"Take this," Yang shouted as she slammed her fist into a Beowolf's chest, which sent it flying through several trees. Two more took its place and attacked the girl with wild swings, looking to disembowel her. She leaped away from her aggressors just as two projectiles passed by her head and into the two Grimm. She turned her head and thanked her sister with a nod.
Ruby gave a grin and turned her attention to Blake and Weiss. With a grin, she thought, 'This is the perfect opportunity.' She took a breath and shouted, "Weiss, Blake, Checkmate!"
The two stopped in their tracks and looked at her with confusion. "Er, what," Weiss asked.
"Come on. Checkmate!" Again, the two gave her a shrug of confusion. "Didn't you guys read the team attacks I made? I taped it on the door."
"Is that what that was," Weiss asked. "I may have accidentally thrown it away."
"What," Ruby shouted with a mortified look on her face. "Why would you..."
"Move it," Cardin said as he pushed Ruby out of the way. He then slammed his mace in the jaw of an Ursa, shattering its mask and killing it.
"Hey," Ruby shouted as she got back up.
"Little kids shouldn't be here. This is a battlefield, not a playground," Cardin said with a cocky smirk before walking off toward his teammates, who were holding their ground against a small group of Beowolves. One of the Grimm slammed its claws into Sky's plated chest and sent the boy flying toward Cardin, but instead of catching him, the team leader merely sidestepped out of the way. Sky crashed into Ruby, taking the young girl down, as Cardin crushed a Beowolf's head into a red paste before swinging his weapon around, knocking Dove and Russel aside.
The two boys landed in a heap as their leader continued to take out Grimm recklessly. "Damn it, Cardin," Russel cursed, "Watch where you're swinging that thing!" Cardin smirked as he continued killing Grimm, not paying Russel's complaint any mind.
Over on Team JNPR's side, they coordinated rather well with one another, which was a surprise considering how often Jaune needed saving. Overall, however, they managed to dispatch Grimm left and right with little hassle. "You're doing great, Jaune," Pyrrha said while defending him from an Ursa.
"I'm not so sure about that, but thanks anyway," Jaune said as he missed an easy strike on a Beowolf. The Grimm swung its claws at his head only to be thwarted by Ren and Nora, who cut off its hand and crushed its skull, respectively. "Thank you, guys."
"Don't worry about it," Nora said as she continued on her rampage.
"Stay focused, Jaune," Ren advised before joining in with Nora.
Kratos observed the three teams from a distance, watching how they fought, the use of their semblances, and their teamwork. To put it bluntly, he was far from impressed. He watched as Jaune's team saved him yet again and wondered,'How is it that someone of his skill, or lack thereof, got into Beacon? For that matter, why did Ozpin make him the leader of JNPR?' A stray Beowolf emerged from the woods behind Kratos and stalked toward him.'Something doesn't add up with him. His abilities are far below what's required to enroll into a Huntsmen Academy; he lacks discipline and confidence and has no situational awareness to speak.' The Beowolf inched closer to him; its maw was hanging open hungrily, saliva glistening off its razor-sharp teeth. 'He can't even hold his shield properly. What use is he to his team if he can't even defend himself?' The Grimm lunged at Kratos, aiming its dagger-like claws at the back of his neck. But Kratos, with lighting-quick reflexes, caught the Grimm by its neck and crushed its throat. He then tossed the lifeless body away and surveyed the fight before him.
As the last of the Grimm fell, Yang dusted off her hands and shouted, "And that's that."
"Good work, everyone! The Grimm doesn't stand a chance against us," Ruby said as the teams regrouped.
"I'll say. Hardly broke a sweat," Cardin gloated as Dove and Russel rubbed their bruised ribs.
"I don't know why any of you are celebrating. That was a terrible performance," Kratos said as he walked up to his students.
"What do you mean? We kicked Grimm ass," Yang argued.
"Must I point out every little mistake that you all made?" Yang gave a sarcastic shrug, and Kratos began. "Ruby, you are far too worried about how your team coordination looks rather than how effective it is. Next time, instead of shouting out words and hoping something happens, get with your team and work on the coordinated attacks."
"Yes, sir," Ruby said quietly.
Kratos looked at Cardin and said, "You! You're too worried about being ahead of everyone else and proving you're the best that you end up putting yourself and others in danger."
"Well, if these morons would do anything other than getting in my way, I wouldn't have to pick up their slack."
"What are you talking about; you're the lumbering oaf hitting everyone with a giant mace and pushing people down," Weiss snapped.
"Maybe if that little brat would stop playing at being a Huntress, I wouldn't have had to step in!"
"Ruby has as much of a right to be here as you do. Maybe if you learned a bit of control, you wouldn't be knocking your team around," Yang shouted, stepping up to Cardin in defense of her sister.
"Enough," Kratos shouted, instantly quieting the students. "You are all at fault here, and from where I'm standing, you're all playing pretend! The only team that showed an ounce of coordination is JNPR, and half the time, their leader was getting saved."
Jaune gave a sheepish chuckle while rubbing the back of his head. "There are...places that need work," Pyrrha said, placing a hand on Jaune's shoulder. "But I believe Jaune's leadership is of great value overall."
"Having leadership is good, but a defenseless leader who winds up dead can't lead, now can he?" Silence befell the group, the only sound being the gentle breeze brushing through the treetops. Kratos turned from them and said, "You still have much to learn. Engrave this lesson into your minds and grow from it. Now, let's be off. We have much ground to cover if we are to make it to Kirkwall before dark."
The group fell in line and followed Kratos as they continued their journey. "What are we going to do when we get there," Weiss asked.
"You are going to search for answers regarding the disappearances. I will be looking for a place we can stay while we're there."
"Finally," Dove said, "a cozy bed we can sleep in. Was getting tired of sleeping in the dirt."
"Don't get too comfortable," Yang said. "If it is a Grimm, we'll kill it, save the town and be back on the road in a day or two."
"But what if it's not a Grimm we're dealing with," Blake asked. "What if it's people that are doing the kidnapping?"
"If it is people, then we leave."
"What," Yang and Ruby both shouted in disbelief of their father.
"We can't just let Kirkwall suffer if we can do something about it," Weiss said.
"Your priority should be the Grimm, not every petty criminal that we come across. We can't distract ourselves by worrying about everyone else's problems."
"I...get it," Ren said.
A shocked expression crossed Nora's face. "What? Ren, how could you..."
"If we try and fix everybody's problems while on a mission, we could end up wasting precious time and resources. Not to mention we could tire ourselves or even get injured before we even reach our goal. But, if the problem were to be related to our mission, then perhaps we could solve both?"
"I say we just let everyone fend for themselves," Cardin chimed in. "It's a dog-eat-dog world, and only the strongest survives. If people can't handle their problems, then I say, why bother helping?"
"No surprise that you'd think that," Blake said with a scowl.
"Hey, all I'm saying is..."
"Quiet," Kratos said. "Keep your eyes open and your minds set on the task at hand." Blake and Cardin glared at one another but kept to themselves.
Dusk had begun to set in by the time they came upon the town of Kirkwall. Guard towers were visible at every section, with a guard or two staffing them, ballista and cannons lined the main areas, and archers made their rounds along the wall. The group continued toward the city when they heard someone shout, "Halt!" Kratos looked up and saw a guard aiming a crossbow at him. "What's your business here?"
"We're Huntsmen from Beacon Academy. We're here to investigate your town's disappearances."
The guard lowers his crossbow. "Ah, we've been expecting you." He puts his weapon away and leans against the railing.
"What do you know of the disappearances?"
"Not much, started about a week ago. A young lady went home one night and was never heard from again."
"You don't think she, maybe, left Kirkwall," Blake asked.
The guard shook his head. "Not unless she left without packing anything. We investigated her home and found everything there but her."
"Could she have been kidnapped," Sky asked.
"Not likely. The young lady lived in a pretty populated area. Someone would've seen or at least heard something. No signs of a struggle or forced entry either. We searched the house top to bottom but found nothing. It's as if she simply vanished without a trace. Though, if you wish to look yourself, I'll have a few of my guards escort you there."
"Are you sure she made it home," Kratos asked.
"Several vital witnesses claim they saw her enter the house." The guard began thinking. "Though there is one who says he saw something. Old Man Griffin; keeps spouting off about ghosts and monsters. I'd check in with him when you get the chance. He lives next to the river that divides the commoner and the servant districts." He signaled for the gate to open. "Just head south of the market. He's usually sitting on his porch yelling at anyone who passes by, but he's harmless. You can't miss him. Good luck, Huntsmen, and be careful."
The group entered the town as the gate slammed shut behind them. "So, what's the plan," Ruby asked.
"We are going to split into three teams. Pyrrha, I want you to take Yang, Cardin, and Dove and find that old man. His ramblings might be the work of an old addled mind, but he may have something useful for us."
"Wait, why do we have to go with them," Yang asked, pointing at Cardin and Dove.
"Because you all need to learn to work together."
"Trust me, Scar Face, I'd much rather have the weakling watching my back than a hotheaded brat like you," Cardin retorted with a smirk.
Yang clenched her teeth and fists as she stomped up to him. "You wanna say that again without any teeth?!"
"Just name the time and place, and I'll happily knock that attitude out of you!" The two slammed their foreheads against one another, steam hissing from their nostrils as one tried overpowering the other.
"OKAY! That's enough, you two," Pyrrha said, sliding the two away from each other.
"I agree," Kratos growled, sending a cold shiver down Yang and Cardin's back. The two straightened up and turned their backs to each other, proceeding not to speak. Kratos turned to the others and said, "I want Ren, Blake, Weiss, and Russel to search for answers here in the market. This is the busiest spot in town; there are bound to be gossipers and rumors. While you're at it, restock our supplies for the trip back." He tossed Weiss a pouch of Lien and turned to the remaining four. "I want you four to go to the servant's quarter."
"Why the servant's quarter," Sky asked.
"Servants have their hands in everything from small businesses to kingdoms. So someone is bound to have some information about what's going on here."
"What will you do," Yang asked.
"I'm going to the first victim's home. Maybe there is something the guards overlooked. Something that can help determine what we're dealing with."
"We won't let you down, Dad," Ruby said confidently.
"Go, you all have your assignments. Be back here by dusk." Once Kratos had dispatched the teams, he looked back towards a small plateau.
"That wassss closssse," a hooded figure said as they and another crouched behind the tree line of the plateau.
"It would appear the old man isn't all talk after all," the other figure, a hulking hooded male, said in a rumbling tone. "This might actually be a bit fun." The small figure laughed before the two vanished from sight in a puff of black mist.
Back with Yang and the others, they were making their way through Kirkwall's populated streets when they heard the shouting of an older man. As they got closer, they heard, "We're all doomed, I tell ya! Doomed!"
"What are you rambling on about now, old man," someone, a male, asked.
"Monsters! They're comin' fer us!"
"You're delusional, Griffin. Just go back inside. There are no such things as ghosts, and if there were any Grimm here, we'd know about it," another male said.
The group rounded the corner to see an older man, two guards, and several bystanders grouped up. "But I saw it," the old man shouted. "It was all black and misty with a skull for a face!" He clutched the younger guard's arms and cried, "It was a Grimm, I tell ya!"
"Get your hands off me, you old bastard," the guard demanded, pushing the old man to the ground. He instinctively grabbed the hilt of his sword and moved to draw it from its sheath.
The older guard grabbed the younger one by the wrist, stopping him, and said, "What do you think you're doing? He's an old man!"
"He's been spreading lies, fear, and panic among the populace."
"Look around you, you idiot. You are about to draw a weapon on an unarmed civilian with dozens watching." The younger guard looked around him and saw several angry citizens' faces. Some had even grabbed nearby tools, holding them like weapons.
Dove knelt and helped the older man to his feet while Pyrrha and Yang stood between him and the guards. Cardin chose to hang back with crossed arms and an amused look on his face. "Is this how you treat your people during a crisis," Pyrrha asked.
"Who the hell are you," the younger guard asked.
"We are from Beacon Academy, and we're here to solve your town's problem," Yang said.
"Great, more outsiders. We don't need your help!"
"Yeah, it seems like you're doing a great job by yourselves." The younger guard growled and took a threatening step towards Yang. "Oh, please. I truly wish you'd try pushing me around. You'll quickly find I'm not as defenseless as the old man."
The older guard grabbed him again and growled, "These are Huntsmen, Mike. Raising your hand to them is like raising your hand to the kingdom." Mike shrugged the older guard off and glared at Yang. "We apologize, Huntsmen. We'll let you do your job. I, however, would recommend going to the Mayor as soon as possible so that he knows what you're doing here."
The guards turned and walked away, leaving the four confused. "The Mayor doesn't know why we're here? Then who..."
"Well, it's about time you showed up," the old man, Griffin, said as he made his way back to his porch. "Been waiting around forever fer ya."
"Wait," Yang said, "you sent the request?"
"Sure did." Griffin sat in his chair and began rocking. "Ozpin's an old friend of mine, so I knew if I could count on anyone to send help, it'd be him."
"What can you tell us about the disappearances," Pyrrha asked kindly.
"Hmm, started about a week ago. Poor Lucy never stood a chance."
"The tower guard said you saw something take her. What was it," asked Dove.
"Hmm? I can't say I know fer sure. It was like a phantom, draped in a shadowy cloak with a skull for a face. I thought it were some sorta weird decoration the way it hung outside her house. No one seemed to pay it no mind heck; Lucy didn't even seem to notice it. Then it phased right into her home, like a ghost!" Griffin nearly jumped out of his chair while telling the story, being very animated for his old age. "A moment later, I heard Lucy screamin' and hollerin' like a banshee from the underworld. Some guards rushed into the home but found nothin'. That was the last time anyone seen or heard from poor Lucy. After that, more people started up and vanishin' without a trace. Two more just yesterday disappeared. I went to the Mayor and told him I knew someone who could help, but he refused. Said it was a Kirkwall matter and that the people of Kirkwall would handle it."
"If it is Grimm, why wouldn't he want help from the Academy," Pyrrha asked.
"Sounds to me like the Mayor is in on this somehow," Cardin said.
"Now, just a minute there, young man. The Mayor is a bit naive and young, but he ain't no crook who'd let his people suffer. Now, his two new advisors, on the other hand, I don't trust them."
"Advisors," Pyrrha asked.
"Yep. Real shady fellas. Couldn't see their faces, but I got a lousy sense from 'em. They arrived here about two weeks before Lucy vanished. Rarely see them outside the Mayor's Office. If I were you, I'd steer clear from 'em."
So, this might not be what you guys were expecting on my return. It's been months since I last updated, and this short chapter is all you get? But, hopefully, now that my personal life and work-life have been balanced out, I can get back to writing. I'm sorry I've been gone for a while, it wasn't my plan, but hopefully, now I can continue with this story and get more chapters out. I know I've said that before, but hopefully, this time, it'll stick heh. I've started up the next chapter, so hopefully, it won't be too long before it comes out.