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1005
JiuZhan Station, The Wind Path, Mistral
The Huntsmen opened fire, an array of weapons ranging from arrows to Dust rifles.
The leader swung up a vicious-looking gunblade, edge reversed in an upward cut.
Winter drove in, slamming a hand into the man's wrist and pushing the weapon back down. The pavement exploded in puffs of shrapnel as the man jerked his trigger. Winter pulled out Due Process and jammed its fat barrel into the eye sockets of the mask.
She fired, putting four explosive rounds pointblank into the man's eye. The back of the man's head detonated out in a burst of colored Aura and blood. Dropping the corpse on the ground, Winter summoned up a shield glyph as a blizzard of gunfire hammered into her. She charged in, Due Process barking and blade drawn.
Velvet yelped as she suddenly doubled over clutching her stomach, her Aura not activated in time for the sudden attack.
Cardin barrelled forwards, shielding Velvet with his massive bulk. He staggered, once, twice, before his mace started sparking with deflected shots.
"Hakkaa paalle!" He roared as he bulldozed in to support his captain.
With a contemptuous swing, Cardin sent an assassin flying into his teammates, tumbling them over like bowling pins. Two more point blank shots crashed into Cardin's back, shattering his Aura and staggering him. He spun around and smashed away the pistol of a Huntsman, destroying it in a shower of metal and Dust.
There was no room for doubt, for hesitation. He threw himself into the thick of the fight, swinging and hewing with surprising finesse.
Coco roared in rage. Unfolding her minigun as she strode in front of Velvet who was on her knees, gasping. A burst blurted from her weapon, striking true into the enemy group and sending several toppling onto the floor. But, her eyes widened when she saw one of her own bullets skim off the pavement and over the head of screaming passengers. She hesitated to fire, trying to find an angle that won't hit innocents, even when the enemy surged to face the new threat.
Velvet planted a hardlight copy of a towershield in front of Coco. Her face was a mask of agony, but her Aura was kicking in. Blood blossomed around her midriff, staining her brown overalls dark. A beam of fire Dust seared through the air and dissipated harmlessly off the shield. A furious barrage followed, cracking and flickering Velvet's shield.
"Coco!" Velvet hissed through gritted teeth "I can't-"
One of the Huntsmen was thrown backward as if hit by a truck, his Aura broken. Ciel chambered a new round from the roof of Argus Limited, before taking the head of her target off with a follow up shot.
Velvet flinched as something sailed over her head and in between her rabbit ears and over the shield. A Huntsman stumbled, his head suddenly encased in a solid block of ice. He collapsed, scratching and pounding at his own head as he gasped for air. A dagger protruded from the frozen mass.
Russel and Ren bound forwards, pistols blazing, diving into the swirling melee.
One of the assassins fell, riddled with bullets. Another died choking as Winter rammed a knife into the Huntress's throat. Ciel picked off another one before he could even register that they were being slaughtered.
The larger weapons of the Huntsmen clattered with each other, unable to be brought properly to bear in the chaos. Those that managed to break from the group were either picked off by Ciel or cut down in a flurry of blades and bullets. Russel carved into the thigh of a faunus Huntsmen and ripped out the knee as he slid beneath his legs. He then spun around and shot another in the face, ignoring the screaming enemy behind.
Another Huntsmen was blasted back, his chest ventilated by Stormflower. Ren spun and chopped at an exposed throat with an Aura imbued strike. The enemy staggered back, gasping and choking, clutching his crushed throat. The skin bruised rapidly, as it swelled in size. In a burst of built-up Aura, the back of the Huntsman's neck blew out in a shower of bone and muscle.
A bullet cracked past Ren's head, as another Huntsmen's head vanished in a mist of blood. Ciel chambered another round, switching targets before the twitching body hit the ground.
The last standing Huntsmen didn't even have time to register that she was the only one left standing before she was hammered into the ground. Cardin stepped over the dazed woman and caved her skull in with a single strike.
The silence that followed was almost deafening. Bystanders were frozen in place, staring slack-jawed at the sudden abattoir that was the station. Someone vomited at the sight of scattered brains and slit throats, and several people were crying.
The Legion cast their eyes over them. Ciel was scanning for more targets. Ren and Russel reloaded in turn, their eyes searching for any more potential ambushers.
Velvet lowered her Towershield and collapsed to her knees again, clutching her wounded stomach. Her face was pale and she let out an agonizing groan before falling into Coco's arms.
"What the hell are you all standing there for?" Coco yelled at the staring crowd, "I need some help over here!"
"Brothers. Fucking. Dammit!" Cardin growled as he hopped up and down, "Not again! Not again!"
"Where are you hit, Cardin?" Winter asked.
"My ass!" Cardin spat, "Damn thing's a bullet magnet I swear to the Brothers."
Russel barked out a sharp laugh. "What did I say before? A fat juicy target."
"Get yourself to a medic," Winter said, "go with your Huntress friend."
Velvet had already been carted off by medical personnel, and Cardin hobbled off after her, cursing and lamenting about needing to buy another set of pants. Coco shot the group a poisonous look, before running off.
"I saw that shot placement, Ciel," Ren said, radioing Ciel who was still perched on the top of the train, "a bit too close for comfort."
" You almost took Ren's head off," Russel grinned as he made his way towards the Huntsman that had suffocated in a block of ice. Through the iceblock, the Huntsman's face was purple, and his eyes were rolled over. Russel planted a boot on the dead man's neck. The dagger sizzled as it heated up, and Russel freed it with a smooth pull.
"Almost," Ciel radioed back.
Ren simply chuckled, "Good shooting."
Russel studied his kill. Something had caught his eye. "Ma'am?"
'What is it, Russel?" Winter asked. Her heartbeat was barely elevated, and she grimaced in disdain when she realized she had stained her clothes with blood. It was one of those things no amount of drycleaning could get out.
"Come take a look at this fucker," Russel kicked the head around. The body flopped like a broken puppet.
Tattooed on the neck of the dead man, was a spider.
1100
JiuZhan Police station, Mistral
"Rogue bandit Huntsmen, ma'am," the police chief Bannon RotBurn told Winter.
"Rogue Huntsmen?" Winter arched an eyebrow.
The old man wrung his hands together, his eyes darting left and right under his slicked-back grey hair. While his uniform was immaculate, it was evidently too small for his current size. Winter has seen his type before. A man that worked his way up the ladder, for the specific purpose of being assigned to a cushy position where the direst threat were pickpockets and occasionally a lost scroll or two.
Their initial interaction had been unpleasant. The man had screamed for other Huntsmen stationed at JiuZhan to arrest Winter and her men. It was only when her credentials, as well as the testimonials of several eyewitnesses, did they relent. But, with no small satisfaction, it was Winter's turn to press the man.
"We suspect from the Branwen tribe," the RotBurn said, "those bandits have an irregular number of trained Huntsmen under them."
"The Branwen tribe operates to the south of Mistral in the Kuchinashi region. We are currently in the middle of the Wind Path." Winter said, narrowing her eyes, "That seems very unlikely.
The man seems taken aback by Winter's knowledge. An Atlesian Huntsmen would not usually have the knowledge of where Mistral tribes operated. Unlucky for him, he bumped into the only Atlesian that knows a lot more about the Branwen tribe than any other person.
"That is correct, yes. But, they have been expanding their numbers and activities into these areas," the chief said simply, "in truth, we have no idea why. But, they have been spotted in nearby locations for months, hence the number of Huntsmen we have here."
Interesting, Winter thought. Either the man was speaking out of his backside, or it was true. She wouldn't ask Qrow to confirm. He had made it clear a family reunion was the last thing he wanted.
"So somehow, they have infiltrated this lovely little settlement, right under your nose," Winter said.
"I-I uh-" RotBurn swallowed, "They had the right Huntsmen credentials. No one thought to challenge them, as there was no reason to."
Winter turned away from the sputtering man, "It may be irrelevant, sir. These people have been sent to find me. Someone, somewhere, knew where I was going and provided them the lien and resources to kill me."
"I-"
"It is troubling too," Winter said, "that they either had legit Huntsmen credentials, or they somehow duped your system into letting them in."
"Yes, I see," the old man swallowed.
She looked into his eyes, projecting all her authority and presence she had mastered over the years at home and in the military, "I do not think you do, sir. Both possibilities mean that it is the work of someone very high up, or has incredible amounts of access to the Huntsmen network, such as the Mistral Council or senior Huntsman Academy staff."
The man shriveled under her gaze, "But that's….unthinkable."
"Either that, or they slipped in due to your…incompetence," Winter added with a smile.
"I..."
"Incompetence that led to the destruction of JiuZhan property, damage to the Argus Limited train, and the wounding of two Huntsmen, one of which is my team member."
The man gulped, unable to respond.
Winter smiled coldly, "Do not worry. I believe you and I would want to keep this under wraps for both our sakes, isn't that right? You wouldn't want to be found wanting by the Mistral council now, do you?"
The man nodded weakly.
"Then it shall be so," Winter smiled, patting the man on the shoulder, "clean this up for me, and do not a single word about this mess, is that clear?"
No one wanted to cross a team that slaughtered twelve Huntsmen in under a minute. Winter was certain that self-preservation and fear will triumph over the man's sense of duty. However, should Winter find out that the man was linked to this attack?
The police chief can figure it out himself.
The train was delayed further and was set to depart well in the night.
It was expected, given the mess that had occurred scant minutes ago. A gunfight breaking out in the middle of the public was not an everyday sight, but Winter had gotten into more public brawls than her pride allowed her to admit.
The people of JiuZhan talked in hushed tones. Gossip ran through, spreading like a virus. Argus Limited offered complimentary accommodations for those that chose to stay to catch a morning ride, and credits for those that chose to take a replacement train. Argus Limited was definitely taking a loss, but any loss now would be minuscule compared to the mess that would be a result of loss of life due to Grimm attacks attracted by negative emotions caused by this incident.
The team took the accommodation and canceled their trip altogether.
As Ren stood guard and patrolled the areas outside, wary of more potential attackers, Winter contemplated their situation.
The enemy found out that Winter was on a particular train at a particular time. There was no telling what other information they have access to. A change of plan was needed to throw off their scent.
For now, they could rest until morning.
Winter opened the door to their room and sighed, shaking her head. Ciel was at the table, her sniper rifle broken down into parts. Russel stirred as he slowly woke up from his chair, his ability to sleep anywhere at any time once again put into use.
"So, no luck on the bodies?" Ciel asked as she cleaned the barrel of her weapon. It was only a few shots, but weapon maintenance to a religious degree had saved the team on more than one occasion.
Winter shook her head, "Too much red tape. Local law enforcement is already unhappy. But, I've seen enough."
"Spiders?" Russel asked, yawning.
"Spiders," Winter confirmed, "not on all of them, but such small marks of allegiance are easy to hide."
Russel stretched, bone clicking and cracking as he did so, "Old bastard said they were Branwen tribe." He took a bottle of water and started chugging it like a man dying of thirst.
"He's definitely deflecting. There might be a strong Spider presence here." Winter rubbed her chin in thought, "Two of them do have Branwen tribe ritual scarring on the body, but not all of them."
Ciel frowned, "I wasn't aware the Branwen tribe had ritual scarring. How did you know that?"
"It's a little-known fact. They cut marks into their backs to mimic wings when they become of age," Winter shrugged, "not many outside the tribe know about it, much less see it with their own eyes."
"How did you find out?" Ciel tilted her head.
Winter cleared her throat and shot Ciel a flat look.
It took Ciel two whole seconds, before she turned scarlet, "Oh, Brothers. Forgive me."
Russel choked and sputtered mid-drink, coughing and laughing in between gasps of air.
"Oh, shut it, you." Ciel thumped Russel on the back. She quickly changed the subject, "Captain. Do you think the White Fang sent them after you? Even if we didn't take Adam down, they still have it out for you in particular."
"Perhaps," Winter sighed, "the Spiders did help the White Fang cell in Mistral on more than one occasion. But, if it's a retaliatory strike, why would they not use their own people? Almost everyone in that group is human."
"Regardless, those fuckers knew when and where to look for us," Russel croaked out, his coughing fit having come to an end, "we're already compromised. Someone spoke."
"Perhaps," Winter said, "or perhaps not. We've seen what magic could do, but we also don't know what magic can't do. Just something to keep in the back of our minds."
"Might simply be a unique semblance," Ciel suggested, "but in both cases, we have no counter to it."
"Not yet," Winter agreed, "but for our safety, we should scrap our original travel plan. No more trains."
Russel sat up straight, suddenly nervous "I hope we're not walking the rest of the distance. Mistral city is far."
That made Winter smile, "No. Doable, but no. Instead, let's put some of those Huntsmen resources to use, why don't we?"
1500
JiuZhan Medical Ward, Mistral
The small medical in JiuZhan was less than ideal. It was more equipped to deal with minor Grimm wounds and other more mundane injuries that rich tourists suffered rather than a gunshot wound to the stomach.
"You're lucky," Coco said, her sunglasses laid on the table next to Velvet's bed, "bullet went all the way through."
"I don't feel lucky," Velvet grumbled. Her stomach was tender, and she could feel her Aura slowly mend her bruised organs and knit her ripped flesh, "Still luckier than those poor people back there."
"Fuck them. They shot you." Coco shuddered, "That went south very quick."
Velvet nodded wordlessly.
Velvet had dealt with death before. That was a certainty in the life of a Huntress. Her photographic memory, a gift and a curse at the same time, forced her to remember every little detail.
There was something about the savagery of the action that took place, coupled with the almost clinical precision of which Cardin and his teammates dispatched the Huntsmen that unnerved her. Those were actions born with familiarity and without a shadow of a doubt.
"You could have died," Coco said, suddenly grabbing Velvet's hands and squeezing them, "shit, I can't believe they would just start shooting like that."
Velvet shuddered at the memory as she returned the squeeze, "I'm still here."
"You almost weren't."
Her ears picked up footsteps, heavyset and unhurried, echoing down the hallway. She knew who it was before he rounded the corner.
There was a gentle knock on the door.
Velvet gave a little wave to Cardin who was still hobbling walking awkwardly.
"You doing alright, Velvet?"
"Peachy," Velvet smiled, despite the dull pain, "you?"
"Not my first time getting shot," Cardin admitted. He scratched his head, "Well, not something to be proud about I guess."
Coco frowned as he entered, Velvet could feel the mood sour in the room almost immediately.
"A word with you, Cardin," Coco hissed.
"Oh boy," Cardin rolled his eyes, "alright, sure."
"No, stay," Velvet hissed. She held onto Coco's hands, pulling her back, "Coco. Please. I know what you are going to say to him. There is no need."
"Bullshit, Bun." Coco growled, "If we had known they had enemies looking for them-"
"Which Huntsmen worth their salt doesn't have enemies?" Velvet said, fixing her leader with a hard stare, "It wouldn't have made a difference."
"It would have made a difference! I do not know what you have been doing, Cardin, but you and your team are not Huntsman," Coco hissed. She pointed an accusatory finger at Cardin, "You got Velvet hurt because of that."
"I would have died, if he wasn't there," Velvet nodded to Cardin, who was watching them with his arms folded, "it doesn't matter if they aren't Huntsmen. Cardin was there at Schnee Manor, and you know it wasn't a Huntsmen team, that saved those children."
Coco's face softened at the mention of Schnee Manor. She cast one last glare at Cardin, before she nodded. She sat back down, sighing. "I'm not ungrateful, Cardin. You took a few shots for Velv. But, the entire reason those…assassins…were here to begin with, is because of your team. I know you couldn't tell me, but I wish you did."
Cardin put his hands up, "For all it's worth, I'm sorry you got involved. But, I'll be out of your hair soon, hopefully for good."
Coco looked at him expectantly, waiting for an explanation.
"You're leaving?" Velvet asked.
The man nodded, "Leader's orders. We do not want to get any more people involved. I can't say more."
"Good, stay far away if you are going to keep bringing more trouble," Coco spat. She looked away, but whatever anger she had felt seemed to have vented itself out completely. She sighed. Velvet could feel Coco's handshake. "Look, I'm sorry about all that just now. Velvet is...she's very dear to me. And -"
"I know, I know," Cardin waved, cutting her off and saving them both from awkward embarrassment, "Both of you take care of yourselves, alright?"
As she watched the large man turn away, without thinking, Velvet called out, "Cardin!"
The man turned.
"I'll see you in Mistral City, okay?" Velvet said, words flowing from her mouth without much thought, "Make it up to me then?"
Coco balked, but Velvet ignored her friend.
Cardin grinned, ear to ear, "I'll find you. No promises, though."
As Cardin disappeared from view, Coco rounded on Velvet. "Bun!" She hissed.
"What?"
"Are you kidding me?" Coco said exasperated.
"N-no?"
Coco buried her face in her hands and groaned.
1900
Somewhere in Mistral
The off-road motorbikes roared, their Dust powered engines revving throatily through the ancient forests.
Russel whooped in delight he flew into the air, dirt and mud trailing off his bike as he landed. Behind him, Ren followed, slowing down as he crested the hill and shaking his head in disapproval at the reckless nature of Russel's stunts. Cardin fought the steering wheel as he rumbled behind in an off-road buggy, grimacing as he bumped around in the vehicle, agitating his healing wound. Winter sat in the passenger seat, occasionally glancing at the map on her scroll. Ciel was sat on an elevated seat in the back, her sniper rifle rested on the frame of the vehicle.
The vehicles are lightweight, their skeletal frames exposed for speed over protection. Most settlements and towns have a multitude of such vehicles for Huntsmen for Grimm nest scouting and destruction. Places nearer to Kingdoms had the luxury of airships. But, airships were expensive to maintain, and pilots were similarly costly and rare the further one is from Kingdom walls.
JiuZhan was no different.
The men had their ballistic helmets strapped on, mainly for their night vision goggles. They weren't crash helmets, but that's what Aura was fore. Ciel still had her goggles flipped up on her head, her faunus eyes giving her the edge in darkness.
Out in the wilderness, they had their weapons out in full. Winter swept her rifle from the passenger seat, keeping an eye out for any potential targets. Even when night fully crept in and darkness truly fell, they didn't slow down.
They splashed through shallow rivers and rode up and down rocky terrain. The engines protested and the seats creaked and juddered, but such vehicles were designed for such abuse.
It took them four hours to navigate the steep slopes of the mountains. The vegetation got denser, and the temperature rose. Above the growl of the engines, the nightlife sang its chorus into the night breeze.
Small bioluminescent lights danced in the darkness as they sped past, illuminating the night in soft specks of blue and green. Only Ciel was able to appreciate the full beauty of the night forests of Mistral. The human members of the team only saw light artifacts ghosting past their vision.
The outriders burst into past the forest and into a clearing.
"Slow, slow, slow," Ren's voice crackled through the radio, "I see Grimm. Heading our direction."
"Numbers?" Winter asked.
"One. It's an elder Grimm."
"Let him pass," Winter ordered, "Ren, cloak us."
"Copy."
The dirt bike's engine mumbled as it idled as the two men watched the massive elder Grimm approach. Through the night vision goggles, Russel was greeted with a tall, gangly silhouette of a horned horseman. Its head hung limply as it slouched on the horse, as if tired.
Russel would have thought it human, were it not almost three times his height.
It stalked the open fields, trudging unhurriedly through the long, flowing grass. Firedustflies flew in the air, scattering to avoid the unnatural creature that walked in its midst.
Russel picked his teeth with the tip of his dagger, teasing out the strand of meat jerky stick he had ripped into just a second ago. The wave of unnatural calm that washed over him was always an unnerving feeling, yet it was in this state was his mind the clearest.
Russel offered half of the jerky to Ren, who shook his head.
Winter's buggy rolled up behind. Cardin whistled softly at the sight of the elder Grimm, admiring its twisted majesty.
As it got closer, Russel got a clearer look at it. "Ugly motherfucker," he whispered.
He saw Ren grimace at the sight
It wasn't a horseman at all. Whatever humanoid Grimm it was, it had fused itself onto the back of a Horse Grimm. Up close, it towered over them. They could see black, skinless muscles rippling and coiling as it passed. Dozens of primitive weapons still protruded from its body, in different states of rust and decay.
Then, the smell hit him.
The cloying sweet sickening stench of decay and death was so thick in the air it almost made Russel gag. Ciel was already breathing through her mouth, her senses amplifying the stench tenfold.
Everyone on the team knew that smell, although some more than others. Cardin spat on the ground as if he could physically remove the stench from his tongue.
Ren snapped up his rifle suddenly. The movement was so sudden, so quick, the others instinctually drew their weapons on target too.
It was impossible for anyone to express any emotion due to Ren's semblance, but everyone in that vicinity felt his semblance waver for a heartbeat.
The Grimm stopped.
The rider twisted its horned head around, its red beady eyes searching like spotlights on an Atlesian drone.
The legionnaires kept their aim, targeting the usual kill spots for a human. The head, the heart. While Winter's pulse was barely elevated, she knew that a fight with this thing is going to be costly and potentially expend a good amount of precious ammunition. Russel reached down and hooked several grenades out of vest. Cardin and Winter fanned out, spacing themselves out in case anything happened.
For what seemed like an eternity, the Grimm stood there, surveying the area, sniffing out that brief whiff of murderous rage.
Russel regretted eating that meat jerky, the smell of the Grimm summoning pictures of decaying bodies into his mind. He licked his dry lips. He was barely breathing, keeping his aim as steady as possible. "Come on, motherfucker," he hissed, "make my day."
Then, finally, it twisted its head back and lumbered on. The team watched it stalk away, no doubt to terrorize and annihilate another helpless settlement. They lowered their weapons.
Winter marched up towards Ren. For a moment, it looked like she was about to strike him, but that was reserved only for recruits. "What was that, legionnaire?" she demanded.
Ren stood up straight to attention. He lowered his eyes but not his head, chastised. "I thought I saw something. Apologies, ma'am."
Winter regarded the man for a brief second, sensing his lie. She didn't press the issue. The threat has passed, and everyone had their moments of lapsing judgment.
"See to it that it doesn't happen again."
"Yes, captain," Ren said.
Winter nodded, "Let's continue. That monster might turn back." She made her way back to the vehicle.
Ren and Russel nodded. Pulling up their masks up again and spinning their dirt bikes around, they roared through the grasslands. Cold wind blew away the tension in the atmosphere, and the men breathed in the cold night air.
A few moments later, Cardin slammed the accelerator and sped off after them.
"You're a piss poor liar, Ren," Russel privately radioed the man.
"Leave me alone, Russel."
"You could have compromised our asses,"
The pair rumbled over the uneven terrain. Russel squeezed his brakes and took a particularly sharp corner without slowing, a feat that Ren did not mimic.
"I said, leave me alone." Russel could hear the irritation in his voice.
Russel grimaced as he hit a particularly rough ditch, "We all felt that anger, Ren. We're not Grimm and we felt it."
"I know, I'm sorry," Ren grunted, "I'm just not prepared to talk about it."
"Talk about it when we are getting our asses chewed by a pack of Grimm," Russel snapped back, "get your shit together."
Ren didn't reply.
Russel sighed. He could hazard a guess. Throw a rock at a group of orphans from the outer settlements of any kingdom, and they would have a relative that was killed by Grimm. Russel would know because Vacuo is no different.
Russel forced a smile, despite knowing Ren couldn't see, "We know the direction it was heading in. Maybe we'll grab a few explosives and blow it back to the Brother of Darkness when this all blows over, eh? Sneak up on it and slap a few plastic explosives on his face. Or maybe grab an airship and dump a few hundred rounds into it."
Ren was silent. Russel's smile dropped. Something really was eating on the guy.
"It shouldn't be up here," Ren said.
"Eh?"
"That thing. It haunts the lands down south past Mistral city. Shion, Kuchinashi, Oniyuri….Kuroyuri. Not here. Not all the way up here."
Russel slowed his speed, avoiding a particularly large tree. "Hey, maybe it just got tired of the scenery."
"Maybe," Ren replied, his mind already wandering, "maybe."
1200
Sunwon Settlement, Mistral
The sun was at its peak when they rolled up to a settlement called Sunwon.
It wasn't on the maps Winter had, but it came as no surprise. Settlements in Mistral sprang up and died in equal numbers. A thriving town could be gone the next day, and a patch of barren land could have hundreds of people living and building on it the very month.
The Huntsmen assigned to the town had initially challenged them, barring their entrance with a shoddily built wall that served to only hinder Grimm. Winter's mind had already calculated a dozen potential points of entry by the time Russel flashed their Huntsmen identification.
The skies were blue, almost blindingly so, glittering off the clear blue waters of the Great Central Lake in the middle of the Anima. The team had to stopped to switch to glare shades on the road, and by now Winter was sure she her skin was reddened around her face save for the shape of sunglasses.
The Huntsmen ordered the team to dismount their vehicles and push when in the settlement. Several people ran out of their houses, onto the road to take a peek when they heard the gate open. Some people waved at them, others simply walked away. Winter spotted an old woman, shaking her head and slinking back into her house.
"They seem disappointed," Ciel commented as she pushed the buggy along.
"They are," Ren nodded, evidently using his semblance.
"Rude," Russel snorted. He paused, "Shit!" he hissed, tensing up. They followed his gaze, and saw a little boy running up to Winter. Brown-haired, with painfully curious blue eyes, the child barely came up to Winter's chest.
"Easy there, Rus," Ren said, "This isn't Menagerie."
Russel was still apprehensive, and Winter could see his hands twitch to his sidearm as the boy ran up to Winter. In that moment, Winter recalled Russel's first kill with the unit. A child that had run up to them, holding a rifle twice his size and shooting wildly at the shadowy men that had killed his brother. Russel and shot back instinctively, and only found out after they were checking the bodies.
But, this was Mistral, and Winter saw force his hands back onto the bike he was pushing along.
"Excuse me, miss?" The little boy called out, "Are you a Huntress?"
"Yes, I am," Winter said, overriding her initial instinct to tell the truth. Her heart suddenly ached. How many boys his age died in Schnee Manor? She shook the thought away, "can I help you?"
"Have you seen my sister?" the boy asked, "she's training to be a Huntress! Her name is Jade Saek. She looks like me, but taller, and with long hair!"
"I-" Winter thought on what to say, "I'm sorry, I have not. I am from Atlas."
The boy visibly deflated, "Oh."
"I'll keep an eye out for you," Winter said hurriedly, "I promise."
The boy simply nodded. His mood didn't seem to improve, but he offered a small smile, "Thank you, miss. Please let her know that I miss her."
Winter nodded, forcing a smile, "I'll be sure to let her know."
She resisted the urge to pat the boy on the head and walked on. In the back of her mind, she made a mental note to send a message to Whitley, just to see how he is doing.
...and maybe she'll offer a prayer to Weiss. Hopefully, she's listening.
Sunwon had a small inn for travelers and Huntsmen alike. The rooms were small, with only a bed each. They weren't impressive and were a far cry from the beds they would have been sleeping on in the train, but it beat sleeping out in the wild.
They rested in shifts, Ren taking the first watch. Even here, in a relevantly unknown settlement in broad daylight, Winter maintained caution. The sudden attack at the station got them all spooked.
Ren sat at a table of the Inn's bar, picking apart the meal he ordered. Out of the corner of his eye, he was maintaining vigilance through the window, his eyes locked on their vehicles parked out front. He kept an eye out for people coming in and out, but for the most part, business was slow.
As he sipped the tea he ordered, he found himself unpleasantly alone with his thoughts. Sunwon reminded him of home, Kuroyuri.
The atmosphere, the architecture, the people. They would all die to that particular Grimm, if it ever attacked this settlement. The unpleasant thought came at him out of nowhere.
Twice. It was twice now he had to let the monster slip through his grasp. He was no full-fledged Huntsmen, but put enough bullets in anything, they die all the same. Maybe he'll take Russel up on the offer to hunt the bastard down. He would definitely be packing enough explosives to flatten a settlement or two.
The first time Ren had let the monster slip, he had no choice. He remembered cloaking himself, his hands trembling as he held onto Nora. Her breathing had gotten shallower and shallower each day, and-
Nora. He missed her smile, her boundless energy, her warm touch.
Brothers, he missed her so much.
"Fuck," Ren sighed. He drank the rest of his tea without much thought. The hot liquid seared his tongue and throat, but the pain chased his memories away.
It was going to be a long watch.
Twenty Years Ago
.
The door to her room closed. She could hear father's footsteps click and clack away, growing softer with each passing moment.
Winter Schnee waited, and counted in her head just to be sure.
One. Two. Three. Four.
Her cheeks still stung, and she could taste metal in her mouth. It hurt to walk, and there is no doubt that there will be bruises on her thighs.
Nothing she can't hide though. A Schnee must appear perfect and presentable at all times. A dress and long white socks would cover up the red marks made by the cane.
Twenty. Twenty-one. Twenty-two.
Mother had locked herself in her room in a fit of rage. They had been arguing again. On some days, Winter hated the silence in the manor.
Forty-eight. Forty-nine.
But, she found that she preferred silence of the angry shouts between mother and father. Those sounds scared Weiss and Whitley. She hated seeing them cry.
By now, her siblings should be asleep in their rooms. She wanted to see her brother and sister, to hug them. Winter did not know why, but she felt her heart calm whenever she held their tiny hands in hers.
Sixty.
Winter let her tears fall, and choked back a sob. Father and mother shouldn't be able to hear it.
She leapt onto her bed and wailed into her pillow. The stinging on her body had dulled, but her chest...it hurt a lot more. Why? Why did it hurt so much? What did she do wrong this time?
"Are you okay?" A soft voice whispered.
Winter looked up, shocked. It didn't sound like father, but it was unbecoming of a Schnee if anyone saw her like this. Father would be angry.
A girl stood in front of her, her amber eyes almost glowing in the Atlas night. She looked to be around Winter's own age, perhaps a few months older.
Winter hastily wiped her tears from her eyes. She swallowed, and instinctively said, "I'm not crying."
"I never said you were," the girl tilted her head, as if confused, "you don't need to hide it, though. Not in front of me."
"I-" Winter was about to protest, but something clicked in her mind. "W-who are you? How did you get here?"
"Is that man and woman hurting you?" the girl pressed on. She reached to wipe away Winter's tears, but when Winter flinched back, the girl smiled reassuringly, "I'm not here to hurt you."
Winter let the girl touch her face, and was caught off guard by how rough her hands were. The hands of a worker.
"N-no," Winter sat up in her bed. She looked at other girl, and all of a sudden she didn't care that this stranger was in her room with her. She just wanted someone to talk to, "they are my parents. They are not hurting me."
The girl held onto Winters's hands. The softness of Winter's own palm was even more apparent, "But it did hurt you, didn't it?"
"He was disciplining me,"
The girl's smile fell almost instantly. She looked almost sad as Winter felt her grip tighten, "It's not right if it hurts you."
"I can only learn if it hurts,"
Winter was not expecting a hug. The gesture was unfamiliar and alien, but somehow it made Winter relax. The girl was so, very warm.
"What are you doing?" Winter asked.
The girl pulled back, and giggled. "Hugging you, silly."
Winter smiled, and let out a small laugh too. The pain in her heart had dulled.
"You still haven't told me how you got in," Winter said.
"I was following dad- I mean, a Mr. Rhodes to this place. He is here to accept a Huntsman's contract," the girl stuck out her tongue, "but I got bored of waiting, and decided to do a little exploring."
"Your father is a Huntsman?" Winter stared wide-eyed at the girl. The stories she's heard about those protectors of humanity were nothing more than fairytales, that much father made clear. But, Winter still couldn't help but feel a sense of wonder.
"Well, he's not my real dad," the girl shrugged, "but I don't care. He's super cool too!"
Winter wondered how that worked, to call someone else father who isn't related. This girl was so different compared to the other children she met. She realized she wanted to know more.
"And your name?" Winter asked, "My name is Winter. What's yours?"
The girl with glowing amber eyes beamed, "Cinder! My name is Cinder Fall!"
2100
Sunwon Settlement, Mistral
Winter woke up. An odd sense of melancholy had descended upon her, suffocating heavily upon her soul.
A memory, two decades old. She hadn't thought about Cinder for a while, not until recently.
The Fall of Beacon, the assassination of Ironwood and her family, the Legion…how many years has it been? Her first real friend, and her first real loss.
To think Winter had grieved for Cinder at one point, only for her to be right under her nose all this time. The feeling of suffocation felt disgustingly like betrayal.
"What happened to you?" Winter whispered to herself.
It was pointless to dwell on it now. Winter shook the thoughts out of her head. She needed to get the team back on the move. Winter checked her scroll.
30 minutes into Ciel's watch. Winter will check if the others are up. If they are, then she wants to get on a move on. At least when she's on the move, the thought and memories of a friend that's supposed to be long dead won't come back to haunt her.
Ciel took the last watch before the team was scheduled to set off again. She opted to sit on the porch outside instead of going indoors. By now, the sun was down and the bar was getting rowdy with the number of people filling up the place for a drink and a bite.
She didn't need to be in the establishment to hear their conversations. Her senses are a lot more sensitive to sound, although it had dulled quite a bit because of her gunfire-filled job.
"Brother! You are late!"
"Sorry, boss is working me to the bone. I-"
Useless banter. Ciel tuned out the conversation.
"I haven't heard from Gelb for a while. You think they're alright?"
"They have a team of Huntsmen at the settlement, they should be fine."
"But it's been a month..."
Common happenings in Remnant, unfortunately. Ciel tuned that conversation out too.
"Did you see those Huntsmen earlier? See the scars on them? That one guy had half a face!"
"You think they are here for the missing kids?"
"Doubt it. I heard they were from Atlas."
Ren needs to find a way to hide his face, but that might be an impossible task.
She continued like this, eavesdropping into individual conversations and picking out details. A beowolf was spotted not far from the village this morning, but it looked different. Bandits might be targeting caravans on the road, forcing their shipment of electric Dust to take another route. There had been a Grimm attack not far from here, and they shouldn't have turned away those children survivors, not because they were faunus, but because the chief believed black feline faunus brought bad luck.
Ciel grimaced at the last one. Those children are most likely dead by now, either a quick death by Grimm or a slow death by thirst. Ciel was not a religious person, but she took a moment to pray.
The wind blew gently in the night. Ciel looked up, and hoped those little souls found safety or peace.
The sky was beautiful. This was also something she missed, being able to look into the night sky in a place without much light pollution. The grand vista of soft blue, purple painted the sky, illuminated by the blanket glimmering white stars that stretched to infinity. Apparently, humans only saw a fraction of this, simply glimmering specks of light on a pitch-black canvas, their only glimpse to the majesty of universe captured only on specialized cameras.
It was sights like these that reminded her the faunus had gifts that humans could only dream of.
She heard soft pop of bones and joints from above, accompanied by quiet controlled breathing. She smiled. He had gotten much closer this time. "Mirror."
A pause, before a resigned voice echoed "Myrtenaster."
"Hello, Thrush,"
"Dammit!" Russel hissed. He dropped down from the roof and landed in front of her, "how did you know?"
"Your shoulders cracked and popped," Ciel grinned, "Better than your attempt in the car park, though. I could smell you a mile away from there."
"Dusty Strikes," Russel rolled his eyes as he took a seat beside her, "I didn't even know each brand smelled differently."
"Why are you here, Russel?" Ciel asked.
Russel fished out a cigarette and offered it to Ciel. She took it smiling at the small "Dusty Strikes" brand printed on the filter. Russel lit it for her, "We're moving out soon. Capt is awake and wants to get on a move on. Hear anything interesting?"
"The usual. Missing people, bandit problems, Grimm attacks,"
"All's right with the world," Russel grinned, taking a puff.
Her heart rate accelerated. At first, Ciel thought it was her proximity with Russel, but when goosebumps started prickling her skin, she knew it was different.
Ciel took in a sharp breath. It was the rush.
The rush that only snipers and marksmen felt.
Something moved in the corner of Ciel's eye. Keeping her head straight and moving only her eyes, she saw movement in one of the houses.
"Russel," her tone suddenly serious. Upon sensing her change, Russel's demeanour changed too, like a switch being flipped. His eyes grew cold and his smile fell.
"What do you see?"
"Farmhouse, my 11. Top floor. Right window," Ciel said, turning her head to face Russel, and putting on a false smile, "Someone is there, setting up something."
Russel turned to face Ciel, his eyes hard, "You think he saw us? Or know who we are?"
"Doubt it," Ciel said, "but we need to check to be sure."
Russel nodded, "I'll get him." He made to leave, but Ciel grabbed his arm, pulling him back down to the chair. She loosed her grip immediately when she saw him wince.
"Let me, Thrush," Ciel said.
"Oh?" Russel arched his eyebrow.
Ciel hesitated. She still remembered how she froze when she faced Tyrian. It was a newbie mistake, and Ciel was anything but a newbie. She didn't want to admit to Russel that her edge has dulled, or even that sharp to begin with.
She didn't want to let anyone know that doubt was still eating her, because doubt on the battlefield cost lives. It was something she needed to fix herself.
Instead, she just gave Russel a careful soft squeeze.
"Trust me," Ciel said simply.
Without any hesitation at all, Russel grinned, "He's all yours, Ciel."
"Mirror 3 to Mirror 1, do you copy,"
The use of codenames snapped Winter on alert. Something was happening.
Winter holstered her revolver before answer, "Mirror 1 copies, go ahead."
"Potential sniper in the area, Mirror 5 is investigating."
"Good copy. Mirror 3." Winter banged on the wall to the room next door. She radioed, "Mirror 4, eyes,"
"One hostile confirmed," Ren's voice crackled back almost immediately, "Orders?"
Somehow, another assassin had found them. Were they leaving trails somehow? The thought troubled Winter.
Something wasn't right, but Winter did not know what it was.
Russel came back out with two glasses of beer. He set one on the table, and took a big sip of his own. He stared ahead into the darkness, letting his eyes adjust, before slowly swiveling to where Ciel indicated.
Russel could see what Ciel was talking about now, albeit barely. A half-open window with movement inside, just across the street. He thinks he could get in there within ten seconds if Ciel needed support. Not that she will, with Ren already moving out from behind.
Keeping his Aura up, he focused intensely on the "killing intent" that Ren so often talks about. It was that feeling when hostility is targeted at you.
He felt none, so at least the shooter wasn't aiming for him. Or, he simply wasn't very good.
Russel took a small sip and waited.
The window smashed open, and a figure came tumbling out into the darkness. Glass glittered as it fell, catching light from the inn. The figure landed heavily on the ground. He struggled to get up. Ciel leapt out after the figure. She lashed out, and Russel could hear the meaty gristle thud of metal on bone as she decked her target full power in the temple.
The man dropped like a sack of bricks and lay on the ground unmoving.
"This is Mirror 5, threat neutralized," Ciel reported coldly.
Russel took another swig and radioed, "Mirror 5. That was cool as hell."
"Damn, look at this shit," was the first thing Russel said when he walked into the room.
The bastard didn't need a direct line of sight to Winter or any of them if he decided to kill them. The man had been assembling an Anti-Goliath Guided Missile, a wire-guided explosive warhead used by common Atlas soldiers to take out Megoliath level threats.
The weapon system was bulky, usually mounted on vehicles, Paladins, or stationary positions.
Most importantly, Russel noted mentally, was that this weapon system is restricted and only available to the Atlas military.
So how the hell did it get all the way here?
"You know," Russel said, "I've never been more glad that this weapon system is a pain in the ass to set up." He kicked a rocket tube the size of Cardin's torso that still lay on the floor. It rolled gently, its missile inert.
Ren snorted as he finished tying up their failed assassin.
The assassin was tied up in the corner and gagged, although he was still unconscious. Ciel's punch had shattered the man's cheekbone, and an ugly bloody bruise was spreading across his face. The man had been stripped to his underwear, revealing a telling tattoo of a spider on his left shoulder.
Ciel was looking through the rocket system's aiming sights, set up on a heavy metal stand at the back of the room. She shuddered, "He was aiming right at Winter's room."
"Shit," Ren cursed, his face twisted into a snarl, "A direct hit would have killed her, regardless of Aura."
"Shit's made to breach the thick bone armor plating on the head of a Megoliath, man," Russel shrugged, "I wouldn't fancy your chances too. Your room is right next to hers. You'd be gone too. Boom."
"Him and many others eating and drinking in the inn right now," Ciel said. She looked at the unconscious man, "and our friend here too."
Russel laughed. The man had placed the rocket system too close to the wall, indoors. The backblast alone would be enough to blow the idiot apart too.
Ren wasn't so amused.
"Mirror 1 this is Mirror 5," Ciel radioed, "Hostile is unconscious and restrained. He had an AGGM set up in the room."
They could almost hear Winter and Cardin balk at the news.
"Mirror 1 to Mirror 5, confirm. Hostile had an AGGM heavy weapons platform assembled and ready to fire."
"Half assembled, not ready to fire," Ciel corrected.
Silence. Russel sniggered at the image of Winter staring blankly in disbelief at the radio. Ciel smiled too, and even Ren cracked a grin at the awkward silence.
Finally, Winter answered, "Mirror 1 to team. Disassemble the system and load it on the buggy. Try to conceal it if possible. We're getting out of here."
Russel groaned.
Ciel answered, "Copy Mirror 1. Orders for the capture?"
"Mirror 5, what's the capture's status?"
"Unconscious, Mirror 1. But he has confirmed Spider affiliation." Ciel said.
"Understood," Winter crackled back, "chances for interrogation?"
"Minimal. Even if he does recover, brain damage likely," Ciel said, unconsciously flexing her metal fingers.
"Understood Mirror 5. No loose ends. RV at the Inn. We're off as soon as the AGGM is loaded."
"Copy," Ciel nodded to Ren, and looked away.
There was a sickening crack, and the Spider slumped on the floor, his neck snapped.
That night, they left without much ceremony, vanishing into the dark like specters in the night.
The body would be discovered the following morning when curious villagers investigate the broken window. No one recognized the half-naked stranger with a broken neck and a half pulped face. He wasn't one of the Huntsmen that stopped by for a few hours the night before, nor had anyone else seen his face in the area.
Ultimately, there would be no investigation, for life is cheap outside the Kingdom walls.
By the time they buried the stranger, no one in the village even remembered the faces of Winter and her men.
AN: Moving places this month. Expect a longer wait for the next chapter. As always, I appreciate each and every comment and review left on this story!