Chapter 7

Chaos. That was the only word Ruby could think of at this time. The Grimm had invaded the city, the White Fang attacking innocents, and now Atlas robots attacking anyone it sees! It was pure chaos. Was this a battle that she and her friends couldn't win?

No. She couldn't think like that! There has to be a way to stop them all, and save Vale!

After witnessing General Ironwood's dropship explode and crash, with him inside, Ruby couldn't just sit back and watch any more as she jumped out of the dropship she and the others used to escape.

As Ruby jumped out of the dropship, she landed right back at the colosseum. It was crazy, but she had an idea that could help the hunters more in this fight.

Ironwood mentioned that someone hijacked his main ship and is controlling his robots. She had to get there now. But how? Well let's just say she remembered when Jaune mention Cardin bullied him at the time, he shoved the poor blonde boy into his locker, activated its rockets, and flew him out of the school.

That gave her the idea to find a nearby locker, hook onto it, and ride towards the main ship.

And she did just that.

Landing on the ship moments later, Ruby saw a large Grimm flying past by her as Griffons followed it. Seeing her as food, one of the Griffons attacked Ruby. Acting quickly, Ruby grabbed her scythe, and slashed at the Grimm. Causing it to be sliced in half. In seconds, it dissolve into dust.

Seeing this shocked Ruby as she questioned herself.

("That's weird.").Ruby thought. ("Usually Griffons are hard to fight, but I beat it easily. What's going on? Could it be because of what happened at the arena? Did I really hear Penny's voice? And...Did I really beat Nevermore by myself? When did I get this strong? What's happening to me?")

*Snap*

"Huh?"

Hearing a camera go off, Ruby turned around and saw someone she recognized. It was one of Roman's people. Neo was it? If she is here, then that means Roman is here too! Not good!

Ironwood's ship, Main Deck.

Hearing his Scroll going off, which interrupted his fun, Roman looked at it and saw a picture on the screen with a familiar face on it with the words 'guess who?'.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't little red. 'Guess it's about time I head out there and say hello."

Back with Ruby, the young teen stared at Neo as she kept her guard up incase she attacked, while Griffons were flying around them waiting to make their move.

Before anything began.

"Little red, little red, what are you doing here? Didn't your parents teach you not to jump onto flying ships without their permission?"

"Roman." Ruby said as she raised her scythe as the criminal appeared behind Neo.

"Long time no see kid! Missed me?"

"Grrr!"

"Feeling is mutual. But I'm afraid you are spoiling my fun, and I hate it when people spoil my fun! Neo?"

Knowing what that means, Neo began her attack towards Ruby as she dashed towards her with great speed.

Seeing this coming, Ruby began to swing her scythe at Neo with everything she had.

Neo jumped at Ruby to kick her, but the teen raised her scythe to block the attack and shoved her back. Landing back on her feet, she saw her opponent swinging her weapon towards her. Neo simply stepped aside as the attack missed. Ruby attacked again, but multi-haired criminal dodged again, again and again!

With Neo's flexibility, she just couldn't be touched! Every swing, was a miss! It was like a dance to her!

Needing some space, Ruby twirled Crescent Rose around herself, and threw it at Neo as it spun around. As usual, Neo dodged it as she somersaulted backwards. As her weapon came back, Ruby impaled her scythe into the ship and fired a round.

*Bang*

As the bullet made contact, Neo shattered into glass. Only to meet Roman pointing his cane at Ruby and fired.

*Bang*

Hitting Ruby with the blast, she was blown away from him as the wind carried her. Acting quickly, Ruby impaled Crescent Rose into the ship once more, stopping her from flying away.

She looked up and saw Roman walking towards her and said.

"Little red, little red...You are just determine to be the hero of Vale aren't you?"

"What are you doing?!" Shouted Ruby. "Without these ships, the Grimm will destroy everything!"

"That's the plan!" Replied Roman as he raised his cane towards Ruby's head to finish her.

Quickly, she grabbed the cane and pulled it away from her as Roman fired a round which caused him to lose his balance away from her.

Getting up, Ruby saw Neo running towards her. She prepared herself, but saw her jumping over her and kicked Ruby on the head, the red hooded girl shook off the pain, and raised her scythe to fight back, but Neo acted quicker as she kicked Ruby again as it forced her to the edge of the ship. Ruby quickly stop just in time before she fell.

Needing more answers from Roman, she asked.

"But why?! What do you even get out of it?!"

"You're asking the Wrong questions kid! It's not what I have to gain. It's that I can't afford to lose!"

Knowing this fight has gone long enough, Ruby attacked again as she ran towards him. Only to meet Neo again as she hopped over his back, and kicked her back away from him.

Getting angry and tired of her, Ruby raised Crescent Rose once more to fight back, but Neo jumped onto the weapon, and hopped off, then raised her umbrella down to strike, Ruby blocked the attack, but Neo used her umbrellas handle to grab onto the scythe, pulled it down, and flipped Ruby over her shoulder to kick Ruby towards Roman.

Seeing his opportunity to attack, Roman bounced the tip of his cane as it caused it to fire a round, and hit Ruby back again. Getting his cane back, he fired another round, hitting her again, making Ruby to fall off the ship. Luckily, her scythe impaled on the edge of the ship, she quickly grabbed it as it saved her from falling. And being food to the Grimm.

"I may be a gambling man," Roman said as he walked towards Ruby. "But even I know there's some bets you just don't take!

Neo pushed a button on her umbrella, a large knife appeared on the tip of it. She grind the blade on the ground and pointed it at Ruby.

"Like it or not, the people who hired me see going to change the world! You can't stop them. Hell, even with all of my connections, I can't stop them!"

Still hanging on for dear life, Ruby had to think of something! Lucky she saw a button on Neo's umbrella that opened it! If she could just reach it…

"You know the old saying, if you can't be 'em…"

Ruby reached out her hand to push the button and…

Neo pulled back her umbrella. She missed!

"...Join someone else who can beat 'em!"

"Huh?"

Ruby then saw what she didn't expect… Neo took out her hand to help the teen from falling!

Not having any choice, and desperately hanging on for dear life, Ruby grabbed Neo's hand, and was back on the the ship.

Wondering why did they save her life, Ruby asked.

"You...helped me? But why? Your working for those that caused this mess!"

Roman sighed.

"That may be true little red, but I'm not really working for them. I'm actually working with your old man!"

"What?!" Yelled Ruby as she discovered that her father is working with a criminal! "But...But how?! How does a criminal like you work with my dad?! He would never-"

"Listen kid, long story short, he helped Neo and I out of a jam, and we owed him a favor. Which eventually led us to become best friends. Alright? Plus, I called Dante to come all the way over here to Vale, and told him about the plan my former bitch of a boss was planning while I was in my cell in this damn ship!"

Hearing Roman's story was...unexpected. The reason her father was here is because, Roman, the man who's partly responsible for all this, is her dad's best friend, and hired him to help stop the real mastermind behind this mess.

Ruby had nothing to say except…

"What the fu-"

*Bonk*

"Ow!"

"Language!" Said Roman as he hit Ruby's head with his cane. "Listen Red, what happened between me, and your friends, I'm sorry. I had no choice! They came to me since I was the only crime boss in town who had the guts to break the law at the time. So yeah, that's the story in a nutshell."

"Oh. Well that explains the dust robberies, working with the White Fang, the fight with you in that giant mech, and that incident in Mountain Glenn." Replied Ruby as she found out Roman was forced into those situations. So he wasn't a bad guy at all! Right?

"Yeah. That's right. I would tell you the rest but seeing how the city is in, we'll talk later. From now on, I'm on your side. No tricks or anything. You do what you do, and I'll work on shutting down the Atlas mechs from here. Sounds good?"

As much as she hate to admit it, the former criminal was right. The time for questions, and answers will have to wait. There was a chaotic battle going on, and it needs to stop!

Ruby nodded in agreement as Roman replied.

"Good! Now, go out there, and kick some ass!"

"Hey you swore!"

"That's because I'm older than you. Now get going!"

With a groan, Ruby grabbed her scythe, and placed it on her back as she walked towards the edge of the ship and looked around. There were still Griffons flying around the ship. If she were to jump off, it would be suicide. Mostly due the Grimm surrounding the area.

Luckily, she had a jetpack. Which is also a weapon.

Ruby closed her eyes as she concentrated on using her backpack. The metal case opened, its swords, connected to wires, flew out as it spread out like wings behind the teen girl. The blades folded open , green orbs glowed on its barrels as it became brighter and brighter.

Ruby opened her eyes as she looked her her recently acquired weapon. She nodded as it was ready to take off.

Without hesitation, Ruby jumped off.

Falling straight down, the young teen did nothing as the Grimm around her saw their next meal. Acting quickly, the flying creatures dashed towards the girl and, prepared themselves to fight each other for their meal. Getting closer and closer, the Grimm opened their beaks and, claws as they got ready attack.

Then.

*Boom*

Ruby's 'jetpack' activated just in time as she nearly escaped from the hoard of Grimm as it's lasers burned them into dust as she flew away from the area with amazing speed. With the atlas robot threat being taken care of, Ruby's new objective was to help the others in the battle for the city.

Back on the ship, Roman, and Neo looked at Ruby as she flew back into the city to fight once more.

The former criminal grin and said, "*Scoff* Show off. Not as stylish as her old man, but it's a start."

Neo nodded and shrugged her shoulders as she too was a bit impressed.

"Right then. Come on Neo! It's time to get to work!

Vale, Downtown.

Well this is just peachy. The city is under attack! Big surprise there. But there was nothing Dante could do if there wasn't any evidence to arrest those bastards Mercury, and Emerald to prevent all this. Including their third member who is a mystery whose name is a mystery. But at least Roman's Intel was true, otherwise he would pay him a visit and beat it out of him despite being a criminal, and a good friend.

("So this was their plan.") Thought Dante as he fought together with Glynda in the city. ("Cause a big ruckus in the colosseum where the rest of the world, and the city can see. Causing negative emotions to attract the Grimm here. Smart. Evil too. Not only the Grimm are here even the racist White Fang are here! Even worse, the general's robots have turned on us. Damn him! When I see him I'm gonna-")

"Dante! Watch out!"

"Woah!"

*Bang* *Bang* *Bang*

Dante rolled to the side as I dodged the gun fire from the atlas robots. He pulled out one of his pistols, and fired back.

*Bang* *Bang* *Bang*

Blowing holes into the machines caused his targets to fall down dead as more just kept coming. It was like an all you can eat buffet!

"*Phew* Thanks Glynda. You just saved my skin. And added more kills to my score Meaning my total is sixteen!"

"Dante this isn't a game!" Yelled Glynda as she flicked her crop towards more mechs as purple beams shot from it and knocked them down. "Eighteen."

"*Pfft* This isn't a game you say? Then why are you counting?"

With his sword in his hand, Dante slashed more mechs that were in his way. He ran towards one and sliced one in half. One of the robots charged at the man, and used the butt of its rifle to knock him down. Faster than the mech, Dante blocked the attack with his sword, and fired his gun at its torso, making it fall down lifeless. Turning around, more atlas mechs came running towards him and Glynda.

Smiling, Dante threw rebellion in a spinning motion towards the enemy as they were helplessly cut down. Seeing them in pieces, he called back his sword with a wave from his hand. The large weapon stopped moving as it came flying back at its owner and returned caught with one hand only.

Looking back at Glynda, Dante smiled and said.

"And that makes twenty five."

"*Hmph* Show off. Your going easy aren't you?"

"Obviously. If I did, you wouldn't have anything to fight."

"And there goes my job too."

"Uh huh!"

*Bang* *Bang* *Bang*

Hearing gunshots near by, both adults turned and saw a familiar face they didn't expect.

It was General Ironwood. Alive!

Walking on the streets, Ironwood looked like he had seen better days as his once proudly worn uniform, were now torn as his cybernetic augmentations on the right side of his body were now exposed. With his high powered revolver on hand, Ironwood fired left and right in groups of his robots and Grimm as they were easily taken care of in matter of seconds.

As the Grimm and robots were taken care of, Ironwood spoke.

"This area is secure, we need to-"

*Zap*

A red thunder bolt striked down on the ground as a flash of light blinded the people nearby. The light died down, Ironwood and Gylnda adjusted their eyes to see what happened, only to see a mysterious humanoid creature near them. It was colored red with a familiar huge sword on its hand, as it's eyes glowed yellow. In all their battles, both hunters fought all kinds of Grimm, but this one looked different. It was definitely not a Grimm, it looked...demonic!

By the looks of it, it looked pissed!

"Dante…?" Said the General as he gave a worried look.

The red creature charged at Ironwood with its sword as it had no intentions of stopping!

"Dante wait! This isn't my doing!"

The red creature didn't listen as it jumped in the air and raised its sword. Ironwood quickly prepared himself as the creature attacked, only to see it pass by him and stabbed its sword into a Griffon behind him! With the Griffon impaled into the ground, The red creature pulled out two pistols and fired at the Grimm without mercy at a rapid pace. It stopped firing, the Grimm showed no signs of movement after being shot at what it looked like a million times before it disintegrated into dust.

The red creature turned to face Ironwood as another, yet weak bright light, flashed around it and revealed Dante with a upset look.

"*Sigh* Dumbass. Of course you didn't do this. I've known you for a long time James, you would never do anything like this. But that doesn't mean nothing has changed between us."

Sighing in relief, Ironwood was glad he was still allied with Dante. But he was right, being saved doesn't change the fact Vergil's death was his hands. But he had orders to do whatever it takes to finish the mission. No matter if it costs the lives of others. Damn the previous General for causing this mess in the first place!

For now, Ironwood, focused on the present, as he had to save many people as he can.

"I understand. But right now we have bigger problems to deal with. Someone has done the impossible, and taken control of my machines. And that enormous Grimm seems to be fixated on the school. Glynda! Form up with the local huntsmen and establish a safe zone here in the city. We need to evacuate beacon. Dante, I'm leaving you in charge of my men, you are the best hunter I know at this moment who can lead! As for me, I need to get to my ship, and stop whatever is-"

A loud noise capture the group's attention as a large ship landed a couple of yards next to them. It was Ironwoods ship!

The doors open to reveal-

"Ah...what a happy landing! See Neo? I told you I could land this thing!"

The criminal's partner gave him an annoyed look as she wanted to pilot the ship too. But she shrugged it off as there will be another time to fly the ship.

"Alright then let's-"

"What the hell is this?!"

Roman looked in front in him and saw the General of atlas with an angry look, along with Dante and Glynda net to him. He smiled and said.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't the General himself. You look like if you been through hell. Those robotic limbs of yours quite nice on you!"

"Shut it scum! What are you doing with my ship! Most importantly, how did you get loose!"

"Wouldn't you like to know."

"Sup Roman! Sup Neo!

"Dante! Good to see you buddy!" Replied Roman as Neo wave back.

"What the?! Dante! You know these people?" Ironwood asked as he

"Of course I do. We're best buds! And one of my contacts!"

"What?!" Yelled both Ironwood and Glynda as they wonders how did he know these two!

"Dante! Have you gone rouge on us?!"

"What are you talking about Glyn? Of course not! I'm still on the good side! It's just that Roman here has been a good buddy of when I was still in school at the time."

"Wha-What?!"

"Anyway, you two can relax, Roman is on our side now!"

"That's right! Now then, if you people want to make things easier on yourselves, come on board! We got people to save!"

Not arguing with that, Dante walked towards the ship and went inside. As for Glynda as James, they hesitated as they didn't trust with the criminal. But seeing how their situations is, they had no choice but to board the ship and go along with it.

As they entered the ship Ironwood said.

"It's hard to see you bring an ally at this moment. And being friends with Dante. But I'll have to deal with it for now."

"You and me both."

"Right then. Let's get a move on. Since this ship is what's controlling my machines I'll have to stop what's causing them to turn on us."

"Don't worry General I know what's causing this, but however I'm not good with computers, let alone turning it on and off. I was wondering of you know how to stop a virus."

"A virus you say? Well that's no problem, I can take care of it. You fly this ship and I'll taken care of the main problem."

"Deal!"

With that, the ship lifted off the ground and began to search for survivors, and help those are in need assistance.

The situation may have turned, but for how long can this luck last as the battle for Vale continues…

To be continued...

Authors Note: Hey guys merry Christmas! I hoped to enjoyed the chapter as I kept roman alive in this story. What do to guys think? Sorry if it felt rushed and not enough action, I'm just feeling a bit under the weather and I wanted to end it there. Keep an eye out for the next chapter! See ya!