So, every time I have to write "More White Fang" as in "More White Fang approached" – spell check changes it to "Whiter Fang", which sounds like a terribly racist name. It's actually getting really annoying. Even the saying, "any more bright ideas?" changes to "any brighter ideas?"
Microsoft, please… stop.
Beta: College Fool
Cover Art: Kegi Springfield
Chapter 82
Pyrrha concentrated. She concentrated harder than she ever had before in her life, drawing in all her training to form the words she needed. The meaning she needed. Through a haze that compelled her to surrender, Pyrrha Nikos forced those words out.
"But you're evil."
"Am I…? I can't remember..."
"You are!" Pyrrha giggled, still in her maid outfit, but now feeling more relaxed in it. Truthfully, Pyrrha felt a whole lot more relaxed in general. It was probably the drink. Pyrrha often felt her muscles relax when she drank herbal tea, and all the bottles Watts brought – while not herbal – had a similar relaxing effect.
Just on her brain.
"Maybe I am," Salem admitted, doing a complete reversal on her earlier denial. "But it's not like I'm doing anything."
"O-Ozzer than your husband."
"Yeah, other than him." Salem's cheeks, pale as they were, heated up a little. "Hmm. It's been so long since I've seen him. So long since I've felt his touch."
Pyrrha, sensing some not-so-hidden agony there, reached out to pat Salem's shoulder. She missed twice but managed to pat Salem's left boob sympathetically on the third attempt. Eh. Close enough. Salem should stop swaying anyway. Wait, were there three Salems now? Uh-oh, Pyrrha thought, I'll have to drink even more to keep them all busy.
"How long has it been…?" Pyrrha slurred.
"A whole two weeks…"
"That's… not very long…"
"I have needs, future-daughter-in-law. Many needs. You should try being celibate for what is basically eternity minus twenty-five years and see how that goes for you."
Hm. That was a good point. Pyrrha's hormones hadn't really kicked in properly until she met Jaune. Oh, she'd had crushes when she was young – who hadn't? – but nothing serious. Imagining living for hundreds or thousands of years until you discovered that, though? It sounded terrible. Pyrrha showed her sympathy the only way she could. Picking up and drinking more of the sweet amber liquid Watts brought. Hm. So nice.
"You're still evil, though," Pyrrha said when she was done. "Is-Is just a fact."
"Why?"
"Kidnapped me."
"Don't you mean I saved you? Cinder wanted to kill you."
"Hmm…" Pyrrha was fairly sure that didn't mean Salem saved her per se, especially since Cinder worked for Salem, but the mental computations to rebut the point weren't quite working properly. Neurons fired off in her brain but tripped over their shoelaces and fell asleep on street corners with half-eaten kebabs. There may or may not have been a festival in her frontal lobe, and probably some drink-driving in her hippocampus. "Okay," Pyrrha said, nodding droopily. "Tha' makes sense."
"And it's not like I'm doing anything," Salem added, waving her own bottle around. "You and I are having some mother-daughter bonding time while drinking and discussing our respective love interests. How can that be evil?"
"I guess it can't be…"
"And is Mannie evil?" Salem asked.
"Nooo!" Pyrrha groaned. She spied the Beowolf laid nearby, paws over its ears and reached out with a drunken giggle to pet it. She didn't quite factor in the distance, however, and fell bodily out of her seat. Or would have, had not the Beowolf noticed and lunged forward at the last second, allowing her to fall atop and squash it so as to not be hurt.
Undaunted, and convinced it was somehow her intent all along, Pyrrha wrapped her arms around the monster's neck and rubbed her face into its fur. "Whozza good boy? You are. Yes, you are. Hm. Good b-boy…"
The Beowolf whined pitifully, especially when Pyrrha started drooling on the nape of its neck.
"You may have had too much," Salem said.
Pyrrha's hand reached out without her head looking up. She felt around for the table, and the drinks upon it, but her hand fell short. "Mannie, move closer," she grumbled.
Mannie did no such thing.
"Maybe it is time for you to get some rest, my dear. Don't worry, I think I've calmed down now. All this talk of love reminds me that we can't control who we fall for. Not unless we lock them in a dungeon and force them to love us, anyway, which my daughters haven't done. I will give this Qrow Branwen a chance. One chance, to impress me."
"N-Nooo," Pyrrha groaned. "Have to keep drinking. Stop… you… doing… anything evil…"
"Pyrrha, I'll be going to bed as well," Salem pointed out, not unreasonably. "I won't be doing anything other than sleeping. Although maybe I'll call Nicky and-" she coughed. "Well, you don't need to hear all the details there, I'm sure."
"P-Promise?"
"If you want," Salem said with a roll of her eyes. "Really, I'm sure Remnant will still be in one piece come morning. I'm sure everything is fine."
"You think so…?"
"Of course. What could they possibly be getting up to?"
/-/
"For the White Fang!"
"For Adam!"
"For Sienna!"
"For Atlas!"
"ROARGHHH!"
"For Haven!"
"For nookie!"
"For cookie?"
"She said nookie," Weiss snapped, having somehow fought her way to Ruby in the mad swirl of combat. If asked how, she wouldn't have been able to answer. Nowadays, she wasn't even sure who was supposed to stab or not. Last time she'd hit a White Fang member in the back, they'd complained about being on her side, and then proven it by attacking another member of the White Fang. Things were confusing to say the least. "This is madness. Chaos." Weiss struck down a Beowolf. They, at least, she could reasonably say were enemies. Probably. Unless they were Jaune's. Damn it, now she didn't even dare hit the Grimm.
"It's not that difficult, actually," Ren said. "The White Fang are currently going through a schism. We have the normal White Fang, who are on our side, and the Adamites – who aren't."
"And how do we tell the difference between these two factions?" Weiss asked sweetly. "They all look the same to me."
"Weiss!" Nora gasped, scandalised. "You can't say that!"
"I don't mean-" Weiss growled and shook her head. "They're all wearing masks, you dolt. Not to mention the same uniforms! We should get to high ground and regather. We can figure out what to do once we get out of this melee."
"What about your sister?" Ruby asked.
"Winter is fine. The White Fang – one side of them, anyway – relieved us. As long as they only fight in self-defence, they'll be okay. We should gather with Yang and Emerald, though, and try to find my partner." Weiss glanced around. "And Blake."
"Blake is probably going after the Albain brothers," Ren said.
"Who?"
"The ones who started the Church of Adam."
"What makes you think she'll be going after them?"
There was a shrill cry like a furious banshee, followed by several panicked cries from faunus in the distance. Weiss heard them cry out for protection from Adam, which only made the initial howls angrier.
Ren winced, "Just a hunch."
A hunch, huh? Still more than anything Weiss had. "Fine. Make our way to the school to find Yang and Emerald, and then we find Jaune and Blake. Okay?"
"Okay," they all echoed.
"Miss Schnee-" Oscar began.
"Bring the little boy with us. We can't just leave him here."
The `little boy` sighed.
/-/
Qrow cursed as he caught Raven's sword on his own, buckling under her strength. Taking a step back, he diverted the attack, letting Raven rush by, turning in the last second to block another attack from Tyrian. The mad faunus grinned and Qrow noticed the suspiciously gun-like holes on the ends of the faunus' weapon.
It barely gave him the time to dodge, ducking under the shots – which went through to hit Leonardo Lionheart in the back while he was tussling with Coral. Qrow cheered, pleased to see his Semblance shitting on someone else for a change. While Tyrian winced, Qrow kicked him back. He made to follow but flinched and spun instead when he heard someone rush in behind him. He came face to face with Cinder Fall, two swords at the ready.
"Sorry," he said.
"My apologies," Cinder agreed. She ducked under his arm and they went their separate ways, Cinder after Raven, him to attack Leo in the back. Coral wasn't exactly the ally he wanted, but she was sure as hell the one he needed.
"Milady, I am on your side," Leo protested to the half-woman half-Grimm in front of him. "I am an ally of your mother!"
"No one getting in the way of me and pregnancy is an ally of my mother."
Qrow stumbled at that, but his Semblance kicked in and ensured that by doing so he landed on one shoulder and rolled into the back of Leo's feet, tripping the faunus. Leo fell back, into Sapphire's waiting tentacles, which had been spearing after Qrow from behind. They wrapped around Leonardo's throat and dragged him to face the tall, stern-faced girl, who looked the headmaster up and down as he choked a foot off the floor.
"You are not Qrow."
"I-I-I'm not," Leo gasped. "L-L-Let go. P-Please…"
Sapphire rolled her eyes and tossed the faunus over one shoulder, incidentally lobbing him into Tyrian, driving the two to the ground. Raven and Cinder flew past them, two maidens in mid-combat, which if Qrow had to describe it looked somewhat like two firework factories enacting an SM fantasy. All explosions, high-pitched yelps, moans and sparks. Leo and Tyrian didn't really intend to get caught up in it, but neither Raven nor Cinder were really watching where they were going at this point.
Qrow tried to stand. Tried to run, really. Anything other than be where he was – trapped between two Grimm-girls who wanted him, for varying purposes – but yelped as a tentacle wrapped around his left wrist. Another snapped into place around his right, and he was quickly dragged up off the ground, suspended between the two.
"Release him, Coral. I'm the older sister here. My word is law."
"I already staked my claim," Coral growled back. Her hair was a little frizzy now, stray-ends in place, one or two singed. Despite all the combat, her glasses were in perfect condition. Not even cracked.
"There are plenty of fish in the sea."
"I can't fuck a fish."
"It's a saying!"
"I don't know human sayings."
"Then learn some!" Coral snapped. "Give him to me!"
"No. He's mine!"
Qrow yelped as he was tugged back and forth, stretched to what felt like breaking point and then a little further for good measure. Damn it, Tai. I'll never complain about you getting multiple girls again; just save me from this nightmare!
"How about a compromise?" Coral tried. "You can have his right arm. I get the rest. I don't need his arms."
"I need them!" Qrow yelled. Coral looked unimpressed, so he wracked his mind for an answer. "They're essential. Uh… for cuddling?"
Another tentacle snapped out, wrapping around Sapphire's. "I changed my mind. Both arms stay."
"You're being insufferable, Coral. This man isn't good enough for you. He practically cheated on you anyway by groping me."
"T-Technically, that was before I met her," Qrow rasped.
Sapphire glared at him. "Silence, you."
"Well, if it's before then it's fine," Coral said with a little shrug. "You can hardly expect him to be loyal to me before he's even met me." She smiled adorably at him. "You wouldn't do that now, would you my little cuddle-bunny?"
C-Cuddle-bunny? Was it too late to accept death?
Oh, sod it. Might as well run with this to survive. "Of course not, my… uh… my love?"
Coral's eyes widened behind her glasses. "I-Is that a proposal!?"
"Uh…"
"Don't listen to him, Coral!" Sapphire snapped. "For crying out loud, he's stuttering!"
"Why would you be crying?"
"IT'S A SAYING! Stop being as dim-witted as Jaune!"
"I don't care." Coral shook her head. "He's stuttering because he's overwhelmed." She launched several more tentacles, enough to force Sapphire to let go and leap back with a hiss. Qrow gulped as he was dragged in and wrapped up by the things, held against Coral's body in what might have been a sensual embrace. Were it not for the whole tentacle thing.
"Damn it, Coral!" Sapphire roared. "Find another man. He needs to die!"
"And he will. In time. We all die."
"Not what I meant."
"But it's good enough, no? If you're upset about him groping you, then worry not, I'll fill his hands with so much of me that he won't even want to do the same to any other woman." Coral emphasised the fact by taking both his hands in a tentacle each and placing them on her breasts. Despite himself, Qrow wasn't sure how to act and simply swallowed. Hey, on second thoughts, this didn't sound all that bad…
"I doubt you even know what to do with him," Sapphire said with a sigh. "You're more a shut-in than Jaune."
"I've done a lot of reading. And he obviously knows what to do. Besides, I've seen a lot of new things since coming to Mistral." Coral's tentacles coiled around him a little tighter, the tip of one brushing against his cheek. "It's given me a lot of inspiration."
Somebody help me…
"Release him," Raven growled, having broken away from Cinder for a moment. His sister stood before the three of them, fire dripping from her arms like hot oil.
Raven…
"Release him so that I may kill him, and then Ozpin."
Wait, what?
Qrow looked between Sapphire, Raven, Coral and Coral's tentacles – one of which was very close to his rear end.
Eh. Maybe death wouldn't be so bad.
/-/
Jaune wasn't entirely sure how he'd ended up on his lonesome. There'd been someone attacking him wildly and he'd blocked their blows, only to step back so they wouldn't trip him. It went from there, with another attack from another direction – and then a step forward each time he attacked – until he'd come to realise was in the middle of nowhere fighting off against all manner of people with no rhyme or reason.
The bandits were easy to understand. They were all nuts and just wanted to hurt everyone. The White Fang was a little more complicated, because some of them actually fought with him and others wanted to introduce their weapons to his spinal column. He'd taken to just not attacking unless they did, an odd pacifism that only lasted as long as their patience. The Grimm ignored him. He ignored them in turn.
He'd been making his way back to the main school building, where Remy told him Yin – and thus, Yang – were. Unfortunately, that took him through the path of some faunus which were of the non-friendly variety. They were fighting against other White Fang but also several bandits. Jaune sighed and ran by them.
"Behind!" Remy warned.
Spinning, Jaune brought up his shield in time to block several shots from striking him. Over the top, he saw a figure rush forward. She leapt, and he adjusted his shield up, preventing her getting over the top. The girl tutted and slammed both feet down on it, using him as a springboard to jump over his head and land down in front of him.
Lightly tanned skin, blue eyes and black hair cropped short. The girl wore a leather jacket without sleeves and burgundy trousers, split on one side with a little thigh bare. The lack of a mask said she was human, but the fact she was fighting him told Jaune she wasn't from Haven. In each hand, she carried an odd blade shaped like a circle, with a handgun at the centre.
She grinned cockily at him, "Hey."
"Hey," he said in return, not quite sure what else to say. "I don't have any fight with you. Let me past and we can each go our separate ways."
"The name's Vernal."
"I didn't ask for your name."
"It's customary to introduce yourself before you fight. At least for our tribe." One of the bandits, then. Jaune grit his teeth. "And I think I have business with you. Raven's instructions are you keep you busy while she deals with Yang."
"Deals with her…? What does that mean?"
"Who knows?" Vernal shrugged. "I'm not telling. You should be more concerned about me."
Really? He should be worried about her? Yang had told him what Raven tried before she escaped the tribe. If she was back, Jaune doubted it was to apologise. He'd have been more worried except for the fact Yang could look after herself, and that Remy would tell him if something happened to Yin.
"Did Raven tell you about me?" Jaune asked. "Or did she just send you after me?"
"What's there to tell? Her daughter's little boyfriend. Adorable. I know you can sense the Grimm, and that Salem and her lot are after you. But those are just details. Not important to me."
Not important, huh?
Jaune laughed.
His cover was just about shot anyway. Sapphire and Coral were here, along with Cinder and Tyrian – and Leo knew the truth anyway. He'd already made the choice to leave Ozpin and Qrow behind if needs be, and everyone had agreed. In the grand scheme of things, what was the point of keeping things hidden anymore?
It just didn't matter. Not if everyone was going to be in danger.
"Maybe you should have looked a little deeper," Jaune said, his voice shifting a little. The change came over him as it always had, but it struck with the force of all the negativity around him. Before, he'd struggled to hold that back. To fight it. This time, he embraced it. Only on my enemies, he thought. Our enemies. The Grimm inside of him practically purred with anticipation.
His hair bristled and turned white, his skin paling as if the blood were being drawn away, leaving only thin red lines from his temple to his eyes. When they opened, they were blood red – and staring directly into Vernal's.
When two tentacles burst from his back to hover in the air behind him, she took a step back. "W-What the hell are you!?"
"Yang's boyfriend," Jaune said, smiling a Grimm's smile. All teeth. "Or what was it you said? Ah yes. Not important."
Vernal flushed at the barb. "Tch. Whatever. Human, faunus, Grimm. They all die the same. You're nothing special."
/-/
"Traitors and heathens stand before us, brothers and sisters. Fear not, for Adam fights in the hearts and spirits of all of you!"
"Believe in Adam and he will show you the way!"
"Faith is our shield. Adam is with us. Lo and behold His work. Even the Grimm attack in His name. Seek faith within yourself and you shall be granted unto His domain."
Blake's lips peeled back in a hiss. She stalked forward, only stopped when Ilia and Sun both grabbed an arm between them, dragging her back. "You can't just run in like that," Sun hissed. "They're surrounded by cultists."
"Cultists?" Ilia asked.
"I call it like I see it. Anyway, you kill them now and we get swamped. We need a strategy."
"I have a strategy," Blake argued, fighting to escape their grip.
"What is it?"
"I'm going to ram Gambol Shroud into their necks!"
"That's… not a strategy. Or not a very detailed one." More of an end-goal, really. "Look, we're still wearing their colours, so they're not going to attack us. We can get close; sneak in while they're distracted with those bandits."
"And then I stab them?"
"E-Eventually, yes." Sun shot Ilia a look, silently asking if Blake had always been this bloodthirsty. The chameleon faunus shrugged her shoulders. Okay, sure, it was just the current situation driving Blake mad. All the prayers and hymns to Adam probably weren't helping.
This, Sun thought with some level of despair, This is the woman I've fallen for. I should have been gay. I bet that Cardin guy wouldn't have been this complicated.
The Adamite forces were surrounded on all sides, which wasn't exactly unusual since everyone was pretty much surrounded by this point, but Adam's group still had the support of Bullheads in the air, even if they were dogfighting with Sienna's currently. It meant they could afford to hold a position and not worry about fire being rained down on it. They were currently making good use of that for the Albain brothers to shout out orders and support – or mantras – to the gathered faunus.
"Sienna did say to cut the head off the snake," Ilia said. "If those two don't die, they might retreat to start the Church of Adam again. They've always had contacts in Menagerie." Blake's ears perked up. "But we need to wait for Sienna to be here to see it, otherwise it won't look like she won this. People will doubt her rule."
"And once we return to Menagerie, brothers, there will be a reckoning! Those who sided with Sienna shall fall, as shall the old order! We shall tear down those who rule and place the true faith into the seat of power!"
The fanatics cheered and screamed at the news. Blake's eyes narrowed dangerous, something which Sun didn't fail to notice. Damn it. They're talking about her parents.
"We can get closer," Blake said, deadly calm. "I'll wait for the right moment, but when it comes I'll be the one to take them down. I helped make Adam. I owe it to the world to unmake him. That includes his influence…"
"Can you control your rage if they start preaching?"
Blake sighed. "I shall be fine."
"And here," Corsac cried, spying their approach. "One of the lord's trusted few – one he held dear above all others. One who departed her own family to stand beside him, and to embrace him as lover!"
Blake stiffened.
Sun winced.
"Come, my dear," Fennec said, holding a hand out to Blake. "Stand and let all see you, you who would be the one Adam trusted over all others. Share your words of wisdom…"
"My words…?" Blake's eyes flickered in the dark. Her smile grew. "Oh, I'll share more than just that."
Sun winced. "Uh-oh."
"Any more bright ideas?" Ilia asked.
"Okay. Damage control."
"How?"
Rather than answer, Sun leapt up onto the stage – startling both Blake and the Albain twins. He pointed to the sky, gasped, and in his loudest voice cried, "Look! Adam! Adam has returned to us!"
The crowd, those who could hear, all turned in the direction Sun pointed, staring up into the night sky, lit with gunfire as it was. They missed, therefore, the sight of Blake stabbing Corsac Albain in the chest. Fennec saw it but didn't have time to comment because Sun drove his staff into the man's gut, and when he bent over, slapped the butt of it into his face, knocking him out. It happened in a fraction of a second, but by the time the crowd turned back, vaguely confused, the two Albain brothers were dead.
Ilia stared up at Sun gobsmacked. `How is this a plan`, her face seemed to ask.
"IT'S A SIGN!" Sun roared, falling to his knees, hands outstretched towards the heavens. "Adam has spoken! He chooses his love to lead us!"
Blake stared at him, one eye twitching.
Ilia slapped a hand to her face.
This was never going to work.
"I saw it," a random faunus screamed. Sun tensed. "I saw Adam in the sky!"
"I saw him too," another yelled. "I saw his face. His smile!"
"He struck them with lightning! Didn't you hear it!?"
The fervour spread. Whether the ones responsible for shouting out had imagined it or not, the fact they thought to even claim it caused others to believe. Perhaps it had been in the spark of tracer fire, or the explosion of an engine going up and the smoke of a downed Bullhead. Maybe they'd just seen his face in some toast that morning. Whatever the case, Sun's words gained traction, spreading like wildfire.
"She must lead us!" Ilia suddenly cried, raising her hands. "Lead us, Blake!" The cry was taken up.
"Lead us!"
"Lead us, Blake!"
"She is the chosen one!"
When Blake turned the ugliest, most irritated glare she had ever shown onto him, Sun could only shrug apologetically. "I got them to stop talking about Adam, didn't I…?"
"By Blake's will!"
"Blake is with us!"
/-/
At the school building, Yang growled as Emerald dispatched the last of the Grimm pinning her down. Bad enough she'd had to lay there for the last ten minutes buried under fluff-butt, but the worst part was that the Grimm were so bloody friendly. She'd summoned her own hoping they would help, but all they did was crowd around and lick at her face, thinking it a game.
"Thanks," Yang grunted, not sure why she was so grateful to someone at least partially responsible for the loss of her arm, but enough so anyway. She lifted her head as she saw people in uniform approaching, Haven students. Yang dismissed her little Grimmlings before they could become unfortunate targets. "About time they dealt with the Grimm up front."
"Looks like it's not just them," Emerald noted. On the other side of them, Weiss, Ruby, Nora and Ren of all people were en route, Osc-Pin being carried by Nora and looking none too impressed about it.
"Yang! You're okay."
"Yeah, I'm fine. Grimm weren't actually attacking me." She bit back her frustration. "Look, Uncle Qrow needs our help. One of Jaune's sisters is here and she wants to kill him."
"We need to save my sister, too," Weiss said.
"And Blake," Ren added.
"And Sun and Ilia?" Nora asked.
"Sure. Why not."
"And Jaune!" Ruby argued.
"Not Jaune.
"What!? Why?"
"Because he's behind you," Yang pointed out.
Ruby turned, along with the others, to see Jaune approaching, thankfully in human form, with a girl being dragged beside and behind him. He had hold of her foot and she was unconscious. Unconscious and very, very badly beaten. Yang couldn't tell if the girl was dark-skinned because of her skin or bruises.
"Who is that?"
"Not important," Jaune said, amused by some inner joke. His grin was just a little too self-satisfied. "She's no one special."
"Looks like one of Raven's," Ozpin said. "I feared she was here. No doubt an attempt to finish what she started with you, Miss Xiao-Long. Qrow must be holding her off."
"We should help him, then," Yang said. "And everyone else," she added before anyone could argue. "This thing is messed up as it is but if we clear out the Grimm, White Fang and everyone else, it'll become a whole lot easier to handle."
"Actually," Ozpin interrupted. "I believe it would be for the best if we departed."
As one, they turned on him. "What?" Yang asked dangerously.
"Put aside your anger for a moment, Miss Xiao-Long, and remember that our purpose is not to get involved in petty squabbles between the White Fang, or Haven. We face an enemy far greater. One who even now is likely plotting the downfall of all humanity. To stay here only increases the risk that we will be stopped, and with two of her brood here, the danger is ever greater. We must leave immediately."
"B-But what about Uncle Qrow?" Ruby asked.
"Qrow shall be fine. He has ever been adept at avoiding trouble.
"My partner is still out there," Nora growled.
"As is my sister," Weiss said.
"And they shall be fine. We, on the other hand, are the ones at risk. If we do not stop Salem, this will be the least of Remnant's problems. You must listen to me."
"No. We don't have to do anything."
It was said.
Ozpin froze, startled. The rest of them did, too, turning to the one who had spoken in surprise. Ruby looked surprised as well, fingers reaching up as if to ascertain it was her who had said it at all. It had been. Ruby looked horrified.
"Miss Rose-"
"I stand by my teammate," Weiss said, striding forward to do just that. She placed a hand on Ruby's shoulder. "As Weiss Schnee, heiress of the SDC, I cannot leave people who I brought here to die. As Weiss Schnee, sister of Winter Schnee, I cannot leave my sister here to die. And as Weiss Schnee of Team WJRP, I will not stand by while my teammate's family is in danger."
"Weiss…" Ruby murmured, touched.
"That goes for me, too," Yang said, taking a stand.
"Miss Xiao-Long, your mother is here to kill you."
"Let her try. I'll be ready."
"And I'll watch her back," Jaune said, nodding at her. He hauled the unconscious girl forward and dumped her on the floor.
"Actually, that is my partner," Ren said, chuckling. "I'll think you'll find her back is already watched."
"Not too closely, I hope," Nora giggled. Her hammer slammed down beside Yang regardless, though. "Sorry, headmaster. I need to find my partner, too. She's just started to come out of her shell and if I let get go now, she'll turn back into an angsty brood-kitten. I didn't live through the fall of Beacon to have all my hard work socialising her go down the toilet."
Yang grinned and nudged her teammate, "Nice priorities."
"Thanks. You know what I always say; if it's worth doin' in the first place, it's worth holding a last stand against a horde of White Fang, Grimm and bandits to complete it."
"And how often do you say that, exactly?"
"Pft. All the time."
"You fools-" Ozpin began. "Do you not realise how dangerous the situation is? Idealism is fine, but not when the fate of the world is at stake. We must move on. We must find the Relics before Salem can."
"No matter the cost?" Yang asked.
"Indeed."
"Well, I don't know about you guys," Yang said, looking to the others. It was a lie, of course. She knew exactly what they were all thinking, "But I'm not willing to pay that cost." Yang looked to Jaune. "Jaune, can you hold them off if we need to?"
"I think so. No. I can do it. I know I can."
Ozpin stepped forward, slamming his cane down. "I'm afraid I cannot let you do that. I will stop you myself if I must, even if you hate me for it. You will see that this was the right choice in the end."
I thought you said you weren't a front-line fighter anymore? Yang thought. Tch. Just like Ozpin to hide a little bit of himself, she supposed. He probably rationalised it as them not needing to know, but in reality, it was just another way in which he misled them. Yang readied herself for combat but hesitated as Ozpin suddenly gripped his head with one hand.
"No. Don't… This is. Necessity. Has to be done, Oscar!"
Ozpin staggered back. He almost fell. One hand caught his knee, the other gripping his cane which he leaned on for support. When he looked back up, his expression was pinched and drawn, skin pale. It was younger, though. Softer.
"Do what you have to," Oscar Pine whispered. "I'll keep him busy. As long as I can, anyway."
Yang nodded, grateful. "Thanks, Oscar." She looked to Jaune. "You ready?"
"Yeah." His eyes flashed red. "I think I've got a way to grab their attention. Weiss. How good is your public speaking?"
"Impeccable, of course. Why?"
"You'll see…"
/-/
Qrow, for all his best efforts, wasn't having the best time of his life. The stand-off hadn't gotten any less messy and he'd lost his weapon somewhere in the middle of it. He'd have turned to a crow and flown the coop, but he was worried a stray bullet might catch him. Or a Bullhead's engine. He'd never tested being injured in bird form, partly because he hoped it would never happen, but mostly because how could you? A bird's bones were way too brittle to risk it with.
He regretted that now. His whole life was full of regrets right now.
"Wouldn't it be enough for me to say sorry?"
"You molested me!"
"I thought you were just a Grimm!"
"How does that make it any better!?"
Good question. Brain, anything? No? Well, a fat lot of good you are. Qrow backed away, wincing when he bumped into someone. Please be Cinder. Please be Cinder. Please be Cinder. A hand slapped his butt and gripped tightly.
Damn it.
"I've told you, Sapphire. He-"
"In the name of Adam, die you monster!"
A halberd bounced off Coral's head. The haft snapped, the blade coming down to clonk Qrow on the nose, dazing him. T-Thank you, Semblance. Haven't you done enough already? He shook his head, coming back to reality in time to see that they were now surrounded by White Fang.
"What nonsense is this now?" Sapphire demanded.
"In the name of Adam," a particularly brave faunus said. "We shall smi-" His words cut off as a tentacle wrapped tightly around his throat. Sapphire drew him in.
"Are you here to stake a claim on Qrow as well?"
The faunus shook his head.
"Then shut up!" Sapphire yelled, throwing the man down. He impacted the ground hard, crumpling in a heap. She sighed. "Really, I should just have the Grimm purge this place from existence. It would put a stop to all this foolishness."
"You can get right on that," Coral said. "Meanwhile, I'll be going to enjoy my honeymoon moment."
A blazing sun – or what felt like one – rolled by between them. Cinder and Raven locked hand in hand, grappling in the centre, eyes blazing. They rolled on by, forcing some of the White Fang to scream and dodge out of the way.
The momentary distraction gave Sapphire a chance to lunge in, blade aiming for Qrow's throat – as though intent to kill him in Coral's arms. Coral was slow, but not quite that slow. A Grimm sprung to life in the path, gurgling as it died transfixed on a silvery sword. Its life was swift and pointless, its death more so.
"Coral!" Sapphire growled.
"Saph!" Coral growled back.
"CORAL!" Sapphire yelled.
"SAPH!" Coral screamed back.
The trees behind them parted, a giant face poking through as the ground itself shook. The huge, snake-like maw opened, and the noise that came out – the roar – beat both Coral and Sapphire on both volume and intensity.
It also cut out every sound on Haven, as the world – Grimm, faunus, human and demi-human alike – turned to stare at the easily sixty-metre long dragon that had torn itself from the treeline and now stood, claws paws on the floor, looming over the melee. Someone, somewhere, whimpered. Qrow realised a second later it was himself.
"H-Hello?" a feminine voice called suddenly, into the silence. "Is this thing on?" A loud, muffled tap and then another. It drew their attention to a spot of ground under the dragon, raised up on the stairs leading up to the school, where a group of teenagers stood. Qrow's eyes boggled. "Okay, good. Ahem. I am Weiss Schnee, heiress of the SDC, team leader of Team WJRP and as of right now, the person calling an end to all this pointless fighting."
Qrow blinked. "What?"
"All of you shall cease hostilities right now."
"Or what?" a brave bandit yelled.
Weiss sighed into the microphone, making sure everyone heard it. "Jaune? A demonstration please."
Qrow couldn't see anything from such a distance, but the dragon suddenly perked up. Its head reared back, its throat bulging ominously. The roar… it made the previous one seem like a joke. Hot air washed over Qrow like he'd been thrown into a sauna. His hair whipped back, and were it not for Coral holding him, he figured he might have been, too. Most of the White Fang and bandits had to steady themselves with weapons against the ground or kneel down and grip onto things to stay on their feet.
The bandit who had challenged the girl rolled back and slammed into a tree, thrown like a rag doll by the force of it. Funnily enough, he didn't repeat his question.
"I think that answers that," Weiss said. "But let me try again. My name is Weiss Schnee and my words are currently backed by a dragon. Would anyone like to throw down their arms and not be killed and eaten?"
The clatter of steel was audible across the entire battlefield. For added emphasis, many of the fighters got down on their knees as well, some placing their hands behind their heads in clear signs of submission.
"Any other questions?"
Silence.
Weiss snorted.
"That's what I thought."
Ah Weiss. See? All that time learning to negotiate with the SDC wasn't a waste after all. Who said diplomacy was difficult? So, yes. Obviously, this outs Jaune in a big way. No way of explaining to Oz and Qrow that this was a convenient little accident.
And kudos on Pyrrha for taking one for the team. Good to see she's keeping Salem busy so that a war doesn't happen or anything. Top marks, Pyr.
Next Chapter: 13th September
P a treon . com (slash) Coeur