Summary/Disclaimer: Time for another chapter of A Lingering Ember. Enjoy the 1500-word chapter. I don't own RWBY, Monty Oum, and Rooster Teeth do.
(Mistral.)
Desmond smashed his hands into the table while turning to his men. His eyes gleamed with hate and anger at the idea of what those damned spiders were doing to his partner.
"Does anyone know ANYTHING!?" Desmond hissed as he grabbed Melodic Cudgel.
Those spineless pieces of trash had kidnapped Neo because he had decided to stand and fight. This was his fault; it was all on him.
"Well, we've been thinking about something, boss." One of the henchmen said as Desmond glowered in rage. "We know one of the spiders is still around. They have to have spies around Mistral, right?" Desmond heard as he shook his head.
"AND!?" Desmond asked while crossing his arms. "That doesn't get Neo back! Here's what we're going to do, we're going to find one of those damned spiders. Then we make them tell us where the hell she is, and we kick their front door in! If those blasted…" Desmond said before clenching his cane as hard as possible.
He needed to find the spiders. They would try and bargain for Neo coming back. Desmond wasn't giving them anything at all, Neo wasn't property, she wasn't a toy they could play with.
"And what should we do in the meantime?" One of his men asked before Desmond glared at him.
They said nothing and left to find the Spiders. Desmond decided to accompany them. There was nothing to do anyway…. And all his thoughts turned to Neo.
Desmond would find her if he had to cut through all of Mistral to do it. There wouldn't be a stone left unturned by the time he left.
"Hang on, sweet tooth," Desmond said and pulled his hat over his head. "I'll save you… They just made this war way more possible than it already is." Desmond muttered as he turned and hooked the door. He pulled it open and boarded the Bullhead.
He was already thinking of a backup plan if he couldn't find one of the spiders.
(With Neo)
Neo felt one of the spiders smack her in the face, her aura flashed pink. It was one of the first times she had seen it since she was born.
"That's enough!" They heard as Neo looked at the dozens of spiders through a swollen eye at the moment. "You know who she is… She isn't gonna talk. I know that little boy toys your buddy, buddy with is important to you… You're not going to give him up, are you?" Neo heard from a blond-haired woman who held a cigarette in a fancy holder.
Neo rolled her eyes despite being outnumbered, without her weapon, and low on the aura. She didn't care to answer even though she could.
"You know your boy probably isn't going to come back to you." Neo heard which caused the woman to roll her eyes.
She knew for a fact that this woman knew her. The smug look of superiority, her constant glances to her men who were clad in gaudy purple.
It was like Roman without the charisma which made the man have people flock to him. Neo stuck her tongue out at the woman which got her another smack to the face.
The woman withdrew from Neo who curled up into a ball. She knew this war wasn't over, she had glared at Desmond…. But she was aware he left because he was forced away. To have stayed meant they'd target her.
Desmond would come… He had to come. Even if she hadn't known him for a longer time at the moment? Neo trusted him; she had trusted Desmond.
(With Desmond)
Desmond walked with a trio of his men. They swept their guns around as he sighed.
"You told me you found one of those damned bugs around here?" Desmond asked as he looked around.
Desmond leaned on Melodic Cudgel as he hummed. He rubbed at his temples. He wanted nothing more than to bat down the spider's doors, smashing them to pieces with his cane. He would like nothing more than to see them ripped down.
But anger clouded his judgment. He was going to have to think and plan. Desmond had left Neo behind to escape. The woman would very well possibly gut him when he found her. He knew that, but he didn't want it to happen.
"Yeah, we're go get him, boss." Desmond heard as the trio moved on to go and look at the battlefield.
"Yeah… Go do that." Desmond stated as he spun his cane and started to check the former battlefield.
He looked over the former battlefield where he had fought alongside Neo. This was where he had fouled up.
"Oy, if I find even a single one of them…?" Desmond asked as he hummed. "They're going to wish they never met me," Desmond said before he ran his fingers over his cane.
The monster held Neo? He'd hunt them, to the ends of Mistral if it came down to it. He had lost something back in Vale, something besides his team… Besides simply friends. He didn't know what it was, but it took hold of him like a snake.
And whatever that part was? It wanted revenge, not simply to get Neo back safe and sound…. But to strike them down and smash them against the ground. Desmond swore whoever these spiders were? They had crossed a line at the moment as he shook his head once more.
Desmond stepped forward while resting his cane on his shoulder. This shouldn't have gone sideways. He had gotten cocky, and Neo had paid for it. However? Those spiders had gone after his partner, someone who he valued, who he had JUST made a promise to.
"Find anything!?" Desmond asked as he poked at one of the thugs who he had fought. "Damn spiders, when I get my hands on them…" Desmond stated as he smashed his cane on the ground.
Desmond sighed and rubbed at his temples. He couldn't let his anger push him into a stupid decision, however… And currently? His anger for some reason was starting to boil over.
"Boss, we got a runner!" Desmond heard one of his men as he turned to see someone running. Desmond growled as he raised Melodic Cudgel.
It was then he cursed and remembered a shot would kill the spider. Desmond flipped his cane over and then began to run after him as he turned to his men.
"Take him alive!" Desmond yelled as he stopped to allow his men to pass him while aiming the grappling hook.
His men raised their handguns before Desmond sighed and fired the grappling hook. It shot past his henchmen and grappled the man by the back of the collar. The spider who was busy digging out his handgun was thrown off of his feet.
"Idiots," Desmond muttered as the man was thrown backward and onto the floor.
Desmond looked down at the spider who hopped to his feet. He threw a punch at Desmond which the former huntsmen dodged by stepping to the side.
He smashed his cane into the man's stomach, doubling him over before Desmond jabbed him with said cane.
"Be lucky I need you alive," Desmond growled before the man tried to kick him. "And be lucky you have something I want to come back," Desmond stated before two of his men grabbed the struggling criminal.
Desmond frowned, why would a straggler stay behind on the battlefield? Perhaps he was wounded, and the spiders had no more use for someone who couldn't fight directly in their ranks.
Or it was something stupid. Desmond didn't much care, he turned to their bullhead before looking at a third of the trio of men Desmond had brought to this battlefield.
"Search the others for something leading us to the spiders," Desmond ordered as he turned to the spider. "And shut him up. He can talk when we get back to base." Desmond added before realizing there would be much more work to be done.
The spiders would be learning very quickly how short of a temper Desmond had. He would destroy them more slowly than he had the Grey Ursas or Junior's organization.
Desmond let out a breath he hadn't known he was holding. This anger was not something he was used to… But it gripped him like a Sei Feilong regardless.
Desmond decided to check the battlefield once more at the moment.
Author Note
Phew. Another chapter is done! I want to point out that the Mistral arc will be ending in 2-10 chapters and such. The next chapter will be in 2-9 months and will show Desmond interrogating the spider and Neo thinking and such. Until then, Lighting Wolf out!
P.S: Neo is 1500 words Tuesday. Yang 1500 Sunday. Raven 1200-1500 Saturday. Ruby 1200 Monday. Penny 1200 Tuesday. Cinder 1500-2000 words Friday and such.
