(T-L-G)
We are upon the road once more, now accompanied by a wolf-pack led by Adolpha, the she-wolf Grimmling. So far, Cyrin is having a problem grasping something. "So, I have a psychic link to you."
Correct.
"Why me?"
Is that a necessary question?
"I would think so." It's just jibber-jabber, I can still taste that cooked bird in my mouth. Gods, I could eat them all day. "A, you're drooling."
"Huh?" Letting my tongue lick my lower lip, I gather back all the transparent saliva they have, and swallow it. "Pudgy."
"Gross." Looking behind my back, I see the numerous and enormous numbers of the Ying Wolves. I can see, with these non Aura-sensing eyes, at least 6 at a time. To my left, 4 more stalk the treelines and on the right, 2. "There's a lot of protection for a wolf pack... Is this just for Ares?"
"What?" What was that assumption about? Turning to her, I say with a threatening tone, "Elaborate that, Cyrin." I feel these brows converging to one another.
"Well, you're a Beowolf. It kinda makes sense, from a... appearance sake?"
"Even now, I'm faced with speciesism."
"Fuck. I didn't mean-"
I snap back to the forward road, "How far till this town, Adolpha?"
A few more treks and you'll be there. I've seen a stone-body maker around there. Perhaps he can accommodate you with his stone-bodies.
"Well, I know I need some armor." Adam says. "This tunic isn't really weaved with anything protective."
"At least you have some pockets to put stuff in." Jaune remarks. "All I got are ripped to shreds." Pockets... Such a shortcut to productive work. "And speaking of which, do you want to change your clothes, Ares?"
My eyes turn to the Knight, what does he mean? "My clothes? I think they're alright."
"They're torn. The jacket has holes in it, your boot is ripped-"
"Exactly. I prefer it like so. It collects all scars like my own." Why did I say that to him. Do I miss the feeling the scorched burns on my old vessel? Perhaps I do...
He shakes his head, turning back to the road ahead, "Whatever floats your boat."
"I do not have such. But if I did, you would know first." The Knight snaps back to me with confusion in his eyes before going back. Adolpha, how many overall are in your pack?
I see Cyrin turning back to me, "Yeah, that's a good question. Zoologist can never get a good number."
If you persist. There are 48 of my pack members now. That does not include the ones you all and I'd killed.
"Quite a number. What the composition?" I ask.
Now there is 4 females, including me and the rest are males.
Cyrin's brow raises, with a nod, "So the pack hierarchy is a matriarchy." There are few females of our kind, and the ones who take the kills. The males are only there to ensnare our prey. "Huh. Do you have a preferred mate, or do you-"
"Cyrin." Asoar suddenly cuts in, "Are you talking to the wolf?"
"Of course I'm talking to Adolpha. With her able to communicate, we'll be able to get knowledge of her species' lifestyle. We barely know anything about them, like the Dragon Ants."
What? Ants? "Mind telling me what are these Dragon Ants are, Cyrin?" Ants. Ants. Ants. What a strange word yet sounds familiar...
Father, look what me and Aiyana caught!
What do you have in that huge jar of mine, Aislinn?
Dragon Ants, Father! Tell him how you found them, Aiyana.
It was pretty easy, once you got over Linny's constant screaming.
They look scary! Have you seen their mandibles! And their bodies have those spikes pointing to the front on their head.
You didn't get prickled by one, did you Aislinn?
No Father. Me and Yan will get this home.
Actually, gimme the jar, I'll carry it home.
Really Mr. Aeron? It seems more of a job for us since you're-
I'm only 42! Why do people always say I'm old!?
"OY!" My dream gets interrupted by a strange, hollowed voice. "Stop right there, old man." My vision gives me back to the road, but I see two Venators, to my left, 7 Venators with two of them having a body shape similar to Asoar. Looking to the right, 7 more circle around. Instinctively, all of my companions and I move back, their shoulders bounding themselves to each other and mine, Adolpha is circling us to keep them back. The two in front I presume to be the pack leaders of this little group. The one in armor moves his head forward, "Well shit, isn't that our old friend, Jauney-boy there, Russel?"
The other one clad in green tilts his head and narrows his eyes at the Knight, "I think it is, Dove." Getting a better idea of these two, Russel is the green clad Venator. From what I can gather from Adam's memory, he is wearing a pale green tank top clinging to his iron-clad torso, forest camo pants, steel-tipped boots, green belts and a scaled long coat with shoulder pads. The sides of his hair is shaved while the middle and top is held.
He is holding a sword and a dagger with gun properties, looking akin to the Snow Kingdom. Dove is the one in metallic bronze armor, albeit worn and tattered with scrapes. His head is surrounded by the same metal, having a resemblance to a Ursa. He holds a broadsword in his hand and weighting it on his shoulder, also with gun properties, "Fuck me. You've a big bounty on your head, jaunty, jaded Jauney-boy."
"Jaunty isn't what I like these days but I'm jaunty about that Ursa Major you ran from." Jaune taunts. Using my hearing, a louder footsteps enters in. I can barely hear the Ying Wolves' paw-steps, it must be a Venator'.
(Bird's eye view)
"You still not smart after all these years, Jauney." Russel waves his dagger offhandedly at Jaune. in the brushes and trees besides them, Sky holds his re-stolen halbard, sneaking his way to the group. A wolf sees him and starts to snarl at him. Adolpha.
Yes, Hunter Ares?
I can hear footsteps not of your kind. Make sure your pack doesn't harm them. True to his wishes, Adolpha howls in short bursts, communicating that Sky isn't to be killed. The wolf turns around and shakes his head to him to follow. "The fuck?" The wolf stops at a tree, shaking his head again for Sky. "Ok, weird but alright."
Dove starts to laugh inside his helm, "What wrong with your mutt? Is it whining on how unfortunate it is to be with Jauney-boy."
"At least I have nerve to show my face so my enemies can know who is killing them." To the corner of his eyes, he sees the living shadows preparing for a ambush, nodding to Ares. In return, Ares looks to Adam, both with entrenched eyes.
They stop their contact and Ares tips his hat to the group, walking forward, "What if I gave you Asoar to let us through?"
"What!?"
"The fuck, man! You're just betraying me and my sister!"
"Why not? It's seems to be a fair deal. You get some relief, we're going somewhere else anyway. I'll even throw the girl in." He smiles at them with malicious intent. Russel and Dove look to each other and to Ares. "They're very much worthless in my eyes."
A pause passes the two leaders, "We'll take her."
"No!" Asoar tries to run out but Ares grips her forelimb. "You fucking prick! Dirty mutt!"
She throws a punch to his jawline, hoping to knock him out. His head recoils then goes back, gazing into her dark blue eyes, "Quiet, girl."
"Fuck you!" Cyrin goes to kick Ares but Adam stops her by the shoulders. "You fucking traitor! We've treated you like family, nursed your ass back up and you're in this!?"
"Holy fuck." Sky whispers to himself. "Is he really giving her to them? Though... I better hope it's the latter." He looks the wolf sitting with him. The wolf's ears are paying attention to him. "Am I right?" The wolf stands, sneaking it's way to a running start to a bandit. Soon after, all of the wolves get into position. Sky lines himself up with a tree.
Russel and Dove chuckles to themselves, seeing Ares easily betraying and trading Asoar's life like it's nothing. "Let me go, you goddamn stupid dog!" She continues to vainly punch Ares' shoulder, fully knowing that he doesn't care for physical trauma on his Faunus-bound vessel. He stops, standing in front of the two.
"She's a little feisty but with time, she'll calm."
Russel takes a step forward, but Dove stops him, staring at his waist, "Actually, think you can spare a weapon?"
Ares' narrows his eyes on Dove, "... I have no need for two." He grips his free hand onto one of them, "Mainly because..." The Wolf-Man slides his baton out, giving it to Asoar's hand. He lets go of her and clenches his fist, impacting on Russel's face, sending him flying a few meters away from the circle. "Adolpha!"
On it, Hunter Ares! Adolpha howls, signaling the wolves to start. Two bandits aim their small arms at Ares and Asoar but two wolves bite right on the joints connecting the foot. "Aaah!" "Aaaahhh!" They get drag back into the bushes, never to be seen. Some shots go to the group. Adam and Jaune keep Cyrin in between them for protection while the wolf and bandit bodies get dragged or shot.
"You back-stabbing-"
"I didn't back-stab anyone! You could've have seen it" Ares tries to punch Dove who swings his broadsword down on Ares, expecting him to get hit by it. But he instead sees that he does nothing, letting it cutting down into his shoulder plate.
"Who the fuck are-"
Ares grabs the blade, "I'm Grimm." He reels back his arm, clenching his fist and making contact with Dove's helm taking it, sending him next to Russel's tuned out body.
Adam continues to absorb the energy from the bandits' guns while Jaune maneuver bandits, trying to take down their Aura, but the wolves are already doing that, so he tries to keep Cyrin safe.
While the main groups fight each other, Sky lines up his halbard, he takes a large reel, swinging it completely through the trunk. "Timber, traitors." Russel and Dove starts to lose their dizziness and Dove sees the wooden arm coming down. Despite his armor weight, he moves out of the way but Russel struggles getting up, grasping his face. He looks up, seeing the thing casting the shadow. He desperately tries to crawl out of the way, but it comes down, piercing and crushing his legs. "Aaaaaaaaaahhhhhh! My legs! Fucccckk! Dove, help me!"
Coming out of the shadows, Sky walks towards the pinned leader, ignoring any bandits coming at him with the help of the wolf pack. "Surprise."
"Sky? Look man, we're friends right?"
The blue-braided keeps his cold-eyed stare at him, "Should've thought that when you forced yourself on her."
He brings his halbard down on him, "Nnnnooooo-" It slices through his neck, disconnecting the blood flow to his brain. For a brief moment, he blinks in disbelief before losing his blood flow, eyelid twitching and blank eyes. Dove comes right behind him, and Sky braces for the impact.
"Di-" A bellowing black hand grabs his head and pins it against a tree. Eyes widening, he claws at it in all but it is in vain. The bandits, wolves and the group stop their attacks to witness the unnatural sight as Ares' arm has stretched.
"Fear. You are emitting fear." Ares' appearance soon takes hold. His ears pointing out smoke out black, his sclera is tinted with a pale red color, forearms covered by black and his face slightly pulling out to a almost canid appearance. "It is delightful to see fear again." He steps to Dove, making sure he doesn't lose his tight grip on his head. "Do you know that fear taste quite sweet? It's sometimes sour when it's meaningless. But I'll spare you more since you are in more pain than anyone sure."
His fingers starts to tighten against Dove's helm, crushing the perfect shape. He continues with a slow pace, as a pack of wolves surround his person to stop anyone coming at him. "You should've thought before trapping yourself."In a quick instance, he instantly merges the helm and Dove's skull together. Adam quickly looks away from the carnage.
But he sees one bandit goes to run at Cyrin while everyone is distracted, knife in hand. Before he can react, Asoar uses the baton Ares gave her and hits said bandit in the head, knocking her entire Aura out. She falls down on the ground, but Asoar continues to wail the baton on her. "Don't you dare hurt my-"
"Asoar, Asoar stop!" Adam takes Asoar's wrists to stop her, "She's dead!" He pulls her away and she sees the trauma she inflicted on the bandit. Skin broke, blood spitting out the wound, pieces of her cranium around and blank-stated eyes, "We got to go! Now!"
(Apartment Block)
Moping in her lounge, Yang has her head down and her hands on her temples, "Three police recruits dead. All from SOTS members." She slams her hand onto the table, "Damn those Grimm mask wearing bastards!" Hearing her doorbell ringing and taking a breath, Yang gets up to open the door. "Hey Weiss."
"Hello Captain." The blond cringes at Weiss for using her rank, "Sorry." Yang allow Weiss to come in, seeing her mostly spartan-styled apartment. Next to the holographic TV is the integrated shelves. They hold a picture of Team RWBY in their first years, one Ember Celica, several pieces of pistols and revolvers along with their clips and bullets, two other prosthetic arm, one being silver and its hand being split between the middle and ring with no thumb, and the other is steel and has multiple stickers.
Sitting on the couch, Yang and Weiss takes a moment of silence. "How's Ruby?"
Weiss takes out the revolver, throwing it onto the table, "She was holding it, and probably for the entire night I was there."
"Not again." Picking the revolver, she inspects the large-barreled piece, "This is Atlas military, it's also old-fashioned judging by the hammer. Standard double-action as well." Another beat pass them, "Wait... You were in her apartment?"
Weiss starts tapping her fingers on the top of her other hand, "I wanted to see how Ruby was doing. I even cancelled my flight back to Atlas." She only gets a slight uncharacteristic glare from the half-sister. "When I found the gun and confronted her to discuss about it, she's locked herself in her bedroom."
"Fuck." Yang gets up, marching her way to the door and getting out. Weiss follows after to the hallway, seeing Yang from a far entering Ruby's apartment. Carrying a enraged expression, Yang bangs on Ruby's door, "Ruby! Get out of here!" She gets no response, "Answer me!" Again, nothing. "Fine."
Yang kneels down to the door and starts to feel the floor. Weiss sees this strange action and is rightfully confused, "What are you doing, Yang? We should be helping Ruby."
"I am. I'm trying to find the k-" She stops, lifting up a loose board and seeing a small box, "There it is." The police-huntress opens up the box to take the contents, a single key. "My backup key."
"Yours?"
"I'll tell you later." Yang gets back up, putting the key into the lock, turning it clockwise. She open the door, seeing the numerous mementos of the past. A crystal shard from the Land Of Darkness, Leo's Bracer Shield, a AK-130 head, a lunch tray, several wooden carvings of Grimm, Taiyang's pauldron, one of Penny's swords, a painted emblem of Pyrrha's and propped on the wall, Harbinger in scythe form with Qrow's cape hanging from it. Under it is Ruby, locked her arms over her ankles, "Hey, lil sis."
Ruby looks up but for a moment goes back down. "Fine then." She takes out the revolver and shows it to Ruby, "Explain this."
The downed rose doesn't look up but answers, "It was only for a few hours."
"Huh, says the serial number. You know what happens, we've talked about this! We need to head to your therapist."
"I donnt wannto see ya."
Yang looks confused for a moment but ignores it, "Quit whining and get up."
"I could'nt da fire it."
"Doesn't matter. We're going." Yang drops the revolver to the side to take Ruby's hand, lifting her up but a can hidden by her cloak drops on the floor. She lets go of Ruby in order to pick the can up. "A beer can... Ruby, are you drunk!?"
"Wha? Naahh. It was a only a couple." Ruby says in a slurred manner.
Yang inadvertently smells her breath, which has a bitter bite, "A couple isn't a number. It's a damn good thing I keep a breathalyzer on me." She takes said item that comes out of her arm and grabs it, "Now, breathe into it."
"I don wano."
"Shut up, just bite and breathe into it. For all our sakes." Yang looks to Weiss, "Keep her still, Weiss."
"Oh, of course." Weiss holds Ruby's shoulder and right arm while Yang holds her left and directly facing Ruby.
"Now bite on the breathalyzer. Now." She has a commanding tone. Ruby sighs in reluctance but goes to bite on it. She then feels something coming back up and starts to chuck up last night food, getting some on Yang's casuals. "Ah, fuck Ruby!"
"Aah!" Ruby continues to retch out her stomach's content on the floor, Weiss still holds Ruby while Yang backs out. "You alright Ruby?"
"Yea-*Vomiting* I'm alright."
Weiss looks around for a moment before locking her eyes on Ruby, "Were you really just holding it?"
Ruby vomits again before taking her breath, "The bullet just adds weight. I removed the firing mechanism." She gets back onto the wall, sliding down again. She moves her cloak covering her left arm to grab the revolver, revealing her numerous exposed tattoos and her burned hand. Weiss takes a seat on her bed, seeing Ruby squeezing the trigger but the barrel doesn't roll. "See, couldn't fire it even when I-" She pukes to the right, avoiding Weiss entirely. "Tried." Weiss' eyes are fixated elsewhere on Ruby, who covers her chest, "My eyes are right here, Weiss."
"Oh, I wasn't... You're fooling me, aren't you."
"Yeah, you're wondering about the tats." She points to the one near her shoulder, "This red and yellow heart halves is me and Yang. She's got a mirror one on her right." She goes down, keeping her finger on her arm, stopping on another, "Uncle Qrow's emblem, got it a few months after he'd..." She turns her arm to the left, showing a tattoo of a white and yellow sword and shield, "This one's for Jaune." and Weiss the behind her forearm is Pyrrha's and Penny's emblems.
"You got a lot of emblems from a lot of students."
"Why wouldn't I? I have to remember the lost somehow. So I sacrificed my left arm to do so. I got more over the years. Wanna see?"
Shocked from the offer, Weiss only slack her jaw. "Uh-" Yang comes back around with a bin and in her sports top, "Oh, Yang's..." Weiss looks away from the half-sister, now wondering how she got in this situation.
"Welp, it's official. My sister's a lightweight."
"I am-" She hurls again, but this time in the bin that Yang slides to her. "OK. Maybe I am. Sorry for chucking on your shirt."
"Still not forgetting about that damn revolver."
"It's empty." Weiss slips in.
"Still." The three women laugh at the strange circumstances before Ruby starts vomiting again.
(T-L-G)
When I started writing this chapter, I had over 1,000 words... And yeah, Yang lives in the same apartment as Ruby because they'd literally moved in but Yang lives farther from Ruby's door.
So Ares has a new ability, wonder where's that from. And lied! This is a trait I'm having too much usage with.
Review/s
Gabe2000: Soon! Just let me figure out where everyone goes! I just killed off 2 minor antagonists.
merendinoemiliano: Oh more creatures will appear, even some based on a word or inspired by mythology.
Hope you all enjoyed this chapter, review and have a nice day Reading.