AN: Slightly shorter chapter today, cuz I felt like where I end it is a good spot. Plus, I managed to bang this out in one sitting, so here you go!
Once again, thanks to Lord Maximus for the help!
Chapter 84
"Another day, another adventure!" Nora shouted cheerily as the group continued traveling the wooded areas of Mistral. Jaune continued examining the map, with Ren and Ruby walking alongside him. Cloud brought up the rear.
"What's on the agenda today?" Ruby asked.
"Walking!" Jaune answered.
"With a side of…?" Nora asked.
"Walking," Ren said. Ruby sighed.
"Haven is a lot farther away than I thought," she said.
"Ruby?" Ren asked. "How long did you think this journey was going to take?"
"I don't know!" Ruby said. "Whenever we left home for training, we always took an airship! We never walked there!"
"Right but… How long?" Jaune pressed.
"Maybe like, uh… two weeks?" Ruby said sheepishly.
"What?!" Jaune asked, shocked at her apparent lack of foresight as to how long the journey was going to be.
"Okay, fine! Three or something!" Ruby tried to back-pedal. "Look, whatever." To her surprise, Cloud actually chuckled from behind her.
Chuckled!
"Going off halfcocked on crazy adventures?" he said. "You're definitely a Keyblade Wielder." Ruby turned to level a glare at him.
"If you're gonna compare me to Sora, I'd rather it be for how heroic I am, not how reckless," she said.
"Who's Sora, anyway?" Nora asked. Ruby turned to her with wide eyes.
"Uh…" she said, realizing that she hadn't thought of a way to explain who Sora was. She couldn't just say that he was another Keyblade Wielder, since she and Mom were the only two on Remnant. Luckily, she was saved by Ren noticing something in the distance.
"What's that?" he asked, pointing to a wall ahead of them. They could see the tops of buildings poking out from behind it.
"That's strange," Jaune said, looking down at the map. "I didn't think we'd be hitting another village for a few days."
"Are those buildings…damaged?" Nora asked.
"We should search for survivors!" Jaune shouted, prompting the group to run into the town.
The place was completely empty, with plant overgrowth everywhere. The weirdest part was that the buildings were incomplete. Not destroyed, like Nora had initially thought, but they were clean, almost as if they hadn't even been finished in the first place.
"Anything?" Ruby asked.
"Nothing over here!" Nora called back.
"No one over here, either!" Jaune said.
"It seems almost like the town was abandoned," Ren said.
"More like they gave up before finishing," Cloud said.
"Hey, I think I found something!" Nora called, drawing everyone's attention to a sign covered in ivy. Nora moved some of it out of the way so she could read what was written on it. "Oniyuri?" she asked. "Never heard of it."
"Me neither," Jaune said.
"I have," Ren said, surprising the others. "You might think of it as Anima's Mountain Glenn, had it never been completed. Years ago, the richest members of Mistral were unhappy with how the Kingdom was being run. Frustrated by the council, they pooled their resources together to build their own city, with their own laws. They hoped that one day, it could maybe even become its own Kingdom. Many thought it would be the future." He turned away from the others, seemingly lost in thought. "I know my parents did."
"What happened?" Ruby asked. Ren brushed some dirt off of a wall to reveal claw marks.
"What always happens," he said.
"The Grimm," Jaune confirmed. Ren's fists clenched tightly.
"Not just any. One."
"One?" Ruby asked.
"Must have been a hell of a Grimm to drive a whole town away all by itself," Cloud commented. "Unless they just skimped on protection."
"Let's just keep moving," Jaune said, noticing how tense Ren had become. "This place gives me the creeps."
Aqua was lying face-down on a bed, stripped completely of her clothes except for a sheet over the lower half of her body.
The operating room had been sealed off with only Pietro and his assistants as the machine he had created was ready to operate. A camera provided a live feed to Ironwood in his office while Pyrrha was seated away from him. Aqua had made sure to inform the general ahead of time of what she had asked Pyrrha to do.
"Don't worry, Miss Nikos," Ironwood said to the nervous young woman. "I have the utmost faith in Pietro's abilities." Pyrrha nodded.
"Still sir, would it be all right if I decide to wait in the dorms until it's over?" she asked. "I'm afraid that watching this is going to stress me out and I'm worried about what that might do to the baby."
"Of course," Ironwood said, nodding to a guard to escort her back to the dorms.
Back in the operating room, Aqua's head was placed on a pillow with a hole in the middle that would allow her to breath while she was face-down and unable to move. She had already closed her eyes and focused on beginning her healing trance as a mask was placed over her mouth and nose.
"Administering anesthetic now."
Aqua could feel the gas already starting to affect her. It would make falling into unconsciousness easier but she needed to make sure she was in a trance before it kicked in.
Concentrate, she thought as she felt herself entering blissful unconsciousness. The anesthetic would knock her out but Aqua was already falling into a deep trance, feeling the subtle energy of her Aura and Keyblade washing over her form.
I wonder if I'll dream… Aqua thought as she finally succumbed.
As she slipped away into a deep slumber Pietro began the procedure. Mechanical arms gently hovered down to Aqua's body, one of them holding a sharp scalpel that slowly and gently cut along the skin over Aqua's spine where it had been damaged. The surrounding doctors took it from there, opening the skin as gently as possible and being mindful of the blood that covered their gloves and scrubs. Pietro monitored Aqua's heart rate and vital signs while operating the mechanical arms to slowly remove the damaged vertebra.
Ironwood watched with stoic features.
Pyrrha was in a small dorm room, taking deep breaths and sipping from a bottle of water.
And thus began a procedure that would no doubt last several hours.
As this happened, Aqua dreamed…
…
…
…
"Sometimes I wonder if we are meant to fade to darkness when our time comes."
Aqua opened her eyes, seeing herself… standing on nothing. Nothing but pure sky and clouds. When she looked down and saw herself standing, she briefly wondered if the surgery had been a success, but then she remembered she was dreaming. She had to keep focusing, focusing on healing herself and only letting the soft wind around her gently lull her into a continued state of unconscious healing.
Serenity in all its wonder even as she possibility neared the end of it all.
She wouldn't dwell on that.
She would only dwell on what mattered to her most as their forms appeared in front of her: her daughters and husband.
"Applying the material tissue now."
Several robot arms with rather long needles were lowered down to Aqua's body, reading the damaged spine as the doctor's carefully removed the damaged section. Aqua was still being given anesthetic, but now the doctors had put her on life support because this would be the hard part. Keeping her alive during the removal of the damaged vertebra long enough for a new one to be inserted. The needles instantly began injecting the material in a pattern to form a brand new section of spinal column, Pietro struggling to ensure it was done properly.
Aqua's vitals instantly spiked.
Whatever Aqua had been standing on suddenly gave way, allowing her to fall past the clouds as the sky grew darker. Light faded away, leaving only darkness as Aqua continued to fall.
Aqua kept her eyes closed, trying to focus on healing even as it grew cold.
"Her vitals are crashing!"
A long beeping noise let them know that Aqua had coded.
"Applying minimal shock."
A jolt was channeled through Aqua's body in an attempt to keep her alive.
"Nothing."
"Increase the charge."
Another jolt. Pietro looked at the monitor displaying Ironwood.
"She's dying, sir."
"Focus Pietro, continue the operation," Ironwood said.
Pietro grit his teeth but did as he was told, applying the material to her spine and working to shape it into a brand new spinal column.
"Increasing charge again."
The heart monitor was still flatlining.
Ruby suddenly collapsed to her knees, a wave of anguish falling over her. She couldn't hear the rest of Team RNJR or Cloud as they gathered around her with concerned looks, asking if she was alright.
Yang was about to throw a punch at her father in their backyard, but paused, feeling stunned for some reason.
In the woods near Oniyuri, a black bird perched unsteadily on a tree, feeling something terribly wrong.
And in Salem's lair, Cinder felt a pain in her chest as a strange and terrifying image popped into her mind and the minds of Qrow, Ruby, and Yang.
The image of Aqua, eyes closed and her hands clasped together in a form of prayer as she fell into a massive black hole.
"Mom?" Ruby grasped her Wayfinder, tears slipping down her cheeks in sheer panic.
Even as the heart monitor flatlined and the doctors struggled to revive Aqua, Pietro continued applying and shaping the material until is was complete.
"Material and tissue applied. Connect the nerves."
The doctors immediately did so, even as more and more of them began to believe it was all hopeless.
The patient had flatlined and every attempt to revive her had failed.
Aqua Branwen was dead.
Yang fell to her knees, clutching her Wayfinder as her father and Barret knelt down next to her, confused as to what had happened. "Please no… Don't leave us."
Ruby was crying now, even as Nora hugged her. "Mom… Come back to us…"
Qrow fell to his knees and punched the ground, letting out an anguished wail.
As for Cinder, despite the parasite, a single tear was able to escape that she couldn't wipe away.
Aqua's eyes opened, landing softly on something. She sat up and saw that she was sitting the same glass mural platform of her, Ruby, Yang, Qrow, and Larmina from when she spoke to Master Eraqus. Only now she could see cracks slowly starting to form. Aqua watched on in saddened realization that she must have died on the operating table.
"I guess… This is it. Ruby, Yang, Qrow, I'm sorry. I won't be coming home," Aqua whispered sadly to herself.
"No."
Aqua spun around, seeing someone, a woman in a white cloak standing behind her.
"Who are you?" The woman had a white Wayfinder around her neck as she held out her hand.
"You can't leave them."
The platform began to break away as the crack grew closer to Aqua. The woman's Wayfinder began glowing along with Aqua's.
"You said these form an unbreakable bond with those you have given them to," the woman said softly and pointed up. "See the bonds you have made."
Aqua looked up and saw four lights, red, amber, yellow, and black with a mix of blue.
"They're calling me."
"They're calling you home," the woman said as she began to scatter into white roses that surrounded Aqua.
The roses lifted her off the platform as it broke and Aqua looked up, seeing the lights growing closer and hearing the voices of her family calling to her. She reached out and touched the lights, holding onto them with all her might.
"Look after our daughters," the woman whispered.
Just as the doctors were about to declare her dead, her heart suddenly started beating. Pietro watched in stunned silence as Aqua's heart began beating, her lungs inhaling air, her vitals going up to show them all that Aqua Branwen was not dead. The doctors raced now, connecting the artificial nerve tissue to her body, determined to use this chance to finish saving her life and her legs.
Pietro watched as Aqua's stats showed that not only was she still alive but her body was healing itself at an astonishing rate, the nerves to the new vertebra connecting like natural.
James Ironwood smiled softly, knowing that Aqua would make it through.
"Cinder?" Emerald asked, noticing the tear roll down the Fall Maiden's face. "What's wrong?"
"I am not sure, Lady Emerald," Cinder heard herself say. "I suddenly felt overwhelming despair, and then sudden relief." It was true. For some reason, Cinder had suddenly felt like something was very, very, wrong, and just as suddenly, felt a wave of sheer relief, like some major crisis or tragedy had been averted.
"Well, are you okay?" Emerald asked.
"I am unharmed, Lady Emerald."
Qrow forced himself to breath deeply to try and slow down his heart rate.
What the fuck had all that been about?
He somehow suddenly felt absolutely certain that Aqua had died, but now he felt nothing but relief as he realized she was fine.
But how could he possibly know what his wife's condition was? She was back in Patch. The sound of crunching leaves drew his attention, and he looked up to see a woman approaching him wearing a set of blue armor. His eyes were drawn to the weapon she was carrying.
"A Keyblade?"
Pyrrha walked into the recovery room, seeing Aqua lying down, still unconscious. She would normally have woken up from the anesthesia by now, meaning it was time to do what she had been asked.
She closed her fist and struck Aqua in the face two times, ready to put all her might in the third one.
"WAKE UP!"
Aqua's eyes shot open and her hand was instantly up, catching Pyrrha's fist. Everyone stopped and watched as Aqua sat up in her bed, summoning her Keyblade.
"Heal," she cast a quick Cure spell on her self and her bruised face instantly healed.
She looked down at herself, feeling something very different from before. Her Aura and magic had been completely focused on healing throughout the operation and right now she felt…
She swung herself around and planted her feet on the ground. She fell forward, caught by Pyrrha…
And slowly but surely stood up, her body leaning against Pyrrha's and shaking in excitement or perhaps from the fact that he was not used to moving like this since Beacon.
She was standing on her own two feet.
Aqua could barely suppress her joy at the fact that she was standing.
"Are you okay?" Jaune asked as Ruby wiped the tears from her eyes, Nora continuing to hold her close.
"I-I think so," she said.
"What the hell was that all about?" Cloud asked.
"I don't know," Ruby answered. "For some reason, I just… felt like something terrible had happened to Mom. And then, I felt fine."
"Is everything okay now?" Nora asked.
"Yeah, I'm fine," Ruby said, more confidently this time. "Thank you."
"What are friends for, silly?" Nora asked, giving her another quick hug before helping her up. Cloud suddenly drew his sword, intercepting a strike from some lanky guy with long hair.
The man wore a white jumpsuit under a dark green overcoat, and was using a pair of wrist-mounted blades to press against Cloud's sword. The man cackled when his attack was intercepted.
Ren tried to fire at the newcomer, but the man jumped backwards, prompting Cloud to swing straight down, his weapon leaving a small crater where it impacted. Ruby, Jaune, and Nora quickly got up and drew their weapons.
The man fired bullets from his weapons, which Cloud blocked using his sword. Cloud was suddenly surrounded by a blue glow and swung his sword down again, a green beam of energy flying towards the newcomer, who jumped onto a nearby roof to dodge it.
"We're not looking for a fight!" Jaune shouted.
"He clearly is," Cloud said.
"Who are you?" Ren demanded. The man leaned forward, and fell from the roof, landing neatly on his feet.
"Who I am matters not to you," he said, pointing to Ren. "Or you," he pointed to Nora. "Or… Well, you two do interest me," he said, looking at Cloud and Jaune. Jaune looked nervous, but Cloud just scoffed. "No, I only matter to you," he said, pointing at Ruby.
"Me?" she asked. For some reason, the weird man just started laughing.
"You, you haven't the slightest clue, do you?" he asked. "Oh, how exciting this must be."
"What do you want?" Ruby demanded, pointing Crescent Rose at him.
"Oh, the rose has thorns! My little flower, I'm here to whisk you away with me!"
"Well, what if she doesn't want to go with you?" Nora demanded, holding her hammer a little more tightly.
"Well, I'll take her."
"Yeah, that's not going to happen, punk," Cloud said, standing on front of Ruby defensively. "Wouldn't be a very good mercenary if I let the first creepy guy I see run off with my client."
"Oh, a mercenary?" Tyrian asked with interest. "Well, surely a little money may convince you to hand her over?" The others looked at Cloud a little nervously.
"Seriously?' he asked in response to their looks. "Look, I'm not that kind of merc. I don't take another job until I finish the one I'm on. You're not taking her without a fight." The man chuckled.
"Good."
AN: I know people were looking forward to the Tyrian fight, but I figured this was a good place to end, since we already had enough drama with Aqua's surgery.
Aqua can walk again! Yay!
Though Qrow's gonna have his hands full.
Also, by the way, does anyone know that the hell Tyrian meant when he said that Jaune interested him? We still have no idea what makes him so special. It's weird.
As always, thank you very much for reading, and I'll see you all next time!