Chapter 28

Bad Luck Charm

"Speech"

'Thoughts'

Flashback

"Scroll Communications / Tv"

Location / Date / Time Change

"Another day, another adventure!" Nora cheered, stretching her arms to the sky.

"So, what the plan for today, bunny-boy?" Yang teased Jaune, holding the map.

"Lots of walking." He said back.

"With a side of..." Ruby said hopeful.

"MORE walking." Vergil emphasized, looking over Jaune's shoulder.

Ruby dropped her head with a sigh. "Haven's a lot farther away than I thought."

"Wait, sis. How long did you think this trip would take?" Yang asked. All the others stopped walking and turned to the defacto leader.

"I DON'T KNOW!" She shouted back. "We grew up on an island, remember Yang?! The farthest I'd been before this journey was Beacon."

"That doesn't answer the question, Ruby." Aerith said back. "How long did you think it would take?"

"Maybe... two, three weeks." Ruby mumbled before walking a head.

"Weeks!?" Vergil shouted in shock as the others marched after her. "Have you ever seen a map of Remnant!? The trip to Haven is far longer than a few weeks!"

"How would you know?" Nora asked.

"Me and my brother had to guard cargo heading there on a job before... we split up." He explained, not wanting to stop and explain to the JNPR members about the death.

"Guys..." Ruby spoke up, making them all look forward to some old walls. "What is that?"

Nora jumped up on a fence post and looked over the wall. "Weird... the map says we shouldn't see another village for a few days." Jaune said, looking at the map.

"Those buildings looked... damaged." Nora said.

"There could be survivors! Lets go!" Yang launched through the gate and the others followed her, Vergil picking up the map throw by Jaune.

"This costs money!" He rolled it up and put it in his pocket before running after them. They ran past the gates and into the town and weren't horrified, but confused. There was no blood anywhere, moss had overtaken most ground and the buildings weren't damaged, they were incomplete.

"Anything!?" Yang shouted from inside a building.

"Nothing!" Nora shouted back.

"Clear here!" Vergil added, lifting a pallet off the sidewalk.

"Anyone else getting a creepy vibe here?" Aerith asked.

"Its like, this place was abandoned." Ren said. Ruby stared up at the tallest building in town as the others ran ahead. As much as she didn't want to admit it, she was a little scared of the empty town.

"I got something!" Yang shouted. Ruby ran over to the rest of the group as they huddled a small sign. The blonde pushed some vines out of the way, revealing the name on the sign. "Oniyuri... I'm guessing that's what this town was called."

"I've never heard of it." Nora said.

"That makes seven of us." Vergil added.

"No, I've heard of it." Ren spoke up. "This is essentially Anima's Mountain Glenn, except it wasn't completed. Years ago, the wealthiest members of Mistral were unsatisfied with the government was running things. Annoyed at the council, they polled their resources together and began building their own city, with laws made by them. One day, they even hoped it would be its own kingdom."

"Real patriotic of them." Vergil mumbled.

"Indeed." Ren nodded. "Still, many thought it would be the future." He walked away and stared down at the stone railing. "I know my parents did."

"So, what happened?" Ruby asked the one question on everyone's mind.

Ren brushed some dust off the railing, revealing five claw marks etched into the stone. "What always happens..."

"The Grimm..." Aerith whispered.

Ren turned and clenched his fists in anger. "Not just any Grimm..."

Ruby glanced over at Nora before Yang spoke up. "Wait, one Grimm did all this?"

Birds flew out of nearby trees before Ren could answer. "Let's get going." Jaune said. "This place is really creeping me out."

"That makes two of us..." Aerith nodded as they lead the others away from the sign. Yang and Ruby were the last to follow Ren through the gate, looking over their shoulders like someone was watching them.

Off in the distance, Tyrian and Neo watched the group through two binoculars. Tyrian lowered his after catching a glimpse of Ruby. "Let's get her."

Neo quickly lowered her own pair looked at him like the madman he is before typing up a sentence on her Scroll and showing to him. 'Are you crazy? It's seven on two! We should isolate her and take her without the others ever knowing we were there!"

"Where's the fun in that?" He jumped out of the tree and ran towards the town. Neo rolled her eyes at the crazy mans antics and put her Scroll in her pocket before jumping onto a building.

The group, lead by Ren, walked through the arch into the center of the destroyed town when he stopped and motioned for them to as well. "What's wrong?" Aerith asked as the whole group looked around. Ren listened to the sound of footsteps running towards them as he gripped his weapon, making the others do the same.

Tyrian jumped off a roof and landed infront of them, his gauntlets shifting into twin pincer-like blades. Laughing, he charged at Ruby when Yang tried to punch him. He ducked and kicked her legs out before swinging his blade at her. She grabbed one and blocked it before getting kicked in the gut, sending her flying back.

"Yang!" Ruby shouted as Aerith and Vergil caught her. The psycho charged and she blocked with her scythe before getting kicked in the face. He spun around and scratched her pole with his blade before jumping onto Jaune's shield and stared at the blonde with psychotic joy.

The other three looked up at the sight and were about to charge when an all too familiar girl jumped down and bowed to them. "You again!?" Yang charged her and Neo ducked before kicking her in the chin. Vergil charged with his gauntlets and swung at her, but every blow was moved to the side by the umbrella. The two locked eyes for a second before Neo rolled out of the as Aerith slammed her staff on the ground.

Neo jumped back as a crash drew their attention to a tower that Tyrian flew through on purpose. "We're not trying to start a fight!" Jaune shouted.

"Who are you?" Ren asked as Neo jumped off of Rebellion as Vergil swung it, making her land near Tyrian as he jumped on the ground.

"Who I am matters not to you." He told Ren as the other three ran over to the group. "Or you." He pointed to Nora. "Not you either." To Jaune. "Certainly not you." To Vergil. "Nor you." To Aerith. "Or..." He stopped at Yang. "No, you DO intrigue me." Neo stomped her feet and motioned him to keep his eyes on the prize. "No, we only truly matter to you..."

He pointed towards Ruby in the back of the group, making them stare at her, and her at him. "Me?"

The one word question made Tyrian laughed. "She-she really is clueless, isn't she?" He asked Neo. "How exciting this is!"

"What do you two want?" Yang asked, cocking her gauntlet.

"Oh, the rose has a dragon guarding her." He teased her. "It's nothing vile. I'm merely here to wisk her away with me."

"So what happens if she doesn't want to go with you?" Nora asked, stepping in front of Ruby.

A bored look plastered Tyrian's face. "Then we'll be forced to take her."

"That's not going to happen." Jaune said, stepping in front of the girls.

"I was hoping you'd say that..." Tyrian smiled as he charged and appeared behind him, his gauntlets ready to strike. Vergil swung his claymore at him and Tyrian ducked before jumping onto Jaune's shield as Ren fired at him. Neo spun and kicked Ruby away before she dug her scythe into the ground to stop herself from crashing into a building.

Aerith fired her gun at the tri-colored girl, who blocked every shot with her umbrella before jumping out of the way as Yang punched the ground instead of the thief.

Jaune swung his sword at at Tyrian and he bent out of the way before kicking the blonde in the back of the head. Neo flipped backwards as Vergil fired his pistols at her. Aerith swung her staff at her and the mute kicked it out of her hand before pulling the blade out of her parasol. Twirling the two around in her hand, she easily held off the two before jumping out of the way as Yang tried to punched her again.

Tyrian kicked Jaune out of the way before charging at Nora. Ruby smiled and looked down the scope before pulling the trigger. The round flew through the air as Tyrian watched it hit Nora instead of him. Tyrian slapped the side of his face in disbelief before bursting into laughter, missing the smile on Ruby's face. "Well, if that isn't hilarious, I don't know what is."

Sparks shot off Nora as she stood behind him. He turned around just as Nora charged behind him, her hammer ready to strike. "Buh-bye!" She swung her hammer and a massive explosions kicked up a lot of dust.

All the fighting stopped as they looked as Tyrian, a tail sticking out of his back, pushed back the hammer. "Surprise!" He brushed the hammer to the side and delivered a spin kick that pushed her back into Neo as he backflipped onto a railing and threw off his coat.

The mute jumped out of the way, leaving her wide open for Yang to finally hit her. As Neo hit the ground, her Scroll bounced on the ground until it was stopped by Yang's foot.

The action turned on the screen, showing the screensaver of Natsu and Spumoni. Yang picked it up and stared at it, making Neo smile as she showed off her illusion before turning back to normal. "You were her?" Neo nodded before charging her. She threw a punch that Neo slid under, grabbing her Scroll as she flipped over and landed on a railing, umberella opened.

Vergil and Aerith were about to charge her when Yang stopped them, remembering the train. "Wait. She's taunting us." Neo winked at her before tapping her nose.

"I'm starting to hate this girl." Vergil said as the stared up at the two.

"He's a... He's a Faunus..." Ren said about Tyrian.

"Just what is this about?" Ruby shouted. "The White Fang!? Roman Torchwick!?"

"Plastic soldiers and a toy General." Tyrian's tail wagged from side to side as he spoke. "My heart belongs solely to our goddess." Neo rubbed her bridge as she shook her head in shame.

"Cinder..." Ruby whispered, making Neo's shoulder's heave up and down, her smile showing the humor she found in that statement.

"Not in her wildest dreams." He said back. He jumped off the stone and landed behind Yang and Ruby before swinging at Ruby. Spinning her pole arm around, she tried to block the stinger before she swung at him. He bent out of the way before upper cutting her back. He turned to Yang and thrusted his stinger at her, making dodge the extra limb.

"We gotta help her." Jaune said. The others charged him, but Neo landed in front of them. The five charged her, but she easily dealt with them until they hit the ground, exhausted.

A crow flew towards the abandoned town as Yang threw a punch that missed. Tyrian wrapped his tail around her arm and flung her around like a rag doll before throwing her into a building. The bird flew passed a gate as Ruby charged the scorpion man. He dodged a swing beige punching her in the face again and again before sending her flying. He raced after and delivered a spin kick to her gut, depleting her aura.

The bird flew past a building and somehow turned into Qrow, who raced forward. Yang clutched her arm as she watched the Faunus walked over to her sister. His eyes turned purple as he trusted his tail forward. "Ruby!" A building exploded as Qrow landed in front and blocked the stinger with his blade.

Ruby looked up at her uncle as Tyrian laughed. The silver eyed girl smiled as Qrow looked down at her. "Hey..." He pushed the tail backwards before twirling his weapon around, turning at the same time.

"Well, as I live and breathe, Qrow Branwen." Tyrian chuckled before bowing. "A genuine Huntsman has entered the fray."

Qrow just stared at him, wondering who dropped him on his head when he was a baby, as Ruby picked herself up with her scythe and he turned to her. "Don't look at me. This guys weird, really weird."

Qrow turned back to Tyrian as he stood back up. "Look, buddy, I don't know who you are, but you're gonna leave my nieces alone."

Tyrian chuckled as his eyes returned to normal. "Why, friend, my name is Tyrian. And..." He glanced over to Neo. "I believe you've heard of her. But as for leaving them alone, that's not possible. Our orders from her grace were to retrieve this young girl, and that is what we will do. One does not simply ignore the Queen."

"The what?" Yang asked from the ground.

"Salem..." Qrow mumbled.

"Who?" Ruby asked.

"I think we're done talking, don't you." Tyrian asked as he crouched down.

"Couldn't have said it better-" The scorpion lunched off the ground and swung his blades. Qrow blocked them all and forced him, and Tyrian preformed a summersault stomp that missed. He flipped back and dodged a swing from Qrow before throwing a punch that Qrow matched. Their blades resonated with each other and forced the two back.

Qrow charged and swung his sword, which Tyrian blocked with his tail and blades. In a dance of metal and exoskeletal chitin, the two began to trade attempted blows at each other until Qrow jumped into the air and slammed his sword down. Tyrian blocked with his blades and the pressure wave that bounced off knocked off a roof.

Tyrain chuckled before his gauntlets cocked and started firing rounds, forcing the two to separate. With a sick laugh, the Faunus kept firing at Qrow, who spun his blade to block them.

Having briefly recovered from the onslaught from the mute, Ren and Nora charged for the Faunus. Nora raised her hammer to slam it down, only for Neo to pull it to the side and kick the hyperactive girl into Ren, sending them crashing to the ground. Aerith twirled her staff around and tried to hit Neo, only to have it blocked by the blade in the parasol. The two stared eye to eye until Aerith looked over to the side, making Neo follow her.

Vergil jumped off of buildings, landed and charged Tyrian with his swords. The distraction allowed Aerith to trip her up and slammed her boot down on Neo's chest, her staff pointed at her neck. "Now, let's talk..." Yang walked over, craking her knuckles

Tyrian looked over and grinned at him before kicking him like a mad man before charging at Ruby. Just before he could touch her, Qrow blocked the blades. "Stay away!" Qrow growled as he pushed the Faunus back.

"Fine!" Ruby ran over to the nearest building and jumped up to the roof before slamming her scythe down, looking down its scope. She tried to get a shot in, but the movements were so erratic that she couldn't.

Using his tail, Tyrian jumped over a swing before whipping his tail around. Qrow blocked the tip and swung again, only to engage in another game of 'trade the swings'. After the 12th round, Tyrian shot his tail at Qrow. It missed and as it pulled back, it wrapped around Qrows arm and ripped the sword out of his hand, sending it flying into a way.

Qrow rotated his wrist as Tyrian stood up straight, laughing as he did. A shot flew by him as he glanced over to the hole in the ground. With a gleeful hum, he blocked the rounds with his tail, not even looking at the girl.

Taking a page out of Yang's book, Qrow cracked his knuckles and socked Tyrian in the nose. Another punch and an uppercut forced he Faunus back before a straight kick forced him to the ground. He forced himself to his knee as Qrow walked over to his scythe.

He grabbed the handle and Tyrian charged him, forcing Qrow up on the wall. He pulled a trigger and the blade curved up before he ripped it out of the wall, catching a plank of wood and balancing himself on it. Tyrian jumped up and sliced the beam in half before falling down on Qrow, their blades glancing off.

Tyrian wrapped his tail around a beam and flung himself back up, firing at Qrow before almost forcing him off the ledge of the building. Qrow glanced over to an old beam and forced Tyrian off of him before running over to it. Tyrian jumped in the air and landed on the beam, breaking it in half. Qrow almost jumped off the roof before Tyrian's tail wrapped around his leg and pulled him down, making the entire roof collapse.

Ruby jumped off the roof and ran over to the dust storm, right next to Yang. The door exploded as they reached it and Qrow flew out of it, landing on his weapon as his maroon aura flashed. Tyrian launched out of the duct and charged at Qrow, how pulled his weapon out of the ground. He charged back but before impact, Ruby swung her own scythe and blocked the blades as Yang threw a punch that misssed.

"You guys!" Jaune shouted in concern as Ren stopped him from charging in.

"Do you wish to be taken!?" Tyrian asked the red head.

"No, but I'm not going to stand by and let anyone else get hurt." Ruby declared as the the family members charged. Qrow and Ruby swung his weapons and Yang threw her fists. The blades were blocked by the gauntlets and Tyrian's tail wrapped around Yang's arms before flinging her to the side. He kicked Qrow away before turning his attention to Ruby.

She swung her scythe and he his gauntlets before thrusting his tail forward. Ruby gasped in a panic before Qrow blocked the tail before the blades. "What did I tell you!? Get back!"

"He picked a fight with us!" Yang shouted. "And we're gonna finish it!" She charged the Faunus and threw a punch that launched a blast. Tyrian jumped over it and wrapped his legs around her neck and one of her arms in a chokehold.

"No!" Ruby charged him and Tyrian swung her sister at him, sending both crashing to the ground under the roof. They stood up as the roof fell over heading straight for them. Qrow sliced it half as they shared a smile before he gasped in pain. The three looked down as the tail scratched his chest.

Tyrian snickered as his tail started to pulled back. Ruby quickly put her blade on the limb, pulled the trigger and sliced it off, forcing Tyrian to cry in pain. The stinger twitched on the ground as purplish blood splattered on the ground. "YOU BITCH!" He stumbled forward until Yang grabbed what was left of the tail.

"Don't ever!" She pulled him in and punched him in the face, letting a blast of Dust go off. "Call!" She pulled him back in and repeated. "My!" Again. "Sister!" Again. "That!" One final punch and she let him go and he rolled on the ground. He quickly stood as Jaune, Nora, Ren, and Vergil walked over to him, their weapons at the ready.

"She'll forgive you..." Tyrian mumbled. "She'll have to... Neopolitan!" The girl under Aerith activated her Semblance and vanished from under the boot. Having watched the whole scene, when Aerith turned back to the ground, she was shocked to find the space under her boot empty.

Raising her foot off, she looked around only to get hit in the back of the head as Neo reappeared. She flipped over the others and landed near Tyrian before she bowed to them, in a manner all to familiar to Yang. "Oh no you don't!" She launched forward and threw a punch that upon impact, shattered the two like glass. "Damnit! I REALLY hate that bitch!"

The adrenaline gone, Qrow dropped his weapon and fell to his knee as the other surrounded him. "Just a scratch..." He mumbled, looking at the blood in his hand.

The other began asking him questions ranging from who the guy was to how he got here. The most prevalent question was why people were after Ruby. "Uncle Qrow, what is going on?" Yang asked as she walked over.

Qrow panted a bit before he looked over to the blonde and asked his own question. "What's your favorite fairy tale?"

Outside the Town

Tyrian dropped to his knees in pain as he examined the nub that once held his stinger. "This... this isn't my fault... it's hers'... yes that's it... blame it on her..." He turned to his partner, only to find empty air. "WHERE IS SHE?!"

Damnit, Rooster Teeth, ya beat me to the punch! I was gonna do a scorpion Faunus story, but now, if I do do it, I'll just be know as the guy who made a Tyrian ripoff story! I was gonna give him mandibles and everything! Ah, well.

When I first say this set of episodes, I figured it be much easier to just do Ruby's group in one chapter and Weiss on the other, so that's what I did.

Beta read by Natsu is Awesome.