R.W.3.Y.: All Fairy Tales End
Chapter 1; the Fox and the Hound (Hunt for Watts) [Part II]
Characters: Ruby Rose, Weiss Schnee, Blake Belladonna, and Yang Xiao Long, etc.
Ships: White Rose, Bumblebee
Description:
RW3Y, the amazing art by Dishwasher1910 who has given me permission to write this, after the Salem Crisis RWBY went a many myriad of directions with their lives, but maintained close ties with each other and their friends. This is their story, their continuation, the end to their fairytale.
Disclaimer:
Hey this art belongs to Dishwasher1910 or Bach Do, thank them for giving me inspiration. RWBY belongs to Roosterteeth and Monty OUm, may he rest in peace. The storylines, and OCs are the only things beside new vehicles that belong to me. Don't sue me Roosterteeth!
"This is the beginning of the end, Ozpin. And I can't wait to watch you burn." -Salem
Kingdom of Mistral, S.R.E.D. Search Fireteam Blade
Weiss' jaw hung open, her face pale, and her knuckles white as she held Myrtenaster. Blake was lying on the ground, her hands weren't moving, and her chest shifted up and down by the ministrations of a soldier. Her helmet had been pulled off and her face was a clammy white. Yang was standing, her lilac eyes rimmed red as she looked on. Ruby was on the ground , completely still, her shuddering shoulders the only hint that she was still breathing. Weiss' legs are numb as she takes slow step after slow step. When she finally reaches Ruby, Weiss kneels down beside her partner.
Ruby feels the small gentle weight on her shoulder. Ruby turned her head away, no matter how many times it happened, knowing Weiss would see her like this... Ruby's chin was caught, and with a pull she could have stopped at any time Weiss brought the younger woman's face around. Weiss stared into Ruby's gleaming silver pools and her lips twitch up into a tiny smirk before carefully reaching out and catching one of the tears sliding down Ruby's face.
"We're not out of the woods yet, you can make it a little longer right?" Weiss' voice is just louder than a whisper, and soft as the warm winds of Vale. Ruby's chest started to slow and her shoulders stopped shuddering. Weiss began running circles on Ruby's exposed arms, before looking over at Blake. "How's she doing?"
The soldier looked at Weiss and nodded, the rise and fall of Blake's chest back to rhythm, even if unsteady and halting.
"You did it Ruby, you saved her, now come on back. Blake's gonna be okay and Yang is gonna need both of us right now." Ruby hones in on that calm clarity Weiss had learned to project, and she latched to it. Her hands wrap around Weiss keeping her from walking away. Weiss could feel warm wetness rolling down her cheeks, it hadn't been the first time Ruby had run from her, but it was the first time Weiss had thought she'd die by doing it. They all had issues, Salem had seen to that, but up until Ruby lost her legs she'd simply seemed untouchable. Now Weiss wanted to protect her flower, but she just couldn't keep up.
The roar of engines breaks through and in less than two minutes the entirety of Fireteams Dusk and Blade, and Team RWBY were on board and receiving medical attention. The pair of Vipers made it back to base in nothing flat, Liath left staring at the the blood pooling in the bottom of his dropship.
Kingdom of Mistral, Watts' Laboratory
"You failed Watts! Your creation didn't finish the job!" shouts the deepened voice.
"Really? My creatures failed? You must be mistaken. Is Blake Belladonna not in the medical ward of the Mistral S.R.E.D. base? Nor is Ruby Rose not right next to her supposedly incoherent? Nothing to say? That's a first. My creations did as they were told, I will complete my end of the bargain when the Huntresses return," Watts lifts the vial, flicking it slightly and smiling at the tiny particles moving within.
"And how are you so certain they'll return?" Watts walks towards the door, his lips pulling tight and his brows furrowing.
"Because I have something that they can't resist." Watts makes certain that right before the connection goes dead his guest sees him and shouts despite the gag in her mouth. "That's alright deary, scream all you want, no one is coming for you anyway."
Jabbing the needle into Ley's shoulder Watts releases the plunger and the liquid slides into her. Rubbing the spot with alcohol and applying a bandage Watts stands back up. His shoes squishing across the padded floor.
"I do hope you fare better than my last subject, he was not at all cooperative."
Kingdom of Mistral S.R.E.D. FOB Briefing Room
"Blake will be fine, it's just a matter of when she wakes up. She lost a lot of Oxygen and she's still unconscious. Ruby needs some comforting words and a helping hand for a day or two, but the worst of her panic attack is over, for now. Yang's holding up…" Weiss' voice is near silent.
"So the Grimm that took Ruby's legs was there?"
"Not the same one, but similar."
"How do you know it wasn't the same?"
"The copy… it was like the ones it sent at us. Watts defused the explosives and freed his beast. If we don't find a way to kill it and soon it will consume flesh and materials alike only growing in size… we could be facing something worse than the Grimm Dragons that attacked Vacuo during the Salem Crisis," Liath states evenly.
"Colonel Schnee do you have the forces necessary to deal with this threat as is?" Winter's eyebrow rises, but the sad glimmer of her eyes says it all.
"Keep The Edelweiss where it is. If we move it we lose any advantage we may have. Though I have a far more concerning theory. I think someone told Watts we were coming. There's no other way a trap like that could have been set if he didn't have inside information."
"You know who you're accusing right?" Liath growls, his lips turning downwards as he glances at Weiss.
"I know."
"I'll see what Ilia can dig up, if there's a link between S.R.E.D., SDC, and Watts' escape she'll find it."
Kingdom of Atlas, SDC Headquarters
Her skin shifts to an ashen grey, blending with the drab ceiling of the building as the clip of boots passes by beneath her. Ilia stares at the guards, their white armour gleaming under the bright LED lights hanging next to the the Chameleon Faunus. But they continue forward, neither the wiser to danger they'd been in.
Ilia drops to the floor, her legs sliding out and her arm flexing, catching her. Her eyes scan the hallway. The guards heavy footfalls slowly falls back into nothing, silence resounding through the darkened halls of the facility. With care akin to that of handling an explosive Ilia stands.
Stepping as silently as a wolf in powdered snow the Chameleon Faunus flits past patrol after patrol, the shining white deadening as the light faded from their forms. None the wiser to the Faunus hidden in the murky shadows, her eyes glaring at each and everyone of them, like a focused laser of wrath. But now her objective is in sight, and all that stood between her and it was a set of doors.
Tugging on the wrists of her gloves Ilia places one hand to the wall and then another, and flexing her arm muscles pulls herself up. The floor falls away and her feet connect with the wall. Like the reptilians her Faunus type is based on Ilia slithers up the wall. Placing herself above the doorway she stops, poised like a snake ready to strike.
Thankfully the guards seemed considerate of their unwelcome, and unknown, guest and a single woman her armour twinkling beneath Ilia, and the lights, presses her hand to the blue glowing pad beside the door. A swish follows the action and gracefully she steps within, the door swishing once more. Ilia continues waiting, her mask showing off a variety of orange, blue, and green hues with the blink of an eye.
Three reddish orange blobs, vaguely humanoid stand around in a loose triangle. Blurs swing in and out of focus and slight nods of their round tops covered a blue-yellow thing with faint shapes of rectangles coming through. Then two of them head for the door. Ilia places her hands on the frame. Her fingers tense as the swish resounds through the corridor and the with a blink of her eyes the two blobs return to armoured men walking away. Pushing off with her legs Ilia swings through the door, releasing her finger hold and sliding across the ground as the door swishes shut.
Ilia's eyes sweep around, landing on the woman in the chair, head bobbing, and a tapping sound bouncing from beneath the desk. Quiet as a cat and as deadly as a viper Ilia steps forward, pulling out a clear chip, pulsing with a cool blue. The woman's head starts to rock back and forth and Ilia sees a flash of black in her ears. Abandoning all fears of getting caught, and slinking out of her crouch Ilia presses the chip to the exposed skin of the guard's neck, whose head lolled forward.
Pushing aside the chair a hum strikes rhythms in Ilia's ears, the letters covering the blank boxes as fast as Ilia herself could manage. Looking at the button she had yet to press Ilia places her Scroll in the dock and then taps the final key, her finger firm and unyielding. A bar, filling with white takes centre stage on the large screen. It moves fairly quickly, as if it knew the precarious situation in which It resided. Ilia on the other hand struggled. Her fingers drummed a beat on her arm, she swayed from side to side, and her eyes darted between the bar and the door.
Shutting her eyes, inhaling heavily, and exhaling slowly Ilia drew her energy out. Her fingers stopped their beat and her sway cut off. Swish.
Ilia spins, her eyes latch onto the man staring at her from behind the metal helmet. His mouth formed a small 'o' shape and his jaw hung low. Two coffee mugs, steam rising into the air, are in his hands. His head shifts between the screen and Ilia, then looks at the alarm on the wall to his left. Behind the metal mask-like helmet his eyes move fast as a Hummingbird's wings from the alarm to the intruder, and back again. His shoulder shifts ever so slightly, moving for the alarm, and it happens.
Like time slowing down, Ilia moved in fluid, graceful motions, drawing another chip from her bag and pushing off her back leg. The short distance is covered in less than half a second, the floor seeming to bend and contort to her will as her shoulder connects with the guard's hard steel chest.
The sudden change in his balance and the appearance of the intruder nearly on top of him was the only hint he had to something having happened. The mugs' black liquid is flung into the air as he loses his grip on the handles. Turning his head to the side he can see the ground approaching at high speed, his body feels numb and weightless, like that feeling of sleeping on a real nice bed. Then the ground comes up all to soon and shatters that illusion alongside the mugs's cracked pieces scattered over the floor, his breath driven out of him. Looking up at the ceiling and struggling to regain some semblance of what was happening when that demonic black painted Grimm mask, its white lines swiping across the eye slits, fills his vision, and then nothing.
Ilia watches the chip, a continuous and uninterrupted pulsing blue just visible on his neck. A quick shake of her head and Ilia turns back to the station, the bar now nearly filled with simple white pixels. Then with a beep she could barely hear the bar filled and she grabbed her Scroll.
After clambering her way up to the vents in the ceiling above and entering them Ilia's way out was secure, and far easier than her way in. Schnees… far too arrogant for their own good.
Stepping out into the whipping snow filled winds Ilia casts a glance back at the glowing lights let off by the large SDC headquarters building. Pulling a jacket from a garbage bag Ilia sticks her hands into its deep pockets, depresses the button on the trigger within, and pulls off her mask.
Back inside the facility the two guards wake up with a pained gasp and a throbbing headache, broken mugs and coffee spilled everywhere, and no idea of what had just happened.
Kingdom of Mistral S.R.E.D. FOB Briefing Room
The click of heels enters the room and Liath turns his gaze from the report he was glancing over. A thump fills the place with its deep sound and Liath glares at the folders.
"We don't have time for a witch hunt Colonel. We have two Huntresses in the infirmary and confirmation of the most dangerous Grimm type yet on the loose. Leak or no those should be our primary concern."
"You might be right Agent, but our efforts have not gone unnoticed, it would be prudent to assume that if we don't first find this traitor and flush them out we might-" Weiss' raising voice was cut off as the door burst open.
"Colonel Schnee! Agent Liath! We have contact, some Grimm we've never seen before its heading for a village just two klicks from here, and we've got three packs of Beowulves running rampant between us and them!" Nava shouts staring at the two heads of the FOB. Liath's chair is abruptly flung to the ground, his brows furrowed and expression as hard as a knife.
"Get Mech Infantry Fireteam Metal online. I want Turtle-class Heavy Assault Gunships in the air and our Viper quick response forces out there now. Have all standby Huntsman on high alert. If they want to bring the fight to us, we answer in kind."
"Agent! I cannot-"
"Colonel, all due respect but your team isn't ready to go against this thing, not again. Stand down and find what you're looking for," Liath winks. Stepping out the Agent is quickly followed by Nava as the pair heads for the main command centre.
Weiss glares after Liath, but she knew what he was doing. With all the troops and command staff with him Weiss would have free reign to perform her witch hunt as Liath had so fondly put it. Huffing and opening the first file Weiss begins.
Kingdom of Mistral, Watt's Laboratory, Main Surgical Suite
"Testing is going... well its proceeding," Watts whispers. The doors woosh and he renters staring at the woman. She was scantily clad, but his eyes rested upon her chest for a different reason, the fact that is was moving up and down, almost imperceptibly so. Her skin was ashen and the side of her head had been partially shaved, a faint white scar running along her neck and trailing up behind the back of her ear. "Subject Gamma-2 has shallow breathing and the first signs of onset have showed."
Watts' shoes scuff forward ever so slightly. The woman's eyes begin to move rapidly beneath their lids and her head turns towards the sound as her face contorts and her lips purse. "Response to sound is perfect, the alterations have worked wonders."
Pressing a button on his stolen Scroll Watts watches as a needle shifts on an extended arm and moves towards the woman on the table. Like the care a mother shows a child the arm arcs downward and then lovingly jabs itself into her arm.
Ley's eyes shoot open as pain roars through her arm and up her into her shoulder. A strangled half scream-shout forces its way past her parched lips. Blood, darker than the normal crimson begins to leak from the cracks of her dry skin. A snake like slither slips in, like it was right beside the table. Shoving herself off the table she screeches as the needle snaps more of the blackish blood coating her arm. Her eyes dart about, searching the utter darkness of the room. She felt like she was in a fishbowl, the light illuminating every part of her body, while the black encroached. Her skin was cold, and the air wasn't much warmer, but… it was odd, like somehow that didn't matter.
Her mind was scattered and she tried desperately to pick up the pieces, and fit things into a familiar pattern. She remembered a forest, leaves as green as the grass outside her home, but she couldn't think of her home, it was like a dull grey box with a beautiful sea of grass and flowers before it. She remembered the smell of blood working its way through the air, but it was light and seemed far off. She remembered a voice so warm it made the hair on her arms and stand just thinking of it; it relaxed her and she slowly let her guards down. The voice! Sure enough, in the back of her head, like a whisper in her ear just loud enough to hear, singing a quiet calming song. Her eyes widen and her teeth clench. Flexing her arms and squeezing her hands tightly into fists. Baring her teeth a tiny muted growl emits from her closed jaws. Swinging her head one way then another, her blood boils and her brows furrow and her nose crinkles.
"Subject appears completely unaware of her past, I'll have to thank my new partner for getting hands on that. Now the real fun can begin." Those gleaming red irises latch onto the direction the new sound came from, and her thoughts leave her body. Ley feels like she's in the backseat of a car as her body rushes forward, pumping its legs as fast as she could ever have gone before slamming into a something clear and heavy. Letting loose a snarl Ley's body pulls back an arm and with a clenched fist strikes the barrier blocking her from the noise, from the new voice. "Yes, now the real fun begins."
Kingdom of Mistral, S.R.E.D. FOB, Main Technicians Hangar
Wiping down another piece of the large shoulder plate. The lights within the hangar cut off, red fills the vision of the fireteam within, and the blare of an alarm sounds in their ears only to be cut off by the intercom.
"All soldiers to battlestations! We are going to full alert. QRF deployments have occured. Fireteam Metal to the Tactical Briefing Room ASAP," the voice hollers. Grunting and shoving off the crate he'd been sitting on he falls into line behind the other members of Fireteam Metal.
They all stand nearly two and half metres tall, even without the power armour, and a muted glow could be seen worming around underneath their skin. The six soldiers' steps are rhythmic and defined as they head for the briefing room. Glancing back at the armours hanging on their racks, and the large stockpile of weapons seeming to wink at them, and then the door slides shut and his focus drifts back to the task at hand.
Kingdom of Mistral, S.R.E.D. FOB, Medical Wing
Yang sat there, head cradled lightly in her arms. Water is pooled at her feet, and the beeping pervades throughout. Why…. Why did I let this happen?
Her head raises and she stares at the steady rhythmic rise and fall of Blake's chest. Hues of purples, blues, and even blacks marring the woman's smooth cream skin. A mask sat firmly on the Cat Faunus' face, and those damn beeps were both driving Yang insane and also keeping her pinned to her chair.
"Y-y-y-yang?" comes a near silent voice. That's why. Spinning the chair placed between Blake's bed and Ruby's Yang's red rimmed eyes focus in on her sister. Ruby didn't look any better than Yang felt. Bags underneath her eyes which were near scarlet, and a tremble running across her despite her cloak and the heavy blanket. "What-"
"It's okay Rubes. Everything's okay," Yang whispers her response, she couldn't bear to hear Ruby ask it. Yang takes Ruby's hand in her own, squeezing it lightly, like a mother tending her child. "We're all okay Ruby."
"But… where's-"
"Ruby." Yang's voice is hoarse. Fresh tears spill onto her face, washing away more of her makeup. "Blake's okay. Weiss is okay. Everyone's okay Rubes."
Water pooled in the corner of Ruby's eyes, her hands inching their way towards her legs. Yang's breath caught in her throat and began rubbing circles along Ruby's arm before using the weak prosthetic to catch Ruby's other hand. Ruby's trembling became a shudder and her breathing started catching in her throat. Pulling her arms free and throwing off the blanket Ruby's eyes widen at her legs. Moving to touch them her hands are once again intercepted, Yang holding them tightly, making her presence known.
"One life, is not a long time. When you're waiting, for a small sign. Patience, is hard to find. Shadows, seem to fill your life. Don't be disappointed. Don't let your heart break. Don't spend another minute in this way. It's okay.
Dry your eyes now baby. Broken wings won't hold you down. You'll take flight soon baby. You'll be lifted up, and you'll be there.
Twelve hours, is long night. When you're searching, there's no hope in sight. Aimless, on the inside. And the damage, makes you want to hide. I know that it seems pointless. I know that it feels fake. I know you can't stand the thought of being stray, one more day.
Dry your eyes now baby. Broken wings won't hold you down. You'll take flight soon baby. You'll be lifted up, and you'll be there..." Yang soothes, running her metal fingers over Ruby's arm softly. "You just hang in there little sis. Weiss will come down soon."
Ruby's eyes had fluttered closed, and her face was peaceful. Yang felt another bout of tears coming on, but this time it wasn't over Blake, or even Ruby.
Yang was sitting alone, on the couch staying up to wait for mommy coming home. Dad had said she'd be home today, and mommy had said she was going to bake cookies. Yang knew she wouldn't get them tonight, especially with her little sister already cocooned in bed, but she just wanted to watch her mother walk through their door. Dad had gone to bed, knowing he'd have to take the morning shift with his fiery daughter and her younger sister…
The phone rang, starting Yang and causing the young girl to look up at the shaking phone. It stilled and Yang thought that she just must be really tired. Then the phone shuddered and shook a second time, releasing its ring around the house. Without thinking, just wanting the noise to end Yang grabbed the phone.
"Hello? X-Xiao Long residence," her little voice squeaked.
"Yang? It's Qrow. I need you… I need you to wake up your dad right now." his voice didn't sound right, like he'd been crying. Yang had heard that when Mommy left earlier and Ruby had cried.
"Uncle Qrow? What happened why-"
"WAKE UP YOUR FATHER!" Qrow's shout caused the young girl to drop the phone with a scream and run down the hallway, the phone bouncing on the floor behind her.
"Daddy! Uncle Qrow yelled at me!" Yang shouted as she jumped onto her parents bed.
"Wh-What? Yang… my little dragon, why are you up?" Tai moans from underneath his pillow.
"Uncle Qrow yelled at me to get you," Yang huffed, crossing her arms over her chest and glaring at her father.
"Alright, let's go see what Qrow wants," Tai answers. Rubbing the sleep out of her eyes and yawning Tai takes Yang's hand and heads for the phone. He picks it up, places it to his ear. "Qrow why are you-"
"What?"
Tai's hand goes slack. Yang watching on as her father falls to his knees. Rushing forwards Yang stares at him, his eyes watery and face slack. She tugs on his arm, pushes him.
"Daddy what's wrong?"
Those words still sweep away all the work she'd done, the fear that gripped her. Daddy what's wrong, three simple words had shattered everything Yang knew, broken her world, and her father. Looking over at Blake's steady breathing Yang forced herself from the chair, and did what Blake used to do, she left.
Kingdom of Mistral, S.R.E.D. FOB, Tactical Briefing Room
"Fireteam Metal, you're the only members of PROJECT CERBERUS currently on hand and with most of my Hunters still spread out in the field to engage the Grimm you're all I have to send out besides standard soldiers, at least until I manage to scrounge up my reserve Hunters," Liath says staring at the stiff troops before him. Their heavy, hard arms are tucked behind their backs with hands clasped.
"What's the target Sir?" asks the first, Alice Flora, Metal Five. Her auburn hair is pulled back into a tight ponytail, some wisps escaping and hovering almost imperceptibly in front of her scarlet eyes. A line, thin and white, in perfect contrast to her near golden brown tan travels from almost the corner of her mouth down over her chin and along her neck.
"New Grimm type, same style that removed Agent Ruby Rose of her legs about a year ago. Highly intelligent and capable of producing accurate copies of its enemies. It can shift its body reforming its face to take on any attack. As far as we can tell it has no discernable weaknesses, and has withstood direct attacks from Huntress Yang Xiao Long and Agent Ruby Rose. Classified as Typhon, like the father of all monsters, it will only continue to grow as it consumes material and organic matter. You're task is to delay it as long as possible. It's already wiped out at least one village and is on a direct coarse here." A hologram of the base lightens the darkened room and then zooms out, red zones highlighting the surrounding area. "As far as we can tell it's trying to grow its size before confronting us, so stopping it here and now is the only way to succeed. You have authorisation to perform any necessary action to prevent Typhon from reaching this base. Is that understood Fireteam Metal?"
"Sir. Yes, Sir," Their voices chorus. Liath nods.
"One question Sir," pipes up the man next to the door, Wallace Jenkins, Metal Four. His head is shaved, so his hair appears black. His light brown eyes glimmer with an emotion that can't really be pinned down, either fear or excitement.
"Yes Metal Four?"
"We get to take anything from the armoury right?" Jenkins eyes widen and his lips crack into a smile, extremely inappropriate for a soldier of the Atlas military, even more so for an Ironclad.
"Take what you want Fireteam Metal, Dust knows you'll need every advantage you can get."
Kingdom of Mistral, S.R.E.D. FOB, Briefing Room
The words on the pages were blending together, like someone had stuck the black ink into a whirlpool then dropped it on the pages in front of her. A yawn, unbidden, escaped her mouth and her posture started to falter. Rubbing her eyes and blinking once or twice Weiss redoubles her efforts, but the words just won't stop mixing themselves.
She'd gotten through an amazing twenty files, combing through all of their records with a fine tooth, looking for any possible connection between SDC, S.R.E.D., and Watt's imprisonment. There just wasn't anything there. The clock's ticking had been a constant reminder to Weiss, knowing that troops were dying as she sat there, looking over paperwork! Her body started to growl, and her fingers were sluggish. Turning to the clock Weiss' eyes widened as she stares at the five hours she'd been here, still no closer, and starving to boot. Her chair skitters back with a heavy screech and Weiss drops the most recent file, Nava someone or other, being just legible to the Schnee.
Forcing the door open Weiss glances left and right; Medical or Command Ops? Ruby, or your job? Splitting left Weiss pulls out her Scroll and swipes it through the vending machine's glowing lights. It spits out a three day old bagel and an ancient cream cheese packet. Her nostrils flare as she snorts and tosses the packet in the garbage. Another station, another swipe, another affirmative beep, and Weiss is holding a coffee. It probably tasted like someone had steamed water and put coffee beans in it, but it had caffeine, her eyelids felt heavy and Weiss quickly sips her coffee. It was terrible. Her stomach rumbled and Weiss half-heartedly bit into her bagel, nearly spitting out the bland, dry taste in her mouth. By Dust why haven't I improved the food around here? People actually eat this crap? With a groan, and a twisted look of disgust Weiss takes another bite, quick to wash it out with the coffee, at least that had flavour.
Her steps carried her to her destination, but something catches in the corner of her eye. Stopping, turning, and examining the rare find Weiss' eyes light up, the bags forming there stopping almost instantly. Shooting fast peaks to make sure the hallway is clear, her lips break into a smile and the Colonel of S.R.E.D. practically sprints into the room.
It was like most of the prefab rooms here on S.R.E.D. FOBs, a barren whitish grey, dull as the Schnee mansion's colour palette. But sitting on the desk was the one thing breaking the monotony of the room. Brown, squat, and rectangular machine. A small half circle like bubble coming off the front, and a stack of packaged cups on a shelf next to it. Thank Dust! Rushing forward Weiss downs the coffee and places the paper cup underneath the spout of the machine's bubble. Popping the top and grabbing a coco mix it slots in perfectly, like a round of Dust into Myrtenaster. Fiddling with the settings a bit and then hitting the glowing green button Weiss smiles at the flowing brown liquid. Wisps of hot air coming from the small pool at the cup's bottom as a couple of bubbles float to the surface of the rising liquid.
"Ahem." a voice sounds behind Weiss. Jumping and spinning about like Ruby being caught with her hand in the cookie jar Weiss stares wide eyed at the woman in the doorway. A woman with white hair, blue highlights and a thin frame looks at Weiss, eyes roaming up and down. "Colonel Schnee, sneaking into my office and using my coffee maker? Well I guess the coffee really is bad."
"You're... Nava, right?" Weiss questions, her heart slowing down and turned grabbing the cup filled with her salvation.
"Yes, I'm Liath's right hand around here. Keep the base running and all that," she answers, catching Weiss' eyes darting back to the machine. "Just take another, and here while you're at it have this."
Weiss was already making another cup when a brown paper bag was set down before her. A round shape was in its centre and the smell of meat and cheese wafted up from it.
"I grabbed this for later in case I couldn't get a break from command ops. Take it, looks like you need it more than me. What are you working on anyway?"
Weiss grabs the bag, dumps the bagel in the garbage and takes the second drink. Sparring a quick glance back at the younger woman Weiss smirks.
"Deciding who gets a raise Miss Nava, and right now you're at the top of my list," Weiss stepped out and kept moving, avoiding contact with any others and keeping her mission in single mind.
Kingdom of Mistral, S.R.E.D. FOB, Training Centre
The bag hits the wall exploding into sand, foam, and singed leather. The smell of burning clothes seeps into the hallway, and the two Hunters immediately turn back the way they'd come.
Yang shouts hitting another of the lined up bags full force, her eyes shimmering red, and ringed with tears. Fire trails her fist like a Comet's tail and explodes as the bag warps around it, before flying into the wall where its compatriot had gone. Sweat practically poured down Yang's form as she stepped up to the next bag.
"You know destroying S.R.E.D. property is something I take offence too," Weiss calls from the other side of the room. Yang's red eyes linger on the Schnee, Weiss' hair was a mess, curled and sticking out, her shoulders were slumped and posture weak. She had a bag and two drinks in hand, but given the direction she was going Yang didn't think it was meant for the white clad woman to eat them.
"Who cares right now?" Yang grunts. Flexing her leg and then pulling back she kicks the next bag, leaving the same mangled result resting on the floor.
"Yang, talk to me…" Weiss' tone is quiet, calm, the same one that had kept Ruby together until they were back to base. Yang's blood boiled at the tone. A flicker of fire sparked near her hair. Then Weiss' brows furrowed, her eyes set in harsh lines, and her lips pulling tight. The fire died, and Yang just couldn't stay standing any longer, just like her father all those years ago, Yang fell to her knees. The clack of heels draws close and this arms wrap around Yang's sharp muscles. "Hey. It's okay Yang."
"No Weiss… it isn't. I jumped in, let my semblance control me… just like the old days, before the Fall. I didn't think… all I could see was Ruby laying there on the ground…" Yang's chest began to heave, her muscles tensed, and her eyes shone a bloody red. "I saw that damn thing and I lost it, it was like watching Ruby lying on the ground over and over again…. I broke my rule Weiss, I lost control and it cost me an arm, it nearly cost me Blake, and now… how do I…"
"You do just like all of us do Yang. You do because you're a Xiao Long, because you helped defeat Salem, because when you walk out into that hallway you don't get to be like this anymore… We took on the hardest job anyone could ask of teenagers, and it left scars not all of us can see. We all carry our burdens, but if we don't share them with each other then we'll fall victim to our own demons…. You taught me that, when you came back to Haven, when you showed me that your strength on the outside was nothing compared to what you have inside." Pushing a finger into Yang's chest for good measure Weiss picks up the drinks and bag and starts heading back to the door. "Oh. And you owe me about a hundred thousand Lien for all the equipment you just broke! Advice is free though!"
Yang watches the retreating woman, how had everything come to this. Weiss Schnee of all people being the one to keep their little family together. As corny as Weiss had just been Yang could feel it in her bones, but that didn't mean she had to yet. Getting off the ground Yang picks up another bag, sets it on the hooks and starts a normal combo. Just keep moving.
Kingdom of Mistral, Watts' Laboratory, Security Room
Watts' lips turned up into a smirk. The subject, as he'd taken to calling what was Huntress Ley, was far better than he'd anticipated.
She couldn't remember what life was. Her mind felt clouded, a storm of fog constantly hanging over it making her thoughts murky, hard to gather. A hiss reverberates through the room and she squints, her face contorting at the thought now prevalent in her mind.
"Are you ready for another session?" whispers a warm female voice. The voice rings in her head, a little whisper in the back of her head saying something she couldn't grasp onto before it fleeted away. Always that same voice, it caused her nostrils to flare and her lips to pull back, revealing sharp pointed teeth, like a wolf's. Her chest rumbles and an animalistic growl permeates the air between her and the new comer. A pain radiates from the tips of her fingers and they blacken, before creamy bone claws slide out of the oily black appendages. The liquid travels up her pale, near ghostly, white arms covering the blood red cracks and skin. Bone sprouts from the oily film, splitting it apart and letting an armour cover her. In her mind Ley knows that this isn't right, that something has changed, that she couldn't do this before… but none of that matters, what does is punishing that voice, ending its torment upon her.
Watts stares from behind the glass as liquid covers the near white skin of his subject. She'd been practically naked only moments ago, now she stood in grainy, bone armour and black cloth. Her blood red irises highlighted by the whites of her eyes having long since turned black. Her hair had only pieces of its former brown luster hidden on its ends, the rest was a glittering white, near blinding under the lights. But examining her smooth physique for blemishes in the conversion process could be done later, it was time to see if this new creation, if Gamma-2 could actually perform. Pressing his finger heavily into the Scroll Watts lowers it, and brings the lights to nearly nothing.
The darkness consumes Ley's world leaving her with nothing by which to fight, or at least it should have. The smell of whatever had joined her was still very much here, it was meat, bad meat, for some reason she couldn't think of another word. A buzzing of flies, their rapid beating wings, zipping about. A blurry shadow, moving about, shambling, striding towards her. The blob like form becoming sharper, its edges easier to see. It was humanoid, and looked… incomplete.
Like the snap of her fingers the world's darkness fades, lit by the mirroring of the infinitesimal light within the room, done by her own eyes. The shadow which had been coming towards her at a meandering pace turns pure crimson eyes upon her, their glowing fiery centre focused wholly on her. But that isn't what caught Ley's attention.
Brown locks of hair fall in front of those fiery red eyes. Clumps are missing, like her head had been shaved. Her face is thin and pale, her cheeks stretched. Parts in her skin reveal the drab red of the muscles beneath, slight flexings happening in its jaws. Its cheeks were slit, long pieces of skin simple there, with large gaps between them. Her nose was half gone, partially ripped off and hanging. Her teeth were a yellowed white, and all sharpened to a point. Her shoulders were patchy, some of the pale porcelain like skin having become grey and wrinkled, cracking slightly as it shifter one forward. A white gleam of exposed bone was held together by twisting sinew and muscles on her arms, skeletal and thin fingers wrapped tightly around a long spear. But that wasn't the worst part. Ley's gaze lingers on the thumping heart hanging out in the exposed chest of the beast before her, its ribs were pulled back revealing a Grimm mask at its centre. Is that- Her thoughts are cut off as the beast rushes forward.
Kingdom of Mistral, S.R.E.D. FOB, Medical Wing
The door hisses open and admits Weiss into the room containing her two teammates. The hot cocos she'd brought no longer seeped their warmth into Weiss' hands. The bag she'd been carrying had long since lost its powerful salivating aroma of meat and cheese. Sitting down in the chair still worn with Yang's larger form Weiss places the food on the tray by the bed.
Beep. Beep. Beep. Looking from the corner of her eye at the machine still tied to Blake Weiss levels a glare at it. Beep. Beep. Beep. Releasing a huffed sigh Weiss reaches out to Ruby, leaving the machine to be dealt with later. Her hands make contact with Ruby's smooth soft skin. Weiss' lips turn up, smiling, but it doesn't reach her eyes.
"Ruby, time to wake up. I brought some food," Weiss' voice is near silent, nothing but a slow hum. Ruby's head turns in response, but her body begins to tremble. Beneath her skin Ruby's muscles constrict, her entire body tensing. Her brows furrow and her face pinches together. Weiss' knuckles go white as she fights to keep Ruby's hand in her own. "Ruby, I'm here, everything is alright. Come on, relax."
Ruby twists, nearly pulling Weiss out of her seat. Wet, hot liquid begins to spill across Ruby's face, running tracks down to her chin as her jaw and shoulders tremble.
"... Blake…" Ruby's rough voice croaks. She twists back showing the tears staining the curve of her face. Weiss' adam's apple bobs and her face pinches as she bites her tongue, water pooling in her eyes.
"Ruby, Ruby I'm right here, Blake is too. Just calm down and wake up my dolt." Weiss clutches Ruby's hand tighter with one hand, and using the other to take away some of the younger woman's tears off her face. Ruby's head twists away from the touch, some hair falling in front of her closed eyes. Weiss brushes the strands back into place then starts rubbing soft circles on Ruby's arm. "I'm right here Ruby, I'm right here."
Ruby's tossing slows, but Weiss' words seem to have no effect on the growing trails on Ruby's cheeks, nor the shudder of her jaw. Weiss groans, stopping her circles she watches Ruby's lips purse into a pout. The older woman puts her hand onto the bed and presses her weight into it and swings onto the bed.
Weiss loosely wraps her arms around the sleeping woman, a pink tinge fills her cheeks. But the light pink becomes a burning red when Ruby spins her grasp and latches onto Weiss like a child holds a teddy bear.
"It's okay Ruby, I'm here. I'm not going anywhere," Weiss whispers into Ruby's ear, running her hand along Ruby's upper arm.
Kingdom of Mistral, Attacked Village, Kioshi
"Metal One come in, this is Command," Nava's voice breaks through. The clattering of rifles, bang of marksmen weapons, and the thunder of a heavy machine gun. "Metal One?"
The metal plates clunk together as one of the armour clad forms steps out of rank. Holding a hand up and tapping the side of their rounded helmet. A faint spark of static bursts then a voice with it.
"Metal One come in."
"This is Metal Three. Metal One is down, along with one of our Turtles. Munitions are running low. Whatever the hell this thing is it doesn't give an absolute shit about us," his voice grouses. Spinning about and raising his rifle the armoured man slides his finger into the trigger guard. A Beowulf, black as night, white spines jutting from its back as it's claws dig into the dirt, pulling itself towards them like the ground might give any faster. His eyes dart up catching sight of the near collapsed building to the right.
"Jenkins! RPG that support on my mark!" Metal Three booms. His eye drop down, one Beowulf had become multiple, a number jumping around the corner. Their legs pump faster as they charge up the dirt road, the climb of the hill doing nothing to slow their advance. The first one comes in line with the creaking stone building. "Mark!"
A flare of fiery orange light ignites in the back of the tube on the shoulder of Jenkins' armour plate, held steady by his heavy hand atop it. Ripping out the other end of the tube and trailing a thin vapour of steamy white the rocket collides with the last, crumbling, support pillar and the three story house loses its fight with gravity.
The mansory tumbles towards the road, smashing headlong into the Grimm. The first few don't even have a chance to react. A tan dust fills the air and pieces of building collide with the Grimm. The heads of the those behind the first few suddenly raise, but then their darkened forms simply disappeared behind the thundering tumble of the crashing building. As the dust begins to clear he glares through his visor. Glancing up at the black smoke belching from the rest of the burning village, the blue sky becoming clogged with darkness, blotting out the sun behind clouds of grey ash.
The buildings around us are ripped apart, flames burning through them, and leaving them husks ready to fall like a house of cards. The small clearing was littered with bullet casings and blood pools, resting beneath still bodies. The dirt of the ground is torn up and gouged from the running or our Ironclads, two of whom were standing next to one lying upon the ground, its fingers no longer clenched together. Taking a step forward it feels like his armour suddenly weighs twice as much, He struggles forward under its heaviness, rifle held across his chest.
The two other Ironclads turn and nod to him. He stops, staring at the once pristine armour, now covered in smudges and slashes of dirt and mud, a heavy scarlet set of stains leaking out from pieces of broken bone sticking out of the rent chest armour.
"Metal One is gone. Too much trauma, couldn't stabilize him, he'd have needed a miracle just to walk again if we had saved him," one of the Ironclads whispers.
"Alright Metal, lets gather munitions and gear, we have to reach that next group of troops and prep them to engage Typhon again," Metal Three grunts. Leaning down the soldier takes magazines off the armoured corpse. Leaving a box within the body's open chest Metal Three turns and steps away.
"Metal Three, do you really think we stand a chance?" Alice quips. Metal Three glances over his shoulder and leaves Alice with a lingering stare.
"Prep for the mission Metal Five. I have a call to make." Pressing a finger to a small circular piece on his helmet an antenna slides up out of his pack. "Metal Three to Command. Do you copy? I repeat Metal Three to Command. Do you copy?"
"Command reads you Metal Three. Liath is here, he's demanding your status."
"Metal One is confirmed KIA. One of our Turtles is down, but callsign Sidewinder is still in the air, their support is minimal though, they're nearly out of ammo. We are requipping and heading for next troop position. We'll rally the soldiers there and make another push for Typhon." Looking out at the black mass just visible on the horizon, smoke and ash belching into the sky around it. "Requesting air support, artillery units, and heavy weapons and munitions."
"That's a negative Metal Three. We've lost too many units to spare any. I've only got one more unit I can deploy. So no Bullshit, can you reach Typhon if I deploy them to you?" Metal Three levels a gaze, his eyes glinting with pain and hate.
"Sir. All due respect, but if it costs me everything I have I'll give whatever you send me a clear shot at the fucking monstrosity, and I'll see it die."
"Copy that Metal Three. Transmitting coordinates for an RV point now, I'll see what else I can scrounge up for you. Command out."
Kingdom of Mistral, Watts' Laboratory, Examination Room
Staring at the pure snow white skin Watts' mustache twitches. The sedation would be wearing off soon, but he'd finished the last of the surgeries. Now it was time to see if everything had worked.
Kingdom of Mistral, S.R.E.D. FOB, Locker Room
Yang rubbed her short hair with another towel, two discarded on the bench beside her. Her skin felt warm and was tinged red. The mirrors were heavily fogged. The air was heavy with steam and seemed to hover about.
"Huntress Yang Xiao Long report to Command Ops," rings an electronic monotone voice from a speaker obscured from Yang's view. Yang's eyes flash crimson and her muscles tense for a second. Breathing in, and releasing it Yang's eyes return to lilac and her muscles relax.
-S.R.E.D. FOB, Command Ops-
Yang tugs her half jacket on and the doors hiss open for her. Her boots clank on the deck and a number of heads turn. Yang would normally wink, throw a coy smile, or even gather enough charisma for a swagger, but not today.
"Huntress Xiao Long reporting," Yang huffs, cocking her hip and placing her hand on it. Liath doesn't turn. His eyes still fixed on the screen.
"Good. Nava prep Viper 157 for rapid deployment and fit it with every piece of munitions we can spare," Liath grunts. He spins on his heel and limps over to the next terminal. "Reroute those units to these positions, we need to create a defensive perimeter here, here and here."
"I'm here Liath," Yang grunts, her eyes narrowing on the older Hunter whose back is to her. His jaw moves as he says something she can't hear and then he heads for the next monitor.
"Get Echo-419, 435, and 457 in the air for air support, I know their birds aren't fully armed but we don't have anything else to send."
"Laith." Yang bites off, her nostrils starting to flare, her arms tensing and the relaxed facade dropping away.
"Yes, Yang. Get on Viper 157 I need you to connect with Fireteam Metal and re-engage with that Grimm, Typhon."
"What." Yang's voice barks. Liath's face finally comes into view, and the muttering of everyone around them has quieted.
"Huntress Xiao Long. You will board Viper 157 and RV with Fireteam Metal. That Grimm that you attempted to destroy in the forest has been consuming matter and organic materials and is now so large that it not only dwarfs you, it thinks a two story building is a bed! So get on the Viper and stop that damn monstrosity before it reaches this base and takes out the only forces within 100,000 kilometres that can possibly hope to STOP IT!" Liath's chest is heaving, his eyes wide, nostrils flared, and brows furrowed, leveling Yang with a glare so intense it could have made a Beowulf run for cover. Yang stood her ground, like the wind itself was trying to rip her from the the dirt Yang simply leaned into it.
"My sister is here." Yang answers, cold as ice.
"You think you're the only one with something to lose Xiao Long? Is that it? Is your sister's life? Your partner's life? Your friend's lives? Are those worth sitting here arguing with me? Colonel Schnee has a prototype arm for you, I had it placed on Viper 157. Meet the damn bird and go save all our necks." Liath growls through his clenched teeth, and then his voice lowers. "If you don't, I don't have anyway of stopping this thing… and the nearest help of any kind is hours away, far too late to stop that thing before it gets too a size where even a Ironclad Titan-class would be forced to reconsider fighting it. You can beat it Yang, you're the only one who can beat it."
Yang's eyes widen, her lips slowly forms an 'oh' as a weight falls on her shoulder, an arm, Liath's arm.
"You stop this Grimm and we may have actually accomplished something today Yang. But my troops need a Hunter, and I'm spread thin engaging with every hoard that's taking advantage of the chaos. I know you can do this." Yang's adam's apple bobs and she nods, quiet as a stone. Stepping back and turning Yang heads out the door, which hisses in answer before closing shut behind her.
Kingdom of Mistral, S.R.E.D. FOB, Medical Wing
Ruby cracks her eyes open, a soft muted white greeting her silver irises. Stretching her eyelids further, and letting in the light of the room fill out the details. Something warm was wrapped tightly around her, like Zwei had snuggled into her arms. That's when something moved, pushing in towards Ruby and her eyes went wide. Attempting to pull herself free Ruby finds a grip as strong as steel tight to her form and keeping her in place. A deep crimson covers a good portion of Ruby's face as she feels Weiss' hot breath on her neck, and the steady thump of the elder woman's heart. In comparison to Ruby's sudden change, her heart beating a rapid tempo in her chest Ruby's skin begins to feel clammy and her eyes dart from place to place, hoping for an escape route.
The room is a barren dull utterly spotless white. From the standard metal walls to the simple matter-of-fact deck plating. It was like a clean room, and all it did was make Ruby's pounding heart reach her ears, drowning out the sound of Weiss' even and simple breathing. Ruby's face falls, there's only one way out of this before Yang catches her in Weiss' arms, and they all knew how that had already happened far too many times as of late.
"Weiss?" Ruby's voice is as soft and muted as the slow rise of the sunset on a lazy Saturday morning. "Weeeeiiiiissssssss?"
The white haired woman shifts in her sleep, freeing Ruby from one of her captors arms, only for Ruby's triumphant smile to die on her lips, as a finger presses against them.
"Shhhhh Ruby. Five more minutes. Don't you… dare use that whistle…" Weiss trails off, her speech slightly slurred with sleep and interrupted by a yawn. Ruby wants to lay there, to let Weiss' arms stay around her. But as memories drift into her from recent events Ruby's soft features harden, and her muscles tense.
"Weiss. We need to get up now. Blake and Yang need us." Ruby's voice is edged and lacks her negotiable tone. Forcing herself up Ruby groans as a pain shoots through her head and she shuts her eyes hard. Rubbing her forehead one handed she cracks her eyes and looks down at a single baleful eye, blue as ice, and just as cold glaring at her, framed perfectly by the scar upon the woman's face.
"Don't need to remind me Ruby. But you still need a lot of rest. You pushed yourself using as much Aura as you did in your abilities," Weiss grouses, rising up alongside the younger woman and rubbing lightly on the knots in her neck. Weiss slowly looks back down at the bed, then returns her gaze to Ruby and her own face reaches a red tint to rival Ruby's namesake. Ruby returns the favour in full force, looking away and running a hand through her hair. Weiss for her part can't meet Ruby's eyes and brushes some hair out of her face. Neither removing their single, still intertwined, fingers.
A buzz heavy and loud breaks the filling awkwardness and makes Weiss look at the small bedside table, where her Scroll was currently attempting to make a run for it. Weiss deftly catches the device before it can fall and taps the answer button.
"This is Schnee." Ruby watches on, her hearing still slightly drowned out by her now partially faded heart beat. "What? Okay. Got it Ilia, thanks for the update."
Weiss lowers the Scroll and clicks a button, looking up at Ruby with her normal determination.
"We have a lead on our spy, apparently Father has been funnelling funds through a shell corporation in Vacuo, Winter has already pulled the records we should have access in less than an hour. It's time we find out how Watts has known what we were planning."
"What Spy?"
Kingdom of Mistral, Viper 157 en route to RV Point Gamma Delta
Yang watches as the green of the leaves is soon covered by a thick, heavy, rolling smoke swallowing the light. The ground disappears lost to the dark chalky black. The clear sky above her is unaware of what is happening below, clueless to the horrors of its realm. But even the light of the sky was fading, the sun having long since reached its zenith, heading back towards darkness, to let the moon light the darkness. It wouldn't be long now till light was almost completely blocked for those trapped within the confines of the smoke. Yang was going in there, letting the smoke take her in the hopes that if she could do what she had failed to earlier, something of this day could be salvaged. It set her face hard as if it had been chiseled from stone. I will succeed. For Ruby, for Blake, and for Weiss. Yang grabs a pair of goggles off one of the racks rattling around in the back of the speeding Viper and places them over her eyes. A squawk fills her ear, and then a voice.
"ETA two mikes thirty sierra. Prep for hard landing, Metal's having a hard time down there Huntress. They might need you to bail them out," the male's voice says directly into her head. Yang's mouth sets into a line and she flexes her right arm, staring at the golden and black paint adorning it. A glowing, golden-orange sphere set at just after the elbow joint on the outside of its forearm. Snapping the fingers and rotating at her shoulder and elbow joint Yang feels the weight of the limb start to fall away, becoming more natural with every test. The Viper shifts downward and Yang uses the metal hand, a tremor in its movements quickly subsiding as she grabs a face mask and fits on. "ETA one mike thirteen sierra."
The angle of the ship suddenly pitches towards the ground and Yang catches one of the handles with her robotic arm. The metal fingers curling around the crash bar and holding it with an iron grip. The smoke engulfs the windows of the troop bay, blocking out any view of the outside world behind a smog of ash and dust so thick Yang could never see through it.
"ETA fifty-seven sierra. Bay doors opening. Drop on my mark Dragon." A blood curling whine fills the bay, quickly drowned out by the howling of the wind as it whips into the bay causing Yang's jacket to be cast back and forth and the thick hard-case on her hip to shift and shudder. Nature itself along with the smoke now filling the space around Yang seems to hate her presence, trying to rip her hand from the bar and fling her into the vortex created by the open doors. The smell of ash and smoke, and burning flesh fills Yang's nostrils and the taste of bile floats up her throat. Her adam's apple bobs and Yang focuses on the smell of lavender, imagining it in her mind, doing her best to drown out the other scents. Yang would be blind were it not the thermal vision of the goggles lighting up a bright fluorescent red of the Viper's drives and rings and dots of burning gold just barely visible on the ground below. "ETA twelve sierra. Confirm the RV point is clear and we'll have Echo squadron drop your supplies. Can't see anything through this soup and our sensors can't get a clear reading. You're on your own Ma'am. Three… Two…. One… Mark!"
The shout has Yang releasing her hold and letting the wind rip her free of the Viper's troop bay, sucked out into the hot shifting air of the world. Her only indication of anything happening being the sudden drop of her stomach, and the numbers scrolling insanely fast over the goggles Heads Up Display. Yang allowed herself to be swallowed by the gloom.
Kingdom of Mistral, S.R.E.D. FOB, Briefing Room
Weiss stares at the words on the page, reading them over and over again, while replaying the earlier scene in her head. Could it be? Was it really true? Was her Father that desperate and deplorable? With a shake of her head Weiss drops the file onto the table. The door bursts open and the familiar scent of roses fills the air, and the floating scarlet petals spin down towards the ground.
"Weiss!It'sBlake!She'sawake!" Ruby's shouts and without a second to comprehend the short string of connected words Weiss pulled from her chair by a near unstoppable force and simply disappears from the room. The gusts of wind scattering the papers and knocking the folder Weiss had been glaring at upon the ground, face down. A single page with highlighted blue lines running over it, large numbers with a couple of commas easily visible under the light.
A/N:
Hey so for all of those who have favourited, followed, moved into folders, etc. thank you so much for your support! I'm glad that people like how this is going or at least the premise of it. I hope you enjoyed this next installment.
Now a couple of things;
I'll try to address comments, reviews, and so on via PMs or even here in the AN.
There is obviously another part coming and with any luck it will be ready by the next Tuesday deadline, if not I apologise but homework and work are my priorities this comes third. If it isn't out on the 22nd of May it will be by the 29th.
Following this I'll address people specifically if they don't mind, otherwise I'll leave it anonymous for those who don't read comments or reviews. That in mind Reviews and Comments are much appreciated and hopefully this has the critique option on it so I can get better as a writer with your critical feedback and constructive criticisms, but I am also open to ideas as well, please PM if you have any.
For anyone who has stuck it out this long, I hope I've started to explain why some of the characters act the way they did in the last part, as I had some concerns about that. But please note that if someone still feels they aren't just PM me, comment, or leave a review and I'll make sure to try and do a short one-shot about it after this story arc is complete. Anyways please point out grammatical errors and anything that pushes you out of the story. This is all about making quality work and becoming a better writer for me! See ya with next part hopefully soon!
Also don't forget to check out other RWBY 3.0 stories posted on Deviantart and Fanfiction, as I'm not the only one who has undertaken the task of trying to bring even more life to Dishwasher1910's amazing artwork!
-Six out!