Ruby stared out of the airship large windows watching in horror as the Generals dropship suddenly began to lose altitude, accompanied by two flashes she quickly identified as the mussel flash from a weapon. The dropship banked right twisting into a spiral as it plummets towards the city below. The students who also witnessed the sight gasped in horror watching helplessly as Ironwoods ship disappeared beneath the clouds.
No, no... this couldn't be happening, who could have even done something like this. Ruby's eyes trailed up to the remaining command ship hovering in the distance, the same ship Torchwick had most likely been held on, her hands tightened into fist's...someone had to do something about this.
Ruby backed away from the window, glancing towards her teammates who were crowded around Alex alongside a few other teams, Alex held out his plumber's badge in the center of the crowd showing a holographic display showing a live feed from what she assumed to be from Beacon.
"Once we land, we'll need to focus on taking back and holding the air docks. There are gonna be a lot of injured people from the fairgrounds and the school itself that are gonna need medical attention, Atlas will already be scrambling its forces to start evacuating people, so we need to make sure they have a safe place to land and do their jobs." Alex said earning a few nods from the teams around him. "Once we've done that we can start pushing further into the school"
The violet-haired leader of NDGO spoke up "There's still gonna be a lot of Grimm and White fang in that area and once more people start arriving, we're gonna have to get them out of the line of fire and fast." Nebula stepped forward pointing towards one of the toppled archways shown on the hologram surrounding the landing site. "We could move anyone who's unarmed or injured behind there and out of the way until help arrives. The archway looks like its blocking any Grimm from being able to scale up the part of the cliffs towards the air docks or get close without any of us seeing them first, it's also giving us some cover to work with while we're down there dealing with the white fang."
Alex nodded along with her "I like you're thinking." he said before turning his attention to the android girl among them "Penny how about you, are you up for this?"
"I can fight." she confirmed." I feel at least partially responsible for this, if I had listened to Pyrrha at the time much of this may have been avoided."
With the others distracted Ruby slowly turned towards the rear of the aircraft, her small frame weaved through the crowd of students some staring out the windows at the flaming form of Beacon in the distance, others sat off to the side looking over their weapons getting ready for the oncoming battle. Arriving at the back of the airship Ruby moved towards the controls for the entrance ramp.
A hand reached out from the side grasping her arm bringing her to a halt "And where do you think you're going?" The woman dressed in an Atlas soldier uniform asked raising a slender eyebrow towards Ruby.
"I... um, well." Ruby fumbled over her words rubbing the back of her head nervously.
The woman sighed before placing a hand on Ruby's shoulder "Your school, your friends... Your sister" Ruby's head snapped up towards the woman "Are going to need all the help they can get if you're going to pull this off, you're better off here then you are up there, so let the pro's handle this one" The woman said
"How did you know Yang was at Beacon?" Ruby asked taking a step back she stared at the woman wearily her hand slipping back towards her weapon. The woman's lips twitched up in response her face shimmered and glitch and for just a second it was replaced by a pink helmet with white highlights, a black visor and Silver mouthpiece.
Despite the current situation outside the aircraft Ruby's eyes widened in awe "You're a..." the woman pressed a finger to her lips before she could finish.
"Call me Cassie." She said retracting her hand.
"r-Ruby" The red-clad huntress responded
"Cassie" A voice spoke up from behind the two. The pink Ranger and Ruby turned towards the blond woman leaning against the ship and sent a nod her way.
Cassie turned back towards Ruby "Head back to your team. "We're going to be landing soon so you're going to want to get ready."
"But what about Torchwick?" Ruby Asked glancing out one of the massive windows towards the Atlesian battle cruiser in the distance.
Cassie placed a reassuring hand on the fifteen-year-olds shoulder "We've already got someone handling it. Get back to the others they're going to need you for the fight to come."
Ruby glanced one more towards the battleship, she could still try and get aboard but then what? Even if she did somehow beat Torchwick it's not like she knew how to fly an airship and judging by how it was still firing on anything that got close Grimm or Airship alike she doubted her locker idea would survive a second trip and if what Cassie said was true there was already someone like her and Alex heading to take care of it.
Cassie was right, her team, her friends, her sister were all heading or already at the academy the best place she could be right now was right alongside them fighting to defend Beacon. "Right" Ruby nodded casting one final glance towards the coliseum below before jogging off towards the others.
The Pink Space Ranger turned from watching the young girl go towards Lilly, greeting the yellow ranger. "It's good to see you made it."
"Likewise," Lilly responded before asking "Have you heard anything from Adam or Aurico, they were in the city when everything started to go to hell?"
Cassie shook her head. "There's been some chatter over Atlas's comms about a red and a black-clad figure fighting off the Grimm but that's as much as I got before everything went to static." Cassie turned her attention towards the airship in the distance "Anyway we have a bigger problem at the moment, Venjix is onboard the flagship."
"What? Venjix thee Venjix." Lily asked wide-eyed, the yellow ranger kept her voice low as to not draw any attention from the students. "I thought Scot and the others destroyed him back in Corinth?"
"So, did I." Cassie said, the very idea that even a fragment of the original program remained active was a terrifying thought.
"Then what's the plan?" Lilly asked
"Cam's already on it." Cassie replied. "He's managed to isolate the airship from the rest of the network before Venjix could spread any further, it's the most we can do for the time being, at least until orders been restored to the kingdom." But that still left him access to a lot of fire-power, the Knights the paladin's everything connected to that airship was under his control.
She didn't like this, they were out-numbered and out-gunned from the beginning that wasn't anything new to her or anyone else like them. Now their own allies weapons were being turned against the people they'd been built to protect, she'd heard stories from the RPM rangers about Venjix and his hatred and cruelty towards organic beings, if any of them were true they were in for the fight of their lives.
/
"Ragh!" Yang cried out sending one of the Atlesian knights skidding across the courtyard into two of its comrades, several more androids marched into the courtyard from the direction of the auditorium opening fire on the four combatants. Rook rushed forward darting between the oncoming fire from the Knights using his proto-tools shield variant to block any shots that got too close, shifting its proto-tool into its sword variant, sliding between the line of androids severing the legs from two androids and the barrel from another's weapon, kicking it back into its comrades.
A Green flash of light shone behind the Revonnahgander, the light faded a second later revealing a large roly-poly like alien with yellow armor on his back, shoulders, backs of his four fingers long clawed hands and the sides of his legs. He is mostly white with some black on his upper half. He has a black stripe doing down his chest behind the Omnitrix.
Cannonbolt sped past him using a slab of fallen rubble as a ramp launching himself into the air above before crashing down on a squad of knights, crushing most of them beneath his weight, the few knights that remained backed up from the shapeshifter and opened fire, their bullets harmlessly bouncing off the hardened shell around his body.
Curling into a ball he rolled on the spot whipping the remains of the knights he had crushed towards their comrades, peppering them with the debris the smallest fragments acting as improvised bullets tearing through the knight's armor plating and into the components within, their bodies began to spark and twitch before exploding blanketing the area in smoke. "That's gonna leave a mark." Cannonbolt remarked
Across the courtyard another battle ensued, Yang, stepped back ducking under the butt of a knights rifle, responding with an uppercut knocking it into the air she leapt up punching the android in the chest firing her gauntlet as her fist met its chassis sending the android skipping across the courtyard. Yang fire her gauntlet launching herself further into the sky before allowing Gravity to pull her back towards the earth, landing Yang slams her fist into the ground creating a shockwave that launches the knights into the air, a shadow passing over her in the process.
Koan in his Panuncian form, lept from one android to another lashing out with his claws he tore through the armor plating covering their chest, sparks, oil and coolant spewed forth as multiple wires and tubing were severed, causing their visors to turn dark. Approaching the final android koan pounced pinning the knight to the cobblestone path knocking its weapon aside, his jaws clamping shut around its neck, whipping his head back he tore the androids head from its shoulders, reducing it to scrap metal.
The four fighters stood back to back examining their handy work "Think that was the last of them." Yang asked pulling a strip of red cartridges from her belt using the lull in combat to reload Ember Celica with a fresh strip of concussive shells.
"I thought these guys were supposed to be on our side?" Ben asked picking up the severed head of one of the Atlesian knights, Rook stepped forward shifting his proto-tool into a scanner, kneeling down he held it over one the few androids still intact.
The Revonnhaganders eyes narrowed. "This units central processor was overridden by an outside source, inverting its primary orders to protect the civilians."
"Wait, you're saying they were hacked?" Yang asked glancing down at the robot
"The diagnostics show most of its firewalls have been breached so, yes." Rook replied
"You think it's them?" Koan asked
"Most likely." Rook replied rising to his feet. "And it seems these knights weren't the only ones affected, look." Rook responded pointing towards a group of Atlas soldiers attempting to fight off one of their own paladin's the weapon of war swing its arm throwing the soldiers across the courtyard. Unlike the one Yang and her team had fought on the highway this one was far sleeker design with a white and Black color scheme, the cockpits glowing an ominous red showing it too had been corrupted by Venjix.
"You've gotta be kidding me." Yang clenched her teeth cocking her gauntlets.
Before any of them could move to aid the soldiers, an explosion ripped through the sky above, one of the White fangs bullheads quickly started losing altitude it's left engine bursting into flames as an armored Beowolf leapt from the aircraft landing in the courtyard below in front of a crowd of civilians.
"Oh, come on, don't these guys ever know when to quit." Ben said cycling through the Omnitrix interface, Ben slammed his hand down on the dial engulfing his body in a flash of green light shrinking his form down in the process. "Humungousaur!" A minuscule voice cried out, all eyes turned down to the small yellow insect creature that barely reached the height of Yang's boot. It was primarily yellow in color with small black eyes and green pupils. It had four stick legs and a beak along with a big antenna, the Omnitrix sat on a green and white brace around its neck.
"Aww" Yang couldn't help but sigh at the sight of the little guy.
"Huh?" Ben muttered looking his new form over. "Ball Weevle?" He asked rubbing his head with his front right leg. "Not who I was going for, but this guy should be able to do the job, come on partner! "Ball Weevil called back towards Rook, spitting out a small green ball of goo clamoring on top and started rolling towards the carnage in the distance picking up chunks of debris and a few broken knights in the process.
Rook turned back towards Yang and Koan "Ben and I will start gathering civilians and pulling them back towards the airstrip" He said. "I trust the two of you can handle the mech"
"We'll be fine." Koan replied the elder plumber agent nodded in response before following behind Ball weevil as he and Yang broke out into their own sprint heading towards the Paladin, all the while the blond shapeshifter wondered. 'Alex, where the hell are you?'
/
Team's RWBY, CFVY, JNPR NDGO and ABRN stumbled from the airship as it hit the fairgrounds. The landing had been rough, both due to the avian Grimm crowding the skies above and the battle that raged below. Flames rose and fell around the forest clearing where tents and stalls for the festival goers once stood, beacon itself didn't seem to be fairing any better.
For those who had lived there, who had made the academy their home the sight of it in such a state was like an arrow through the heart. Pyrrha felt it too. Beacon had been the home Mistral could never have been. Here she had her teammates, her friend, people who saw her not as the invincible girl so many media outlets and fans had plastered her as over the years, here she was just... Pyrrha, it was a dream come true.
And as she stared out over the landscape around them, she realized that dream now lay broken at her feet, Pyrrha's gaze drifted back towards the academy whatever doubts she had before slowly evaporated, Ozpins offer was still available to her... maybe, maybe there was still time for her to set things right.
"No..." Blake whispered pulling her from her thoughts " Why would the White Fang do this? The Huntsmen protect all people, Human and Faunus alike why would they support something like this, it doesn't make any sense."
"I don't know" Alex replied his eyes scanning the treeline around them, there were enough of them to be able to dispel any real threat, but their nerves were on edge and as such, they all most likely radiated negativity drawing more Grimm to them. Turning back towards the others "We all heard the reports back on the air airship, the knights have all gone haywire, so keep your eyes open we need to deal with any androids we come across."
"Where are we heading from here?" Weiss asked
"We stick to the plan." Ruby replied." We make our way to the bullhead port in the academy courtyard, make sure it's safe for the Atlas reinforcements to land in and when they do, we start helping them get people to saf-" Pyrrha stopped listening after that. It was a good plan, despite being one they'd spent the journey here coming up with, still, they didn't really have time for anything else. Pyrrha's gaze drifted back over to the large tower in the distance, the others could handle things while she was gone there was still time, she could still do it.
She took a deep breath before letting it go, calming her nerves "Pyrrha." A soft voice spoke up from behind her a gentle hand resting on her shoulder. She looked back to find Jaune, his gentle sapphire eyes met her own.
"There's still time." She said her eyes trailing down to the forest floor
"Are you sure?" Her partner asked. "There might be another way, you don't have to go through with this."
"We can fight" Ren added coming to his leader aid "If the battle can still be won through more mundane means, then you won't need the headmasters offer."
"Pfft, since when am I mundane" Nora scoffed "But I'm pretty sure we can all kick enough but on our own, no fancy magic girl powers needed."
Pyrrha didn't know what to do, her heart ached and sang. She wanted to laugh, to cry all at once. They were trying to show her there was another way, that she didn't have to go through with it she didn't have to risk losing her memories, her personality everything that made her who she was all for the possibility that it might save their lives.
She didn't want to either; the thought alone had terrified her to no end.
How long had she dreamt of finding people who cared for her, not for her status, nor her skill, but who she was in general and here they were, it felt like the cruelest torture in history. But... she had to do this, there wasn't any other option that presented itself to her, either she accepted the headmaster offer now and be granted the power that may help her save countless lives and the place she had come to call home, or she could refuse and Beacon may very well fall and in the end, the fall maidens would pass on her power seeking out its other half belonging to her attacker.
Her eyes narrowed "I need to do this... I want to do this." She said with conviction.
Jaune looked at her, she knew he didn't believe a word she said, the frown he now wore only confirmed that. Nevertheless, her partner stepped a little closer to her showing that he was here for her. "Whatever you decide...We're with you."
"Thank you." Pyrrha looked up towards the academies main building, several figures fought outside the front but there in the doorway she thought she could see Ozpin, despite the vast distance between them she could feel his eyes watching her and her alone.
A scream ripped through followed by a large explosion the air drawing the attention of all those present. No huntsmen or huntress would scream in such a manner, then they realized the scream wasn't done out of pain, but fear.
"Are there still civilians here?" Blake asked in alarm " Why didn't they leave with the other's."
"Maybe they didn't have time." Ruby said " If they were still trapped when the robots turned then..."
"Then that's our cue" Nebula stepped forward alongside her team drawing her crossbow off her back as she turned towards Alex. "If there are still civilians in the area it's better if we split up." Alex opened his mouth to object, but Nebula cut him off. " I know it's risky for us to be dividing our forces, but we can't take back the air docks and protect civilians at the same time."
"She's right" The blonde leader of team ABRN spoke up "With the sheer scope of our enemies we cannot afford to waste time, not with so many lives hanging in the balance" Aslan turned towards Nebula "My team and I can help you find those people and then escorting them to be evacuated."
Alex wanted to object, to say it was a bad idea. But they were right they wouldn't have the time or the manpower to combat all their enemies forces at one and protect any civilians they might come across along the way and judging by the looks of determination the others bore he doubted he'd change their minds anytime soon.
"Alright... You and your team Go with NDGO and help them deal with any problems they might come across." Alex said before turning back towards the others "We'll head back to Beacon and make sure the ways clear for you guys on the way back, any objections?" He asked, Pyrrha wanted to speak up but from his previous reaction to Ozpins offer she doubted Alex would agree.
"Alright then." Alex said offering his hand out towards the two leaders " Stay safe, stay together and for love of god... Don't die."
Nebula snorted " Who do you think you're talking to, we won't be taken down by some random terrorists, Grimm or robots. We'll be done and ready to back young guys up in less than half an hour."
"Same here" Arslan agreed her lips twitching up slightly forming a smirk.
"Hell Yeah" Brolin stated, resting his bow staff on his shoulder " Just make sure there are a still a few guys for us to knock around when we get back."
"We'll do our best" Sun replied
"But~" Nora shrugged "No promises"
The two parties hesitated, committing each other's face's to memory. Despite the bravado shared between them, they all knew this could be the very last day they saw each other alive. For Pyrrha, with what she planned to do the probability of that may as well be absolute, and as such she let her eyes run hungrily over those around her, her teammates, her friends...no, her family.
The tear's building up in her eyes only stung more because of it.
/
All across Beacon Academy, dozens of students did battle with the seemingly never-ending legions of Grimm marching on the school. For many of them, this may very well be the last battle they and their teams would fight, regardless of that possibility, none of them were willing to go down without a fight. Alex rushed forward with an upward swing up his great sword decapitating a Beowolf, stepping back he narrowly avoided being mauled by one of its packmates.
Neon rollerbladed past him a Boarbatusk hot on her heels, passing Coco, Blake and Ruby, the fashionista raised her minigun opening fire on a passing Griffin above peppering its dark body with hundreds of rounds a second.
The two members of team RWBY rushed past her double-teaming an Ursa, the duo delivering a number of slashes across its body ending with Blake backflipping away while simultaneously kicking the Ursa in the chin knocking it back, the Grimm rose up on its hind legs unleashing a roar before charging towards the duo Blake and Ruby smirked, leaping out of its path the Ursa was met with the sight of a grinning Nora her grenade launcher at the ready, the red-haired bomber blasted the Grimm across the courtyard ending its life soon after.
Ren stood a few feet away from his partner opening fire on the retreating form of a Beowolf, Velvet darted past him kicking a Creep into the air Weiss leapt into the air after it forming several glyphs around the Grimm bouncing from one another delivering a barrage of slashes and stabs across its body.
Meanwhile, high above the ensuing battle below Cinder, Mercury, Emerald and Psycho Red stood atop one of the dormitories looking out over the academy at the carnage below the silver-haired boy capturing it all on his scroll.
"Beautiful" Cinder commented as she strolled towards the edge.
Emerald stared out over the chaos a sorrowful expression on her face. "It's almost... Sad" She said
"It's horrendous" Cinder breathed
"Are you getting all of this?" Psycho red asked
"Yep" Mercury responded
"Focus on the Atlesian Knights." Cinder ordered Mercury.
"Don't worry, I'm getting everything." the silver-haired teen responded almost gleefully.
"Good" Cinder smiles as she starts to leave "Continue the broadcast until the end " Suddenly the ground beneath them tremored causing emerald and Mercury to stumble Psycho red turned his head to the amber-eyed woman following her gaze towards the mountain in the distance. "And do not miss what happens next."
/
Glynda thrust her riding crop forward unleashing a telekinetic pulse launching an Ursa through the window storefront of a burning building, behind her Qrow decapitated two corrupted knights to his left before thrusting his sword through the chest of a third knight. Suddenly the ground beneath their feet tremored making the two hunters stumble, Qrow plated his sword into the ground using it to stay on his feet
Glynda stumbled but quickly managed to right herself, her wide emerald eyes turned towards the mountain in the distance "No..." she whispered
/
High above the battle below Ozpin stood behind his desk watching the battle on three holographic screens. One showing a bird's eye view of the battle going on in Vale, another of a group of Atlas soldiers barely holding back a deathstalker pushing further into the school grounds, and the last showing a group of civilians cowering on a rooftop the Grimm below slowly scaling the side of the building closing in on them.
Another screen appeared on his desk this one showing a video feed from the vault under beacon alongside a heart monitor system displaying Ambers vital signs, they were dropping and fast the machinery would keep her stable for now, but they had a few hours at most and with their current situation it didn't really matter, they were out of time, all of them.
It was time to call on their guardian.
Ozpin stood up from his desk, grabbing his cane he proceeded towards the elevator. However, he halted in his tracks as, yet another tremor shook the tower beneath his feet.
/
The abandoned city of mountain glen's ruins began to crumble further as another tremor shook the land its source coming from the very peak of the mountain that began to crumble as several cracks spread out across its surface, the mountain peak burst outwards blanketing the entire area in a thick cloud of dust, a low growl echoed from within the opening in the mountain as six fluorescent red eyes opened.
An ear-splitting roar echoed through the skies above as the dragon emerged from within the darkness, its massive form dwarfing any previously discovered Grimm in human history. It has rough black skin, with white bone-like spines along its body, including an external skull, rib cage and rows of dorsal spikes. It's large bat-like wings spread open and with a single beat of the two mighty appendages, the Grimm dragon took flight.
The dragon roared as it flies over the remains of mountain Glen, closing in on its destination Beacon Academy. As it flew over the Academy the dragon's body began to secrete a strange tar-like substance which began raining down on the city of vale below, and from these tar pits spawned various types of Grimm.
Team SSSN and JNPR stood alongside one another ready to combat the oncoming hoard. Jaune and Pyrrha exchanged looks the emerald spartan striking a similar pose to her partner. Team SSSN rushed forward into the fray, but before JNPR could join them Pyrrha froze, her eyes locked on the headmaster stood in the doorway of the tower.
"Pyrrha?" Jaune asked following her gaze to the headmaster.
"It's time." She said
"Oh..." Jaune said, without saying another word Pyrrha began walking towards the headmaster.
"Jaune?" Nora asked looking between him and Pyrrha in worry.
Jaune gaze remained locked on his partner before straightening up giving his teammates their orders. " I'm going to go with Pyrrha. You and Ren stay here and keep fighting with the others, we'll meet up with you and the others once this is done." Jaune turned back towards his partner and the headmaster just as the two of them disappeared inside the tower
"Good luck." Ren said Jaune nodded to his friends before racing off after the headmaster and Pyrrha.
All unaware of the amber-eyed woman watching them from above, Cinder stood atop one of the buildings overlooking the courtyard surrounding the CCT tower, watching as Jaune, Pyrrha and Ozpin enter the tower she closed her eyes a subtle laugh slipping past her lips as Psycho red walked up behind her.
"Found what you were looking for?" He asked
Cinder opened her eyes an unnatural glow shone within them. "Very."
And here we have it folks the second part to the fall of Beacon were closing in on the end of Volume three and things are starting to get a lot more interesting. It would seem despite our hero's best efforts and that of her teammates our favorite invincible girl has just about accepted her fate, we'll see just how that all plays out in the next chapter.
I hope you all enjoyed this chapter of Psycho remnant, as per usual remember to leave a review if you feel up to it constructive criticism is accepted and well appreciated on my part, and I will see you all in the next one this is Nightstalker33 signing out.