And here's the next chapter! Sorry it's late, school and work are really killing me ^^; (I wrote most of this chapter in the middle of the night while tired so it might be a little less polished). This has a similar formatting as Torchwick's segment two chapters ago, so it might be a little confusing due to FF's formatting of docs.
Nier: Automata has great desert scenery/fighting music btw.
The desert sun beat down on her as she slid down the dune; her cloak fluttering around her. The Blue Sand Desert was a dangerous part of Vacuo; Amber had heard stories of the week long sandstorms, of the Raiders and Nomads who lived out here, of the giant worm Grimm who made their homes in the sand.
The village had already sent her belongings to the next village, but there was too much stuff for her to ride with the truck. She slid to a stop, and started walking, using her staff as a walking stick. The next village wasn't terribly far away but it was still a pain to have to walk all the way there.
There was a flash on the horizon, and Amber narrowed her eyes. Another flash. She could hear the distant sound of gunfire. She grit her teeth as she started to run.
She climbed the dune, sand spraying as she reached the top. Several camels lay dead in the sand, their blood turning the sand purple, the others panicking. Piles of boxes and bags littered the ground, merchants taking cover behind their goods as raiders fired at them. Amber sneered, and ran down the dune. The merchants saw her coming, yelling in fear, and then confusion, as she vaulted over their cover with a yell.
She threw up her hand, the bullets hitting her telekinetic barrier. Some of the raiders stopped firing for a moment, looking at her in confusion before they resumed firing. She snarled, and rolled out of the way as her barrier broke. She sprang up, fire spewing from the end of her staff. One of the raiders screamed in pain, flames engulfing his body, and he fell to the ground, swatting at his body and rolling in the sand. Several of the other raiders stopped firing at her, rushing to their burning friend to try and put him out.
Amber charged forward, and leapt into the crowd of raiders. She slammed the White Dust end of her staff into the ground, sand spewing into the air. Several of the raider's screamed, clawing at their eyes as the sand hit their faces. She kicked one of the raider's in the calf, grabbing his neck with her staff as he fell. She jerked her staff to the side, hearing his neck snap, and dropped his body, throwing up her barrier as a raider fired at her, the shotgun slug stopping in the air. She dropped her barrier, ducking down as he fired, and slammed her staff into his gut, slashing up and flames shooting out as she slammed her staff into his face. He screamed, fire consuming his head before he collapsed.
She spun around, catching a raider's sword with her staff. He pulled back, slashing at her, and she spun her staff, catching each of his blow, before she twirled her staff and stabbed the end of it into the ground. He screamed in surprise as he was launched into the air, and Amber turned to face the other raiders.
The ground shook, and Amber stumbled, falling to her knees. She looked up to see the raiders stare at the ground in horror as it shook again. They turned and ran, leaving their dead behind. She grimaced as she heard it breach the surface, its roars deafening.
She leapt forward, turning in the air to face the Sandworm. Its skin was ink black, ebony white bone armor covering most of its body. It had no eyes, its maw filled with teeth. She skidded to a halt as she landed, sand spraying up, and grit her teeth as the worm reared back. Lightning shot from its maw, the sand turning to blue glass where the lightning struck it.
She dashed forward, her hair standing on end, as she ran past the lightning. She leapt into the air, shooting herself further up with the White Dust end of her staff. The worm was slow to react, raising its head as she fell onto its body. She landed with a grunt, stabbing her spear into a crease in its armor, black blood starting to trickle from its skin. She grit her teeth and turned her spear, flames spewing out and into the worms hide.
The worm roared, thrashing about, lightning shooting in various directions, and Amber tightened the grip on her staff as it tried to throw her off. Amber gasped as she felt the worm start to sink back down into the sand, and she yanked her staff free of its hide. She collapsed her staff and ran up the worm's body, sprinting and leaping off its head.
She tumbled when she hit the sand, and whirled to look back at the worm as it disappeared into the blue. Her breathing was ragged, and she staggered to her feet after a moment. She looked over at the awed merchants, and flashed them a smile.
"Care to give a girl a lift?" she asked with a laugh.
The airport of Vacuo City was crowded and loud, people bustling past her as she stood in line. The building was built of clay bricks, a faded brown color. Flags fluttered in the hot breeze. The ground rumbled with every airship take off. Amber drummed her fingers on the trolley, sweating as the sun beat down, the breeze doing nothing to stifle the heat.
"Next!"
Amber smiled as she pulled the trolley full of her boxed up belongings up to the window. The teller was a gruff faced jackal Faunus, his teeth sharp.
"Where ya headed?" he asked.
"Vale City. I'm moving there." Amber said, pulling out her wallet. The teller made a noise; Amber wasn't sure if it was a grunt or a chuckle. He printed the ticket, and she handed him the Lien. He handed her the ticket.
"I've been to Vale. Nice place, if you're human." He said. Amber cocked her head to the side.
"What do you mean?" she asked. He chuckled darkly.
"You'll find out, kid." She gave him an odd look as she left, heading to the airship marked on her ticket. She could hear the man bark out another 'next!' as she lugged her belongings behind her.
Amber kicked the apartment door open, grunting as she carried her boxes in. The room was small, the kitchen smaller, and the bathroom was laughable. But it was what she could afford, and it was close to a convenient store that sold microwave ramen and cheap beer so it wasn't all bad.
She set the boxes down, and flopped down onto the futon with a groan. That was the last box, all moved in. She leaned back, resting her neck against the cushion. She was really here, she was in Vale; she was going to be a doctor. She smiled, and pulled her scroll out, checking her bank account. What better way to celebrate than eating your first pizza in your new apartment. She grimaced when she saw her funds. Or maybe that microwave ramen at the corner store, that worked too.
Her keys jingled as she unlocked her mailbox, her nerves eating at her guts as she pulled out the letters. She tucked them under her pit and closed the slot, locking it.
She pulled her hood up as she made her way up the stairs; would it kill this place to invest in a heater?
She opened the door to her apartment, locking the door behind her as she entered. She flicked the kitchen light on, sorting through her mail. Rent, college loan bill, oh cool her medical magazine had come in. She started to flip through it, skimming the pages, her scroll a heavy weight. She glanced up from the magazine repeatedly, checking the microwave clock. Almost time.
Her scroll rang and she yelped, dropping the magazine and fumbling to pull her scroll out. She swiped the screen and put it to her ear.
"Hello?" she asked.
"Hello, may I speak to Amber Cadere?" a stern male voice asked. Amber nodded before realizing he couldn't see her.
"This is she."
"I wanted to inform you that your internship was approved. You'll be starting next week." Amber smiled.
"Thank you! I look forward to working with your hospital!" The man hung up, and Amber clutched her scroll to her chest, bouncing up and down, squeeing in joy.
Amber sighed as she exited the hospital, her scrubs filthy. She stood under the canopy, grimacing as the rain came down, her breath coming out in a silver mist. She opened up her umbrella and pulled the hood of her jacket up, thankful for the warmth.
The walk home was a long one; it would be some time before she could afford a car, and she didn't trust the bus. Not after last time. The sky was dark, clouds hiding the stars as she walked. The sidewalk was illuminated by the buildings and the headlights of the passing cars, the slick concrete appearing white and yellow.
Amber paused, her head perking up as she noticed a woman standing at the edge of the sidewalk, staring at the passing traffic sullenly. Her silver hair was pulled into a messy bun, her skin a deep brown, and her antler's stubby in length. She had no umbrella, and the hood of her jacket rested on her shoulders. The woman raised her foot, and took a deep breath.
"Ma'am?" Amber said. The woman hesitated, her foot dangling over the curb. The woman turned her head.
"Yes?" she asked, her voice emotionless. Amber shifted the umbrella, a car passing by them.
"I was going to go get a drink. Do you wanna join me?" The woman cocked her head to the side.
"What kind of drink?" she asked.
"What kind do you like?" The woman hesitated for a moment before speaking up, her voice quite, almost inaudible over the traffic and rain.
"Coffee is good." Amber smiled at her.
"I know a good place that's open this late." She motioned with her head to her umbrella, and held out her hand. The woman looked at her hand, and stepped away from the curb, taking it. Amber didn't let her hand go as she positioned the umbrella to cover her. She started to walk, keeping her pace slow, trying to desperately remember the Faunus friendly coffee shop she had passed before. "What's your name?" she asked. The woman looked down at her feet, and Amber gave her hand a gentle squeeze.
"Hazan." She said a few blocks later.
Thunder boomed, lightning lighting up her bedroom. The fan spun lazily, squeaking. Her blanket was tossed aside as she stared up at the ceiling, frowning.
She held her hand up, turning it as she looked at the back of her hand and the palm. She flexed her fingers, counting them. She still had five fingers; that was normal. She rested her middle finger on her thumb, hesitating.
Amber snapped her fingers, a green flame materializing above her thumb. She cocked her head to the side, running a finger through the fire. It was warm but it didn't burn. Her frown deepened as she shook her hand, the flame dying. She sighed, resting her hand on her head.
What was happening?
Ozpin leaned against his cane, mist spraying against him as the wind blew, and the rain poured down. He looked from the apartment door number to the text Qrow had sent him; 611212. He pocketed his scroll, and adjusted his glasses before knocking on the door.
He could hear her moving around behind the door before it unlocked. It cracked open a smidgen, golden brown eyes peering out. They narrowed in suspicion as they looked him over.
"Who are you?" Amber asked.
"My name is Ozpin. I am the Headmaster of Beacon Academy. You're Amber Cadere, correct? An intern at Vale Hospital?" Amber hesitated, eyeing him before nodding.
"I am, what do you want?" He pulled out his scroll, pulling up the picture of her.
"Do you remember this woman?" he asked. The door cracked open a bit more, and Amber stepped into the doorway, taking his scroll and studying the picture. She nodded.
"Yeah. I went and got coffee with her a few months back. Why?" She asked, handing him back his scroll. Ozpin pocketed it, adjusting his glasses so he wouldn't have to look at her as he spoke.
"She was found dead in her home some time ago. The VPD have ruled it a suicide." Amber blinked several times, her mouth opening and closing.
"That…. that's awful." She said finally.
"You were the last woman Hazan saw before her passing. I wanted to check in with you, see how you were doing."
"I was doing a lot better till I heard that she killed herself," Amber said.
"Of course." Ozpin peeked past her shoulder, looking into her apartment, Amber narrowed her eyes, closing the door behind her.
"Why are you really here?" Amber asked. "You don't just show up at someone's front door to tell them a stranger they barely knew killed herself." Ozpin shook his head, smirking. "You think this is funny?"
"Far from it. But I'm impressed that you were able to see through me so easily. I did come here to inform you of Hazan's tragic passing, but I am more interested in you at the moment, Amber." Ozpin took a step forward, Amber stood her ground. "Since the day you met Hazan have you been experiencing anything odd? Like you can do things you didn't think were possible?"
Amber stared at him, her eyes untrusting, before she finally nodded.
"Have you ever heard the Story of the Seasons?"
Amber stared at her lap, Ozpin sitting in the chair across from her.
"Do you believe me?" Ozpin asked. Amber nodded. She could make fire appear from nothing, that had to be magic. Her semblance didn't allow her to do that.
"So what do I do now? The Maidens are meant to be a secret, right? Am I going to have to leave here and go live like a hermit or something?" Ozpin shook his head with a chuckle.
"No, nothing that drastic. But you will have to come with me for the foreseeable future. You need training; to learn how to use your powers. And there is still much more that you need to learn. Once your training is complete you can return here, to your normal life. I'll just need you to keep in contact with us, and to occasionally go outside of the Wall to protect any villages we hear about that are in danger. And of course you need to keep all of this a secret, we don't need a panic on our hands." Ozpin stood up, and held out a hand. "Are you ready, Amber?"
Amber snorted, and grasped his hand.
"Like I really have a choice." She said. Ozpin frowned, and dropped her hand, heading to the door. Amber looked around her apartment for what felt like the last time before following after him.
Her horse trotted down the road, swaying her gently. Her eyes were downcast, her hood pulled up.
She should be able to reach the village Qrow had mentioned by the end of the day, if luck was on her side. It wasn't terribly far from Vale, just a week by horse. She didn't have any pressing schoolwork and the hospital was kind enough to let her have that time off.
She slowed her horse to a walk, cocking her head to the side. There was a young girl with mint green hair sitting alone and crying in the middle of the road. Amber blinked, gently pulling on the reigns to get the horse to stop. She hopped out of the saddle; she could afford a delay in her trip if it meant helping that little girl.
And that's it. Hope you liked it! ^_^
Here on out is the part of V3 I've been looking forward to the most: the Fall of Beacon.