Summary/Disclaimer: Time for another chapter of A Lingering Ember. Enjoy the 1200-word chapter. I don't own RWBY, Monty Oum, and Rooster Teeth do.
(Mistral.)
Desmond looked at Neo before he tapped his cane on the ground.
"You know you're being far quieter than usual…" Desmond stated as he swung Melodic Cudgel around his hand. "Anything you want to get off your chest? We can compare how many people we smacked the crap out of…" Desmond put in, trying to lighten the mood.
Neo said nothing as they continued walking. She tilted her head to the side slightly which was greeted by Desmond playfully bumping her shoulder with his.
"Silent treatment doesn't work on me, sweet tooth," Desmond said and leaned the cane on his shoulder. "I can read faces. You bugged about something; you know that." Desmond stated as he cleared his throat.
"Someone hurt me…" Neo said and continued to look to the side. "I want to HURT them," Neo added as Desmond nodded.
"Good old-fashioned payback, right?" Desmond asked while getting a nod. "I understand that. Then do you want to go and hunt them?" Desmond stated as he turned and leaned on Melodic Cudgel.
Neo was silent for a moment. Desmond knew that she was curious about something. Desmond wasn't a doctor, but he understood pain. He had been through pain before, and now? He was dealing it out at the moment. Desmond looked at Neo.
"You want them dead badly, right?" Desmond questioned and then straightened on his weapon. "Well, I'm sure their turn up. We need to get home. We're planning our next move from there, maybe we're finding a clue who this guy is in Mistral." Desmond said and got a thumbs up.
Desmond sent a message over his scroll. He sighed and then turned to Neo.
"I want you to know something," Desmond said while brushing off his coat. "I'll help you, I'm sure this person is a twisted scumbag. They were involved with Vale, right?" Desmond asked and got a nod as he turned.
"Ok… I'll make you a deal, Neo," Desmond said and tapped his cane on the ground. "We find this person and put them in the ground. However? No revenge rampage, ok? I know you're mad and I know you want payback. However? We're not going to do this by killing countless people. I'm not a monster, a sociopath, or some big tyrant. Do we do this? We only hunt them down and take them down like that." Desmond stated as he waited for the Bullhead to arrive.
Desmond didn't get a response from Neo. He knew for a fact that she'd try to brush it aside.
"We have this talk now or later," Desmond said and turned to look at Neo. "Maybe you can kick my ass, but I know you want payback. Going after everyone isn't going to solve anything. It won't make you feel better. I know… Whoever killed my team sent the Grimm after them… And I think I know damn well who it is." Desmond said before clenching his fist with anger.
Desmond didn't see Neo look to the side. She knew she had a hand in the destruction of Vale.
It was for Roman. Cinder threatened to kill him if he didn't do what she wanted. Now he was dead, Cinder would SUFFER before she died. Neo would hunt her down if she had to rip Remnant apart.
Then she looked at Desmond. She felt thousands of emotions going through her at the moment. Desmond didn't know Roman, yet he held Roman's cane. Neo didn't blame him for holding onto it. As long as a single remnant of Roman lived on? She was ok with someone holding onto it.
Desmond scanned the sky for wherever the Bullhead was. They needed to return home. Desmond had plans and he needed to mobilize against the Spiders as soon as possible. The longer they stayed out? The more time they had to move against his people.
It was then he heard someone's gun cock which made him realize that they weren't alone.
Neo cocked her head to the side as Desmond chuckled and laid his cane on the ground. He turned to Neo with a smirk.
"You know, it's pretty rude to interrupt a talk between people," Desmond said before more gun cocks were heard. "Didn't you ever hear about manners? You're going to make my partner here angry." Desmond stated as he turned to look at Neo with a knowing look.
Desmond watched several soldiers emerge from the shadows as he turned to look at Neo. Spiders, they were in spider territory. Desmond didn't see the Bullhead, but he imagined that the pilot was probably staying clear of this area at the moment.
Desmond turned to look at Neo who was as cocky as usual, being surrounded and held at gunpoint didn't bug her. Desmond hummed as several more thugs appeared, about a half dozen.
The spider hired backup, cannon fodder for her men. Desmond shook his head and looked at Neo.
"Do you want the ones who have guns, or the morons who are trying to capture us?" Desmond asked Neo who pointed Hush at the regular thugs who weren't wearing purple. "Pretend you're going to give up and draw them out," Desmond said as he dropped Melodic Cudgel.
Neo dropped her weapon and activated her semblance. The spiders didn't know about it, meaning she had the advantage against them.
The thugs approached about a dozen in number. Neo almost wondered if the spiders were smart enough to take her seriously.
Desmond scanned the tree line as he hummed. He could see at least 6 gunmen. They were approaching slowly, carefully. Desmond looked at Neo who was busy looking at the rest of the soldiers.
Desmond hummed as one of the thugs aimed his gun. Neo stepped on Hush, throwing her weapon into her hand. Desmond watched one of the thugs fire his rifle at them.
The bullet smashed into the glass and shattered it; Neo was already moving. Desmond chuckled and kicked Melodic Cudgel into his hand. He surged forwards, firing a shot that took one of the spider's lives.
Neo slid under the legs of one of the thugs, turning and kicking another in the face while another aimed his gun. Neo turned and flung the handle of Hush around the man's wrist, throwing him to the ground.
Desmond smirked as another one of the spiders fired at him. He spun his cane, deflecting the shots. Desmond lunged forward, smacking one of the spiders across the face.
"Do you seriously have nothing better to do?" Desmond asked the man before spinning his weapon around to smash the man's head into the ground.
He turned to see the thugs ganging up on Neo.
Author Note
Phew. Another chapter is done! I want to point out that the next chapter will be delayed for several months or such. The next chapter will be in 7-9 months and will show Neo and Desmond fighting the spiders. Until then, Lighting Wolf out!
P.S: Neo is 1200 Tuesday. Penny 1200 words Tuesday. Raven 1200 Saturday. Yang 1200 words Sunday. Ruby 1200 words Monday, Cinder 2000 Friday.
Neo is also going to be in season 8 and such. You see what I mean.
