Chapter Twenty-One: Forever Falling
"So what you're saying is you want me to go on a rescue mission for Grimm?" Phoenix asked Ozpin.
"Not exactly. I simply want you to find out what White Fang are planning on using the Grimm for and place a beacon so Ironwood's men can clear the area," the professor replied. He had been getting reports The White Fang were capturing Grimm in Forever Fall and asked Phoenix to check it out.
"Got any other info?" Ozpin shook his head.
"Wonderful," Phoenix groaned as he walked to the elevator.
"Phoenix, be careful."
"This me we're talking about here," he replied as the elevator door closed.
"That's what I'm worried about."
"So, got any dates planned for today boss?" Jenkins asked Phoenix as he got on the ship.
"I already told you it's not like that."
"That's not what the security footage shows," the pilot replied.
"What! You have cameras?" Phoenix exclaimed as he turned a bright red.
"Yep. That, and this ship really isn't that big"
"Oh God. Please don't tell anyone," he begged.
"Okay okay, calm down kid." Desperate to change the topic, Phoenix gave Jenkins a briefing of the mission. "If this is such a dangerous missions then where's your gear?" the pilot asked.
"Wouldn't do for me to walk around Beacon in the middle of the day dressed like that. Already sent it to the edge of the forest. Here're the coordinates," Phoenix explained as he showed Jenkins his scroll.
"Well well well, what do we have here?" Phoenix thought as he looked at the White Fang camp in a clearing from his vantage point in the trees. Both their tents and the crates where the Grimm were presumably being kept had the White Fang's logo on them. "They're not exactly trying to be subtle. Now to find out what they're planning. If this were some crappie story someone would conveniently talk about what they were doing while I was listening." With that, an Ursa with a collar around its neck and a few White Fang holding rods connected to it entered the clearing.
"Careful with that damn thing! We need to keep it alive until the Vinal Festival!" a man dressed in black and holding a katana who seemed to be the one in charge ordered.
"Well that was convenient."
While most of the Fang were distracted with trying to get the Grimm in a crate, Phoenix snuck into the largest tent, most likely the leader's, to plant the beacon and see if he could find out anything else about what they were planning. He was, however, only able to achieve the first of those two objectives before being shot through the tent.
"Who are you and what are you doing here human scum?" the person in black who was giving orders barked as White Fang forces began to surround him after they heard the shot.
"I could ask you the same question. Minus the human scum part," Phoenix replied. The forces surrounding him readied their weapons before the commander stopped them before they opened fire.
"It's been too long since I've been able to kill some filthy humans myself."
"I'll have you know I bathe regularly," Phoenix retorted, actually earning some snickers from a few of the thugs, though they quickly stopped.
"I am Adam Taurus, member of the White Fang and the last thing you'll ever see," he said as he placed his hand on his sword's hilt and walked toward Phoenix.
Phoenix drew his swords as well, but the second he did, Adam charged. Phoenix barely blocked his strike. After a few seconds of them clashing, Phoenix decided to end it. He delivered a kick to the man's chest and used the hooks to disarm him, sending his sword into the air. Adam, however, expected this and transformed his sheath into a gun, knocking Phoenix back. He then held up the sheath, which the sword fell into perfectly. Phoenix switched his swords to rifle mode and opened fire, only for all his shots to be blocked by the sword, which seemed to be absorbing their power somehow. Adam returned it to its sheath again.
"Interesting…" Phoenix thought, "His style seems to rely on quickly drawing his katana. If I can time it right, I might be able to land a hit without him having time to defend."
As the fight continued Phoenix found it more and more difficult to hold Adam off. He did have one advantage though. He'd been keeping track of how Adam drew his sword and how quickly he could draw it with the aid of his mask. The opportunity Phoenix had been looking for finally appeared. He fired multiple flame Dust rounds at Adam. The entire area around him burst into flames.
These flames quickly dissipated though. They appeared to be absorbed by Adam's katakana which was now glowing. Despite only being lit for a matter of seconds the fire had clearly done at least some damage. The clothes where the rounds had hit were badly burned, and the rest of his outfit was singed. This pushed Adam over the edge. He launched his sword from his sheath. Phoenix dodged it at the last second, and it embedded itself in the ground behind him. He dodged again, this time avoiding the katana's owner; Adam lunged at him while firing his sheath gun. Phoenix avoiding this attack let Adam retrieve his blade and attack him from behind. He wasn't able to react fast enough to defend himself. "GAAAHHH!" he screamed as a katana went through him. It was quickly pulled out and followed by a strike to the back. As Phoenix fell to the ground he took out his lighter. This effort proved futile when his hand, as well as the lighter, were stabbed. He was kicked so he was facing upward, and could feel ribs breaking. When he looked up he saw Adam looking down at him smiling. When he saw Phoenix try to move he stabbed his katana into his shoulder. He began to walk around Phoenix, taunting him and asking if he truly thought he could defeat him.
"So tell me boy, who sent you here?"
"Piss off!" Upon hearing that Adam returned to his katana and twisted it in Phoenix's shoulder.
"Gaaahhh!"
"It matters little. You failed your mission. Tell me how that feels, knowing that you couldn't destroy us."
"Who said that was my job?" he replied, struggling to remain conscious. Just as he said that a large shadow loomed overhead.
"We're outmatched! Run!" one of the White Fang yelled when he saw the Atlesian battlesh
Adam pulled his katakana out of Phoenix and prepared to deal the killing blow. "I wish I could draw this out longer, but-" he was cut off by music blasting in the distance. "What the hell is that music?" Phoenix, even in his current state, couldn't help but grin when he recognized the tune and what it meant. "No matter. It's time for you to-" He was cut off again, this time by a hail of bullets and a familiar battle cry.
"LEEEEEEERRRRROOOOOYYYYYY JEEEENNNNNKKKKIIIIIINNNNNNSSSSS!" Realizing that he couldn't fight everyone, Adam retreated into the forest. The last thing Phoenix saw before losing consciousness was an airship descending by him.
Wow, that was intense. I figured since Adam's katana (I know it has a name I just don't remember and am too lazy to look it up) could absorb a giant laser it could absorb fire. Return of the RvB Puma theme! Anyway, thanks for reading!
