.
Blindside
.
They say the key to a proper magic trick
Or sleight of hand
Is in the Wrist.
"It's all in the Wrist," they say.
That isn't true.
Like the quote, and any other con,
The important bit's always
Misdirection.
You could be the clumsiest bloke in the world,
But if you make for a pinch liar,
You don't have to have fingers faster than the eye can see.
People will just turn the blind eye.
.
.
Ruby and Jaune took the small reprieve to recover and reevaluate.
"I'm gonna check on Nora."
"Go," Ruby nodded.
Jaune dropped to the floor below and found Nora had calmed somewhat. She was still clutching Ren like he was on the verge of death. Otherwise, they were fine physically.
"Nora. I know you're worried about him, but we need you," he urged.
"But, Ren—he…"
"He'll be fine. He's stronger than this."
Jaune laid a glowing hand on Ren's chest. As he thought, the healing of his Semblance reached its limits. Team ENMY got the early jump on him, but most of Ren's Aura was intact. Which meant, all that was left was for him to wake up.
"Nora. The people who hurt Ren are still out there. They're the same ones who hurt Pyrrha!"
"…I'm going to smash every little bone in their bodies."
"Yeah. Now, let's go!"
The teammates shared their fury, and after checking Ren one last time, they went to rejoin the others.
Meanwhile in the floor above, Ruby and Qrow watched Team ENMY from a distance. Their adversaries rode the torrent surrounding the Tower, surveling like carnivorous vultures.
At the time, a voice echoed the back of the Huntsman's thoughts.
"Qrow, the Tower cannot fall," Ozpin cautioned.
"I know what's at stake, Oz. You drew a pretty bad picture."
"The synchronization nears a crucial checkpoint. If you can endure their assault for just a little longer, I'll be able to provide some form of assistance."
"I'll try to contain my enthusiasm."
"It won't be long."
"Yeah. Well, anything longer than now is going to last an eternity. The other team's not messing around. They're desperate and like to fight underhanded. Our kids aren't used to that kind of— Oh, what the hell now?"
Hovering in the winds outside, Mercury activated his Semblance.
His Talarion Strider folded the metal from his calves and sprouted wings behind his heels. Pointed and sharp, they bore a similar appearance to the swords Penny once wielded.
A critical amount of energy amassed in Mercury's ankle. Trailing gusts from the surroundings drew to it, coalescing into a faint image. His prosthetics shook uncontrollably, like a storm captured in a jar, raging to be let out.
And all at once, a wide-arcing kick was unleashed.
The sky cracked as speed and force shattered the sound barrier. An apparition of a giant wing appeared for a brief moment. And three condensed waves of air, wider than the width of the Tower, cleaved into the pagoda's top, middle, and base.
The one aimed for the office floor was seen through by Qrow. Using his Reaper Semblance to pinpoint its vulnerability, he managed to cut it and render it harmless. Unfortunately, the other two waves landed cleanly on the lower levels.
The structure buckled as the saws of wind crashed through. Tipping and parting from its foundation, the pagoda turned from a skyscraper to a four-story building. Only the top levels left intact.
Carrying Qrow and Team RNJR, the remnants of the Tower fell into the tornado that once protected it. Now, suspended in midair, caught in its violent gales like everything else.
Emerald, Mercury, and Neo wasted no time.
The trio sped the distance, and dove into the spinning building without a trace of fear.
.
X
.
The entire office was in complete vertigo. Ceiling and floor switched positions constantly. Everything that wasn't securely fastened, flung about the room.
Qrow and Jaune stuck their blades into the walls to keep from being thrown about. Ruby on the other hand, had little problem with the jumbling environment, and dashed to Nora. Using her Crescent Rose, she helped anchor her friend to a surface.
Without giving them a breath to spare, Team ENMY reengaged.
Mercury bolted right for Qrow.
The young man dashed along the walls at blinding intervals. Tails of pale-lighted winds accompanied his every move. All the way to the drop kick he imparted on the Huntsman, which sent Qrow flying to the other end of the chamber.
"Oz! The Tower!" Qrow panicked.
"No matter," Ozpin's voice answered. "The synchronization process has been slowed, but remains uninterrupted. Also, the extent of the damage remains amenable for now."
"Always full of surprises."
"I cannot say for certain if the damage continues. You and Team RNJR must act quickly."
"Sure, just need to get rid of this annoying brat first."
Mercury came at him again, continuously switching between angles. The large movements offered equally large windows of opportunity. The problem was, Qrow couldn't take advantage of them.
The scars of dark-red seemed to taunt his eyes. Ripples appeared and disappeared in a blink. Qrow grimaced at a thought. Mercury seemed well-versed in fighting someone with his abilities. A possibility that was all too likely, if his sparring partner possessed the Reaper Semblance—if his sparring partner was someone like Yang.
Mercury disappeared from his field of vision, followed by a steel toe connecting hard with Qrow's chin. The fleet-footed fighter caught him close range, and the impact made him see spots.
Qrow swung his sword in retaliation and fired a few rounds but hit nothing.
There's no way this brat can keep this up.
That output, at the pace he's going—he'll burn out.
He knows that, so… he's trying to buy time?
Qrow gave a quick glance to the fight at the other end.
Is their goal to take Ruby's team out first?
Kids need to hold on till I can get to them.
"They won't, old man." Mercury grinned, seemingly reading his mind. At the same time, he delivered a vicious roundhouse kick that almost sent Qrow out of the room.
"They won't last, and neither will you."
.
X
.
Emerald and Neo tag-teamed Ruby, Jaune, and Nora.
Even with the numbers difference, the only one of their opponents who could move freely was Ruby. Nora and Jaune were more heavy-set in their style. Not to mention, Nora required extensive buildup and firm footing for her techniques. A difficult thing considering the floor traded places with the ceiling constantly.
As a result, it was the pair from Team ENMY that dictated the pace. Always with the initiative, imposing their control at will.
"—Bullet Hell," Emerald called.
She and Neo emptied their magazines, a flurry of gunfire in every direction. Although it seemed like blind aim, the projectiles curved and ricocheted off transparent surfaces. An effect caused by Neo's mirror Semblance.
The result, was an array of bullets carpet-shooting every space large enough to occupy a body. Ruby and Nora could only take cover behind Jaune's shield until the hail of Dust rounds passed.
"Ooh. That looked like it smart," Emerald taunted.
"Didn't feel a thing!" Jaune grunted back.
"Wasn't talking to you, meat shield. I was talking about the one you didn't cover for."
They followed the point of Emerald's chin to a body riddled with holes behind them.
"Ren?! But he was—!"
Ruby grasped Jaune and Nora's shoulders. Some of her Aura channeled through them, and the mirage of Ren's dead body faded.
"Made you look~ Twice!"
"YOU BITCH!" Jaune frothed.
"Been called worse by stronger people," Emerald feigned boredom, while pretending to examine her nails. "But I gotta admit, I thought losing the redhead would've just plain broke you. Instead, you're here, trying to get revenge. Huh," she scoffed. "Reminds me of another blonde I used to know."
"Yang?" Ruby asked.
"No. I was talking about the monkey. Yes! Yang! You know, the dear old 'sister' you left for crippled. Can't play the guitar or piano very well?"
"Where… Where is she?"
"Hell if I know. Last time I saw her, she was facedown, floating down a river. Maybe the current took her to the ocean, or even back to Patch!" Emerald said with sarcastic cheer. "Oh, don't look at me like that. You know how it is. She refused this little job of ours, so she had to go. Nothing personal—just business."
"…You're lying," Ruby shook her head. "That can't be true!"
"Oh, why do you care? It's not like it makes a difference to you if she's dead or not."
"What—?"
"I mean, you abandoned her after all!"
Emerald gave a flick of her wrist, and Yang's water-logged corpse manifested.
"The things she told us about you and your team," she made the hallucinated mouth move. "'I trusted them. I thought they had my back. I thought they loved me'. Hah!"
Emerald vanished Yang's body.
"But you guys didn't—not really. Honestly, you could pick up a thing or two from your friends there. At least, they're trying to get revenge for Penny. Wait, that's not it." She hallucinated Pyrrha. "What was this redhead's name again? Pyro? Pine Cone?"
"PYRRHA!" Jaune shouted.
"Pyrrha, right! I swear, that was the next one I was gonna say."
"I don't believe you," Ruby whimpered. "You've done nothing but lie to us."
"Whatever eases your guilty conscience, sweetie. That how you deal with the fact you killed Roman?"
"I…didn't."
"Oh, please. I don't care, Ruby. I hated the guy. But Neo… Well, there's a grudge there, to put it lightly."
Neo snarled, flipping Torchwick's cane end over end. Ruby felt a sharp pang of guilt. By then, Emerald finished recovering her stamina. Her next plan of attack was decided.
That shook them up. Getting in their heads is easier than I thought.
"You wanna see your sister's last moments?" Emerald offered. "I can show you. It was Neo here, who did it."
Neo brandished her thin sword and chiseled it into the illusion of Yang's back. Blood leaked from the mouth, as Yang's good hand reached out to Ruby. The arm struggled to hold up.
"Ruby…"
"Lies!" Ruby's sight pierced through the illusion and she rushed Emerald and Neo. Her scythe sowed a horizontal gash into the pair's bodies, but she already knew something was wrong by how little feedback there was.
Glass exploded on contact, like a couple of body-sized frag grenades. Ruby's defensive Aura dipped from the blast.
Looks like those eyes can see through mental illusions, but not physical ones, Emerald assessed. I'll leave it to Neo. She should be happy about that.
As Ruby tried to recover, Neo delivered a sharp kick to the midsection. The little red hood knocked into a wall, separated further from her allies. Jaune and Nora tried to go to her aid, but were met with Emerald's spinning blades instead.
Jaune took to the front to block the attack. Nora attempted to swing her hammer overhead, but the mint-haired girl nimbly dodged.
With a hammer like that, she can only swing it on a vertical or horizontal axis. Too predictable.
I'm sure you can handle Grimm and empty-brained amateurs. But you need to brush up against people who actually know how to fight.
Emerald lightly sidestepped another mallet strike, then went into rapid rotation. The buzzsaw carved more nicks into Jaune's shield, which appeared in Nora's defense.
"I won't let you hurt them!" he roared.
"Yeah, heard that one before. I wonder if Pyrrha always knew you were a liar."
"What the hell do you know?!"
Jaune swung his sword and missed. His anger telegraphed his every move.
"I know she died with a broken heart, Jauney boy," Emerald continued to taunt, while fighting. "Pinning her hopes on friends, who could never keep up—and a boy that never came to her rescue."
"SHUT UP! You don't know anything!"
"Oh, but I do. Just like how I knew you were never supposed to be at Beacon in the first place."
"GRAAHHH!" Jaune swung again and whiffed.
Emerald unloaded a mag of pestering bullets as punishment.
"Hey, did you ever think how different it would be, if you hadn't snuck into their school?"
"Damn you!"
Another slash, another miss.
"Pyrrha would've never joined your pathetic team, she'd obviously have a different partner. Someone more reliable. Maybe, with actual leadership skills."
"I'LL KILL YOU!"
"Wow. If you look at it like that, it's almost as if you killed her yourself!"
"—Don't you ever shut up?!" Nora stepped in. Her hammer swung across, but the other ducked beneath.
The mint-haired girl ripped her sickles across Nora's ankles, making the other trip.
"Do you think Pyrrha would even care about what you're trying to do? I doubt she ever expected anything from her so-called team." Emerald backpedaled out of the sword and hammer's reach with a smug chuckle. "That's why she had to carry you all on her back. Without her, you guys are nothing."
""SHUT UP!"" Jaune and Nora roared.
"See, I don't know why you guys have such a hard-on for us. It's you guys, who tired her out with your dead weight. It's you guys, who got her killed—and you know it."
Emerald grapple-hooked to a distance, forcing the pair to chase her farther and farther away.
"And then, you replaced her with Ruby. Awkward. I mean, it is, right? Just switching one out for the other. It's been on my mind, and it might be rude, but—did you make any moves on her yet, Jauney? I mean, does she know she's just a rebound?"
Jaune threw a flurry of clumsy slashes.
"But you're used to that, right? Pyrrha was just a rebound too, when romance with the Snow Princess went south."
"YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING!" Jaune continued to bark, spit flying with every word.
"You're right. What you have." To make the boy raise his shield, Emerald fired a shot with each word. "That. Is. True. Love."
Under her breath, Emerald whispered,
"—Bloody Mary."
Just then, Nora's hammer collided with Emerald's cheek. Teeth spat from her mouth and clattered off the walls. Jaune followed up by lopping off one of the girl's legs from under her.
"Ah!" Emerald screamed.
Blinded by their anger, Nora and Jaune butchered her body mindlessly.
"…Guys…"
When they came to their senses, a wounded Ruby laid before them.
"Ruby? RUBY!" Jaune cried, and started treating her injuries. "I'm sorry," he apologized with tears in his eyes. "Her Semblance! She must'v—"
But Ruby ignored his words and lifted a single finger, pointing to the far-end of the chamber.
"…It was a…distraction…"
.
X
.
"I've got one more burn." Mercury voiced over their in-ear comms to his approaching teammates. "I think we can just light him up with you two here."
"Save it for later! For now, stick with the plan!" Emerald responded.
She then, turned to Neo.
"—Hang Man."
While Mercury and Qrow were immersed in their duel, Emerald and Neo stealthily maneuvered their perimeter. When one of Mercury's kicks loosened Qrow's guard, the pair made their move.
In concert with Emerald's chain sickles, the handle on Torchwick's cane shot out. They threaded one of the gears in the ceiling, and then, looped them down. The hook wrapped steel wires around Qrow's neck, while Emerald's chains snagged his arms.
"Sonuva!" Qrow cursed, as he was suspended off his feet.
The scythe in his hands shifted into its sword setting to cut himself free. But there was no avoiding the assault that would come from Mercury.
Qrow had to make a quick assessment of the situation.
Things were growing dire, but if the three concentrated on him alone, Qrow was confident he could hold until Team RNJR rejoined. The enemy was formidable, but Emerald's Semblance had its limits. The kids would get used to the hallucinations eventually. Experience told him his side would win in a prolonged fight.
Qrow raised his sword and cut himself free from his bonds, knowing he would have to take a clean hit because of it. Mercury dashed up to him while he was wide open.
…
But the blow never came.
Instead, Qrow had his weapon knocked free from his hands and caught by Emerald.
The Huntsman couldn't keep the defeated grimace from showing on his face. He miscalculated. This was the enemy's primary aim. The hard check move, right after taking out Ren—to disarm the strongest threat.
"You guys have some principle against fighting fair?" he asked half-jokingly, half-shamefully.
"Why fight fair, when you can win?" Emerald gloated, and dropping his weapon into the raging storm outside.
Running footsteps sounded behind Qrow, as he saw Ruby, Jaune and Nora arrive. He greeted them with a bitter smile.
Any warrior worth their mettle had some skill in hand-to-hand combat, but that could only carry them so far. And Qrow knew it wouldn't be enough against Team ENMY. With a significant portion of Ruby and Jaune's Aura depleted, and Nora's handicap, the battle was practically settled.
"—Qrow," a voice echoed.
"Yeah, Oz?"
"Use my cane."
"…Well, I'll be damned."
Qrow took Ozpin's cane from his belt and Team ENMY's confident smiles turned into disgusted scowls.
"You've got to be shitting me," Emerald narrowed.
Qrow sighed with relief.
"Sometimes, all the cheating in the world doesn't compare to a little thing called, luck."
.
X
.
Qrow channeled his energy through Ozpin's cane.
It was a strange sensation. He never remembered his Aura feeling so structured and formulaic before. No doubt, a result of the synchronization process.
The silver handle of the cane illuminated with a familiar green hue. It clicked and produced a long, curved edge. The spine rotated with glistening gears. Compared to Qrow's scythe, this one was sleeker, thinner and more compact in body.
"What's wrong? Got nothing smart to say?" Qrow taunted.
"I think I threw up a little in my mouth. Thanks for asking," Emerald answered.
"So, what are we gonna do?" Mercury side-whispered. "We went through all that trouble to get rid of his weapon. I doubt he'd just let us do it again."
At that moment, his Talarion Strider let out an extinguished hiss. It indicated whatever ability he used before, was now tapped.
Emerald bit the inside of her cheek and twirled her gun.
"Give me a second to think."
"I still have one more gas cap," Mercury suggested.
"So you've told me. Hang on to it for now."
"For what? If we synch our best moves—"
"Just shut up, and let me think."
"What other possible time could I save it for?"
"We're not betting more money after bad. What we need to do is wait for the right timing."
"We need to flip this, NOW!" Mercury's temper rose.
"You'll know when to use it, because I'll say so! And that time isn't now."
Without looking, Emerald could tell Mercury was glaring daggers at her. She may call him an idiot often, but her partner was anything but. He knew when he was being played.
"You've got me in the blind on something?" Mercury whispered.
"…Yeah."
"We going to win?"
"What kind of question is that, Merc?" Emerald scoffed. "Of course, we're going to win."
"That's all I need to hear."
"…I'll explain later."
"Counting on it."
Qrow flipped the scythe in his hands and cracked it against the ground. Electricity surged from the point and circuited through what remained of the Tower. After his Aura finished running its course, the pagoda's position in the storm halted in time.
No more random bouts of vertigo, no further dissolving of the building. The violent gales ceased. Their surroundings came to an immediate standstill, as bits of ruin still hung in the air in zero gravity.
Both Team ENMY and RNJR paused at the feat Qrow just performed.
"You've got a plan to beat that?" Mercury couldn't help asking again.
"Yeah… Probably," Emerald replied, trying to keep her poker face.
So, this is the power of the Wizard.
Salem told Cinder he draws Magic from the Tower.
The only reason Cinder beat Ozpin was because she had the Maiden's Inheritance and the Headmaster was past his prime.
…
We can still win this.
We have to.
Hm?
Emerald felt Neo tug at her arm.
"What is it?"
Suddenly, the tug became a violent jerk as Neo practically threw Emerald to the ground. A piece of glass on the floor was crushed, followed by the sound of an object whistling by where the girl's neck was.
Emerald rolled across the floor. At the same time, Mercury and Neo whipped a quick-draw kick at the empty space. Their feet crossed and locked midair.
An invisible figure back-flipped out of harm's way and to the other side. As soon as it touched the floor, the person revealed themselves.
Emerald nursed her scraped elbows and was helped back to her feet by her comrades.
And now, Lie Ren is back in play.
Things JUST keep getting better.
She threw a spiteful glare and spat on the floor.
Guess, we need to go with Plan B.
Ugh…
Emerald dread the next orders she had to give, as she whispered on their comms.
"I hate Plan Bs."
.
X
.
Back in Mistral's capital, in a quiet corner of the Azure Estate, a pair of dark figures stepped out from the void.
The two scanned their surroundings and found no patrolling sentries nearby. They snuck along the sides of the building, making use of the shrubbery lining the walls.
The pair came to a stop, below the window of their target's study.
"Azure Scale," Blake murmured, gazing up. "One of the leaders of the Four Noble Houses."
"And only one of three targets on our list," Adam added.
Blake lapsed into silent thought. There was a clear hesitancy that her "partner" didn't fail to notice.
"What are we waiting for?"
"…I'm wondering if I should go through with this."
"They're Salem's orders."
"I don't obey Salem blindly and neither should you," Blake scolded. "Mistral could be thrown into complete chaos. Our actions have lasting consequences, Adam. Even if we do them for the right reasons."
"Salem already explained the aftermath. Only good will come of this. These humans—" Adam paused under Blake's glare. "These people are enemies, not only to our cause, but even their own race. There's nothing to hesitate over. We are doing the right thing."
"—Are you now?" a deep voice posed behind them.
They drew their weapons at the source.
"Blake, Adam, together again. How nostalgic."
"Raven?" Blake gasped, sheathing her sword. "What are you doing here?"
"Making a call. Hush for a moment, would you?"
"Huh?"
Without a single care spared to the circumstance, and Adam still pointing his katana at her, Raven pulled out her scroll and dialed a number.
"Yang," she spoke into the scroll. "Remember when I told you to be ready for my call because it would be important? I'm sending you my location. Get here as soon as you can. It's important."
Raven hung up and rested her hand on the hilt of her sword. The blood in her veins quickened. Darkness within her katana pulsed to her touch.
And something that once lied dormant, was now awakening for the first time in a long time.
.
X
.
Raven's blade lashed out, but was cut through by Qrow's scythe. The samurai's image shattered into countless glass shards.
Qrow snickered, "If you're going to fake someone, you might not want to pick my sister."
Neo gave a contemptuous frown.
"—Our main priority is Emerald," Ruby ordered. "She's the team leader and giving out the commands. She's also the weakest!"
The paradigm of the fight had shifted with Team ENMY now on the backfoot. The focal point concentrating on Emerald in particular.
"—Three Card Monte."
Mercury and Neo joined their leader and shuffled their bodies. Then, there were three copies of Emerald making a break out of the encirclement.
Ruby's silver irises gleamed.
"The real one's on the left!" she shouted.
Qrow swooped on the called mark.
"—Red Lotus and Juggernaut!"
Team RNJR split into pairs at the order. Ren and Ruby caught up to Mercury. Nora and Jaune pressed towards Neo.
Emerald shrunk when Qrow closed in on her escape route. In terms of raw combat ability, this matchup was the biggest discrepancy. And the approaching Huntsman had the fear of the grim reaper in him.
Emerald pushed her Semblance to its absolute limits, implanting duplicates of herself in Qrow's mind.
To her surprise, she felt no resistance. She wondered why, until Qrow's body moved with surreal motion.
As if time slowed for everyone but him, the grim reaper ripped his scythe across the air so quick, it produced afterimages. Every duplicate hallucinated or not, was cut through. The last Emerald figure collapsed, replaced by shattering mirrors.
Neo heaved a drained breath, before dodging Nora's hammer by a margin too close for comfort.
After using her Semblance repeatedly throughout the battle, including sudden activations like the previous, fatigue was starting to take its toll.
As a result, Nora smelled blood in the water. She postured forth and swung the hammer down, but Neo was somehow quicker. The slim sword somehow found purchase in the girl's chest.
"Nora!" Jaune yelled, as he activated his Semblance to heal her.
"No! Don't! It's a trick!" Nora tried to stop him.
But the deed was done.
As the hallucination faded, Nora's figure was replaced with Emerald's. The wounds Qrow inflicted on her recovered.
Alright, that bought us some borrowed time.
Damn it, my Semblance is losing effect and Neo's running on fumes. We need to conserve Mercury's last card.
When the hell is—!
Emerald was about to list a long string of profanities under her breath, when her grimace turned into a mischievous smile. Something she had been waiting for appeared in the corner of her eye.
About freakin' time!
She spoke the command to her teammates immediately.
…
"—Blindside."
…
On Emerald's order, Neo and Mercury kicked up a cloud of dust to harbor their pursuers. Team RNJR passed through the cover and found nothing on the other side of it.
Ruby and Ren immediately sharpened their senses, but couldn't find them immediately. Instead, something much larger occupied their attentions. They both turned their heads to the broken windows, and felt a heaviness drop in the pit of their stomachs.
Half the light in the office was instantly engulfed in shadow.
On a direct collision course with the Tower—was the airship Team ENMY had arrived on.
Emerald couldn't help but laugh from the bottom floor she, Mercury and Neo escaped to.
A resounding racket of wood, stone, and steel cascaded, as the front of the airship smashed into the top of the Tower.
The force sent Team RNJR and Qrow reeling. Splinter and shrapnel shred their Aura. Their bodies were sent ricocheting through the interior until the catastrophe ended.
The airship and pagoda twisted around each other. Stilled after a time. Suspended in a new fusion.
…
…
Among the silent debris, Qrow pushed off the desk that pinned his torso.
A painful groan escaped him as he got unsteadily to his feet. Ozpin's power granted a lot of things, but stopping a full-speeding aircraft was not one of them.
He laughed a little, not remembering the last time he wanted a drink so badly.
"—Hey, old man."
Through his blood-painted eyes, he couldn't see who the voice belonged to…
But there was no mistaking it.
…
Yang drove the edge of her elbow into Qrow's sternum at an upward angle.
Ember Celica let out a decisive bang that bolstered the impact. And the Huntsman's body knocked a few feet into the air.
Qrow's would have flown off, but Yang caught him, and joined her hands around his waist.
Already in anguish, the Huntsman felt his brain numb as the world flipped upside down. His center of gravity out-of-whack. And then something hard, crushed his neck and spine.
Yang hefted his body and suplexed him into the nearby desk.
She slammed him so hard into the furniture and floor, the force created the impression of a second airship colliding with the Tower.
Even then, Yang didn't let up.
She stared down at Qrow with burning, crimson eyes.
The life in him wavered.
Fatal faults cracked as clear as crystal.
Yang's fist rocked back.
The afterburners in her arm flared.
…
And the finishing blow fell,
With all the force of a breaking heart.