression from them. Jaune gets up as well.
"Please, Winter, give us a chance to try to rescue him first! We… We could be your test run. You don't know what'll be waiting for you inside, right? So we can go ahead to check it out, and look for Oscar while we're inside," Jaune pleaded as Pyrrha quickly joins along.
"Please, we can't let him die because of this," Pyrrha said as Marrow turns to look at them from the pilot's seat.
"You want to go inside that thing alone?" The Faunus questions them.
"Wouldn't you do it for Elm?Harriet? Vine?" Yang rebutted as Marrow and Harriet Bree trade uneasy looks.
"We don't let feelings get in the way of making the right call. Trading three lives for one is stupid," Elm said as Ren has his head bowed.
"No, it's not," He said as felt angered by everything he hears and grew defiant. "He's our friend. We will do whatever it takes to find him, because we care about him."
Harriet gets up from her co-pilot's seat and scoffs.
"I really had you pegged as the most level-headed of the bunch, but I guess you're just as naive. Feelings don't matter, the job matters. When you lose someone on your team, you move on. Replace them, like Marrow replaced Tortuga and Winter replaced-" She was cut off when Ren leaps from his feet.
"No! No one is replaceable," He yelled till his eyes widen as he stares at Harriet. Surrounding her are red flower petals rising up from below like fire. She is glowering at him, incensed. "You don't really believe that. You are furious about losing Clover, and you, you miss him."
Harriet' briefly lets her surprise show, but her expression quickly reverts to anger.
"You don't know anything about me!"
Ren glances at Marrow, who is surrounded by blue petals slowly falling like snow. Elm has rising red and yellow petals surrounding her, and Vine has green petals swirling gently around him. Ren finally looks down at himself. Pink petals gently fall toward his feet.
"That's why you lost against Team RWBY. You, you try to fight how you feel about each other, so you'll never truly work as a team," Ren said as Elm lets go of Yang to rage at Ren. The red and yellow petals are still rising up around her.
"Shut up! You don't know what you're talking about!" Elm yelled as she pulls her fist back to strike Ren before Winter steps between them.
"Everyone, calm down," The older Schnee ordered as she takes a moment to study her prisoners' expressions. "Fine. We will drop you as close as we can to the monster."
"You can't be serious. They're fugitives and traitors!" Harriet yelled in anger but Winter turns toward her with cold indifference.
"I outrank you," She said as Harriet's eyes widen in surprise before she relents, growling indignantly. "If you aren't out in time, we drop the payload. No matter what."
Marrow turns back to face the windscreen, uncomfortable.
"We understand," Jaune said.
The Manta touches down on the outskirts of Atlas. As its hatch opens, Winter deactivates the Gravity Bolas tied around Yang, Nomad and Ren's wrists. The latter approaches Marrow, who is standing guard by the door.
"You don't like this either. In fact, you don't want to be a part of it at all anymore," Ren said as Marrow's expression falls. He seems to steel himself, and lowers his gun.
"I… I have a job to do, and I'm going to do it," Marrow said as he heads for the cockpit area. Yang uses the blast from her gauntlets to leap off the ship while Nomad just jump off with his guns on hand, and Jaune tosses Ren his guns before drawing his own sword and shield along with Pyrrha, then leaping onto the plains. Winter watches Jaune and Pyrrha as they leave, her expression stony.
"I know you don't, either," Ren said as in his eyes, Winter has rising red and yellow, swirling green, and falling blue petals surrounding her as she fixes Ren with an indifferent stare.
"Ren, let's go," Randy said as he went ahead as the stoic teen followed him.
After Ren leaves the ship, her expression betrays her concern.
In Schnee Manor, Vic, Mel and the girls, sans Nora, descend the central staircase.
"Wait, what about Qrow and Robyn? Well, maybe if we can get them out of wherever they're being held, they could--" Ruby said as May clutches her forehead in frustration and rounds on the other five angrily.
"No, see, you just don't get it! This is not a situation where everyone wins. Now, you all can come with me to help in Mantle, or I can drop you off near the front lines, if you still want to help Atlas. Your uncle and Robyn can't save us. We have to choose. So choose," May said as the Ruby, Weiss, Blake, Vic and Mel look at each other uneasily. A knock at the door draws everyone's attention, and they draw their weapons, creeping to the door. Weiss opens it cautiously, her eyes widening when she sees who it is.
She gasps and said, "Klein!
Klein Sieben stands in the doorway, doctor's bag in hand. He tips his bowler hat.
"Miss Schnee! I heard there was a patient here who needed my help," Klein said as Weiss so happy to see him.
"It's good to see you again Klein," She said with a smile as Klein returns it while his eyes turned yellow as he blinks.
"Same to you snowflake," He said as he enters the manor and slams the door shut. Weiss walks him in, sniffling and wiping away her tears as the others put away their weapons.
"Well, that's sweet of you. But wait, how did you know--"
Klein blinks, his eyes turning sky blue and said, "Ah, young Whitley. I'm so glad that you rang! May I please see the patient? I understand it's urgent."
Whitley descends the central staircase with Neige still on his shoulder.
"Yes, she's in Weiss's room. Just go up the--"
"I haven't been gone that long, Master Whitley. I believe I can find it," Klein said as he pats his hand on Whitley's shoulder, not occupied by Niege, before heading up the stairs.
"You called Klein?" Weiss questioned him as she just felt happy that she see her brother in a better light.
"It's what family is for," Whitley said with a smile as Niege let out a cute sound of agreement.
"Thank you," Weiss said as she hugs her brother and he gladly returns it with Niege and Eis joining them as well. Weiss gasps when she and the others hear an explosion from outside.
"Did you call anyone else?" She asked him as Whitley shakes his head. Ruby opens the door to find a smoking crater in the manor walkway. She, Weiss, Blake, Vic and Mel run out to see Penny, crackling with electricity and covered with neon green coolant lying in at the bottom of the crater. Penny catches sight of her friends and weakly reaches out to them.
"I'm… I'm sorry," The gynoid could only said before collapsing.
"Penny!" Vic shouted in horror as he runs towards her with the rests following.
And that is it for that chapter.
I sure am making some progress right here, and I am happy to note that I have finally chosen the next story that I will do if this story have to be put in hiatus till the release of Volume 9.
If you're a fan of the Pokémon Adventures Manga then you're in luck.I already have a title in mind and it is all about the first four main characters shown in the manga. Red, Yellow, Blue (F) and Green (M). You can already guess how it will go and I need to plan out more of it with more characters in it.
I really had to statistically figure out every character ages since most of the characters of the manga are passed their 20s while only a few are below that. Half of them even are in their 30s. From Gen 1 to 3, I even added along the anime because I just wanted to some characters in so Ash is pretty much in his teen years while half of the manga characters are old enough to be his parent, which made it perfect for future stories that I wanted to do.
I won't tell their precise age yet till I make the story so I won't spoil you guys yet. I am excited to make it after VTR and I hope you could wait for it to appear.
So for now, I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I'll see you guys in the next chapter.
Vic out Peace.