Chapter 63
Cries of joy filled the air as the Argus Limited finally pulled into Argus station. The throngs of tired and exhausted passengers celebrated their safe arrival. However, not everyone was happy with the circumstances.
"What should we do?" Pyrrha asked.
"I'm not sure," Jaune answered with a sigh. "I want to go search for them, but we don't know where they are. We could miss them or pass them by without knowing."
"But we can't just leave them out there!" Nora argued.
"But we don't have the training to track them down." Ren rebutted. "As Jaune said we would likely miss them."
"We can't search for them, but we can be ready for them. We can go talk to the Atlas base here for a ship and find a place to put up for a few days. My sister lives here and she could probably set us up for a bit…"
"If we're looking for a place to stay," Pyrrha swallowed nervously, "there's always my parents' place."
"Wait, your parents live here?" Jaune asked as his heart beat a bit faster. Am I ready to meet her parents?! He wondered, for a brief moment forgetting how much danger his friends could be in. He kicked himself the moment he realised, however.
"I grew up here and they're still here. My mom is a florist and dad is a security consultant. Sometimes he works with the Atlas base too, so maybe he can help there."
Jaune swallowed. "Alright. Let's go meet up with our families and then check out the base. Sound good?"
They all agreed and set off into Argus proper.
Dawn came quietly and without incident, which put Ruby on edge as the soft light coming through the curtains pulled her from her slumber. Rubbing her eyes and looking around she was confused. Qrow was supposed to wake me up after a few hours… Ruby swallowed heavily and got up, retrieving her scythe.
She quickly found her errant uncle: drunk and asleep next to a window. She let out a tired sigh. I really don't have the energy to deal with this. I just want to go back to bed and sleep... Ruby furrowed her brow. Why was that feeling so strong? They should be trying to leave, not trying to sleep more.
Ruby pulled herself together and started to gently wake everyone else up.
"Ugh. I feel like that sleep just wasn't enough." Weiss complained as they gathered around the newly relit fire and cooked some cans of beans.
"I know what you mean. It felt like the most restful sleep ever, while also being the least." Yang whined.
"It was like the sleep just before a major operation. Restless." Adam added, rubbing his shoulders.
"We should get ready to leave as soon as we can." Ruby declared. Everyone nodded and sighed. The energy levels were getting really low. I need to give everyone a boost, but that sounds so tiring. It'd take too much energy to do that, so maybe I should sit back and rest. Ruby rubbed her forehead as that thought entered her mind. Why was she so tired?
She shook her head and, after a filling dish of beans, went outside with the others. Yang pulled up her bike while Qrow and Adam went and grabbed the trailer that had been found the night before. However, as they went and hooked it up…
A loud hissing sound came from one of the tires as it began to deflate. Qrow cursed and stomped off back to the barn to find a spare. Ruby let out a loud sigh.
"You all just attract bad luck, don't you?" Maria joked.
"I'm starting to feel like the universe really doesn't want us to reach Atlas." Yang grumbled.
"It's just gone flat, Yang. We can find a spare."
"Yeah but it's not just that is it? The crash, the… lamp. All the Grimm. It's just tiring. So… tiring…" Yang sighed.
"Yes." Weiss agreed. "It makes me wonder what we're even doing anymore. Fighting so many Grimm… Cinder and her allies…"
"Well, we signed up to fight." Ruby countered. Adam nodded but Oscar shook his head.
"We didn't sign up to fight an endless battle. I wanted to be a hero. To save the world. We can't do that though. We're just delaying the inevitable." He said, his voice filled with exhaustion.
"Last night I started to wonder," Weiss said. "Why are we even going to Atlas? Just because we were told to? I… I don't want to go back."
"Weiss we have to!" Ruby looked on worriedly.
"... I'd prefer to avoid Atlas as well…" Adam said, a hand coming up to rub his forehead.
"But-" Ruby started but Yang interrupted her.
"Ruby. Ozpin put the Relics behind giant doors inside of massive schools filled with trained warriors. But Salem knew that. The Grimm knew that. How long would it take for her to find a Relic in the middle of nowhere?"
"But we can't just… leave it!"
"We could bury it. Or… there's a well here. Throw it down there. It's just so tiring protecting some lamp." Yang's words struck a chord within her, but it felt… wrong.
It all felt wrong but so convincing… Why shouldn't she leave the Relic behind?
Ruby unclipped the lamp from her belt and walked to the well. All it would take is her tipping her hand and it wouldn't be her problem anymore…
A hand grasped her wrist, keeping her from dropping the Relic. She looked up to see Adam, his face twisted in confusion. "I… I think we should spend some more time thinking about this…"
"Yeah. I think you're right." Ruby agreed, her mind becoming clearer.
Yang and Weiss seemed to sigh in defeat. "Fine." Yang whined.
As Ruby began to pull back she saw something in the darkness of the well, but that wasn't all as a thin black arm sprang from the depths and wrapped its clawed hand around the lamp, dragging it back.
"Noo!" Ruby exclaimed. Adrenaline pumped through her body and she immediately leapt down, followed by Adam after he shouted to the others.
"Oscar stay here! Yang, Weiss, let's go!" He yelled. Ruby felt safer as her team joined her. She hadn't really noticed until now, but all of their eyes had seemed dilated before. But now that adrenaline was rushing through their bodies their minds were clear.
The well led down into a man-made system that was reminiscent of sewer systems in video games. With weapons drawn they made their way down the tunnel. Eventually, they came across the Grimm that was holding the Relic.
It was like a tall, lanky human but with horrific proportions. Long thin arms and legs that were practically skeletal. Its skin was stretched across its torso, becoming so thin you could see bony ribs peeking through. The monster turned its neck, staring at them with its horrid bony face.
"What is that?" Yang whispered, voice filled with horror. Ruby didn't have an answer and simply stared in horror.
Adam acted quickly however by launching his sword at it. He then raced forward, caught it after the hilt slammed into its head and then cut down, slaying the Grimm. He caught the lamp and threw it back at Ruby. She caught it and clipped it back to her belt.
They all sighed in relief and almost immediately Ruby felt that wave of exhaustion hit her. It was stronger than before. "What is… this…?" She wondered aloud as they all stumbled.
"RUN!" The voice of Maria shouted from behind them. As Ruby turned back she saw why. They'd missed that they were at a t-section in the tunnels, so focused on the Grimm holding the Relic. Down that other path was a horde of those Grimm, easily over a dozen, all turning and glaring at them.
"Go!" Ruby yelled. The group of five kicked off down the main path, soon coming to a hole in the wall that led to a cellar. However, as Adam led them into the room he grunted as another Grimm came from the side and attacked him. His formerly-crimson blade flashed and cut the Grimm down but it seemed to drain him more than normal.
They were all panting and huffing as they tried to climb up the nearby stairs towards a set of metal cellar doors. But with a sound like sucking in air, the rest of the horde arrived and drained their energy.
No! We can't… we… so… tired… Ruby collapsed with a groan. I… have to… I have… to…
Her mind was going blank as her energy drained away.
Damn it! Adam growled and slashed out. The Grimm didn't try to dodge his slow strike, even though it easily cut through and killed it. They didn't care if they were killed. Their very presence was draining them. Adam and Maria were the only ones left able to stand and even that was taking too much effort for the Faunus.
His blade slashed out again, taking another Grimm. His third attack however failed to cut deep enough. I have to protect them! He cried out within his mind as he poured his Aura into his Semblance, enhancing the Burn Dust within his sword to extreme levels.
With what amounted to a sword of pure fire he tore free and began cutting with wild abandon. The Grimm fell back like they were afraid of the fire. But only at first. His Aura quickly drained, not used to pouring so much at once. There was a high likelihood he wasn't being as efficient as usual too, with how tired he was.
Soon enough his flames sputtered out and the Grimm surrounded him. Ah, he thought as the Grimm grabbed him and pulled him deeper into their horde, this is how I go. It could be worse I guess… at least I was fighting for something good this time…
But then there was a flash of silvery light. It filled his body with a burst of hope as it burned into the monsters around him. It let him stumble back towards his team. What… was that!?
"What!?" Maria shouted in surprise, causing Adam to look back. "Ruby! What colour are your eyes!?"
"H-huh?" The tired and exhausted girl, currently collapsed just before the stairs upwards, let out signs of confusion.
"What colour!?" Maria repeated.
"S-silver?"
Adam watched as the elderly woman crouched next to Ruby. He wanted to see what was going on, but the Grimm were coming back so he turned to face them. I need to protect them. I won't let these bastards take my friends! "You'll have to get through me first!" He shouted and roared as he cut through them once again. For some reason, the exhaustion had abated, but he wasn't going to complain.
His now completely dull grey sword flashed as he struck at the beasts, hoping to at least push them back if not kill them. It was then that the light returned, but this time it was so much stronger. It filled the room, the people within and the Grimm. The light torched the creatures in front of him, obliterating them in seconds. He however was filled with a sense of hope and life.
A-amazing! What is this light? He turned back to see Ruby had sat up, her eyes still shining with light even as the cellar returned to its old darkness.
"Move!" Maria yelled, taking charge. Yang pulled herself from where she'd fallen and charged the door, breaking the lock on it and releasing them up into a storage room. Qrow looked over from a bar table with a weird look.
"Wah… where'd you all come from… and why are there… ten of you…" He blinked in confusion and looked back down at his mountain of empty bottles. "Woah…"
Ruby groaned and grabbed him, dragging him out of the house. Weiss took a second to set the room aflame before rushing out. Oscar was waiting with his cane in hand as they ran out.
"Go go! Let's go!" Ruby shouted. Yang jumped on the bike whilst everyone else hopped onto the trailer.
Within moments they were driving away from the burning farmstead. They all let out tired groans, but they felt different to those they'd exuded back at the farm.
"What… were those?" Weiss eventually asked.
"Apathy." Maria answered. "The old owner of that place detailed them a bit. They exhaust those around them, fill them with apathy. Eventually, you just stop getting out of bed. He wanted to use one to take the edge off his workers, but he failed to properly seal the tunnel before the rest of the herd came. They seem to travel in them, so it was his own damn fault."
"What was that light?" Adam asked, looking between Ruby and Maria.
Maria let out a laugh. "The power of Silver Eyes. The power of Life."
"That… what?"
"Who knows why it exists. All I know is that it's a power that can kill Grimm with but a glance. Once you learn how to properly use it, of course."
"But… how do you know?" Ruby asked.
"Because I had silver eyes! Come on kid, it can't be hard to figure that out!" Maria answered with a grin.
"Who are you?" Yang asked. "And I mean more than just your name."
"Maria Calavera and I used to be a Huntress! A pretty strong one in my time too. I even got a little nickname. What was it again? Oh right. People used to call me 'The Grim Reaper'. Good times. Before I lost my eyes to some mercenary named Tock. Who now that I think about it might have been working for this Salem woman. Huh."
"Wait, the Grim Reaper?" Qrow asked. When Maria nodded he let out a low laugh. "Incredible. I based my style and weapon on you. You were my hero…"
"Am I everything you hoped I'd be?"
"Hell no. I thought you were dead, but if I thought that if I'd meet you you'd be… cool! Not… an old hag."
"Hm. I think you're still drunk." Maria said as she whacked Qrow on his knee.
"Ah! Fuck!"
As he shouted in pain Ruby's scroll went off as Jaune called her, sounding excited to hear from them. They were relieved to find out how close they were to Argus. So close it'd only be another half hour in fact.
I feel like I could sleep for days… but maybe a nice meal would be better. Adam thought with a sigh and looked down at his sword. Wilt had lost all colour now, leaving it as nothing more than a grey blade. I guess my Semblance consumed all the Dust remaining. Hopefully, I can find a replacement, or get it reforged. But that was for the future. For now, he felt the need to relax a little. He'd need it before they tell JNPR about what they'd learned. Not looking forward to that.
The bike and trailer trundled onwards, towards the city of Argus.
A/N: Apologies for the delay, this week was surprisingly busy which kept me from writing as much as usual. Anyway, this chapter was fun. JNPR's arrival was nice, but the real meat was the RSTY escape. It is pretty similar to canon of course, but with a few differences. Adam's control over his emotions let him be a bit more resistant, causing the Apathy to be more forward about getting the Relic. This also let Adam stay standing to try and fight back near the end. He killed a few, but having a horde right around you is just too draining. To try and by some time he sacrificed the rest of Wilt's Dust abilities. I'm sure that won't have any adverse effects later. Next up, revealing to JNPR and meeting Pyrrha's parents! They've already appeared in my other current fic, Mission Successful, so some may have already seen what I went with. Hopefully, you guys like them!
Anywho I hope you all enjoyed and I'll see you next time!