The trio had been in the Asylum for a few days now, which suited Ash just fine. They were safe here, and it wouldn't be hard to survive for a long while. That's not to say she wasn't concerned. It was concern that brought her to Jekyll that morning. Ash found her in the garden, accompanied by the little girl they had picked up, Chamillia.
The dark woman had changed her clothing the first day here. The gear she was wearing in the explosion had barely been holding up anyway. Now she was dressed in a mix-and-match of clothing from employee lockers. Jeans, a tank top, and a long sleeveless coat. All black, of course. The boots, cape, and red sash from her previous outfit had mostly survived, with only a portion of the cape burned away. Her burned armed also sported a bandage on her hand and forearm, where she had literally cut off the fused glove with a scalpel.
Jekyll and Chamillia were sitting on a bench. Jekyll was deep in thought and the girl was busying herself taking the dark woman's overgrown hair and braiding the back. The bangs were left alone, hanging over the left side of her face. Where some would sweep their hair to hide the damage, Jekyll didn't seem to mind leaving it exposed for all to see.
"Hey there," Ash called out, "I couldn't find you earlier. Thought you bailed."
"I did leave the asylum," The nameless girl confessed, "Found the blast site."
"You went to the breach?" Ash was shocked.
"And guess what I found?" The dark woman continued. "Nothing. No bodies. No blood, at least not where my team was standing. No evidence that they're gone."
"Except for the whole severed body part bit…" Ash mumbled.
Ash never saw Jekyll stand. She only felt a hand close around her throat as she was slammed into a nearby tree, and saw a menacing glare staring back at her. "She. Is. Not. Gone." Ash was let go and the nameless woman strode away. "She can't be."
"Why not?" Ash questioned.
"Because she is the last thing I have left," The dark woman began softly. "Everything I have ever tried to do turned out one of two ways. Bad, or worse. I try to be a huntress, my sister dies. I try to handle her semblance, more people die. I try to be a criminal, since people are dying anyway, and I get convinced to turn in my boss and arrest myself. I try to be a huntress again, and surprise! An entire fucking kingdom goes to shit!"
"Oh my god…" Ash's gasped to herself.
"All my 'friends' barely even like me," The girl continued, "The only friend that actually did like me probably resents me now, and she is the only - why are staring at me like that!?"
"I knew it… You're the Reaper," Ash realized in astonishment.
"'The' Reaper?" the dark woman asked. She kind of liked how that sounded…
"I didn't even think you were real until the trial," Ash explained, "You were why no one challenged Roman. You may have been a rumor, but you were a powerful one. The shadow accountant, old lady Magenta, the Wine brothers? You didn't mess with Torchwick, else you met his Reaper. And no one who met the Reaper lived to talk about it."
"It's strange, the kind of things you don't hear about yourself…" 'The' Reaper shook her head.
"So…" Ash let herself get past the feeling of standing in front of a semi-famous death dealer, "You plan to leave the asylum?"
"Did you plan to stay here forever?" the Reaper scoffed, "That's stupid no matter how you cut it."
"But leaving in the middle of a grimm-infestation-super-crisis?" Ash pointed out.
"You think there's going to be better time to leave? Or do you plan to live a long life in here?" The killer woman gestured to the Asylum.
Ash bit her lip in thought, keeping one eye on Jekyll, or Reaper, or whatever her real name might be. "So what is your plan?"
Reaper sat back down next to the little girl and let her finish the braid. "If the others survived, chances are they would head for Beacon. The school would certainly spearhead any rescue and evacuation efforts."
"That's on the other side of the city..." Ash pointed out, "Trying to cross Vale while avoiding the grimm, it might take more than a day."
The dark woman stood, examining her new braid before tossing it back over her shoulder to hang down her back. "Then I guess we better... get... going."
"Jekyll?" Ash called the woman out by the name she knew out of instinct. The dark woman was staring up into the sky, and Ash followed her gaze to a massive airship descending from the cloud line. "Wow."
"Ironwood's flagship," The dark woman recognized it, "It must be here for refugees."
"Wait, what direction is Beacon again?" Chamillia asked.
"The direction that ship is heading," Reaper told her.
"Then let's hurry after it!" Chamillia picked up her makeshift scythe and rushed to Reaper's side.
"Little bit of a rush, kid?" Ash called out.
"What?" Chamillia shrugged and gestured to Reaper, "I don't want to 'fall behind'." or get left behind.
The dark woman rolled her eyes at the statement. "Just keep up then, Mimic."
"Hey!" The little girl shot, "Just because you two don't have real names doesn't mean you can't use mine."
"Whatever, Chamillia," Reaper waved her off and set off for the city.
Chamillia was slightly in shock at Reaper using her real name so quickly, standing dumbfounded.
The dark woman noticed the little girl had stopped moving, "Well? I thought you didn't want to fall behind."
Chamillia shook herself off and ran back to Reaper's side, following her and Ash toward the airship.
The asylum trio watched helplessly from a nearby rooftop as the flagship was attacked by the massive nevermore. Reaper was still trying to figure out how to get up there when a rouge kamikaze fighter took down the bird. A familiar looking flash of light caught her eye. She quickly threw her gaze down to the ground, and found what she was looking for. The pink and brown hair was unmistakable, even from this distance.
Time slowed. The grounded nevermore reared to attack its assaulter. The dark woman leapt from the rooftop, leaving rose petals in her wake. Her legs screamed at her as her feet slammed the pavement, but she ignored it. She pushed forward, the wind stinging her eye, and closed the distance between her and her goal in an instant. Scooping the girl into her arms, Reaper continued to shoot forward until they were safe in a nearby storefront. There the two women could finally share a moment.
"This is real…" Reaper asked, holding Neopolitan's head in her damaged hand. After the events of the past week, it was surreal to be this close to the one person she felt made anything worth it. "You're real… right?"
Neo couldn't hold back. Her answer was undeniable as their lips pressed together after what felt like an eternity apart. They were both real, and they were here, together, at last.
Their elation was cut short by the screeching of the nevermore. The flagship was safe, but they couldn't send down a crew carrier for them while the bird was still there. As much as Reaper wanted to stay there forever at the moment, the nevermore needed to go. She scanned the area for a plan. "You flew that jet right?"
Neo nodded.
"Looks like a missile is still intact. Think you could fire it?"
Neo nodded a bit slower. How will we make sure we hit the bird?
"Alright. I picked up a few stragglers that could help us here," Reaper explained, "I'll get the bird in front of that rocket."
Neo had no idea what was going to happen, but she trusted Reaper. A strange feeling tugged at Reaper's face. One that felt foreign to her at this point but was exactly what Neo needed to see. A large, cocky grin. "See you on the other side, ice cream cup." Neo and Reaper split, the former vanishing and the latter using her semblance to get back up to Ash and Chamillia.
"You want to get the fuck out of this kingdom?" Reaper asked Ash the moment she reached her.
Ash was still processing everything she had just seen. "Um… Yes?"
"Then listen close, and wait for your moment," Reaper ordered her before looking at her other straggler. "Sorry, but I need this," The dark woman took Chamillia's scythe out of her hand.
The nevermore didn't have to wait long for new prey. Just as it was about to give up looking for where the first human vanished, a second human appeared in front of it. The new human had a lot of black clothing and weird red skin. No matter, one human was as squishy as the next. This shouldn't take long.
Reaper smirked, seeing this grim display the same self-assured confidence as the rest of its kind. She easily dodged attacks from both the uninjured wing and the creature's beak. A few counter-punches here and there were more than enough to keep it interested as she guided the beast between two structures already nearing collapse from the nevermore's initial crash.
It was in one of these structures Ash was waiting. A few key points keeping it up simply needed to go away, and she was perfect for this job. Neo spotted someone she didn't recognize dashing out from under a broken building that had started to tilt over the shadow avian. It struck the other structure and both crumbled into rubble, pinning the nevermore in the direct path of the missile.
But the bird's hide was still incredibly tough, and Reaper had just the plan. She tore the bandages off her arm and attached one end to the handle of the homemade scythe. The nevermore continued to screech at her, either from anger or pain. Do grimm feel pain? Does that even matter? Reaper began to twirl her new 'chain-scythe' by the bandage picking her moment carefully. The nevermore opened its beak wide once more, and Reaper acted. She spun and slammed the sickle through the lower beak and into the pavement, pinning it to the ground.
With a grip on the (thankfully) long bandage, Reaper ran up and over the beast's head and back through its open maw, wrapping the bandage around the upper beak. Utilizing her semblances, she jumped up and down the nevermore's back. She landed on the rubble keeping it down and pulled on the bandage, forcing the monster's beak wide open. Neo knew this was it and fired the missile right away. It flew, just as Reaper planned, down the nevermore's throat and detonated inside. The bird's skin held true, and it wasn't blown to pieces. Still, the creature grew silent as smoke poured out of its mouth.
Reaper was laid out on the rubble after the explosion snapped the bandage. She found her feet again and hopped down to retrieve Chamilia's scythe. Raising the nevermore's closed beak revealed just the blade with no handle. Reaper dropped the beak with a "Whoops." Not that that scythe was worth keeping. She was actually almost disappointed, considering Mimic should share her skills, or at least the memory of them. But no matter, there was something more important here. And Ash was already helping her out of the jet.
Since Ash was close to the jet when the dust settled, she decided to meet this new girl. It didn't take long for Ash to climb up the right side of the jet and hold out her right hand. One look at the small woman in the cockpit made her realize two things. One, trying to pull this girl out by her right hand was an embarrassing mistake. Two, "That hand was yours, wasn't it?"
Before Neo could begin to mime an inquiry, she was pulled out of the jet from the other side and found herself in the arms of her dark lover. Once Neo had her bearings, she returned the gesture earnestly.
Ash watched them embrace, growing more uncomfortable as the silence continued. "So," she finally broke it, "this is 'her'?"
Reaper jumped slightly, forgetting there were others here. "Neo, Ash, Ash, Neo," She apathetically gestured between the two girls, introducing them. "Ash is one of two little ducklings that began following me around Vale for… whatever reason."
Neo began looking around for the second 'duckling', spotting a small girl in black. "The other," Reaper continued, "We know already."
Neo examined the black hood, realizing the attire seemed familiar. She looked back to Reaper, then to the girl, and finally back to Reaper with realization in her eyes. "Yeah, her."
Chamillia stepped forward, trying and failing to meet Neo's eye. "I'm sorry for what I was doing as you," She apologized, "I'm not in great control of my semblance…"
Neo would have time to wrap her head around these things later. A crew carrier arrived at that moment to bring them up to the airship. When they turned to face the pod, Reaper instinctually reached out with her left hand to grab Neo's right. Her fist grabbed open air, and something she had been ignoring crashed into the front of her mind. Her gaze slowly panned down to the arm, and to the metal cap protecting the stub where her forearm used to be.
"Oh shit, not again," Ash watched Reaper begin to fall into a panic attack.
Again? Neo's concern was clear as Reaper's breath quickened.
The flashbacks were strong this time, even showing things Reaper knows she didn't see. The rubble falls. Lie Ren is stabbed by Brutal Thorn. The rocks smash Neo's hand clean off. JNPR cries over their friends corpse. The words… I need to focus on the words… I can't…
Reaper felt the darkness coming when she felt something that wasn't a part of the flashbacks. A pair of soft, familiar lips on her own. The flashbacks melted away as the kiss helped banish them, waking Reaper up. Neo could tell when Reaper's senses returned to her by her dark lover becoming active in their kiss. When they pulled apart and Reaper opened her eyes, she noticed they were already on the crew carrier and halfway to the ship.
Neo pulled Reaper's ear, bringing her gaze back to the colorful girl. Neo's glare made it clear she wanted an explanation.
"Yeah… I guess we have some catching up to do," Reaper nodded, "But later, okay? Once we're settled on the ship?"
Neo frowned and reluctantly nodded.
Reaper made this decision because she was sure things would get awkward once they got on the airship, and she was not wrong. Weiss and Blake were in front of the crowd waiting for the crew carrier to come back. They knew Neo would be onboard, but they couldn't tell who the other three dots that got on the carrier were. They were certainly surprised when the doors opened and they saw a tall, dark, and half-charred former team mate.
"Reaper?" Blake voice was disbelief, "You survived?"
"Mostly," Reaper answered, stepping off the carrier. In flash of silver, Myrtenaster's point was an inch from Reaper's throat. "Hello, Weiss, good to see you too."
"You destroyed Vale," Weiss whispered so only Reaper, Blake and Neo could hear.
"Korruption destroyed Vale," Reaper corrected, "It just happened to use my hands."
"'Korruption'? The parasite? How do I know you're not still 'Korruption'?" Weiss interrogated.
"Oh look, the princess doubts my intentions," Reaper spouted sarcastically. "That's fucking new."
"That doesn't answer my question," Weiss deadpanned through gritted teeth.
"What if I am? You're going to start a fight here?" Reaper challenged.
Neo jumped between the two, pushing Myrtenaster down and glaring at them both. The crowd around them had become anxious, and while Weiss wanted to continue this conversation, she agreed it should be done in private. Weiss put away her rapier with one last comment to Reaper, "Until I'm sure, I am not letting you out of my sight."
Reaper sighed. It was going to be a long flight to Atlas.
A long-distance commercial flight arrived in Atlas as the sky turned to dusk. Of the many passengers stepping off, one in particular was a young boy who was still surprised at the sequence of events that brought him here.
"Are you sure they'll be here?" He asked quietly so others wouldn't hear him speaking to himself.
Of course. This is the logical place for Qrow to lead them.
"And are you sure they're going to recognize you?"
The others, not likely. But Qrow will know. Lighten up, Ocsar.
"I have an immortal wizard in my head, Ozpin. How would you handle that?"
I did have to handle it once. And believe or not, I fared worse than you. I'm impressed, truth be told.
"Hey kid!" A stranger yelled at him. "You got a brain issue or something!?"
Oscar quickly shut up and set off toward the city. Just a few days ago, he was a normal farm boy with nothing but a normal life ahead of him. Now his entire world was flipped upside down and his only hope was that the voice in his head was truly what it claimed.
Don't worry, they'll be here.
"I'm starting to doubt you're not telling that to yourself."
Ozpin was silent.
Oscar sighed. It was going to be a long wait for Qrow.
The girls have made it out of Vale, and Act 1 comes to a close! Don't forget to check out my social medias (Tumblr, Instagram) for any news or updates for Act 2, which I will begin writing soon. Though the best way to support this story is still to follow, favorite, and/or review right here! I hope to see you all and more when this story returns as the girls regroup and form plans for the fight ahead!
- Vengfulfate