Hey folks! Welcome back to another chapter of "Reality"! Last time we left off, things had gotten worse, even after the warning message had gone out. Atlas is without its shields, and Salem's forces are finally invading.
This chapter in particular is probably one of my favorites, along with the rest of this second third in the volume. As I've said before, I'll detail more of my thoughts at the end of the chapter itself. With that all said, let's get into it.
REALITY
Some know the cruelty of war and bloodshed. It can leave a lasting impact on those who've experienced seeing their comrades die before them. Ben and James are two key examples in this case.
But whereas one still mourns for those he's lost, the other merely looks at his colleagues as means to an end. One fights to win the war, while the other fights to save lives. Who will be right in the end? Either way, the reality of this situation looks bleak…
The dark red clouds in the sky rumbled with thunder over the farm plains on the outskirts of Atlas. It was quiet at first. But then a Sabyr ran through the fields. It was heading towards a squadron of Atlesian Military soldiers, who readied their guns just outside the city walls.
Some were evidently nervous, being thrust into an all-out battle against a massive army of Grimm. More Sabyrs charged through the fields, passing by the tractors and hay bales left behind. Atlesian Paladins took their positions alongside the soldiers, aiming their cannons.
As the Grimm closed in, on the edge of the floating landmass, the Monstra let out a mighty roar. It lifted its head as a dark liquid dripped out of its mouth onto the ground, followed by slamming it down. Another wave of the liquid sprayed out from its mouth, spreading along the ground before more Sabyrs spawned from it.
And they weren't the only kind of Grimm. Apathy, Megoliaths, Teryxes and many more were coming forth, making their way towards the army ahead. The battle began as the soldiers fired, with Mantas arriving on the field to drop off reinforcements. But it didn't look like there would be enough, especially as there were so many Grimm, along with the one who could easily spawn more. One Megoliath charged in, swinging its trunk to strike a soldier and a Paladin.
Watching the clashing forces from the safety of his office, James scowled. This wouldn't be happening if he had the Staff of Creation. If he had everyone on his side, Salem wouldn't have even thought to invade now. That's what he believed. He turned around and approached his desk, pressing a call icon upon the console.
"Yes, sir?" a subordinate of his answered.
"I am evacuating all citizens to the subway," he stated, "Prepare Manta Squad Omega, and dispatch to every part of Atlas," he instructed firmly.
"But sir—"
"Now!" James bellowed as he slammed his fist against the desk. Elsewhere in the city, civilians were lounging in a public park peacefully. However, that was interjected by the high-pitched speaker feedback that suddenly went off. "Citizens of Atlas," the general's voice echoed from the broadcast, "please proceed to the nearest underground subway station for shelter," he advised. One man in the crowd got up from a blanket he was sitting upon beside his daughter. People were starting to panic as he looked around for a sign of danger that would warrant such a message.
Sirens started blaring, and some people panicked, running for the subway entrances. It was sheer chaos as they broke through the closed signs hanging on the turnstiles, hurrying down the stairs. The man in the crowd was still frozen with confusion. His daughter then stood up as she took notice of something.
"Dad?" she uttered, getting his attention as he turned to see her point up at the sky, "Look!" she exclaimed. He glanced up in horror to see a swarm of Lancers weaving their way between the Atlas skyscrapers. He was so shocked that he failed to make himself aware of his surroundings, letting someone bump into him as he fell onto the ground. A squadron of Mantas swooped onto the scene, opening fire onto the wasp-like Grimm. The man below hurriedly got to his feet.
"We need to go!" he cried out, running to his daughter. However, a Lancer weaved its way downward, about to snatch her for itself. She noticed and shrieked, bracing herself.
"RYŪJIN NO KEN WO KŪRAE!" a familiar voice bellowed as a figure leapt in, slashing the wasp-like Grimm cleanly in half as it dissipated into ashes. The girl opened her eyes, widening them to see Genji land down in front of her with his katana in his right hand.
"Sarah, come on!" her father beckoned in a panic, enticing her to turn around and follow him after the crowd, glancing back at the cybernetic ninja who saved her life. More Grimm were closing in on the city, including Teryxes and Manticores. Steadying his blade, Genji took a deep breath.
Elsewhere, Kim had her gauntlets project Hard-Light shields to defend herself and a group of civilians from the fireballs shot from Manticores in an alleyway. The people themselves were very panicked, attracting more attention from the Grimm. That was especially true as a pair of Lancers made their way behind the group, closing in.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!" one woman shrieked upon noticing, causing Kim to grimace in realization. Fortunately, Peter swooped in and shot their wings with webs, binding them as they fell helplessly to the ground, bursting into ashes upon impact. He landed down safely in front of the scared group.
"It's gonna be okay," he assured to them as he held his hands up.
"Okay?!" one man repeated emphatically, "We're being invaded by Grimm here!" he pointed out.
"And panicking about it only makes things worse!" Kim mentioned, enduring another strong fireball to her Hard-Light shields as she clenched her teeth, "Peter?!" she called out.
"On it!" he responded, running forward and leaping up. He curled his right middle and ring fingers, triggering his web shooter to release a small projectile that went in between the Manticores. It then burst into a mass of webs, ensnaring them both before they fell onto the ground, bursting into ashes.
"Huh…" Kim sighed, bringing down her Hard-Light shields before turning to face the group, "We'll get you safely to the subway tunnels," she promised of them.
"And we'll make sure the Grimm don't follow," Peter added as he landed. At that moment, he felt a buzz in his pocket. He quickly pulled out his Scroll and hit the answer icon. "How's things on your end?" he immediately asked.
"Uh, could be better…" Weiss' voice answered over the line. She was unleashing several fireballs from a large white glyph up into the air, striking down several Grimm as they faded into ashes. "We've evacuated plenty of people to the subway already, but there's definitely still some in the buildings…" she noted, looking over to see May guiding people down an alley to an underground entrance.
"Kimmy and I are in the same boat, I think…" Peter responded, "Once we're sure we got everybody, we need to seal the entrances off enough so that Grimm don't come after them," he explained.
"Got it," the ex-heiress replied, ending the call. She pocketed her device, forming a few more glyphs above herself to release more projectiles of ice and fire towards the Grimm in the air. She watched as Mantas flew by and fired onto them, inadvertently striking buildings in the area as well.
The situation was beyond horrifying. And Weiss knew that James was being reckless, especially when he knew that people wouldn't be able to evacuate so quickly. She steeled herself, spinning her Myrtenaster around before piercing its blade into the ground at her feet, projecting a shining white glyph.
"Go! Go!" May yelled repeatedly as panicked people ran through the alleyway she was waving them toward, "The tunnel's at the other end!" she pointed out. For some reason, she was much more vocal than usual. Maybe it was because everyone in this situation was in the same danger as Mantle had been now.
"May?" a voice suddenly said, snapping her away from her thoughts. She looked around and spotted a young man with light-brown eyes and dull-blue hair in an undercut hairstyle, with the long unshaven hair swept to his left and hanging slightly in his face. He wore a maroon dress shirt and black tie with a black vest decorated with a marigold flower design, silver buttons, and a breast pocket containing a red handkerchief. He also had a pair of black pants and gray dress shoes. His black belt was worn over his vest and had a silver chain connected to the front of it, with the other end trailing into his left pocket. On his index and ring fingers on each hand, he donned plain silver rings. He and May stared at each other in surprise for a few moments, with the chaos around them being tuned out.
"Heads up!" Danny's voice yelled, getting her attention as she turned to see him flying over while shooting at a pack of Teryxes that were closing in on him. He landed down and slid to stop in front of the Happy Huntress, taking a deep breath. He then unleashed a powerful sonic blast with green energy waves from his mouth. It crashed into the Grimm, sending them flying back as they faded into ashes. Afterwards, he keeled over onto his left knee, taking quick breaths.
May ran over to him, crouching down at his right side. She glanced back to see that the young man she noticed had run off with the rest of the crowd. Shaking her head, she decided to ignore him.
"You okay?" she asked of the half-ghost teen, who pushed himself up onto his feet in a grunt.
"Don't wanna use that too much…" he admitted as his voice sounded raspy, looking up to see more swarms of airborne Grimm converging onto the city, "We're not gonna get anywhere with this…" he noted with a shake of his head. They watched as Mantas flew in, firing at the Grimm and still inadvertently striking buildings in small explosions as well.
"We should just focus on evac," May advised seriously, "Let the army deal with the Grimm, while we keep everyone safe and get them to the tunnels," she insisted.
"Yeah, good call," Danny agreed, "Weiss?" he called out.
"Got it!" the ex-heiress responded, having summoned her Arma Gigas as it used its broadsword to slash a few Lancers that tried to attack it. She hurried back to join her colleagues, continuing to help evacuate the city from all areas. Fortunately, it seemed as if most of the people had heeded to James' warning message, converging throughout the subway stations. But now, they were trapped, with their only hope being that their city's forces would defeat the Grimm…
X
"We can't get the Hard-Light shields back up, sir!" one soldier communicated, "The generators took too much damage!" he pointed out.
"Then don't waste resources on them," James insisted in reply, "Beta Squad, the creature?" he inquired on.
"We tried bombs, missiles," another soldier responded over the com line, "but we can't make a dent, sir," he noted worriedly. The radio chatter was being overheard by Winter, who was within the Manta flying back toward Atlas. Inside, she and the Ace Operatives had already apprehended Yang, Jaune, Ren, Gaara, Kevin, Wendy, and Sabo, as each of them were cuffed by Gravity Bolases. The special operative stepped forward into the cockpit, putting her fingers onto the communicator in her right ear.
"Sir, Schnee here," she chimed in, "Penny is still MIA, but we've apprehended Arc, Xiao Long, Ren, Gaara, Levin, Marvell, and Sabo," she listed off in confirmation.
"Stand by for further orders," Ironwood instructed in reply, "and don't let those fugitives out of your sight," he insisted on.
"Yes, sir. Of course," Winter replied.
"Still just following orders…" Yang muttered in realization as she turned to look at her with a grim expression, earning somewhat of a glare from the special operative.
"Gonna at least let us have our say?" Kevin inquired on. Before Winter could offer a retort, she looked out the windscreen and lightly gasped. Ahead was the Monstra upon the plains, spawning more and more Grimm as it roared. Everyone was shocked by its gargantuan size.
"That's… where the Grimm took Oscar…" Jaune realized, "It's… even bigger than I thought…" he added sadly, extremely worried for the former farmhand, as were his friends.
"Grimm don't take prisoners…" Vine said, narrowing his eyes with skepticism.
"This one did," Yang argued in response, "If you would just let us go—!" As she tried to get out of her seat, Elm and Vine grabbed her by her shoulders, forcing her back down. Sabo sighed with frustration, while Gaara glanced down in contemplation. Meanwhile, Wendy was taking deep breaths in the corner of the ship where she sat, having her eyes closed.
"Cease fire," James instructed from the radio, "Manta squads, concentrate on secondary hostiles," he advised on, "Command is working on a solution for the creature," he affirmed to his soldiers.
"What do you have in mind, sir?" Winter asked curiously.
"We aren't making any progress attacking the thing from the outside," the general pointed out in response, "But from the inside, it could be vulnerable," he suggested, making her narrow her eyes pensively for a moment, "Science team is putting together a bomb," he confirmed to her horror, "When it's ready, we'll drop it off as close to the target as possible," he told her, "Then, your team will deliver it on foot," he instructed as she gave off a look of denial, hoping that this wouldn't have to be the case, "Sending your rendezvous coordinates now," he finished. Apprehensive as she was, his special operative gave off a resolute expression.
"Of course, sir," she replied, "We will hold the point and we will get it done," she declared on. Those in the cabin were taken aback, especially Wendy as her eyes shot open.
"But… Oscar's in there!" Jaune pointed out emphatically.
"You can't do this!" Yang yelled, struggling to try and break away from Elm and Vine's grasp.
"Shut it, twerps," Harriet remarked back. She didn't notice how regretful Winter seemed about the situation now. Her right hand trembled before she steadied it, clenching her fist. Sabo noticed, giving off a sad look.
"So, who were those other two you were with?" Elm asked, narrowing her eyes onto the men sitting across from her.
"Bite me," Kevin remarked in response, eliciting a growl from her.
"Elm…" Vine uttered, trying to get her to calm down.
"One of them was Raven Branwen," Winter chimed in, having regained her stern expression as she glanced back at Yang, "Your biological mother, if I recall," she mentioned to her. The blonde-haired huntress widened her eyes slightly before relaxing, no longer struggling against Elm and Vine.
"Raven Branwen, huh?" Harriet repeated, "Wasn't she involved in what happened at Haven Academy?" she inquired.
"Yes," the special operative in charge confirmed in reply, "So why were you with her and that other man?" she questioned to their captives.
"And where have they gone?" Vine asked on. No one responded, mainly because they couldn't trust the Ace Operatives or Winter if they were still following James' orders. But it was also because none of them were sure as to where Enji and Raven went. Gaara closed his eyes to think. He knew about the Spring Maiden's Semblance. So the only people she could go to were either Taiyang or… His eyes jolted open in realization. Things were about to change.
X
Qrow was immediately alert the second he started hearing the rumbling outside his cell. Robyn was as well, while Jacques meekly rubbed his arms. Arthur glanced around, smirking underneath his moustache.
"Something funny?" the Happy Huntresses' leader inquired, glaring over at the former Atlesian scientist.
"Well, it sounds as if Salem's finally making her move…" he responded with a chuckle, much to the shock of both her and Qrow, "Which means I may be leaving soon…" he confirmed on as he smirked. Before a retort could be offered, several loud bangs could be heard outside the stockade.
"Stay back!" one soldier's voice roared over gunfire, making Jacques flinch in surprise.
"What the hell's happening?" Qrow questioned aloud.
"It seems my ride is finally here…" Arthur answered. All of a sudden, the door burst open in a powerful blast of fire, with smoke filling the room. The former Atlesian scientist coughed before grinning. "I would have preferred anyone else to come to my rescue, but I suppose you of all people would get here unimpe—" He stopped himself the moment he saw the figure walking into the stockade. It wasn't Cinder like he thought. It was Enji. "Wh-Who are you?!" Arthur stammered in question, while everyone looked on with widened eyes.
The Hellflame Quirk user looked about the room, seeing the four prisoners. Qrow stood up from his bench, clutching Clover's pin in his right hand tightly. The Flame Hero approached his cell.
"Qrow Branwen?" he assumed.
"…Who's asking?" the huntsman questioned back, sweating a little. He watched as Enji opened his right hand, making fire expel from his fingertips. Qrow gasped, seeing him dig his fingers into the Hard-Light cell's wall. He swiped across, causing an explosive blast to erupt. The huntsman had braced himself with his arms over his head. When he brought them down and opened his eyes, he found that the Hard-Light cell walls for his section were down.
"We're getting you out of here," the Hellflame Quirk user confirmed.
"Who's we?" Qrow asked in confusion, arching an eyebrow. At that moment, another figure entered the room, getting their attentions. "Oh, you've gotta be kidding me…" the huntsman grumbled out of shock, seeing his sister walk over.
"Qrow, don't be smart about this," she advised upon approaching, "We're the ones here to save your ass," she remarked.
"I'm sorry, what?" her brother said, shaking his head in disbelief, "I thought you were on Salem's side…" he remembered.
"I was forced onto Salem's side," Raven corrected, folding her arms over her chest, "Anyways, we need to go," she insisted, "Salem's army just broke through Atlas' shields," she pointed out.
"Your brother's going to need a weapon…" Enji mentioned, getting her attention.
"Fine…" she mumbled with a roll of her eyes, "Let's move," she advised, grabbing Qrow by his left wrist, only for him to yank it away, "Dammit, what the hell's—?!"
"Her too," her brother insisted, interrupting her as he pointed back toward Robyn's cell, as she looked on in bewilderment.
"Who is she?" Enji asked.
"…A friend," Qrow answered. Both the Flame Hero and the Spring Maiden glanced at each other with skepticism for a moment, only for the latter to sigh in resignation.
"Fine," she said, tilting her head. It only took a moment for Enji to break the Hard-Light wall around the Happy Huntresses leader's cell, allowing her to step out.
"Let's get your weapons and hurry," the Hellflame Quirk user advised of the freed prisoners, "It won't be long before Atlas' army is left overwhelmed by Salem's forces," he pointed out, jogging off toward the open doorway. Qrow and Robyn followed, with Raven tailing after them.
"You shouldn't have come back," Arthur remarked to the Spring Maiden, making her stop at the doorway, "You would have at least lived a little longer…" he pointed out with a chuckle. She took a deep breath and balled her hands into fists.
"Bet I'm still gonna live longer than you, asshole," she retorted, hurrying out after the others. As she left, the former Atlesian scientist narrowed his eyes in frustration. Raven's sudden presence on the battlefield changed everything. He quickly grabbed the Scroll behind his back, typing out 'Raven is here' before sending the message.
"So who the hell is this fire guy supposed to be?" Qrow wondered aloud as he glanced over at Enji, who led the way as they ran down the compound halls, "New boyfriend?" he guessed to his sister, making her glare at him immediately.
"Qrow, this seriously isn't the time…" she growled out.
"How did Salem and the Grimm get into Atlas?" Robyn asked as they rounded a corner, "Aren't the Hard-Light shields able to—?"
"The Grimm found their way in and disabled the shields," Enji answered, "Now the whole army's focus is on Atlas," he noted on.
"With Mantle caught in the crossfire…" the Happy Huntresses' leader grimly realized. All of a sudden, there was another rumble, causing everyone to stop in surprise. Once it subsided, Raven sighed.
"Enji, get to the battlefield," she insisted of her colleague, "I'll stick with these two until they get their weapons back," she assured.
"Raven…" the Hellflame Quirk user uttered.
"I'll be with you as soon as I can," the Spring Maiden promised, "Just hurry," she advised seriously. Taking on a firm expression, Enji ran off toward a nearby exit.
"You sure he's gonna be okay on his own?" Robyn asked out of concern.
"He'll be fine," Raven affirmed, "He's the guy who almost kicked my ass before we teamed up," she mentioned, causing her brother to blink in surprise as she saw her jog past him down the hall.
"What happened to you, Raven?" he asked of her.
"…I'm atoning," she answered before turning a corner. Qrow and Robyn shared a perplexed glance before heading after her. Right now, they'd just have to trust that the Spring Maiden and her comrade were leading them to gaining an edge in this battle…
X
Within the throne room of the Monstra, Salem was watching the chaotic war between her army and Atlas' forces unfold. To her, it was like conducting an orchestra. She made sweeping gestures with her arms as her eyes and gemstone shined red, making the whale-like Grimm open its mouth to release more reddish-black liquid onto the ground, bringing forth reinforcements. All the while, Emerald spied on her from afar, hidden behind a bony spike. She was very conflicted about everything, especially after seeing how Cinder basically let the Master of Grimm take control over her, as she spoke to her desires.
Taking on a resolute expression, the green-haired girl snuck away from the throne room. Later on, she was wandering about the pathways of the Monstra, looking around cautiously. As she turned a corner, she lightly gasped to see a Seer approaching. However, it fortunately failed to take notice of her as she cast an illusion over herself, veiling its view of her. She continued onward before approaching one of the membrane doors, hearing the yells of pain from Ozpin inside.
"Just stop it already!" Ben's voice roared, making Emerald flinch in surprise. She leaned her right ear up to the door, eavesdropping on what was being said. Blood dripped onto the floor as the former headmaster had been suspended off of it by his wrists, which were bound and tied to a hook over his head. The Omni Force leader was latched to the wall like before, grimacing in frustration. He wanted to help, but knew that Ozpin had a plan. He just hoped it would work.
"That stunt you pulled…" Hazel muttered out to the battered boy, "She'd have killed you if you didn't just pop up somewhere else," he noted as he walked up to him. Already, the former headmaster's body had been dealt great damage. A black eye, bruises, and his clothes peppered with dried blood, dirt, and scorch marks. He had gone through so much. Both him and Oscar. "Still…" Hazel continued, adjusting his gloves upon coming to a stop in front of him, "you can make things easier on yourself if you start telling the truth," he confirmed to him.
"Well, truth is you're a sack of shit if you like beating up on kids," Ben chimed in, "Why not give me some punches? Unless you're a pansy…" he remarked coldly with a glare.
"Salem said your torture's going to come later," the scarred man retorted, not even bothering to give the Omni Force leader a look. Meanwhile, Ozpin opened his eyes. It was time to put his plan into motion.
"You've never wondered why she recruited you?" he inquired of Hazel, who merely blinked, "You, specifically, to help her find the Relics," he mentioned.
"…We share a vision," he answered after a moment, "She's gonna create a new world order," he proclaimed, stepping closer to the bound boy, "no Kingdoms…" he continued as he was almost nose-to-nose with his captive, "…and no Huntsmen Academies," he finished firmly. Ozpin chuckled.
"New world order…" he repeated, "No…" he said, "When Salem gets all four Relics, there will be no world left at all…" he told Hazel, who narrowed his eyes in skepticism, "Don't you get it?" he questioned on as his captor turned and walked away for a few steps, "She's been alive longer than you can comprehend," he pointed out, while the brawny man crossed his arms in thought, "All she craves now is release…" he proclaimed, "Death…" he corrected. Hazel gritted his teeth and growled.
"Stop lying!" he roared, punching Ozpin in the stomach and sending him swaying by his wrists as he yelped.
"Oz!" Ben cried out.
"Salem can't be killed!" Hazel yelled angrily. Ozpin blinked repeatedly, trying to focus on his captor's voice and what he was saying. "When she came for me, I killed her over and over again…" he told the vessel, "The longest she was gone was only a few hours, before she put herself back together…" he recalled, pacing around out of frustration, followed by turning away and looking down at his hands, "When I couldn't lift my arms anymore, she showed me that, through her…" he continued, "I could have the vengeance I needed…" he proclaimed.
"Oh, Hazel…" Ozpin sadly sighed out, getting his attention, "Don't you see? That is why she came for you," he noted, "Because she could make you believe that this is what you needed," he mentioned, narrowing his eyes.
"THIS IS WHAT YOU DESERVE!" Hazel bellowed as he whipped around to face him with spit flying from his mouth.
"Yes!" the reincarnated man agreed in response, "But Oscar?!" he inquired emphatically, "The people of Atlas, Remnant, Ben, and the rest of those in the multiverse?!" he questioned on as the Omni Force leader blinked in surprise, "You haven't done what you've done for justice," he mentioned, shaking his head, "You've done it for yourself," he concluded as he looked his captor dead in the eyes, "Because she pushed you to think it would help you," he finally realized, closing his eyes for a moment, "Well… has it?" he asked. There was a silence that filled the room. Already, Hazel seemed conflicted. And seeing that, Ben knew that the tides were slowly starting to change.
X
Danny coughed into his left arm as he was in the room where Nora was sleeping, having returned after helping evacuate Atlas' citizens to the subway tunnels. Kim handed him a glass of water, making him give her a grateful smile before he chugged it down, cooling his throat. Genji was standing by the window with Obi-Wan, watching the battle unfold from afar outside of the city's walls.
"They're holding their own quite well…" the cyborg commented with his arms folded over his chest.
"But it won't be long before they run out of munitions," the Jedi noted grimly, walking away from the window. Tending to Nora was Weiss, who finished bandaging her left arm before setting what was left of the gauze down onto the tray that had been brought in. She looked down solemnly in contemplation. She let out a sigh.
"Hey, Weiss…" Danny uttered as he came over, putting a hand onto her shoulder to try and reassure her.
"Now what…" Nora's voice suddenly uttered as they looked to see her writhe a little in her sleep, "am I good for...?" she finished as her head turned away. The ex-heiress reached over to brush a lock of her friend's hair out of her face. It was obvious that she was tired and in desperate need of more care than she and her friends could currently give.
"Huh…" Obi-Wan sighed out, "I apologize for us being late," he said, getting everyone's attention, "If we had been here sooner, maybe—"
"No, it's okay," Kim assured, interrupting the Jedi, "We're happy that you're here helping us now," she affirmed on.
"Still…" Weiss uttered, causing everyone to look over at her, "it does feel like we're not doing much…" she admitted sadly. Just then, the door opened. Everyone looked to see Tifa entering with a tray of teacups, each filled with a hot, steaming beverage. Coming in after her were Ruby and Blake, who both held cups of their own. The silver-eyed huntress looked over to Nora worriedly.
"How is she?" she asked quietly.
"I've done what I can… but she needs a doctor…" Weiss replied as she got up and approaching her friends, accepting a cup from Tifa's tray.
"Hopefully, May's able to reach the others…" the cat Faunus chimed in, lowering her head a little, "I'm…" she tried to say, "I really hope they're okay…" she said, glancing out the window at the Atlesian night sky. Distant red lightning could be seen flashing periodically.
"Salem's monster is making Grimm faster than the Atlas military can kill them," Kim pointed out as she approached the window alongside Blake, "The city won't stand a chance unless we stop it…" she mentioned grimly.
"It's massive, though…" Ruby chimed in as she approached, "Way bigger than a Leviathan," she added, "Wh-What can we even do?" she stuttered in question.
"Uh… Silver Eyes, maybe?" Peter suggested from beside the fireplace, getting their attentions as they looked over to see him tinkering with his web shooters, "I mean, they worked on the Leviathan…" he recalled with a shrug.
"That's not a bad idea…" Kim admitted. Ruby let out a sigh.
"I… I don't know…" she admitted as she walked away, "I'm still not totally used to using them and—"
"That doesn't sound like you, Rubes," Peter interjected to her surprise, "I mean… I figured you'd jump at the chance to take a risk and help however you can…" he confessed as he stood up.
"Well… I just…" the silver-eyed huntress tried to say, sighing deeply.
"I suppose trying to involve ourselves in the battle now would likely make things worse than they already are," Genji assumed as he walked over, "With Atlas' military still branding as fugitives…" he continued.
"They'd just go ahead and capture us if we were to just try and help," Kim realized, "That's all Ironwood cares about…" she muttered on, sipping her drink.
"Yeah, but still…" Peter tried to argue, lowering his head for a moment.
"Penny and the others launched Amity, and our message went out," Weiss noted as she settled into a chair beside the web-slinger by the lit fireplace, "Do we just wait for someone to come?" she assumed, looking over at the fire, "If they even come…" she remarked on.
"Hey, don't say that," Danny insisted, "There's too much at stake for everyone around the world to back away from this," he pointed out seriously. Thunder continued rumbling outside as silence started to fill the room. Ruby stared morosely at her cup, as the red lightning lit up her reflection on the beverage within.
"How did it all get like this?" she wondered aloud. Just then, May entered the room as the door swung open.
"Fiona said your friends haven't been heard from in a while," she confirmed to the group as she walked over, "Unfortunately…" she continued, "the last thing they're worried about is a couple of kids…" she noted, putting her hands onto her hips.
"That sounds quite harsh…" Obi-Wan remarked, earning an eye roll from the Happy Huntress.
"Come on," she beckoned to the group, "I've got the ship ready to head back and—"
"What?" Weiss uttered, interrupting her as she hurriedly stood up from her chair, setting aside her cup on a small table, "We can't leave," she said.
"Uh… we can't?" Peter repeated in confusion, arching an eyebrow. Everyone else was a bit surprised as well.
"It's chaos at the crater!" May emphatically pointed out, "Atlas has its army, but Mantle only has us," she mentioned seriously to her colleagues, "People are dying…" she finished. Ruby appeared to be quite conflicted about what to do next. Her decisions were what led to a lot of this.
"People are dying here, too!" Weiss defiantly argued, "Don't you have family in Atlas?" she inquired of the Happy Huntress, who slightly widened her eyes in surprise. She remembered the young man she met earlier during the evacuations.
"No," she responded, narrowing her eyes, "Mantle needed me," she firmly stated, "and to the Marigolds, that meant I wasn't their son anymore," she mentioned, "And I made sure that everyone knew that I wasn't their daughter…" she added with a glare, "So forget 'em," she insisted as she turned away with crossed arms, "They've got Henry, yours have Whitley," she noted on, "You get what I'm saying," she affirmed.
"…I don't," Danny chimed in to her surprise as she looked over at him, "That guy you saw during the evac…" he recalled, "That was Henry, wasn't it?" he assumed as he walked over, "You could've stayed out of helping us get those people to safety, but you didn't," he pointed out to the Happy Huntress, "And it didn't matter if that prick was one of them," he added with a shake of his head, "You didn't want anyone to suffer," he concluded. May balled her hands into fists and growled.
"Which side are you on, anyway?!" she shouted in question. The half-ghost teen didn't even flinch.
"We've heard that before…" Blake chimed in, getting their attentions. The Happy Huntress was ready to go and confront her, only for Peter to hop to his feet.
"There are no sides!" he affirmed, holding his hands out to her, "We want to help everyone," he declared seriously, "We're all facing Salem together. And together is the only way we're going to get out of it…" he told everyone seriously. After a moment, May finally calmed down, letting out a sigh.
"So how exactly do we get out of it?" she asked in response, folding her arms underneath her chest.
"Perhaps we can start by dividing our forces for the time being," Obi-Wan suggested as a reply, getting their attentions as he was holding onto his Scroll in his right hand, "I've gotten word from our partners that they've arrived in Atlas and are going out to join the battle on the frontlines," he explained to the group, "I'm certain they can provide enough support and perhaps an edge to the military's forces," he affirmed on, "In the meantime, I'd be happy to volunteer to come with you to Mantle, Miss Marigold," he offered to the Happy Huntress as he approached her.
"Uh… thanks, I guess…" she responded with gratitude and a shrug.
"I'll join you as well," Genji decided, approaching the group.
"Me too," Kim chimed in as she walked over.
"Okay, great…" May said with a little smile, relieved that they were going to help, "Anyone else?" she asked of the others. They looked to each other expectantly. Ruby stepped forward.
"Someone's going to need to keep an eye on Nora and watch out for any updates from Penny or Jenny," she explained in reply, "But… if you need us…" she continued, "we'll be there to help," she promised.
"'Preciate that," May remarked in response, "Let's move," she beckoned of her group, waving them to follow her out of the room.
"Tifa—"
"Yeah, I'll help hold down the fort," the bar hostess responded before Obi-Wan could make his request.
"And keep an eye out for updates," he advised on, making Tifa roll her eyes and chuckle, "May the Force be with you all," he remarked, departing the room with his colleagues. The situation seemed bleak. But everyone was going to do what they could to make it better. Ruby finished her beverage, taking on a steeled expression.
No one had realized that during the conversations, Whitley had been listening on the entire time from outside the room. Hearing about and seeing Nora's condition, he knew that she needed more than just her friends to help her. And for once, he was willing to help as well.
X
"'So long as this world turns, you shall walk its face'," Ozpin said, still hanging from the hook in the torture chamber. He had been trying to reason with Hazel, even going so far as to tell him of her past… as well as his. "That was the curse cast upon her," he noted to his captor, "But if Salem can divide humanity beyond repair…" he continued, "and bring all four Relics back together," he kept going, "she believes that maybe her curse will be broken," he explained, "The Gods will rule against us… and destroy Remnant, once and for all," he finished as outside, the battle was continuing into the night, with the Monstra roaring as more Grimm spawned from it. Hazel had listened to the tale from the very beginning. And his face was riddled with skepticism.
"Nice story," he remarked with crossed arms, "But if Gretchen's death taught me one thing," he continued as he unfolded his arms, "it was never to trust you…" he confirmed, walking forward toward his captive, ready to torture him again.
'Please… let me…' Oscar pleaded from within the shared mind.
'But, Oscar—'
'You want him to trust us?' the former farmhand interjected in question, 'Then trust me,' he insisted. Ozpin closed his eyes, yielding his control. Oscar opened his eyes, lifting his head up.
"Her name is Jinn," he said, causing Hazel to stop his advance onto him as he perked up in surprise, "You want her to come out of the Lamp?" he inquired of his captor, "Just say her name," he instructed, "She can still answer one more question," he confirmed on. Hazel narrowed his eyes.
"After all that…" he began, advancing forward, "you're just going to give Salem the password?!" he snarled in question, grabbing and lifting Oscar by his collar.
"No…" he responded with a shake of his head, "I'm giving you the password," he told him, "and hoping you'll find the truth for yourself," he added. Hazel slowly released his captive's collar, his dark scowl turning into an expression of surprise and confusion. Meanwhile Emerald pulled herself away from the door, trying to process what she had just heard. Was what he was saying true?
"He's a prisoner, Em. He'll say what he thinks will get him out," Mercury argued later as the green-haired girl had come to him, telling him about what she overheard. He was packing a duffel bag with shirts and other supplies.
"So you're still going to Vacuo…" Emerald noted, "after what I just told you?" she inquired on.
"Those are Salem's new orders," her grey-haired colleague responded, not caring in the slightest, "and I know better than to disobey Salem," he remarked, zipping up his bag before throwing it over his shoulder, heading for the door.
"But—" Mercury sighed, interjecting Emerald just as the membrane door squelched open.
"Look, even if what he said was true…" he began as he turned to approach her, "we can't stop Salem," he whispered firmly, "You told me yourself, Hazel tried," he pointed out, "He failed and he got in line," he mentioned, "Big guy's not gonna pick fights he can't win," he continued, "and neither should we," he affirmed seriously. However, the green-haired girl put on a defiant expression after a moment, thinking that he was missing the bigger picture of what she was trying to tell him. "And all of this pointless, anyway," he argued on, turning away and stepping out into the corridor, "Salem's not ending the world!" he proclaimed.
"Of course she is!" Tyrian retorted with a laugh, much to the surprise of both teens as Emerald walked out to see him down the hall, "You're surprised?" he guessed of them, putting his hands onto his face, "Salem is destruction incarnate!" he exclaimed, giggling excitedly, "Our mistress wishes to see the end of it all!" he affirmed on as he walked over and wrapped his right arm and prosthetic tail around Mercury, pulling him closer, "There is no ideal more beautiful…" he proclaimed, pushing the grey-haired teen away and holding his hands together behind his back, "If you couldn't see that from the start…" he continued with a huff, "you must be out of your mind…" he remarked, giggling again while leering at his two younger colleagues.
His tail was curling and uncurling sinisterly. And all of a sudden, Mercury was having second thoughts. He looked over to Emerald for a moment before Tyrian's tail wrapped around his shoulders, leading him down the hallway.
"Now come along, Mister Black," he beckoned, hurrying him along, "You and I have a date with the desert…" he noted as heads of Grimm peered down from the ceiling above. A moment later, they arrived at the landing bay where the small Manta was parked. Mercury found himself shoved into the aircraft in a grunt, gritting his teeth as he glared back at Tyrian. He then noticed Emerald watching on from afar, having a mixture of dread and worry on her face. Catching her gaze, he gave her a solemn nod of reassurance before the windshield came up. The ship took off, heading into the distant and dark Atlesian sky.
X
Wendy was continuing to take deep, calm breaths in the back of the Manta, sitting in a meditative stance. As concerned as she was about the current situation, she knew that she needed to stay calm. Because lashing out now would just waste the energy she knew she would need for when the time called for it. The others were growing impatient as they were approaching the rendezvous point. Yang watched as Winter walked by, having a pained expression upon her face.
"You can't blow it up with Oscar still in there!" the blonde-haired huntress shouted as she stood up, only for Elm and Vine to quickly get onto their feet and grab her arms.
"That creature causes more damage every minute," the latter of the two Ace Operatives argued in response, "We cannot wait," he affirmed with a shake of his head.
"So you're cool with killing kids now?" Kevin inquired rhetorically, "Makes sense since you tried killing Ben…" he pointed out, glaring over at Harriet, who growled.
"Please, Winter, give us a chance to try to rescue him first!" Jaune pleaded as he got up and approached the special operative.
"Yeah!" Sabo agreed, "We… We could be your test run!" he suggested, causing Winter to open her eyes in slight surprise.
"You don't know what'll be waiting for you inside, right?" the blonde-haired huntsman assumed, "So we can go ahead to check it out," he affirmed to her.
"And look for Oscar while we're there," the Flame-Flame user finished for him, standing up himself. Everyone looked to them in surprise, glancing over to see Winter still with her back turned.
"You wanna go inside that thing alone?" Marrow inquired out of shock, turning to look back at the group from the pilot's seat.
"We aren't gonna be alone, Fido," Kevin remarked as a response, "We got each other," he pointed out.
"And wouldn't you do it for Elm? Harriet? Vine?" Yang listed off in question. The Ace Operatives traded uneasy looks upon hearing that.
"We don't let feelings get in the way of making the right call," Elm retorted, causing Yang to glare at her, "Trading three lives for one is stupid…" she proclaimed. The whole time the arguments had gone on, Ren remained silent with his head bowed. But the moment that the burly Ace Operative had said her piece, he was finally ready to speak up.
"No, it's not," he said, getting their attentions, "He's our friend," he stated firmly, "We will do whatever it takes to find him," he declared for himself and his friends, "Because we care about him," he affirmed on coldly to the Ace Operatives. His colleagues widened their eyes, amazed that he of all people was speaking up on their behalf, especially after what had happened yesterday. They smiled at each other, glad that he was giving them support. Unfortunately, it still seemed as if not everyone shared that sentiment. Harriet scoffed, turning her co-pilot's seat around before getting up.
"I really had you pegged as the most level-headed of the bunch," she remarked to the ponytailed teen, putting her hands onto her hips, "but I guess you're just as naïve," she realized with a shrug, "Feelings don't matter, the job matters," she told him as he glared back at her, "When you lose someone on your team, you move on," she proclaimed, "Replace them," she added, causing Sabo, Jaune and Wendy to narrow their eyes with anger, "Like Marrow replaced Tortuga and Winter replaced—"
"NO!" Ren shouted, leaping to his feet to everyone's surprise, "No one is replaceable!" he stated on. And then, he blinked in surprise. His eyes widened as he stared at Harriet. From his perspective, he could see red flower petals rising up around her like fire. She was glowering at him, incensed. "You don't really believe that…" he realized, narrowing his eyes, "You are furious about losing Clover," he noted to the mohawk-haired Ace Operative's surprise, letting it show as she blinked rapidly, "and you…you miss him," he concluded, seeing the petals soften into orange ones. Harriet's expression quickly reverted to anger.
"You don't know anything about me!" she yelled defiantly in response. Ren turned to look over at Marrow, who was surrounded by blue petals slowly falling like snow. Elm had rising red and yellow petals surrounding her, and Vine had green petals swirling gently around him. By focusing on one person at a time, the ponytailed huntsman could see everyone's emotional states firsthand… including his own. He finally looked down at himself. Pink petals were gently falling toward his feet.
"That's why you lost against Ben…" he realized, "It wasn't just because he was stronger than you…" he pointed out to the Ace Operatives, "You…You try to fight how you feel about each other," he noted, "so you'll never truly work as a team," he told them.
"Shut up!" Elm roared out as she let go of Yang, with the red and yellow petals still rising up around her from Ren's point of view, "You don't know what you're talking about!" she bellowed, closing her hands into fists. She reared her right one back, ready to strike him. All of a sudden though, Kevin shot up to his feet, snapping his bolas off before catching the Ace Operative's fist in his right hand, which was coated in metal. She and the others gasped in surprise. "How did you—?"
"You got cute cuffs," the hybrid Osmosian remarked, interjecting Elm, "but they don't block out our powers," he confirmed. With that, Sabo ignited his wrists, burning the wire of his bolas as the remainder of it fell onto the floor. Gaara manipulated sand to reach out and undo both his and Yang's at the same time. In a loud grunt, Wendy ripped hers off.
"We could've escaped at any time," the Kazekage pointed out as he stepped forward unimpeded, "But we didn't," he noted.
"Why?" Vine asked, narrowing his eyes in confusion.
"Because we hoped you'd hear us out and help us figure out a way to stop this," Yang answered, while Kevin went and morphed his arm into a blade to slash off the bolases binding Jaune and Ren's arms, "We save Oscar, give you the greenlight to blow that whale sky high, and then we can figure out where to go from there, together," she listed off as suggestions.
"And why the hell should we work with you?!" Harriet snarled in question.
"Because you know what's going to happen if you don't…" Wendy threatened as she marched over. Electricity crackled around the mohawk-haired Ace Operative as she gnashed her teeth together. However, Winter stepped in.
"Everyone, calm down…" she insisted seriously. She took a moment to study the expressions of the captives. They weren't going to back down on this. And she knew if they tried to stop them now, it would just lead to more trouble.
"Winter… please…" Sabo pleaded.
"Fine," the special operative said, holding her hands behind her back as her colleagues looked to her in surprise, "We will drop you as close as we can to the monster," she told the former prisoners.
"You can't be serious…" Harriet argued with a shake of her head, "They're fugitives! And traitors!" she yelled angrily.
"I outrank you," Winter retorted, turning toward her with cold indifference. She widened her eyes in surprise before relenting, growling indignantly.
"Whoo…" Sabo quietly whistled, letting off a little smile.
"If you aren't out in time, we drop the payload," the special operative told the group, "No matter what," she additionally affirmed. Marrow turned back to face the windscreen, evidently uncomfortable about the decision. He felt that the group was throwing themselves out there to die for nothing… But they were all resolute.
"We understand," Jaune said determinedly. The Manta flew down, deploying its landing gear before touching the ground on the outskirts of Atlas, a bit far from the battlefield with the Atlesian forces against the Grimm. As the side door slid open, Kevin tossed Sabo his lead pipe, which he caught and firmly gripped. He then looked over to Winter, who glanced back to see his regretful expression. Meanwhile, Ren approached Marrow, who was standing guard at the hatch door. Having seen his emotional state earlier, he knew that the canine Faunus was conflicted.
"You don't like this either," he pointed out, getting his attention as he saw the ponytailed huntsman come up to him, "In fact, you don't want to be a part of it at all anymore…" he mentioned on to his surprise. His expression fell slightly.
"I…" he uttered out, lowering his weapon for a moment as he seemed to steel himself, "I have a job to do," he affirmed, "and I'm going to do it," he stated as he headed over to the cockpit, seeing Harriet narrow her eyes onto him.
"Let's move," Kevin insisted, hopping out of the Manta first and running across the field. Yang armed her Ember Celica gauntlet and prosthetic's gun before blasting herself off after him. Gaara formed a cloud of sand to step onto, flying out. Meanwhile, Jaune had reclaimed his Crocea Mors, tossing Ren his StormFlower as he caught both weapons in his hands.
"I know you don't, either," he remarked to Winter, while his team leader drew his sword and shield, leaping onto the plains. The ponytailed huntsman looked over to the special operative. Though her expression was stony, she was inwardly conflicted. Ren could see rising red and yellow, swirling green, and falling blue petals surrounding her. She gave him an indifferent stare, seeing him depart after his colleagues. Sabo approached, letting out a deep breath.
"Wish me luck?" he remarked in question to her, causing her to slightly widen her eyes. However, her expression turned into an indifferent one.
"Come back alive," she insisted firmly. The Flame-Flame user let off a smirk, holding his pipe over his shoulders.
"You're the boss," he replied, leaping out and expelling flames from the lower half of his body to propel himself after his comrades. That left Wendy as the lone one yet to leave. Winter looked at her in concern, while she glanced over to Harriet, who caught her gaze.
"Something smart you wanna say, brat?" she inquired of the Sky Dragon Slayer. She balled her hands into fists. They used to be good sparring partners, maybe even friends at one point. But the moment she called her and her friends selfish… the moment she called Oscar of all people replaceable…
"When I get back…" Wendy began, "I'm gonna kick your ass," she firmly declared to everyone's surprise, "That's a promise," she added, leaping out of the airship in a burst of wind.
"…Tch," Harriet scoffed, while Winter watched on worriedly. As confident as she was in the group, she couldn't help but be concerned for them. She could only hope they would make it out in time.
X
"Could we maybe go and find Qrow and Robyn?" Ruby suggested as she and the others, sans Nora, were wandering about manor foyer, coming down the central staircase, "If we could get them out of wherever they're being held, maybe they could…" she tried to infer, stopping herself with a sigh, "No… that won't help now…" she realized in frustration.
"Rubes, easy…" Peter advised, putting a hand onto her shoulder, "We all know this isn't gonna be a quick fix…" he affirmed with a shake of his head.
"And getting Qrow and Robyn out could help, if only a little…" Weiss added assuredly.
"I'm guessing they're probably in the military compound…" Blake chimed in, "Which means…" she started to realize as her cat ears flopped down.
"Then let's figure out a plan for Atlas' citizens as well as Mantle's," Danny advised, "Pretty sure there's next to nothing for supplies down in the subways…" he pointed out, "We gotta give them support," he insisted of his colleagues.
"Well, we can't just leave Nora behind," Peter noted, "One of us is gonna have to stay and keep an eye on her," he told the group.
"Ugh…" Weiss groaned, "This cannot get any more complicated…" she grumbled with a shake of her head. Just then, Tifa felt a buzz in her jacket pocket. She reached in and pulled out her Scroll, opening it to answer the call.
"Lockhart, do you read?" Enji's voice echoed from the device, causing her to smile, while the others perked up in surprise, looking over at her.
"Loud and clear, Enji," she responded, "How's things on your end?" she inquired as she came down the steps, setting her Scroll on speaker.
"Hard to say for the moment," the Hellflame Quirk user replied, "With Salem's forces breaking the shield, we had to get to Atlas sooner than expected," he explained, "We've already gone and released Branwen and an ally of his from their cells," he mentioned, causing Ruby to gasp in shock, followed by Tifa letting off a grin, "Where are you and Kenobi?" the Flame Hero asked.
"Obi's gone down to Mantle with some others to help manage things at the crater," the bar hostess answered, "And I'm with Ruby and her group in Atlas," she confirmed on.
"I see…" Enji uttered, "Stay with them for now and secure a stronghold," he instructed of his colleague.
"Done and done," Tifa remarked, ending the call with a smirk as she flipped her Scroll into her hand.
"So Qrow's out!" Peter exclaimed, letting out a laugh, "Well, that's one problem taken care of…" he noted.
"But… how'd your friends get into the compound?" Blake inquired, arching an eyebrow. Before the bar hostess could answer, a knock at the door drew their attentions. They took on prepared stances, with Danny assuming his ghost form, while the huntresses aside from Weiss drew their weapons. They carefully crept to the door.
The ex-heiress narrowed her eyes. That knock sounded familiar to her. She opened the door cautiously… and widened her eyes to see who was there.
"Huh!" she gasped, "Klein!" she exclaimed upon seeing a short, slightly heavyset man with balding brown hair and a large mustache. He had light brown eyes, wearing a white dressed collar shirt with black bow and jacket, dark brown trousers, and dressed shoes. In addition, he donned a dark brown bowler hat while carrying a bag in his left hand.
"Uh…" Peter uttered in confusion.
"Former butler," Danny said, letting rings of light flow up and down his body to turn himself back to his human form.
"Ah, right," the web-slinger responded in remembrance, snapping his fingers. Meanwhile, the former butler tipped his hat to the ex-heiress.
"Miss Schnee!" he greeted, "I heard there was a patient here who needed my help," he noted to her.
"I-I'm so sorry, Klein…" Weiss whimpered out apologetically, "It's my fault that Father—"
"Please don't worry, my snowflake…" the former butler insisted as his eyes turned green while he held his hat to his chest, "I-It had nothing to d-do with you…" he affirmed, having developed a stammer. His eyes turned red as he put his hat back on his head. "And everything to do with Jacques," he remarked in frustration, entering the manor and slamming the door shut.
"Ah, multiple personalities…" Peter realized, "Seen that before…" he noted with a shrug, earning a raised eyebrow from Blake. Weiss walked Klein in as the others relaxed themselves, sniffling and wiping away her tears.
"Well, that's sweet of you…" she said to her former butler, only to blink upon realizing something, "But wait, how did you know—?"
"Ah, Young Whitley! I'm so glad that you rang!" he exclaimed in greeting to the SDC heir, having blinked as his eyes had turned sky blue, "May I please see the patient? I understand it's urgent," he requested as Whitley was descending the central staircase to greet him.
"Yes," he responded, "She's in Weiss's room," he told him, "Just go up the—"
"I haven't been gone that long, Master Whitley," Klein affirmed, interrupting the SDC heir's instruction, "I believe I can find it," he assured, patting him on the shoulder before heading up the stairs. Weiss looked over to him as he sheepishly rubbed the back of his head. She was astonished.
"You… called Klein?" she questioned of him.
"That girl needs a doctor," he pointed out in response, turning away from his sister, "I didn't do it for you…" he mentioned.
"I know," Weiss replied, "That's why it means so much to me," she admitted. A light gasp escaped her brother's lips as he turned to see her walk up to him. Before he could react, she hugged him. There was some hesitation at first… but he sighed and embraced her back.
"Well… if there's a bright side to this…" Danny started to remark, earning some chuckles out of his colleagues. But at that same moment, he and the others heard something whisk by the manor before a blast rang from outside.
"Did you call anyone else?" Weiss asked of her brother, who merely shook his head. Ruby walked forward, opening the door slowly. She saw a smoking crater in the driveway, widening her eyes. She ran out, with Peter, Blake and Tifa hurrying after her. They knelt down beside the crater, looking through the smoke. And they all widened their eyes in shock.
At the bottom were both Jenny and Penny, crackling with electricity and covered with neon green coolant. The former of the two appeared to be unconscious, while the latter was struggling to keep herself from fainting. She caught sight of her friends, wincing from the sparks around her body.
"I'm…" she uttered out as she reached out her left hand to them, "I'm sorry…" she apologized, collapsing completely.
War changes people. Bringing casualties and hardships. Sometimes, it can result in utter destruction over surrender.
We see that our heroes are fighting to stop this war here and now. But as the curtain comes up on this second act, one can only wonder… what's next for them to endure?
Until then, this is Xiaomei, signing off.
END
And that concludes half of the adapted content for "Reality"! I have to admit, writing this chapter was a lot of fun to do, especially with how quickly I was able to draft it. I'm really excited to get into the second half of the adaptation, starting in December. But before that, it's back to "The Challenge of a Lifetime" for a bit.
Anyways, I was half-and-half on this chapter in particular in canon. I didn't like how Ruby's group was staying in Atlas essentially doing nothing and even insisted on staying. They could've at least helped with city evacuations while the military was trying to stop the Grimm from invading. But everything else was okay.
Next chapter should be a really good one. See you all later!