So, i want to just say a couple of things in this intro. First and foremost thank you so much for the reviews and all the engagement! With this being my first fic it's really nice to see that some of you like it, and i hope i can continue to write something for you all!
Secondly: this chapter is a lot shorter than the first one, and i have a couple of reasons for it: i wanted to get this out before Christmas, and i think of setting on an "Upload schedule". I think of updating this fic at least once every two weeks, just to not "burn out". As of now i really like how my ideas are coming along, and i'm excited to let you all see what i have planned. But i fear that updating every week will negatively impact the story, so, for now, this is the solution i came up.
And to actually answer a question that i've seen a couple of times in the reviews: This fic is not me putting the blame on ironwood, i like the character and while yes, he went in a little heavyhanded in his final moments, i know that he was driven to that point by everyone aroound him. First Team RWBY + Ozpin, Winter, and then well everyone. And the thing is: he knows it too, both he and Mettle know that he's not to blame, at least not 100%. The thing is that (for now) he's just blaming himself, because he thought he was the only one left to blame, you can't blame the dead really well can't you? As of now we have seen 3 characters blaming him for everything: Himself, Qrow and Mettle. He's just shocked and still recovering so that's that, Qrow is just angry, he thought his nieces (and their team) were dead so i think it's justified if he still blames him. And Mettle? He's just an ass. Don't worry tho, i'm planning to explore this more as the fic progresses, giving each character time to come to terms with how they feel with the whole "Atlas" incident.
"So, what did you find out with those experiments? What's down here that could help save them?" Qrow was the first to break the silence, looking ahead at James.
"This facility was used to research everything regarding the Staff. If it was possible to make multiple things, even if it was possible to create something abstract, concepts. All in all, the overall limits of it."
They were still exploring the underground building, not having found anything noteworthy. "Yeah that's nice and all, but what could we use to save everyone that fell?"
"We don't need to 'save' them in the normal sense of the word. We just need to find them."
"Find them?" Both Glynda and Qrow looked quizzically at the man in front of them.
"One of the first things we discovered is that while the Staff is called the Relic of Creation, it doesn't actually create nothing,it just 're-uses' matter that already exists, while of course bending it just as it wants, because well... Magic."
"Yeah cool, so if I ask for a beer some poor ass is gonna lose one, but how is that helping us here?"
"Not like that you stupid bird! It means that matter will be re-used, not that it will take something that already exists!"
Mettle would never cease to annoy every one of them, even if he was saying the truth.
"Apart from the language that my semblance used, yes, that's the gist of it. And how that would help us? We found out that when we asked for some pocket dimensions, it just took a place that already 'existed' in a sense, and when we were done? Back where it belonged."
"So you're saying that my students are somewhere on Remnant?" Glynda was quick to ask.
"Yes, but it's not that simple. Just as we don't know where they are, we don't have any way to find out. Unless we search for inconsistencies."
"What do you mean with inconsistencies?"
"It means that we need to search for every inexplicable thing that is happening right now, and not in a 'It's too rainy for this part of the year' way, but in a 'Rocks are floating in the sky due to gravity being reversed', or even 'time is acting unnaturally' way. This magic is not stable, and it isn't good for our world. But at least here we-"
A screech. Close, way too close. Glynda and Qrow found themselves flanked by a pack of small creepers, while James was hurled in the next room by a Teryx.
A small one, one that James would have no trouble disposing of.
If he had his weapons.
After a second that the two spent just looking at each other, the Teryx lunged forward, to try and end the life of the General, that found himself capable only of running in circles while looking for an opening.
After some time, the Grimm tried to bite him, but with a quick reaction the man rolled out of the way, getting a couple of seconds to breathe.
In this rare moment of relative peace, James found himself looking around the room, searching for anything that could aid him in this fight, finding... nothing. This was a lab, and not even one of the inner ones. At most he was gonna find some stools or something to throw at the Grimm.
These thoughts were dispelled when the Twryx lunged once again at him, this time cutting his escape.
Well, he was without a weapon but at least he had an arm. A powerful arm.
Letting the small Grimm chomp at his shoulder he began to punch it, until the beast let go of the bite and started dissolving.
Only then he realized that he was... Bleeding?
But how? He knew he didn't have the most aura out of anyone he met, but he also knew for a fact that it was strong enough to withstand a simple bite.
He heard something. A concerned voice.. no two.
A male and female. Glynda and Qrow..?
He tried to look up, but found himself on the ground.
And then only black.
"JAMES!" He hated the man for everything, he really did, but he could see that Ironwood hated himself just as much, and was trying to redeem himself. That was why Qrow found himself running alongside Glynda to the General side.
At first glance he had a really nasty bite in the shoulder, but nothing that his aura wouldn't fix.
Only why did he get that bite in the first place? He saw the Grimm while they were separated, and it was small, it wouldn't have been a problem for the man to kill him by himself. Before he could even try to voice his thoughts he was interrupted by a scream.
"Do something! I know you're the one keeping his aura from him!"
"I do not know what you're talking about Ms. Goodwitch, and even then he won't die from this simple bite.
Not that I'd want him to. He is me after all." A strange edge came over Mettle's voice, something that neither of them ever heard from the General.
"I'm only... Teaching him a lesson."
Qrow found himself staring at Mettle, who was still looking fine, clean even. And, most of all, was still there. Even when James was unconscious.
"I don't care why you're doing it, give him his aura now!"
Just as she uttered those words, Mettle vanished, and both of them saw the injury on James's shoulder heal, just like it would with aura.
But almost one hundred times as fast.
"Glynda, I can't make heads or tails of anything right now, but obviously you can. What the fuck is happening to Ironwood."
For the first time since they found each other looking for survivors in the ruins of Atlas, Qrow was looking a conflicted Glynda.
Just by looking at her he could tell that she knew exactly what was happening.
Just as he could tell that she had no intention of spilling it. Or she couldn't..?
"I'm sorry Qrow, but I think this is not the time. I promise you I'll tell you, but I need Ozpin to do it. He knows it better than anyone after all..."
Before Qrow could even try to rebuke, he heard a grunt, and found himself staring at James, now without the teeth marks along his shoulder.
"What... What happened? I was fighting a Teryx and then... I don't know."
"You stupid!"
A purple glow began to appear around the newly awakened man.
"Stupid!"
James found himself pinned to the wall of the room.
"Stupid man! What were you thinking? Even if it was small, even if it was an inexperienced Grimm, what were you thinking going in without any weapon!"
Qrow's eyes widened. He was so angry with the now pinned man that he didn't realize that he was leading them with no weapon, leaving himself almost defenseless.
"I wasn't..."
It was almost hard to speak for James, the pressure on him keeping him from forming long sentences.
"I wasn't thinking straight I..."
He fell down, gasping for air.
"No, you weren't. Even if you hate yourself for what you did, dying here won't do anything for anyone. If you want to redeem yourself, survive. Save team RWBY and everyone stranded with them. Repay the debt you owe. And by the gods. Don't you dare to die on me."
He couldn't even begin to process what Glynda had just said when he found himself crushed in a hug from the Headmistress.
A powerful, sad and short one.
Of course, Qrow was the one to interrupt the awkward mood that had just formed.
"I'm gonna go on the front from now on, that's ok with you Tin Man?"
The scythe-wielding man said, getting Harbinger out.
"Yeah, but i'm gonna be close by, you still need my directions to navigate these labs."
"Let's go then."
It was almost heartwarming.
James knew that he still had leagues to go to prove that he really was sincere in his endeavor of repaying the world for what he did.
But at least now he had someone at his side, someone that could hate him, that could think everything of him.
But someone who understood him, who cared for him.
With the group so focused on Ironwood and his directions, no one paid attention to the moment in which Mettle reappeared.
If they did, they would have seen him looking a little more opaque than before.
So yeah, i suck at writing combat, but i hope i could help you all visualize how i wanted that little fight to be. Short, simple and nothing much. Until the end at least.
Thank you so much for reading another chapter, and a Merry Christmas and Happy early Holidays!