RWBY: First Contact!

by Captaindrake123

First contact, the long dreamed of moment when humanity discovers it's not alone in the universe. Well its here, but its not as glamorous as everyone thought it would be. Instead, a sixteen year old boy is ripped from his home by an unknown occurrence, forced to fight, adapt, and learn to survive. "If there's a way here, there's a way back! I'll find my way home no matter what!"

9. Chapter 9 But He Finds Trouble Instead

Captaindrake123: Yo...this situation seems familiar…

I'm not gonna make excuses on why it was taking so long, it is what it is, but I would like to say thank you to those of you who waited so long, your patience is awesome and appreciated. I've noticed some people stopped following the story (perfectly understandable, I've proven not to be reliable with a schedule), and for those of you who stayed I hope that I can make it worth the wait.

Also, holy shit, the last chapter really blew up didn't it!? I'm already past a hundred favorites for this story and I went up at least by ten-thousand views, a milestone to be sure!

Also really appreciate the people in the reviews saying they're glad for this story continuing and giving genuine compliments (I think they're genuine anyway). That shit really motivates people...me being those people in this case.

So in light of this milestone of over a hundred favorites… let's respond to some reviews.

GrimmTymes: Thanks for saying so, I'm trying not to overdo it, what with college work and and my job and all, but I do want to get more consistent with getting chapters out.

Quo: Glad you love the concept of the story so much, and that you are liking where it's going, although you didn't quite finish your review, lol. I'm just gonna assume you got so excited that you accidentally clicked the review button.

Guest: Has Drake watched King of Random? Has Drake, a science nerd who is clearly a chemistry and engineering wiz, with a clear grasp of DIY projects and making science tools from scratch, "watched" King of Random? Nah- I joke; yes, yes he has.

magikfred5: Such a deep and truly constructional review, I can hear the amount of praise you have given me in such passion, such deeply inspiring emotion in a single word; "good."

empap7070: I'm glad you're intrigued, I've set up a lot of groundwork here for future plotlines for you to think about.

yermakgundyr: Thank you for saying so, I actually enjoyed writing those scenes with Drake and Ruby the most...y'know, when they're not just being awkward and just talking about their interests. And it looks like you won't have to wait anymore for that fight…

Thyz22: Yeah the color name thing is hardly mentioned in most stories, but it was a perfect tool for me to use to show just how alien Drake is in the world (not that he's the only one with a non-colour name, but it's just another thing to add to the pool of the 'foreign' feel Drake gives off to others).

Alright with that out of the way, let's get to it! I've kept you waiting long enough.

Enjoy.

Warning: The following chapter has scenes of chemical burn attacks and some light descriptions of gruesome injuries.

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Chapter 9: But He Finds Trouble Instead

I hate my conscience.

I utterly despise it at this point, it gets me into more trouble than I can handle and causes me more problems than I know what to do with. I'm scared that I fucked up royally.

'I'm scared, but she was terrified'

Can I just not learn my lesson!? Is it that I'm just one of those bleeding-heart types!? Why do I keep making the same mistake over and over!?

'It wasn't a mistake'

I could've just sat there and looked away, and when all of it was over and done with I could've just called the police and had the professionals save them. It's not like that guy was gonna kill them right then and there either, he clearly had orders to keep them alive, I just couldn't stand the fact that he was beating on them and preaching about how his pain made his actions just.

'It was wrong'

Hell, if I wasn't gonna call the police I could've just waited until the guy left and then rescued them! Instead, I acted like a complete and utter idiot and shocked him with a taser stick!

'I don't regret it'

But I couldn't stand the sight of that woman crying on the ground. I couldn't stand the sight of that man writhing and squirming in his bindings as he stared at the little girl being grabbed by the collar.

I couldn't stand the sight of seeing that girl lose hope in her eyes.

So no matter how much I would berate myself for this fuck-up, I can't bring myself to hate that I did it. A part of me is glad that I can't stand to see it in front of me…

Knock! Knock! "Hey, what's going on in there?"

But that doesn't help me in this situation, does it?

I glanced at the little girl beside me, seeing her face twist in fear 'Now we're both terrified'

I quickly set down the large man in my grasp, scrambling my brain to come out of its jumbled thoughts and come up with a plan 'Fuck! Fuck, I screwed up! What do I do!? The window's out, it's boarded, if I fight them head-on it'll alert everyone else in the compound, and I have the hostages to think about! Think brain, THINK!'

Racking my brain for an answer as I went over every bit of information, from my gear to the layout of the room, I grit my teeth as I glared through the mask-'Wait, this mask, that's my only chance!' It was very risky-maybe even insane, but if I can convince them I'm one of them, even for a minute…!

I quickly ran over to the door, grabbing the knob just as it was being turned by the guys behind the door. I took a moment to steel my courage as I felt them take their hand off the doorknob as I turned it 'Do or die, don't screw up!'

Pulling open the door just enough to poke my head out, I looked at the two guards I snuck past earlier, staring through their masks and into mine, I quickly adjusted my voice to a deeper tone "What is it?" I asked gruffly.

The one in the blue hoodie stared at me, I could see his fluffy ears twitch in his hood "We're wondering what the hell is going on, what was that sound?"

"And why are you in there with the lieutenant?" The other one in the construction uniform asked, his black tail wrapped around his waist reminded me of the saiyans from Dragonball-'No focus, bullshit your way through!'

The best way to get through this is to bullshit, it's risky but I'm already in deep, I need to lie and sound confident in that lie. 'Damn it, something believable, what do I know!?'

I know that that terrorist I knocked out is a lieutenant now, he was the one who had the idea to use this place, and he has a grudge against the man among the hostages if not all of them.

'And...now that I know he's a lieutenant, I don't think he's the boss' That thought isn't as concrete as the others, but a lieutenant isn't a particularly high rank in my country's military or in Atlas either, I don't know how they view rank in their organization, but I'm willing to bet on it.

The pieces fall together, I manage to make up a story immediately, so once again I brought up as much courage as I could dig up and faked all the confidence I could muster:

"I'm here because the lieutenant has a less than savory history with the hostages, the boss wanted me to keep an eye on him to make sure he doesn't kill them yet" I started with a gruff voice, surprised how I said all of that without showing a hint of hesitation.

"As for the sound…" I continued, searching for any excuse I could come up with, and an idea hit "One of the stupid humans, the child, was given some water to make sure she wouldn't be dehydrated, but she spat it in the lieutenant's face" I faked a snort "I'm sure you heard him yelling earlier, it got in his eyes and he ended up tossing the bottle at an outlet as he was shouting, it made some sparks when the water hit"

'Holy shit, I can't believe I made that up on the spot!' What's even better is that I think they believed it, the one in the construction uniform was nodding his head in understanding.

"Ah, yeah the child is the rowdiest of the bunch, and the lieutenant isn't exactly known for his patience, the boss would've been pissed if they were killed too early"

'I wasn't even sure that the guy I took down wasn't the boss, he made it sound like he decided this is where they operate' It was probably just a suggestion to the boss that was taken then.

"I haven't seen you around before" The guy in the hoodie spoke up, making me turn my poked-out head to him "Why are you in that get-up?"

'C'mon, what would Shawn Spencer say!?' I brought up whatever came to mind and stared straight into the mask of the hooded White Fang terrorist "If you had recognized me I would've had to kill you" I see the man's shoulders twitch a bit, I need to do this right "Special orders from the higher-ups, this 'get-up' as you call it is supposed to keep me hidden, I can't say any more than that, now get back to your posts"

'Buy it, please fucking buy it…!' I internally screamed-

"Holy shit, you're on a secret mission too aren't you-Ow!" The hooded one got punched in the arm by his comrade.

"Shut up for a sec" The other one turned his head back towards me, I could feel him glaring at me through his mask...I let my hand settle on the taser stick on my hip behind the door "Special orders? The hell are you talking about, the boss didn't mention anything about anyone special, or I sure as hell didn't hear it if she did"

'Damn, you just couldn't roll over!? No, I can't back down, believe the lie' I do a quick once over him; he's fairly young, couldn't have been around for long, and he's leaning on one side...towards where his gun is, clearly not seen much combat, no one would lean into their weapon so much unless he wasn't comfortable he could draw it normally. The fact that these people are trying to blend in and go unnoticed might be why he was chosen for it…

"And why would she feel the need to tell you, initiate?" I state with clear annoyance, taking a risk in guessing his rank.

The moment he flinched I knew it paid off.

"W-Well, I just thought-"

"You're not supposed to think, you're supposed to follow orders" I state with clear anger, finding it not hard to conjure up "Your orders are to stand guard, now are you going to continue wasting my damn time or are you going to do your jobs?" The growl from my voice is genuine.

The guy looks flabbergasted, opening his mouth like a fish for a moment before responding "W-Well, I just-!"

"Just what? Do you want me to get the lieutenant out here?" I paused, 'What if I offered to walk with them to the boss?' a crazy idea had come to mind, I thought it was absolutely stupid-

My thoughts also flashed to the family behind me, if these guys don't believe me... if I fuck up right here, and if a fight were to break out they would likely get caught in the crossfire.

With this plan, it would give me the element of surprise long enough to take them out, as well as be minimal risk to the people behind me. Tell them to take me to her to 'clear this up' and knock them out mid-way with my taser stick or bash to the head.

This is all I got; do or die...only this time, it's not just my life on the line 'Believe the lie Drake, people's lives are counting on it'

I resisted the urge to gulp in fear.

Attempting to will away the unbearably heavy feeling in my chest (and failing) from such a responsibility, I spoke "Better yet..." I clenched my fist in preparation as I attached the taser stick to my belt behind me, and then boldly walked out of the room while carefully making sure that they couldn't see behind me as I closed it "Take me to the boss, I can't wait to see how she'll react to you two wasting her time, I'll at least get some good entertainment out of it"

The two looked at each other, both uncertain, I raised my voice a little "What are you, deaf? You have two sets of ears, use them, now move it!" I made sure not to shout, but the faked strength in my voice seemed to convince them.

'Might've pushed it with the ear comment though' I thought anxiously as I waited for his response.

"Y-Yes...sir" I heard him add the last part quietly as he turned around and started walking towards the staircase, his buddy in the hoody following him while glancing back at me a few times.

'...holy shit this is working' I can't believe this is working, against all the odds of the universe it's working! It's fucking working!

But I don't have much time, I need to knock them out quickly 'Okay, form a plan'

I think as I walk at the two initiates' pace, which was a little slow from how I could visibly see their nervousness, biting the inside of my cheek as my thoughts raced 'There's two of them, both seem to be inexperienced in combat, likely only have only been taught the basics...I still have my taser stick, but at best it will only have enough charge left for one more knockout...so that leaves one more, I can't use my pipe bomb, the sodium hydroxide, or the thermite grenade to help me here, all of them will make too much noise, draw attention, or set the place on fire' I wish I made some chloroform!

My thoughts flash over towards my knives '...kill him?' I considered, and biting the inside of my cheek harder as a result, my heart feeling like it dropped to my stomach '...I don't want to'

I'm…I'm not ready to kill. Even if I tried, I don't think I could go through with it.

I don't want to kill, there has to be another way, there is always another way. It's just a matter of finding it.

Tossing the thought of murder aside, I continued planning 'I'm going to have to knock the other one out the old fashion way, I doubt I can use the nerve pinch without both my hands and I'm gonna need to strike both of them at once if this is gonna work!'

I don't have any more time, this is as good of a plan as it's going to get.

We're approaching the end of the hallway to the stairway that leads to the main floor, I see the hooded one glancing at me, I look directly at him as he does so, his shoulders go stiff and he looks ahead.

Satisfied that he won't glance back again, I reach behind my back and take out the taser stick. Before I could even think about hesitating, I moved.

I reached out and grabbed the shoulders of the initiate in front of me, there's no going back, I had to time it right, but I think I know what to do.

Before the Fang recruit could react, in one swift motion, I jumped upward, angling my legs to the right towards the other initiate, and then boosted myself by pushing down on the recruit's shoulders to properly get enough reach, and wrapped my legs around the head of the other one, covering his mouth and wrapping tight.

"MMMmm…!" He muffled through as he squirmed, I held tighter.

"Wha-MMM!" I wrap my arm around the hooded fang's head and put my hand on his mouth, bringing both of the initiate's closer to me to better keep them in this position.

'Ow! OW! DAMN IT-!' I feel him clawing at my legs, and it was hard to move properly with them fumbling around trying to get me off, but I managed to aim my taser stick at the fang in my left arm and stab it into him, pressing the button.

ZZZTT!

"MmMmMmMMMaaaahhh….!" The muffled scream was music to my ears as the popping sound of the makeshift cattle prod thrummed, the guy went limp and began to fall-

'Wait, he's falling! SHI-' I tried to push my arms towards the floor to lessen the impact, but one of them was still around his head, I feel my right arm hit the ground as all my weight crashed into it, collapsing from the awkward position and sudden force before-

Thunk!

-hitting my head against the floor. 'Shit! FUCk-!' My jaw clenched tightly at the pain, out of the corner of my eye I see the other fang gasping for breath after I lost my grip on him.

It takes a second for my rattled brain to process that fact, then I scramble to get my feet on the ground and pounce at him.

"YOU-!" I shoved my hand in his mouth as I tackled him "MMMMMMmmm!"

Grabbing at his arms I can feel his resistance, trying to slip out of my grasp making the struggle a tangle of our limbs 'Like…HELL!' I grit my teeth, I can't let him call out-!

"GUhhhhh!" A muffled breath escapes through my clenched teeth, and a sharp spike of pain entered my hand, the bastard is biting my hand!

I kneed him while aiming towards his liver, only for it to hit his leg, and feel him kneeing me in the stomach in response, my breath nearly escapes me, but my jaw tightens as I kneed back with reckless abandon.

Staring back at me ferociously, the initiate growls with my hand in his mouth, both of us stuck in an exchange of blows in a struggle on the floor, my hand still painfully clamped onto his face as his teeth dug into my glove.

'Fuck! Fuck! FUCK! I HAVE TO END THIS…!', I barely withheld a grunt of pain as one of his blows grazed my nuts, it almost made me seize up, and damn it if it doesn't hurt, I can feel the bruises forming on my arms.

All my limbs are too busy just keeping him down in this struggle, the painful pushing of my gadgets on my belt pushing against me on the floor, agonizingly making me aware that I can't reach them or even use them anyway.

'C'mon! No gadgets! Think! Use your head-' My eyes narrow at the thought, my head already reeling back.

For just a moment the initiate managed to rip my hand off his face "HU-!"

I didn't let him finish, the top of my forehead crashed into the bridge of his nose!

'Fuck that fucking hurts!' I can feel the sharp pain on the top of my head, another one to add to the growing list of aches throughout my body, but the pain for him is worse and that's all I need!

His body seized up as he tried to reach up to his face, but my hand was already back on his mouth, my free one whaling on his squirming head, hitting him once on the nose, the eye, his cheek…!

Until finally, finally, I hit him in his left temple, disorienting him completely, and his entire body seizes for a moment from the pain.

Taking the chance, I shove my punching hand into his collarbone. He may be already unconscious, but I won't take the chance.

After waiting a few seconds as I pinch his nerve…I slowly let go, backing away somewhat while staring at his unconscious form…

"Hah…hah….!" I let out a few deep breaths, now vaguely aware of the sounds of my rapidly beating heart thumping away in my eardrums.

'Oh my universe that hurt…' After taking a moment to stand, flinching from the bite on my hand and the bruises forming on my body, I push the pain aside for a moment and just stare at the unconscious form of the terrorist below me.

Some kid, not much older than me, wearing the symbol of a terrorist organization that hates humans.

He hates humans, the glare in his eyes from earlier said it all, it wasn't normal anger…he truly, and utterly hated me.

And I just beat him down.

'...why?' A million questions run through my mind, all of them a variation of 'why'. Why does he hate humans? Why did he take this road? Why did he help kidnap a family of two parents and a little girl? Why? Why!?

'...damn it, stop it!' I shake my head angrily 'Not now! You're on borrowed time! Remember why you are here!' A flash of memory runs over my mind's eye, that same brick house with the people I love most 'Stuff it in the box and move!'

My eyes glanced around the hallway, seeing the other unconscious initiate laying on his stomach. There's no one else around, and there's no sign of anyone else having heard anything and moving in on my position.

'I really hope that nobody heard that'

I can't leave these guys here, need to move them somewhere they won't be seen…

My thoughts lingered on the closet in the room with the hostages, although I don't feel comfortable leaving them in there with the family…but that's if I intend to leave the family tied up there.

Scrunching my face in thought, I just shake my head "Decide when I get them there" I muttered, beginning to pick up the legs of the initiate I just beat down, burying the thought that I just knocked out another guy my age, and dragged him over to the other initiate, and then grabbed both of their legs and holding them in both my arms against my waist.

Dragging them carefully and steadily throughout the hallway to avoid making too much noise, I reach the room with the hostages, I glanced inside to see the tied-up family still in the same positions as they were before.

'Probably too confused and scared to move' My mind 'helpfully' supplied the thought, my face grimacing behind my mask before I pushed it aside and dragged the unconscious guards into the room, shutting the door behind me.

'What next?' My thoughts raced, I'm on the clock, it won't be long before somebody notices some of their guards didn't check in 'I need to sneak down to the lower floors, likely have to get to the basement, find any messages they were passing along' It would be too risky for them, especially with the heat currently on them, to communicate through scroll or word of mouth, they likely leave 'drops' of messages for other members of their cell to find inconspicuously.

Hopefully. ( But I ignore that thought last thought. The idea that this was a waste of time is unacceptable to me)

Opening the closet, I drag the two young faunus into the closet. Before securing them I make sure to also drag the lieutenant into the closet and sit him upright beside them, and then meticulously take the sheets off of the bed along with some pieces of clothing off the nearby counter, using them to tie up and gag the initiates and their superior together.

The feeling of the family's eyes on me brought up a blaring problem, one my mind raced to figure out how to tackle as I tied the sheets into strong knots.

'What about them? I can't safely escort them out, and I can't just leave them tied up here, can I?' I considered the idea for a moment before dismissing it 'No, it's too risky, if someone were to see what happened they would question them, and it won't be pretty'

Burying the image of the little girl crying in my head ('I'm burying a lot today, aren't I?'), I finish up securing the guards in their makeshift bondage.

I can't leave them here, it's one thing to risk my own life for my goals, but to risk others is a completely different ballpark.

Turning to them, I struggled to find words, so I simply made my way toward them, pulling up a knife from my-

'Wait, no' I stopped immediately, seeing the widened eyes of fear from the father and mother 'Dumbass, you were about to make yourself look like a murderer!' I chastise myself, making a clear showing of my hands, knife put back for the moment, as I walked towards the mother first.

The fear was still there, she was letting out a quiet muffle from her gag, I felt confused for a second before the feeling of the weight on my face became much heavier, the mask worn by the people who made her family suffer.

'...at this point, the mask isn't worth keeping' The deception on those initiates likely wouldn't work on anyone who was higher up.

Turning my head to the side, making sure they can't see my eyes, I take off the source of their fear and replaced it with my night vision goggle gear before turning back to them.

Putting the mask in front of myself, I placed both of my hands on the opposite ends of it-

Snap!

-and broke it in half.

I didn't mean to do it that quickly, but the tension in my hands snapped it prematurely.

But whatever the case, the display seemed to calm down the mother.

Setting the broken mask down, I put my finger up to my lips (remembering the gesture means the same thing here as back home from the Patch library) and then gestured out to the door, the woman nodded hesitantly.

Bending myself down to a knee, I flicked open a pocket knife-the woman, as well as the child and father, flinched.

'What did they do to them? What did he do to them before I came here?'

I slowly and carefully begin to cut at the binds on her hands, making sure the father and daughter could see, I can't have them panic from any misunderstandings.

Ugly thoughts resurface as I finish cutting the bonds on her hands before moving to undo her legs 'This is such a stupid idea, I'm such a fucking idiot-!' No, calm. What's done is done.

I'm no expert at dealing with hostages, especially in such a volatile situation, I don't know what I'm supposed to do. This was never the plan, I didn't expect it to escalate this quickly.

But I can't leave them here…what am I supposed to say to them?

'What can I do?'

My thoughts kept running, wondering what to say, what was the best course of action. All the while I cut the bonds of the father next, making sure to give the same gestures as I did the mother. Having the father and mother free before the girl so they can comfort her and keep her quiet.

I watch as the father gets up and makes his way over to his wife, who is just beside her daughter whispering words of comfort: "Mama's here, it's gonna be okay…"

The man embraced his wife and daughter, and I walked towards the still-tied-up little girl, only to stop in my tracks right in front of them. At this moment I finally allowed myself to really look at them.

I couldn't get a good look at them very well in the dark, even with the night vision goggles. But with them turned off, and having these three right in front of me, being shined on with what little light the moon got through the boarded-up window, I could see them well enough.

Long dark green frazzled hair belonged to the mother, a soft and relieved look adorned her face as her puffy yellow eyes let out a few tears (probably the few she had left), and her skin looked a little pale, and her body itself is thin.

'Did they feed her, feed them, enough?'

The father, who had similar tears of relief as he held his family closer, had fearful and beady blue eyes, his hair a raven black but I could make out signs of gray strands, a rigged ugly scar laid on the left side of his forehead, skin also pale and…noticeably more bruised than his wife and daughter, I see some cuts along his clothes with red stains surrounding them.

'Were they torturing him?'

And finally, the little girl that held both of her parent's attention: short, but curly black hair, the same shade as her father's, and held the yellow eyes of her mother, similarly puffy and red from what must have been a long time of silently crying. And yet…

Even with the same paleness as her mother and father, even with the nasty bruise I can I already see forming on her cheek, and with the redness around her eyes as proof of her tears throughout this hellish experience, she's been through…

Those reddish and puffy eyes weren't filled with fear.

'Why…' I started the thought, as my eyes and hers met.

They were filled with hope.

'...are you pointing those eyes at me?' The thought finished, the heavy burden from before rearing its head as a heavy feeling in my chest.

I'm just as scared, I'm just as lost, and I'm just as confused about what to do next.

But as I stare into those eyes, something shifts in the back of my mind.

I can acknowledge why she feels this way, I can accept that I was the one who took down her captor, took down one of the ones who made her family suffer. It's the expectation to do more that fills me with dread.

But I've already made the choice to help them, haven't I? I couldn't look at myself in the mirror if I left them like this. I simply have to follow through.

Bending down to a knee in front of the little girl, I look to the parents as I took out the knife, waiting for any hesitation or move for me to stop, and after seeing none I proceed to cut the ropes around her.

'It's not just me either, that would suffer if I left them, and neither is it just them'

I'm the first earthling to ever step foot on another planet with life, intelligent life at that.

I'm the first.

And when my people find this world, and they will one day if I managed to come here by mere accident or happenstance, my people will eventually follow. I may be the example the people of Remnant look to as to what a Terran is like.

I'm under no delusion that my secret can't be found out by this planet's people, if the White Fang already knows then it only makes this fact more prudent: I have no diplomatic training, I'm no soldier, and I'm no genius…

I'm not the best Earth has to offer.

'I'm just a kid who's lost and in way over his head'

Finishing up cutting her ropes I stand up and let her hug her mother and father, my hands steadier, and my heart slowed (I didn't realize it was beating so fast again). The heavy feeling was still there, but my previous anxiety was mostly replaced with another feeling.

'I'm not the best of Earth, my actions may decide how the people of this world see mine…so the only thing I can do, if not be the best of Earth: is to be the best version of Drake Joseph'

Determination set in place.

"Can you move?" I finally speak up, trying to lower the pitch of my voice a little, in an attempt to disguise it and make it unrecognizable, just in case I ever run into them outside of costume.

'If we survive this' I banish the thought, no more time for that, time to act.

"W-We can…" The man spoke up, it was quiet but he started to raise his voice "Are there-"

I raise my hand for him to stop, and he immediately did "There is more downstairs, and they have enhanced hearing, so keep your voice down"

I could hear his teeth click as he shut his mouth.

"Head up to the rooftop" I begin explaining quickly, remembering the path I took, and then picking up the pieces of rope I cut and started to tie them together: there was an external stairway on the side of the building, but it was a bit of a drop from the rooftop "I'm taking one of the bedsheets and tying them to these ropes so you can lower yourselves down to the platform on the side of the building, from there you should be able to leave and call for the authorities"

Both of the parents looked a little hesitant, the woman spoke up first as she saw me tie up the rope "Y-You're not coming with us?" The unspoken accusation in her voice irked me a little, but I can understand her position.

"I can't" Before I could hear any protest, I turned and stared at them "A good amount of time has already passed, someone is bound to notice the absent guards" I glance at the door before looking back at the rope to continue my work "I need to make sure their distracted if they do notice, so you're not followed"

This seemed to be the right thing to say, as it immediately had a calming effect on her.

I'm not sure how I would distract them without revealing myself if it came to that, but I would find a way.

But I'm also not willing to leave without completing my objective, speaking of which…

"How many of them have you seen?" I asked them quietly, beginning to tie the bed sheets to the rope.

"T-Ten…" The father said with a bit of a stutter, he flinched "They…they visited me the most, I remember their faces…"

Feeling an angry scowl come to my face, I made sure to keep my voice low "...what does their boss look like?" I focused on the topic at hand, looping around the fabric to make another strong knot.

"Uh…their boss is a muscular woman, tall…I-I'd say over six feet?" He stumbled over his words for a moment "She has red hair, dark skin…and she has a scar over her nose" He said the last part in an even lower voice.

I don't question it, he clearly has a past that has something to do with faunus treatment (It doesn't justify what those terrorists did'), but right now the present is what's important.

'Over six feet? Gonna be hard to miss her'

"She uses an axe" He finished, putting an arm around his wife's shoulder, glancing down at his daughter " She… scared us a few times with it"

'Great, first a chainsaw maniac and now an axe murderer' I thought in exasperation "Is there a basement to this building?" I asked my final question.

He and his wife both blinked several times at the change of the line of questioning "U-Um…yes, there's a door leading to it behind the counter of the main floor... but what does-"

I finish up tying the sheets and rope together with one last big pull, tossing it over to them and interrupting their question "Done, we don't have much time, I'll make sure to stall them"

I take a look over all of them, and then turned towards the door "Wait ten seconds after I leave, if I don't come back in that time then the coast is clear, make your way to the roof"

Taking a moment to mentally prepare myself to dive into danger again, I put my towards the doorknob-

"Are you a huntsman?"

My hand stopped just above it, I barely heard it, the voice was raspy and strained, but it was undoubtedly young.

I turned to look back at the little girl looking at me again, with those same eyes as before.

"What does a huntsman do?"

"Be a hero"

Those words from Ruby echo in my head. That title holds so much meaning for them, it represents something to them.

I'm not one of them though, I didn't go through the training, nor do I have the abilities of a huntsman. So I can't tell her I am one.

.

.

.

Turning towards her, I realize I don't need to.

"Nope" I feel a smirk come onto my face, her eyes showed confusion and her mouth opening to ask, yet no words come out.

Turning around, and dramatically opening the door, I glance back at her.

"I'm a superhero from the stars above" I state with confidence and strength, finding that at this moment, I didn't have to fake it as much "and I gotta make sure those bad guys don't hurt anyone else"

The widening of her eyes, the light that I saw in them, told me that it was more than worth the cringe statement I just made.

After all, all I have to do is give them some hope. Hope that everything is gonna be okay.

I can do that much, I got it in spades.

(Afterall, isn't it insane to think I could find my way home from another planet? Yet I try anyway)

And with that job done, I took a step out the door, a step into the unknown.

'Objectives:

Get to the basement without being seen

Ensure the hostages can escape

Secure the information on the White Fang's communications.

Escape without leaving anything to be traced back to me.

Engage!'

---

'So cool…' The little girl thought as her savior stepped out.

"Is he not a huntsman…?" Her mother above her quietly asked.

"No, he must be…probably just trying to raise our spirits" Her father whispered back.

She paid the conversation no mind afterward, her thoughts swirling around the man who saved her.

He's not a huntsman, but a superhero! She didn't know superheroes were real!

'That boy from class, Jett, he reads about superheroes all the time, says that they were cooler than huntsmen, invincible, always saving the day'

Her eyes shined, and for the first time in over a week, she didn't feel afraid.

'He was right'

The moment was ingrained into her mind, her papa being hit over and over, her momma trying to scream and get to him, it replayed over and over again.

Lemona was so scared, the big scary man was about to hurt her again too, just like he hurt papa and mama…

She desperately wanted to cry out, for mama, for papa, a huntsman, a huntress, for anyone to save her.

To stop the fear, to stop the pain.

But she couldn't say anything, the cloth stuffed painfully into her mouth, making it harder to breathe.

Then he came, out of nowhere, as if he heard her even though she couldn't speak.

"I'm a superhero from the stars above" She remembered his shadowy features, she couldn't see him that well in the dark, but at that moment he looked huge.

'Mama said…mama said shooting stars grant miracles'

"Lemona" Her momma spoke her name, shaking her shoulder gently, causing Lemona to look up at her "we need to get going, okay sweety? The nice man is giving us a way out"

The little girl nodded, her hands shaking with fear, her eyes gets a little watery when she sees the cuts and bruises on her mama and papa, but alongside it was an invigorated feeling.

"O-Okay…" She stutters out, following her mother "Miracle is gonna beat up the bad guys, right mommy?"

"M-Miracle…?" Papa asks quietly, holding the rope tied up to her bedsheets.

"H-He…said he was from the stars" Lemona explained, her voice still raspy, yet a tad excited "Mama said stars grant miracles, and every superhero needs a name" She stated it as a simple fact, Jett said so after all.

Her mama looked down at her, a small smile graced her face (something she hadn't seen in a while and started to think she would never again), and the mother tightened her grip a little more firmly but gently on her daughter's hand "Yes, I suppose they do"

"Come on, let's go…" Her father guided them out, pushing her mama gently by her shoulder, and her mama pulled along with her.

There were no bad guys in the hall, her mama and papa quickly but quietly guided her towards the door to the roof, she rarely goes up there, and never went up there without her parents because they were scared she would fall off the edge.

Once on the roof, for the first time in a while since those monsters came into her home, Lemona saw the beautiful night sky, with the shining broken moon clear to see.

'Thank you' She thought towards the stars, holding her mother's hand, having her papa's hand on her shoulder, walking together 'For giving us a miracle'

Unfortunately for her, however, a shadowy figure stalked them nearby, ready to strike when the time is right.

---

Sneaking to the main floor, thankfully, wasn't too difficult.

Getting past the main floor to the basement is another challenge altogether.

Hiding around a nearby corner, I watch as one of the guards walks by, keeping my breathing as quiet as possible, and unable to move much without drawing attention 'Damn super-hearing, I have to do something about that at some point…'

The father of the hostages said there were ten people in total, and while I shouldn't go completely off of his word since there may be more that have come and gone that he just hasn't seen, there can't be much more than that. Too many people attract too much attention, and if there were group were any bigger it would likely raise some eyebrows with the locals. Too many people to keep track of, too many chances of one or more slipping up and giving off that something is wrong.

'Alright, using what he said as a base for their numbers, I took out the guard on the rooftop, the two initiates, and the lieutenant on the second floor, how many would likely be here? There would be six left'

Not many, even with the boards up on the glass near the entrance of the shop, too much movement, and noise can make people suspicious, so I want to say that there would be two, maybe three guards at a time.

'But it is night time so that could make them bolder' I muddled over it but decided that ultimately it doesn't matter that much, their enhanced hearing already makes this a bitch.

I need to find a way to sneak past them, a distraction maybe, something mundane and not suspicious.

Once the guard walked by, I took the chance and crouched low, toes first and then the heel, quickly and silently making my way across the hall and into what seemed to be the kitchen of the bakery, noting its strange layout 'Likely renovated to be a bakery after the family moved in, might be another reason the White Fang chose this place for a hideout, they could always make the excuse of further changing the layout of the place to make it a proper bakery'

"Hey" I immediately press my back to the wall by the doorway to the main shop, two guards were talking to each other on the other side "Have you heard anything from the guys upstairs? Their a little late with reporting in"

'Shit, have less time than I thought…!' I cursed in my head but bit my lip to keep myself quiet.

"Nah…bet they're too busy listening to the lieutenant beat the crap out of the humans, saw him go up the stairs earlier" He gave a small chuckle "Did you hear those bangs on the upper floor? He's going to town on them"

'Bangs?' I blink 'Were they from my fight from earlier?' I bit my lip a little harder, this was too close. I didn't think they heard that, that maybe there was some soundproofing in the floors, but this was a lucky dodge.

I can't rely on luck.

"...it doesn't bother you at all when you say that?" I listen in surprise at the other voice, at the hesitance and slight horror that entered his tone "There's a little kid up there…"

The other scoffed "Yeah, and she'll grow up one day to be a pathetic and cruel human adult" He spat out "They're insects, they'll spread if you don't take care of them, so it's best to kill them all"

'Is he fucking justifying genocide!?' I have to make a conscious effort not to draw blood from biting my lip.

"C'mon, that's pretty extreme man…"

"Don't you start with me!" The other faunus hissed "We tried the peaceful way, and look where it got us, still being treated like trash…are you getting cold feet?"

"N-No…!" He hesitated for a moment, and for a brief second I felt sympathy: this sounded like someone who ended up in the wrong crowd and couldn't get out when he found out just what he got himself into.

Then I squashed it, he made his choices, and I've made mine.

"I'm gonna go check on them upstairs" He suddenly said, evidently wanting to get away from the conversation, I tense up a bit as I watch him walk through the door right by me, not passing me a glance.

'Damn it think!' I don't know if there's been enough time for the family of three to escape, and I can't risk being found out now.

My eyes rapidly scanned the room, and my hand reached to my goggles and turned back on the night vision, the place was messy but intact: egg cartons on the counter, multiple ovens, flour-

Wait-flour!

The flour was on a shelf right next to the other doorway leading to the staircase, if I can time it just right and hit it hard enough to knock it down and spread everywhere… I briefly consider the risk of exposing myself if my aim fails, but it would at the very least distract them long enough for others to get out of dodge.

Pulling out one of my throwing knives (I make sure it's a silver one, it could pass off as a small kitchen utensil from a distance), putting my left thumb up to my eye, and aligning it with my target.

'Don't miss' A flash of memory floats through my mind's eye, my home…along with the people I promised myself I'd save 'There's no other choice for you'

Winding up the knife in my right hand, I steady my aim, and watch as he's just about to walk by it…

Now!

Flinging my arm forward and releasing the knife, I watch it spin almost in slow motion, watching it get closer and closer and then…

Shink!

A full-blown smile reached my face as I watched the knife not only hit but completely flung across and cut through the side of the bag, knocking it over and causing dust of flour to pour out and all over the guy "What the hell…!?"

Hearing the other guard start rushing in, I press my body to the wall and watch him pass by "What the fuck did you do now!?" He growled.

"Nothing!"

"Doesn't look like nothin'! There's flour in the air! I can't see shit! Were you trying to swipe some pastries and fell on your ass!?"

"Did I get caught on something? Damn it this will take forever to clean…!"

Taking my chance, I quietly move away from the wall, tip-toeing around the doorway while hidden by the dust particles in the air, I idly hope that the flour isn't too fine and nothing will combust it 'Please don't light the oven, there's enough shit going on without a fire to add to it…'

Hearing the two argue behind me, I duck and move over to the counter, hearing footsteps coming from the other side, I quickly place myself against it and watch as a female guard with small horns on her forehead walks through a small doorway divider through the counter.

"What the hell are you two idiots doing!?" I briefly hear her shout, but make haste and start making my way over to the other side of the counter, seeing a door behind the cash register 'That must be it!' I mentally shouted in victory.

I take a quick glance to make sure the coast is clear, no other guards are in the room: quite a few chairs and tables were put up against a wall, and there is a display case for pastries moved a little away from the window, but there was no sign of any other enemies.

Starting to stand up to quicken my pace, I speed walk over to the door, reaching my hand out for the handle-

Thump! Thump!

A series of loud steps, more like stomps, echoed from the door 'No, no no…' They weren't at the stairs, but someone was making their way toward here.

Thump! Thump!

I whipped my head around to find another place to hide-'Shit!' I duck down after spotting the female guard walk out of the room, clearly fuming.

'Can't go that way, this isn't a good spot to hide, if I try to hop the counter she'll hear me…!' I don't have a lot of options, and the clock is ticking.

Thump!Thump!Thump!

Whoever it is down there just reached the steps, and their feet are heavy 'The boss!?' I cursed, looking for any cabinets on the ground level that I could climb into, but there were none that were big enough for me, and even there was it was probably filled with stuff, too much noise could be made.

I throw my head up, nearly hitting the counter behind me, looking up at the ceiling 'C'mon brain you haven't failed me yet…where can I-' A eureka moment hit me as I stared at the ceiling, at the edge of my vision was a couple of cabinets attached to a higher level of the wall.

"Did you know that nobody ever looks up?" The quote hits my head like a freight train, I don't hesitate on what to do next, springing out of my hiding spot.

Whipping my head around, just above the level of the counter, the female guard facing away, yelling at the two towards the kitchen doorway.

Turning away from her, my time window is short, so I quickly plot a route in my head: a counter was underneath the upper cabinets, some parts of it still filled with pastries and having condiments sitting on top, there's a spot on the right side that has nothing on it and is a perfect place to jump onto to reach the cabinet.

Thump!Thump!THUMP!THUMP!

The footsteps are close to the top 'Ready! Set! GO!' I rush forward, jumping upwards and pulling my legs in, I land with my feet on top of the counter, it wasn't loud but there was a slight raddle that I can't worry about, and I follow through on my momentum; placing the forefront of my foot on it, from the balls to the toes, I launch myself upward and twist myself towards the cabinet, reaching out and grabbing the top end of it.

Muscles screaming in protest, I pulled myself upward with one arm and the remaining momentum I built up, reaching up to the corner of the ceiling and placing my hand there, putting both my arms straight as I tucked in my legs with my right on the side of the cabinet and my left right on the wall, my head touching the ceiling as I held my position.

"What was that-?" I heard the female guard ask before a slam echoed throughout the room.

Eyes following the source of the sound, I saw that the door to the basement slammed open, and out came to be what I assumed is the leader of this operation.

'...shit'

That father really didn't do her description justice.

An intimidating atmosphere enveloped the room, a commanding presence emanated from her that demanded that I keep my eyes on her.

Because if I looked away for even a moment, I would be dead.

Stepping out the door with a snarl on her face-the long and jagged scar from the base to the top of her nose easily adding to the intimidation factor, the tall-easily dwarfed me in height, six-foot-five I think?- and noticeably buff woman with short spiky (what I presume to be red) hair spoke out:

"Shut up!"

The female guard's shoulders immediately spiked up, and admittedly, mine would have too if I wasn't holding this awkward position so desperately.

'You are a statue Drake' I told myself, already feeling the exhausted muscles from my arms 'Just a little further, I can keep going…' I grit my teeth and continued to listen.

"-at part of low profile do you not understand?" I catch the ladder end of the woman's sentence, her voice was quieter, yet it felt even more distressing with how cold and absolute she sounded, the silent promise of pain.

The other two guards from the kitchen scrambled out to stand at attention, both covered in flour at this point, one wearing a construction uniform and the other a simple t-shirt, the arms exposed showed…what I think are porcupine quills. Both are wearing masks.

The gruff voice from earlier raised his hands up, his shoulders tensed like he was ready to flee "We're sorry mam-"

"That's sir to you" The beast of a woman stated, a snarl escaping her lips again. Her tail- she has a tail?- thwipped around and slammed against the counter, shaking it and sending a scare towards the guards in front of her.

My muscles were starting to burn, if I had time I would've gotten into a more comfortable position! 'No, don't move, can't risk it' Just a little further.

'I can do this, I can keep going…' I take a slow and steady breath through my clenched teeth, going against every instinct to inhale that sweet air. Slightly straightened out my right leg, but stop the moment I realized what I was doing 'Keep still! You can do this! You have to!'

How much time was passing? I need to count…

'Yeah, this just like those times working out back home, start counting…one, two, three…'

In my moment of trying to keep myself from letting my muscles fail and fall over, I realized that despite keeping my eyes on her, I zoned out the woman's voice again.

"-so I'm not here to babysit you, or clean up your damn messes" The guards cowered at her authority, watching her walk towards the one in the construction uniform and…pick…him…up…

.

.

.

She was picking him up by the collar of his shirt, with one fucking hand.

'...fifty-five, fifty-six, fifty-seven' I continue to count in the back of my mind, trying not to focus on it too much. At how much I'm struggling to even hold this position, at how she easily outclasses me.

At how if she found me, she'd tear me apart.

"Do I make myself clear?" She stared into his eyes, the man's hands were grasping at his collar, choking, nodding frantically at her, she let him go suddenly, dropping him on his butt gasping for air (something I want to desperately do).

But the fear is enough to keep me in position.

'...ninety-nine, one hundred, one hundred one, one hundred two…' I clench my teeth harder, fighting the reflex to gasp for air.

I-I can…k-keep going…

Grunting angrily, the large woman wiped a hand down her face and gave them one last look over before speaking again "Get to work, I want that place spotless before sunrise" Their behemoth of a leader walked past them, heading into the kitchen doorway "I'm heading up to find the lieutenant, I'm already sick of this assignment…"

Her footsteps faded, the other guards scrambling to enact her orders to avoid her wrath and heading into the kitchen to start cleaning.

'...one hundred fifty, one hundred fifty-one…'

One by one, they all disappeared through the doorway, I could hear frantic clanking and rustling noises from the kitchen.

'I have to move'

Grimacing as I lowered my arm slowly, I readjusted my legs to reach for the countertop, slowly setting myself on top of it and getting my weight on my feet, my arms immediately dropped, muscles screaming in relief.

'N-New record' I thought jokingly, trying to get myself ready 'I-I've bought all the time I can for them, they have to be gone by now' I try to steady my breathing, setting a hand on the countertop and pulling myself down, wincing for a moment at the awkward feeling in my left leg finally being able to move 'No time, I'm fresh out of it, gotta get that info!'

Walking over to the door I open it gently, gingerly swinging my legs around, and then quickly close the door, pulling it gently into the lock at the last second.

I go down the stairs on the tip of my toes, grabbing the rails once I reached halfway down, and pushing myself up and over the rest of the steps, my arms protesting every second of it.

'Alright, I'm here' I look over the place, there's nothing particularly notable about it, just a regular square-shaped room of a basement, other than that it's mostly empty, except for a few boxes and some old furniture, but there were more rooms I can see doors to.

'I don't have the luxury of searching every nook and cranny, where would they put their messages?' I slapped both my hands on my temples as if I could jostle some neurons into working overtime, whipping my head to each room.

'This hideout is temporary, a place that they can ditch easily if they had to! They've evaded the police every time so far, they specifically chose this location because of the water tower, and possibly because this place wasn't originally a bakery' Shooting off facts and theories in my head, I eliminated possible locations.

It's not important enough to be hidden so carefully and waste time on delivering messages, but important enough that it can't get into police or huntsman hands for fear of other cells being tracked through them.

'So in the event, if they had to ditch this place, they would have to dispose of anything they left behind quickly and thoroughly…what would that be Drake!?' Explosives are a no-go, too hard to smuggle through.

'A fire? But they would have to time it to start after they left, aura or not they can die of asphyxiation, and the only way they could time it is if they could set off an explosion of some sort, or a makeshift fire starter in the basement, but there's no stove or anything like that to-...WAIT WAIT WAIT...!'

There is something like that, one that would be almost guaranteed to be in any home or building.

Immediately looking up to the ceiling, I scan for any signs of pipes, following the path where they all seem to converge, and sprinting to the door they lead to.

Opening the door, my eyes glide over the room to find a washing and drying machine at the end of it, seeing the pipes nearby that it gets it's water supply leading to the right, I immediately turned in the same direction.

"A boiler" I mumbled, all it would take is a few misplaced valves, letting the heat build and build upward until the pressure and heat inside the boiler becomes too much.

In other words: kaboom.

The perfect place to set up a failsafe, and since they hate humans it would be perfect for them to set it to explode, take out anything left behind, and kill a few humans while doing it; a win-win scenario for them.

The explosion, and the fire ensuing could easily be used to cover up any trace of them long enough to make a getaway.

'I fucking got you predictable fucks!' Making my way over to the boiler, I wasn't very familiar with this particular design, which was clearly used for dust in mind, but the basic principle was the same. Dust vials were attached to the side, far bigger than what was clearly intended, likely to add an extra kick. Some of the valves were pulled in various directions, and the rest were looser than they should be.

I could feel the heat radiating off it, a little too well.

And right next to it was a large and full, unassuming, fake leather bag.

'Finally' I think to myself, but first things came first, I carefully adjust the valves on the boiler, and take out the extra dust vials, pocketing one for later use.

After double-checking to see if my work was adequate, I judged that it would do, and then proceeded to open the bag to find…plastic water canisters?

It was filled with various plastic water containers, I blinked for a moment in confusion, before realizing what it was.

Opening one, I found a roll of paper stuffed inside: these were the packages they used to get the messages around.

A plastic reusable water bottle, something so normal and mundane, you could see it lying around, thinking that somebody left it there by accident, or that they're off somewhere and will come back for it.

Set them in regular public spots: parks, benches, bus stops, libraries…no one would bat an eye at them, it's just normal. Just have that someone who was off somewhere, go and pick it up.

'Clever, not perfect, but clever' I unroll the paper and skim it.

Full of mentions of light, cryptic hyperbole, and confusing metaphors…I expected it to be a bit more complex, but I could understand the logistics required to teach every one of them code, likely not worth the effort, but if I knew what to look for I can decipher some of it. Read between the lines, one statement especially stood out to me.

"The color red goes well with the surprise visitor, should have someone go and collect some red clothes for ourselves"

My eyes narrow 'Red…blood? No…'

A chill runs down my spine, my grip on the paper tightening and crumbling it as I figured out the answer.

The color of Ruby's hair and outfit comes into my mind's eye.

"Helping out a troubled girl? Knew you couldn't resist helping another one"

"They have been watching me, I already knew that…" The paper crumbles in my hand as I ball it into a fist.

I already knew that damn it.

"But you motherfuckers just couldn't…" I snarled, the rage from earlier coming back with a vengeance "...leave everyone else out of this…!"

I finally have what I need, I finally have information on my aggressors, and yet instead of solving problems it brought up ones that I hoped to the universe would let not come to pass.

They were watching her too.

'Who else!? Who else were they watching just because they talked to me!? Olive!? The librarian!? My fucking manager!?'

"This is between you and me, and only you and me" I promised, this wouldn't touch her or her family. And no one else's either.

I don't know what right I have for making this promise, I'm stumbling my way through this world, I barely made it through this base; how can I keep this from affecting them?

I don't know.

I just know that I'll spend every part of my being trying.

The family of three, my coworkers at Patch Delight, and Ruby Rose…I barely know any of you, but I know enough to know your just as much a person as anyone from Earth. I won't let my problems spill over into your lives. I won't let these pieces of sentient primitive garbage go after you because of me.

Even if I have to face the White Fang head on to do it.

---

Tugging my collar and sleeves, doubling checking to make sure the canister attached to my hip is secure, could maybe see if I can use it to figure out where they get their supply from, I make my way back up the stairs. Considering my options for escape: there were no windows in the basement for me to use, so I have to go back the way I came.

From there, if they were still distracted...I could simply book it out of the front door. Cameras on the street or not, I'm already gonna have my appearance here become public, but I will have to make it as obscure as possible so they can't use any traits to identify me with.

That is if I can get past them.

I take a deep breath as I reach the door…

Just one more obstacle, it's almost over.

One last slip and I'm home free.

'Alright, you're in the home stretch Drake, you got this' I reassured myself, putting my hand on the doorknob, listening for any strange noises at the door, hearing none, and then opening it.

Ducking my head low, I looked towards the front entrance-

The hairs on the back of my neck stand up, a glance from the corner of my eye sees something coming.

Wind? No, pushed air. Blur. Black blur.

The world slows, and my thoughts didn't cease, but they grew quick, simple. Primal.

Result of over two million years of evolution, instincts that had been necessary for most of my specie's existence just to survive; laid dormant, unneeded in modern society, kicked into overdrive just when I needed it most.

Facing the unknown, a threat I can't fully comprehend or react to consciously in enough time.

Left. Coming from the left…!

Danger! Death!

Duck…!

Duck…! !

DUCK! ! ! !

Just as my mind recognized the threat, my body already started moving: adrenaline pumping, the world slowed, my head ducking forward and under a blur- 'A fist?'- my hands diving forward, pushing against the ground…

BASH!

… a loud crash of wood sounded off behind me as I rolled and jumped to my feet, regular thoughts beginning to come back to me, and then up the countertop! Making a complete one-eighty turn and then…!

"HRAH!" I shouted as let loose a hard kick into my aggressor's face!

A static feeling made its way to my foot- 'Aura!?'-but either way my blow was enough to knock my attacker back towards the stairs…

My eyes widen, seeing the fist clenched around my front pulling me forward, adding already to my momentum. I stared into the eyes of the woman who inspired such fear earlier.

Deep dark red eyes stared back at me, holding rage and indignation, and yet parallelled with shock and surprise.

We were both falling down the flight of stairs. Past the doorway with the broken wooden door, she landed on the steps as I fell on top of her "AH! MOTHERFU-!" Her curse stopped short as we continued to fall.

"Gah!" My left shoulder slammed into the rail, I gripped the hand she had on my costume; kicking, punching, and squirming all the way down to get free of her. Her determination to keep a hold on me worked in my favor though, she was taking the brunt of the steps.

Once at the end, of the staircase, I tucked in my legs and covered my head with my arms-

"Guh!" I let out a gasp as the flight came to a stop, the woman released her grip on me afterward, along with the kinetic energy built up with it, flying me across the room.

Keeping my head covered, I slid across the floor- "AH!" My back hit one of the old pieces of furniture, knocking me against it for a moment before hitting the ground again.

'Fuck! FUCK!' I hissed through my teeth as I forced myself to stand, pushing up against the couch behind me and getting to my feet, I felt dizzy and a little wobbly, my body swaying side to side as I try to keep standing…

'Focus!' I shook my head violently and regained my footing, and then whipped my head to glare toward the faunus that was just starting to stand back up.

'Of course…why the fuck would I think it would be that easy? Nothing about this night was!' I think bitterly, putting up my hands, preparing to fight with a woman half a foot taller than me that could easily snap me in half.

'...damn it, I'm gonna fucking die!'

"...Hehehe…"

I pause at the sound she made, frozen in my position '...is she…laughing?'

"Hehehe!" She stood up, tail swinging out and slapping the floor, and a grin plastered on her face "That…that was good!" A full-on laugh was coming from her lips.

I stare at her, not willing to respond to the compliment, wary of her next move.

"I gotta admit" She started slowly, bringing her right hand up to the back of her head, making an audible crack with her neck "I was not expecting this out of tonight, you got quite the pair on you to be busting into here all by yourself"

"..." Tightening my fists, I lower my legs a little to get ready to sprint. Sounds of footsteps make their way down the stairs 'It's going from bad to worse, I need an opening-'

"Ah!" A young voice reached my ears, along with the stumbling of a small figure in the doorway "let me go…!

"Quiet!"

A cold sensation crawls its way throughout my body 'No…nonononono!' My thoughts desperately denied the reality in front of me.

My eyes and ears didn't deceive me, somehow…someway, it's gotten worse.

The little girl from before, held tightly in the left arm of the guard, one I hadn't seen before…

'No! NO! I had to have bought them enough time! How-!?'

"I've seen your handiwork" My thoughts cut off at her voice, bringing my upwards gaze towards the tall faunus woman "Your pretty good to have taken out my lieutenant like that, and three other guards? All without anyone noticing? Who knows what tricks you have up your sleeve" A deep penetrating glare was made from her, and she spread her arms open "And while I would love to see them, I can't exactly risk us being found out right now…so how about this? Surrender or the girl gets it"

My fists tighten; the stress in my fingers gave a painful sensation that grounded me.

She glanced at the little girl squirming in the guard's grasp "Funny thing, y'know? One of my men found them while patrolling the perimeter outside, and climbed out with their own rope and a bedsheet, your handiwork too I would guess"

'...ah' That's how.

I've only seen nine guards.

Part of me feels dead and tired, the stress of the night coming to the forefront of my mind, the energy leaving my body as every last one of my hopes was snatched away…

Right.

Despair, that's what this feeling is.

'I fucking hate it' Another part of my mind snarls, utterly rejecting it.

"So?" Her smile widened "What's it gonna be? I would love to have you as my new plaything" A disturbed shiver crawls up my spine.

.

.

.

"Hah…" I take in a deep breath through my nose "...ha" and release out the mouth. Letting the despair wash away.

'Panicking never helps, focus'

Letting the room fade, I analyzed them.

It was only me, her, the guard, and the little girl. I focused on the girl I saved earlier, now having gone still with a knife near her neck.

The despair in her eyes from before was back.

'...I…am about to do something risky' I acknowledged to myself, well aware that there is no room for error, before letting my other senses focus on my surroundings.

Judging the distance: the girl and guard are two and a half feet away from me, the brute only two.

'Any other options?'

Not without leaving her behind. Unacceptable.

The best chance I have is to close the distance and to take away their advantages, they can easily see every move I can make while I can't do the same.

'Take it away, even the playing field' My brain rapidly fires.

"I surrender" I state in a low tone of voice as I lower my arms, letting them drop below my hip and inching towards my back, the taller woman smirked in satisfaction, as if she won.

Moving just the slightest bit, I leaned to the right a little to have the plastic container rattle against my side, knowing full well she heard…

'Take the bait'

"Ah, that's what you were here for, of course, you weren't here to save some random family you don't know" She scoffed, putting out her hand "Toss it over, no funny business"

After everything I've gone through to get to this point, one thing has been apparent to me.

'Hook…' I reach my hands towards the plastic container, my left one grasping it…while my right, actions hidden behind my lower back, twisted the already loose lid off.

I have outplayed, out sneaked, and outsmarted every one of them. Their overconfidence made them soft.

'Line…' Shifting my body, making it look like I struggled to get it off, getting an annoyed grimace from her, but in reality, I was shifting the open end of the container to slip in a makeshift cylinder with a string attached to my belt, clicking both it and the plastic container off at the same time to mask the noise.

They've gotten complacent and overconfident, and I'm going to abuse the fuck out of it.

Twisting the lid on with only one twirl, and strapped the string to my finger, I brought both my hands out, holding my left with the container, angling it just right so she wouldn't notice, her being none the wiser with the shit-eating grin back on her face.

"Here" I state, before tossing it.

Snip.

A small, barely noticeable pin sounded as it flew through the air, and I started counting off 'One...two...'

The fact that she didn't react to it quickly and simply caught it out of reflex told me all I need to know.

'Three…four…sinker'

Just as the woman's eyes widened, as if she just realized what she heard was, the sugar-based smoke grenade already started to combust, producing more and more pressure at a rapid rate before…

Boom!

"AH!" The pressure reached its peak, searching to escape through the easiest route around the openings of the cap, launching and melting the plastic cap outward like a rocket and slamming it into her nose!

I already started sprinting, watching the container launch out of her hands and spin crazily along the floor, producing plumes of smoke all the while and covering the room, the bottle slamming into the other guard's ankles and burning him "AH!"

"BASTARD HUMAN!" A shout emanated from the woman as she charged forward blindly.

'Here goes nothing!' I stick close to the wall, keeping momentum as I put my foot on it, step by step, shakily running up the wall, glancing to see her heading towards me at speeds a person her size shouldn't be able to, starting to lose my time in the air 'NOW!' but pushed off to the left before I did.

Reaching outward, I met face-to-face with the monstrous woman again.

I didn't hesitate, not even flinch.

Slamming both of my hands over her shoulders, I push my legs up and over me while curling them in, and launch myself over her head, rolling along her back before hitting the floor and springing to my feet again!

Bam!

'Dumbass' I thought snidely, don't need to look back to know she hit the wall as planned. Like hell, I was gonna be fighting her head-on!

Ignoring the shouts of anger behind me, I sprinted into the bloom of smoke, the smokescreen grenade still going off and making it harder and harder to see by the second, especially in such an enclosed space.

Going off by memory, I bolted towards where I last saw the guard and the girl, making out a silhouette in the smoke that was clearly struggling, and picked up speed towards it as I clocked my fist back…!

"What the fuck is-AHH!" He suddenly shouted, my image of him clearer, holding his hand in pain, the girl free of his grasp.

I don't think about it, winding up my arm, aiming towards his head, and then throwing it out with everything I had while running at full speed.

My fist meets his jaw, no buzzing sensation to be met, just a good old fist to the jaw.

He went flying (something else also went flying out of his mouth but I didn't pay it any mind, too much happening to care), ramming straight into the railing of the stairway, falling to the ground with limp limbs.

'Nearly threw my arm out' Shaking the stinging feeling in my knuckles away, I quickly found the girl laying on all fours on the ground, I scoop her up, and cradle her over my shoulder-

I speak just as she was about to squirm "Your safe" I muttered, instantly calming her. A split glance at her face makes me see signs of blood around her mouth 'What-' The memory of the guard holding his hand flashed through my mind's eye, putting the pieces together.

"You did good, hold tight" I state, already running to the stairway, feeling her hands clench the back of my shoulder to hold on tighter.

Legs burning, I sprint again up the stairs, unable to see but hearing footsteps up above me that wasn't mine.

"Boss!" The voice of that younger guard shouted "Are you al-!"

Judging the distance by where his voice was, I jump, my body twisting to adjust the extra weight on one side; raising my left foot and landing it on the rail to the side of the stairs, coiling my leg inward, then springing upward.

"-right!?" I hear him finish, finally able to see him as I rose out of the smoke, his jaw dropping as he looks at me, his head reeling back.

Feeling the top of my own head lightly skim the top of the ceiling, I snap my right leg towards him, landing right on his left shoulder and putting all my weight there, plummeting him straight into the steps with a bang.

"GUh!" Slamming into his back, his head snaps backward-" Ugh…!" straight below the edge of one of the steps, I snap my left arm out to grab the rail to keep myself on my two feet, and then launch myself off him, sending him sliding downward, putting my left arm back around the girl.

"Your parents" I hiss towards her, hoping she would get the message, the doorway just ahead.

She gasped for air, stuttering into my ear "I-In front of the register!"

That's all I need, already knowing the other two guards will be near them.

A flash of a plan runs into my head, the counter, the tables set to the side of the room, and the kitchen. I exit the doorway, ducking my head and lowering my back as I run just in case-

-a blur, again, comes out of the corner of my goggle's vision but swings completely over the heads of me and the little girl.

Running under the arm holding the knife, I start bringing up my right leg, kicking behind me, my body turning to follow through on the kick.

Landing on the arm holding the knife, the female guard's, I feel my foot hit the upper bicep of her arm "Grr…I'll make you-!" She stumbled towards the steps, shooting out her right hand to the side of the doorway frame to stabilize herself.

I take the chance, jumping upward, both legs up, cradling the little girl's head to protect it, and then spring them both forward straight into the base of her back!

Losing her grip, she falls down the stairs "FUUuuuuck!" I hear her tumble and bash her way down the stairs, watching her disappear into the smoke and hearing another grunt halfway down as she fell, likely ramming into one of the others.

Feeling my butt ram on the floor and hitting my back, the pain was jolting, and yet I can't help but notice I'm not frustrated 'Can't believe they fell for that again!' I think in humor, feeling a smile come onto my face behind my mask despite the situation.

Letting the sense of accomplishment push me forward, I roll over to put my knee on the floor, pushing off of it to get back up and moving.

'One left!' "Keep holding on" I whisper to her, but I doubt she needs any more encouragement.

Jumping up and over the counter, I see the two parents, hands tied up again and gagged in the mouth with socks "MMM!" The mother muffle screamed through her gag once she sees us, her husband's eyes widening and looking forward.

"Oh no you don't!" A gruff voice from behind them shouted, the last White Fang guard, the one with porcupine quills sticking out of his forearms, said forearms being flung out towards me, his quills twitching…

…and then launched towards me!?

Hitting the floor while turning my back to him, I dodge the brunt of it, but got one lodged in my upper back "Grrr…!" I growled in pain 'Fuckingstupidbullshitplanetfaunuscrap…!'

How the hell can he even do that!? Porcupines can't even do that!

Shoving it aside, I roll over just in time to avoid the guard's foot, the little girl squeaking in fright as the stomp slammed so close to us on the floor.

'I can't fight like this!' I kick my legs out onto the floor to push me backward, avoiding another volley of sharp quills, wrapping my arms around her to shield from them as I did, feeling a quill missing me about a centimeter fly by my hand.

Not having the element of surprise anymore drastically increases the difficulty of fighting while holding and protecting a child, I need to come up with a plan and fast.

Just as the guard was about to launch another volley -"MMF!" A muffled scream hit my ears, I look to see the father charging, slamming his shoulder into him.

"Stay out of this!" The guard stumbled, whacking his forearm into the man's chest and digging his quills in, making him let out a muffled scream-

Only for it to be overtaken by the scream of the guard, as the mother charged in and bashed her head against his!

'You have some awesome parents, y'know that!' I thought towards the kid, no parent worth a damn would stand by if they could do something to protect their child, and they just went above and beyond. This was the best chance I could ask for.

Jolting my body off the ground and onto my side, I pushed off of my left knee to stand up straight again, running towards the back of the man stumbling and shouting at the woman on the ground groaning in pain.

"I'm getting sick and tired of this!" He pulls out his knife "Shut up and die-UGH!'

I reach him before he can do anything, jamming my right knee into his kidney, noticing a light shimmer 'Him too!?' but push anyway, he stumbles over in pain as his hands hit the floor, I let a strong kick fly into his head-

Shatter.

Light red glowing particles suddenly scattered into the air, his entire body showing a blue glow layer covering the entirety of him, only for it to be disappearing as more of those blue particles flew off his body, the glow falling apart and fading away.

"What-..." I stopped, remembering everything I'd researched, all my talks with Ruby on aura '...so that's what it's like when it shatters' His aura reached the limit of how much it could take, and fell apart all around him.

Can think about it later, gotta get out of here first.

Feeling the burning in my arms, I whisper to the girl "I need you to let go, I need to help your parents" I could feel her hesitate for a moment, before feeling the tension leave her hands and her grasp slip. I set her down next to her mother, and then pull out a knife to cut at the rope.

She didn't flinch this time, progress.

Quickly cutting at the rope, I gave one last swipe down and released her, she immediately and aggressively pulled off her gag and wrapped her arms desperately around her daughter "Lemona! Lemona! Your okay!"

Huh, so that's her name. 'Weird color names…'

Heading towards the father, sitting on the floor with the quills still in him, I hear the rumbling of footsteps near the basement stairway 'Shit, gotta move!'

"Move" I yank him up by his armpit, I notice him wince but comply, I shove the knife in his hands, letting him fill in the blanks as I pushed him forward to hurry him along. Doing the same with the mother, we made our way toward the front entrance, I glance back to check for any pursuers-

Seeing quills in the air again, I shove the father out of the way "Move!" I shoved the mother next, moving away from the front entrance being pelted with quills 'Kitchen it is! Fucking damn it, isn't aura breaking supposed to be exhausting!?'

Picking up a nearby chair, I use it to block another wave of quills from hitting the mother, who was focused on shielding her daughter as she lead her along, seeing that the guard was panting while still on the ground, flinging them out at us; I raised the chair above me and chucked it at him, hitting him in the head and knocking him unconscious.

'Finally' Foot stomps over by the basement doorway got louder, I push the family into the kitchen.

I move to join them, but something is pulling me back… by the back of my shirt-

Suddenly I was being pulled away completely, feeling my feet leave solid ground.

"MIRACLE!" I hear a young voice shout, briefly thinking 'who?' before the reality of the situation hit me.

'...shiiiiIIIIIIIIIIIIIT-!' I flew into the air, my back hitting the ceiling "GUH!" A grunt of sharp pain escaped me as the quill in my back dug in deeper, my hands reached out to grab anything, grasping hold of a ceiling light, swinging me back and forth as I struggled to pull myself up.

"Frick…that fricken smarts" I hiss to myself and groan as I hold on, looking down from above, seeing the massive White Fang boss up and about, looking more than pissed.

'...alright, good news, she's focused on me'

She jumps over the counter and makes her way toward me, her heavy footfalls echoing in the room.

'Bad news: SHE'S FOCUSED ON ME!'

Ideas flashed across my mind, anything to get an advantage, I swipe off one of the few gadgets left from my belt, a metal can with welded mechanisms placed on top, I ripped off the peel on the bottom of the can to see the adhesive attached to the bottom, and stuck it to the ceiling and put my finger around the pin-

My leg was pulled on, yanking me from the canister, but pulling the pin with me, I raised my arms-

I grunted as the floor met them 'Fuckfuckhurtsgottamovefuck-!' I was lifted up again, and slammed into the floor, this time hitting my right shoulder "AH!" I let out despite every attempt to hold back, I kick out at her, hitting her in the face, only for her to barely flinch as it met her aura.

She grabbed my other ankle 'Nonononono…!' I was in the air again, spinning this time, I can feel myself getting dizzy, no time to think, I cover my head with my arms and curl inward as much as I can for the inevitable crash-

Feeling the release of my ankles, I watch as the room flew by me, the pin slipping off my finger and flying off, I started bouncing and skidding off the floor three times before hitting-

Bam!

"AAGH!" I let out a shout as I hit a table, knocking it over completely and bashing my stomach into it, and knocking the wind out of me, my limbs sprawled out over the wooden floorboards, feeling pinpricks of tears in my eyes at the pain in my limbs and guts, I curl inward as I cradled my stomach in agony.

Gasping for breath, my innards were in a constant state of unceasing pain, it made it hard to focus on anything.

'S-Stop…just stop it! Get up!' I hissed as I tried to move, putting my right hand in front of me, my arm shakily pushing against the floor as my other cradled my stomach, hearing the giant faunus slowly making her approach, clearly toying with me.

'G-Good'

Just a little c-closer…get ready for the moment.

"Oh? Did I break your aura with that little toss?" I hear her mock me, and when I didn't respond she simply scoffed "How pathetic…and to think you caused us so much trouble, should've killed you the moment I saw you"

'Y-You tried to, and failed…' I think spitefully, ignoring the waves of pain washing over me as best I can, which quite frankly isn't well.

Finally managing to raise my head to look forward, I look above her head 'G-Getting sick of her smug attitude' I think as I look up at the cylinder attached to the ceiling above her, seeing light smoke coming off its top 'Any second now…'

"We'll definitely have to move out now, a shame, but at least I have some entertainment before I go" She cracked her knuckles, and a vicious curling of her lips came to her as she snarled at me "Show me how you scream"

A chuckle escapes my lips, feeling the pain start to subside "No," I speak up, my eyes meeting hers "You"

Potassium permanganate and glycerin mix, electrons oppose and are released as the two compounds interact, lighting a hot fire.

The can starts turning red…

It is simply an ignition source for something more powerful: a mixture of aluminum powder and good old iron rust in a three to nine ratio respectively, the aluminum being an extremely reactive metal; pulling in the oxygen from the iron oxide and leaving only iron and stray electrons behind.

Sniffing her nose in the air, the giantess pauses "...is that-?"

Reaching its melting point, the can bursts in sprays of molten iron over her, reaching temperatures of three-thousand celsius, hotter than even the surface of the sun.

"AAAAAHHH!" Her cry of pain fills the room, music to my ears.

The pain in my stomach had subsided enough for me to move, I stumble as I take a step forward for a second but regain momentum afterward, my left hand finding its way to grasping a metal rod stand from the broken table behind me, raising it and charging forward.

'Just…like dad taught you!' Tightening my hands on the grip I had on, bringing the rod to the side of my torso, widening my stance, watching her desperately trying to put out the molten iron on her back as I swing it like a baseball bat straight into her face!

"AAH-GAH!" Her face whips to the side, I dodge any splatter of melted iron, bringing the tip of the pole to a puddle of it, heating up the tip of the pole before flinging it back at her.

She brings up her arms to block it, her aura glowing but clearly not blocking all the heat, she growls as she steps backward away from me, I charge forward with the stand, thrusting it forward like a spear into her chest.

"FUCK!" She shouts again, the pole barely making her move back, but the red-hot end of it burns into her.

I barely duck under a desperate swing of her arm flicking out, moving behind her-'Shit!' I raise my forearms to block myself from her tail-

The force of it grinds my arms into my chest, the blow pushing and throwing me backward 'Brace! Brace!' I cover my head as I skid on the floor from my back, I do my best to get back up, but fail at that, and instead stumble on the ground before stopping just before the counter.

Pushing myself back up, glancing at the Fang leader behind me to see her trying to put out the burning iron on her back and the small fires around her, I vault over the counter and head into the kitchen.

'Where are-there!' I spot them huddled near the corner, both the parents keeping the little girl ('Lemona, her name is Lemona') behind them "Get ready to run to the front exit!" I yell at them as I head for the spilled flour bag, some of the kitchen floors is already cleaned up from earlier, but the bag is still at least a quarter full.

Swiping it, I consider my options with it: a full dust explosion is a no-go, but maybe if I contained it in a small space and ignited it…

Spotting a large metal pot and pan near a rack by the oven, I quickly ruffle through the shelf to get at it, not caring for any spilling of the other utensils.

I hear the father speak up behind me "W-What are you-?"

Paying him no mind, I was too engrossed in my work and thought process: a contained dust explosion in this could make a makeshift one-time projectile weapon.

Already pouring the powder in, making sure not to add too much so it has a proper oxygen combustion ratio, my mind supplies what else I have on me one by one 'No…no! Need an ignition source-the dust!'

Pulling out the dust vial, surprised it's still intact, I jam it into the side…but it's making too wide a gap in the lid! This would just blow it back toward me!

'C'mon! C'MON! I need a seal! Something to cover it! What else is in a damn bakery-!?'

A foreign, yet not, sensation filled my mind, giving me the knowledge I feel like I already knew, yet knew I had not: 'Bakeries need numerous supplies: Eggs, dough, condiments, flour, syrup'

'Why the fuck do you have facts about a BAKERY SHOP!?' I shout at the absurdity in my head; of all the times it picks now to speak up!? 'What the fuck does eggs and syrup do me any good here-' My mental rant stops abruptly '...SYRUP!'

Syrup. Sticky and thick syrup! A perfect makeshift seal!

It wouldn't be particularly strong, but it didn't need to be, it only need to stick on long enough for one shot!

"Where's the syrup!?" I called out to them, and the confused looks on their faces only make me hurry them more "Quickly!"

The little girl responds first, she reaches behind her and sticks her hand into a small metal crate, pulling out a clear squirt bottle of maple-colored syrup, and she threw it towards me.

Sticking my hand out, I reach to grab it- "RAAAAAHHH!"

My head whips to the sound of the roar, seeing the raging faunus woman charge through the doorway while still having red hot iron on her, clipping off and splintering wood on the sides of the frame as she was barreling through, holding an axe above her head.

"Run!" I shouted to them, ducking under the swing, missing my chance to grab the syrup and letting it roll on the floor, but instead tossing the flour bag towards her, what's left of the flour in it flying up into the air, reaching her face and the molten iron on her shoulder-

FWOOM!

"GAH!" She covered her eyes as it the flour cloud in front of her lit up in flames "You fucking little shit-!"

I raise the pan over my head and bash her in the side of the head with it, her aura flickering as it knocked her over into the oven "GO!" I shouted without looking back, hearing the family's footsteps echoing behind me as I jump back from another swing.

She winds up her arm and chucks her axe, I dived to the side, barely escaping as I saw her weapon fly by at ridiculously fast speeds. Scrambling upward while trying to grab the syrup near me-

Whoosh!

The sudden change in the wind made me turn around-the axe is coming back and it was glowing!

Raising the pan above my head, a large clang sounds off from metal hitting metal, the axe redirected…but still moving!

I watch as the axe handle flew straight into her open hand, its glow ceasing 'What the fuck!?'

The sensation returns 'Semblance; a special power born from one's aura, unique to the individual'

'I know what a fucking semblance is DAMN IT!' I grit my teeth at the headache as I duck under another swing, a loud clang hitting my ears from the axe digging into the floor.

She takes it out way more easily than she has any right to, swinging the back end of it into me, I feel my right shoulder scream in protest as I went flying into the wall, I struggle to push myself off it-

A hand lands on my chest-"Geh!" I groan out as she clenches the front of my shirt and raises me up and pushes me onto the wall with one hand, I drop the pot as I grasp at her wrist, kicking out desperately, only for it to bounce on her glowing white aura.

'No! NO! FUCK!' Desperation claws its way through me as I threw everything I had into struggling and squirming, seeing her raise her axe to strike me.

"You slimy cockroach!" She growls as she winds up her arm, the metalhead of the axe glinting with the light of the fire coming from the main area…!

My hands drop, immediately going for my belt, for anything that I could use, anything to escape! ANYTHING!

A vial graces my fingers, and I instantly recognize it, grabbing it and disregarding reservations about using it on a person, and just as she was bringing the axe down I thrust the vial and break it against her face.

"AHHH!" She shouts as sizzles of smoke came from her face, letting go of me, dropping me just a hair's breadth below the ax as it digs into the wall and splinters the wood behind me, landing hard on my ass "FUCK! MY EYE!" She shrieks as she holds the left side of her face and steps back.

'Universe fucking shit that was too close!' My heart hammering in my chest, I push myself off the wall, reaching for the pan and syrup again-

"AAAAAHHH!" A roar hits my left ear, I feel the front of my shirt grabbed again and stare into the face of this monster of a woman, a blood-red eye glaring into my soul, before winding back and tossing me across the room.

It blurred, I couldn't process-

BAM!

"AAAAAHHH!" I let out a shout of pain as my back hit another wall, the quill from earlier digging in again, and my left shoulder taking a good portion of the brunt, legs smacking into the shelves nearing me.

Hitting the floor again, I didn't move.

Every aching pain I'd been ignoring throughout this fight became a hundred times worse, blaring out at me in agony, and seizing me in place.

"...g-get…g-get up…!" I stuttered and groaned, trying to tell myself to ignore it, to push through it.

'Your gonna die!' My mind shouted 'You have to get up! This can't be it!'

My hands shake, trying to at least get on my forearms, but I feel them struggle and fail, dropping back down to the floor.

'I-I can't!' Frustration, anger, and despair roll in waves over me, the most prevalent being the doubt flooding into it 'I-I…I can't win! She's superhuman! What the hell was I thinking coming here!?'

That I was desperate, that I wanted to find a way home.

'How insane am I to think I could actually do this!? Taking on superhuman terrorists and actually thinking I could save people and sneak away like some badass superhero!?'

I'm no captain Kirk! I'm no Janeway or Picard! I'm not the best!

'Why was I sent here!? Why not someone with training!? Someone smarter!? Someone stronger!?'

Why did the universe pick me!? I'm just some stupid awkward kid!

As these thoughts swirled in my head, lamenting at my helplessness, I hear the woman's steps getting…farther away?

.

.

.

Shakily bringing my head up to look at her, I see the burned marks of her back as she headed towards the doorframe '...no…no wait…!'

I helplessly watch as she goes to finish what she started.

She's going to kill them.

"No…stop…!" I reach my hand out uselessly, she pays me no mind.

'They're going to die…they're going to die!' The faces of the three flash across my mind, these images shift something in my mind, stirring a memory.

Their faces were replaced with people I knew…Mom, Dad…

Izzy? My baby sister…

Their faces replace the ones I saved, I know it's false, I know they can't be here…

But if they were…

I have a family I love more than anything, people who I would cry and hurt over if I were to lose. People that I would do anything to get back to.

'Just like her' The little girl's face takes back her place, her parents following after, nothing but blood filling my mind's eye as that monster reaches them, a promised future to come…

It doesn't matter if I'm not fit for this: but no one else is here, no one else can prevent that bloody future, and it will come to pass if I don't do something…!

'No…we're both going back to our families, alive, safe and sound, that's a promise'

(Heartless: ft. Paul Udarov- instrumental version)

Pain fading away, nothing more than something to note in the back of my mind; feeling the adrenaline flooding my veins, I push myself up with strength I didn't realize I had left.

In the back of my head, I knew that this was my body going into overdrive, that it was gonna hurt afterward, but it gets me moving and that's what I need right now.

Seeing nothing but the burned back of the woman walking away, I place my foot on the ground…and then sprinted with everything I had!

Tackling the lower mid-section of her back, I barely nudge her forward as I hear her grunt,"...Guh! Why won't you-!" I quickly wrapped my arms around her waist, squeezing it closely to my body, and then pulled!

"W-Wha-!?" I lift her feet off the ground, my back bending backward and bringing her with it…

"German….!" I groan out from the exertion, muscles screaming at trying to pull her weight, but I push past it, before finishing my chant "SUPPLEX-AH!" I screamed at the top of my lungs.

I rammed her head over myself and into the floor!

A grunt of pain and a glow in her body follow, the sudden movement and bash from the head to the floor disoriented her. I quickly grab the pot and syrup bottle, running out of the door frame and vaulting over the counter.

"HELP!" I hear the little girl shout, I immediately see that one of the other guards, the one that I spilt the flour on, was blocking their way to the entrance with a knife, swiping it towards the backing away family.

'No you fucking DON'T!' In a burst of speed, I charged towards him, ramming my shoulder into his and shoving both of us to the floor.

I rolled roughly along the wooden floorboards, feeling some hot embers from earlier, some parts of it still molten hot, I jump back up just in time to block a swipe from a knife with the pot.

"For the Faunus!" He gives a warcry as he charges again, I deflect it away with the pan again, moving backward. I kept deflecting and dodging his swings; left and right, left and right…

When I came upon the countertop again, I jump up and back onto the counter "Ha..ha!" I panted, losing my breath for a moment as I steadied my footing, using the high ground to my advantage, I kicked at his hand, hitting the knife out of his grasp and flying away from us.

"H-Hey-" I didn't let him finish, grasping both handles of the pot, I slam it downwards into his skull. His eyes roll up into the back of his head, falling and flopping onto the floor.

Taking the chance, while I have time (and a respite to my burning fatigue), I set down the pot, sticking the fire dust vial into the side of the lid, and then ripping open the dispenser of syrup and squeezing the bottle over it, the sticky maple colored fluid covering the surface, my hands running over it to move it along the edges of the lid and make sure no air escapes-

Stomping boots on the floor registers in my left ear, I turned my head around to see the faunus woman grasping the door frame with her left hand, her right winding up her ax-'ShitSHITSHIT…!'

Following the path of her arm, I see the father and mother both holding their little girl as they run for the exit.

Realizing I wouldn't make it in enough time to intercept, I ran the other way along the countertop, bringing up the pot to bear and holding the dust vial, ready to release it, seeing the axe thrown into the air…!

A throwing knife doesn't have enough mass to knock it away, and I'm not confident in my aim even if it was, so that leaves only my makeshift launcher.

'Aim!' Estimating the distance, adjusting the angle of my aim accordingly, doing estimates in my head of the rate of combustion, I thrust out the pot with the lid facing forward, releasing the fire dust vial 'FIRE!'

BOOM!

Feeling Newton's third law in action, the pot blows backward into me, knocking me off the counter.

The lid goes flying at high speeds, the axe flying diagonally to it, I see the little girl looking back towards it from her parent's hold with widening eyes filled with horror.

Falling over, I catch sight of the two flying objects colliding. A clang of metal echoes throughout the room, and while the axe wasn't stopped its momentum was influenced just enough to change its course, flying off to the side of the entrance doorway instead.

'FUCK YES!' I hear the bakery shop's bell ring, a sign of victory, as I fell behind the counter, 'They're out! FINALLY!' I peek my head out and see the tailed faunus shout in frustration, thrusting her hand out 'Just me and you!'

Still got to stall for enough time for them to get far away and call for help, so I willed myself to be ready to brawl again.

Rolling back up, I jump over the countertop, watching as the axe flies back towards its owner with the same white glow as before, the woman charging out at me as it flies in her hand "RAAAAAH!"

Armed with a pot and a lot of guts, I reciprocate "RAAAAAH!"

Placing the pot in front of me, pushing it against the side of the axe, I can feel it breaking apart, the shock of the blow making it's way down my limbs and all the way up into my shoulders; but I push it just enough to the side to deflect the blow, following through and ramming the pot onto her head!

She stumbled, the metal gong echoing with the partly broken pot on her head, assaulting her eardrums "AaAaHHH!" Her pained gasp left her lips as she aggressively ripped the pot off her head, I take the chance to clock my fist and strike her in the cheek.

The blow makes her stumble a little more, but the same energy field flickered against my fist, making her only glare back at me in annoyance 'What the fuck does it take!?' I frantically think as I just barely back away from her attempt to grab me, her disorientation the only reason I escaped.

"Damn cockroach!" She thrusts her arm out…

Preparing for the axe by keeping it in my line of sight, I wasn't ready for the sudden pulling sensation!

Surrounded by a white glow, I started flying towards her with my feet off the ground 'What the fuc-!'

'Semblances often have varying limits, abilities, and weaknes-'

'SHUT THE FUCK UP!' My own mental voice overshadows the sudden invasion of my mind, already pulling out a knife 'You want me!? HAVE ME!'

Tossing the knife out towards her face, the gamble I took that she has to focus to use that power paid off, she was completely defenseless to the knife coming at her, hitting straight into the eye I rammed sodium hydroxide into.

"FUCK!" She shouted, her aura shining but the pain was still very real as she clutched her face.

The pulling sensation faded away, but my momentum stayed, I adjusted myself to go along with it, sticking out my knee and aiming it towards her face and colliding it right against her cheek!

Reeling from the blow, she spat out spit as her cheek caved in, I dropped to the floor afterward, kicking my leg out against it to roll me over just as the axe flew overhead and into her hand, swinging into the spot I was just in.

I jump back to my feet again, knife out, but panting heavily, watching her pull her axe out of the floor and do the same.

(End)

'Can't…keep going like this' My exhaustion is starting to catch back up with me, my arms are shaking like a leaf, and my legs feel like someone stuffed my pants with lead 'I got one last trick left'

The weight on my belt became more obvious, I was amazed that it was still attached.

"Why…won't you stay down!? You have no aura left!" The woman shouted angrily, her hair frazzled and her remaining eye had a deranged tint in it "What the hell are you!? You're most certainly not human!"

'Heh, what was your first clue?' Guess no one in the upper levels of the Fang leadership told her.

Either way, I didn't respond, I let her rant for a moment about the 'prejudice against her kind' and 'the barbarity of humanity', taking humor in the blatant hypocrisy while forming a battle plan.

'The grenade could probably finish her, but I would need to get clear-' My thought stops mid-way, seeing that she had enough of ranting, charging again towards me.

"DIE!"

Diving under her swing, I roll down and up, swinging my knife towards her side, hitting her aura-

"GAH!" I grunted as she whipped her other arm out, slamming it into me and knocking me away. My forearms hit the ground, rolling myself away to lessen the fall damage.

As I did, I roll past a piece of cut rope 'The ones I cut from her mother, this'll do' I quickly grab it, rolling onto my knee as she ran towards me again.

"HRAH!" The axe swinging down towards me head, it was noticeably slower than before, I rolled to my side again while tossing out the rope towards her legs, pushing myself up and grabbing at both ends, pulling them up and around her legs "-FUCKER!" she cursed as she fell face first.

Without thinking about it, I jump on her back, taking the other piece of the rope and bringing it around her neck, and then yanking both ends upward.

"UGGGHH!" She choked, standing up and running around with me on top of her, refusing to let go. "UUGHGHH!"

'Fuck-FUCK!' I pull tighter, feeling my back hit a nearby table before she started fully running backward 'No, wai-!'

"UGH!" She slammed me into the wall, I couldn't keep hold of my grip after that, and she backed away before swinging her axe towards me, I let gravity do the work and pull me to the ground, her swing missing by a hair's breadth.

'Distance! I need distance!' I pulled out a knife, swiping her arm, making her flinch and give me enough time to move away.

She picks up a nearby table, carries it overhead, and then just throws it toward me.

I vault over the counter and crouch, feeling the shock of the table slamming into the other side, before popping myself over the counter and throwing another knife towards her.

She deflects it easily with her axe "It's over! You have nowhere to run and you can't win! I've been fighting for years, these little blows are nothing!" She shouted as she brandished her axe again, holding it with both hands as she charged again.

'Nope! Fuck that!' I immediately jump onto the counter and start running, hearing the axe hit the spot I was just in and shaking the wood beneath my feet 'If there was a time to use it, it's now!' I reach for my belt-

My eyes widened as I saw the axe flying towards me, ducking my head and scrambling to get out of the way-suddenly my right leg seized up from the sudden motion 'Not now! NOT NOW!' I slipped on the counter "Fuck-AH!" and fell over the other side and landed on my chest, the metal pipe from my belt falling off and bouncing to my side.

'Nononono…!' I reach my hand out toward it- but immediately retract it when a fist came colliding to the floor where my hand reached, cracking the floorboards beneath it.

'Shitshitshit!' No gadgets, no weapons, and no chance to escape, death flashed before my eyes, I scrambled and squirmed to get away from it. She stomped forward-only for her foot to sink into the floorboard.

'What!?' My thoughts derail, seeing the same thought on her face as the floorboards beneath her began caving in.

"Wha–NO!" The floor beneath her completely caved, sinking her lower torso but her arms stretched out and slammed into the sides of the collapsing floorboards to keep herself on the same floor level "AH!"

I was gaping at the stroke of luck-'No, not luck!' I spot the burning molten iron behind her, the thermite had melted through the floorboards 'I won't get another chance like this!'

Swinging myself about, landing my weight on my forearms, my eyes search for the pipe. I saw it farther way, pushed a few feet by the axe she had dropped, and tried kicking my leg out behind me to launch myself-

"AH!" My leg still throbbed, the failed launch slamming my chest into the floor, the muscles in my leg pulled and exhausted, I grit my teeth and started crawling on my forearms.

'C'mon! I can make it!' I hurriedly crawled towards it, hearing the sounds of cracking and splintering of wood behind me 'Faster!'

'This isn't the end!' I mentally shouted at myself, a snarl made its way out of my mouth 'This is not where I die! I still…!'

An image of the cracked moon floods my mind, the memory of my second night in this world "I'll find my way back home…"

'I STILL…!' My thoughts flooded me, fueling me, pushing me to go just a little faster, to push my body's limits just a little further.

That same house, the faces of my family… the scene shifting, this time I see them crying, standing over my empty grave. A sense of rage fills my body, the very possibility of them never knowing what happened to me sent my mind into twists and turns of denial and focusing my attention solely on the pipe, driving me to spite that future with every fiber of my being.

"...no matter what!" My memory of my promise came to the forefront.

'I still have…I STILL HAVE A PROMISE TO KEEP!'

Shoving myself forward- heavy footsteps echoing behind me- I stretched my right arm at as far as I could!

"Nowhere left to run, no more tricks!" I hear her shout "Now die!"

My fingertips brush against it, spinning it around on the floor'Almostalmostalmost-GOT IT!' before finally getting it in my grasp, my left hand snapping up to it's tag and pulling it (remembering the eight-second fuse), and then thrusting it towards her feet.

'One Mississippi' I count off, watching her foot landing on it, tripping herself on it and pushing it behind her as she screamed and fell on her face 'Two Mississippi…!'

I thrust my good leg out with my arms pushing on the floor, hopping on it to hobble towards the nearby table put up, the only halfway decent cover I can get to in time 'Three Mississippi…!'

Grabbing the front end of the table- 'Four Mississippi! Five Mississippi!' I pull it down with its square surface facing towards me, putting my hands on the edge and vaulting myself over it 'Six Mississippi…!' Two seconds left.

Landing on my side behind the table, the sound of her getting up again at the edge of my hearing before I slam my hands into both sides of my ears and curled inward while shutting my eyes tight 'Seven Mississippi!'

"I'll fuCKING KILL YOU-!"

Eight Mississippi.

BOOOOM!

The sound of the explosion overwhelms my eardrums despite covering them, feeling a sudden kinetic force hitting against the table and pushing me back, the sensation of heated air washing over at the edge of my cover, but I refuse to look up as wooden splinters painfully fly into me.

Faint sounds of glass clattering to the floor starts to make themselves known as the sound of the explosion died off, my ears were slightly ringing, and I hesitantly let my hands lower to the ground.

"...fuck" I muttered, my eyes fluttering open, only for my left to get some dust in it, I'm covered in some sawdust and wooden splinters, I glance up…

My cover is totally shredded, the top corners completely blown off, and cracks splintered throughout its base; I can faintly make out a pinprick of metal shrapnel on my side of the table.

Shaking off the sawdust and splinters of wood, I grab the side of the table to help me stand up, only for it to split off and make me crash into the floor, I grunt as I roll over to my front and bring myself to my knee, slowly raising myself to stand on my throbbing leg.

Finally taking in the sight of the bakery shop, I stare at the result of the explosion: shattered glass was everywhere, other chairs were broken apart with some of them puncturing the counter, the cash register had been blown off its sitting position and embedded into a broken part of the floor…

'I hope their insurance covers this because I'm not gonna be able to pay it off on a waiter's wage' I groaned as I looked towards a source of movement below me, just in front of my broken makeshift cover…

"...ugh…ughhh…" A groan escaped her lips, the faunus terrorist that looked so huge and terrifying a moment ago was now small, pathetically sprawled out on the floor and groaning in pain.

Eyes roaming over her, I see the shredded clothes along her back's burn marks and some iron fused to her skin, as well as a few scars that were there well before I came along.

"..." I silently pull out my knife, putting my left hand on top of the table to help place my foot on top.

Drops of blood dripped down her back, and a white glow flickers weakly, in and out over them…I can see the damage starting to disappear, like in one of those videos that show a healing cut over a two-week period, all happening in seconds.

"I-I…" She groans out, rolling her back to the floor, pushing her hands to the ground, her aura flashing in and out like a dying flashlight "I-I can still fight…"

'No, this far no further' I think, raising my knife 'It's over'

Pushing myself over the table, I land on top of her, "Ugh…!" she weakly gasped as my knees hit her stomach, her aura losing more of its shine…

Raising the knife over my head, I grasp it with both hands "HRAH!" and bring it downwards…

…straight into her left shoulder.

Shatter.

'Finally' A beautiful sight greets me, shattered white particles falling off her, the light of her aura collapsing and fading away; her eyes drooped from what must be a wave of exhaustion hitting her, dropping her head to the floor, panting and groaning from the exhaustion and pain.

My knife didn't go in too deep, her aura protecting her to the very end, as well as the exhaustion plaguing me kept it from doing so. But it did draw blood as I pulled it out and held it in front of myself.

For a few seconds, we simply stared each other down, the role reversal was not lost on me.

She was completely at my mercy.

'So why…' A thought comes to the forefront of my mind '...why do you look like that?'

Her dark red eyes were tired and dim, her breathing slowed and labored, and she didn't show any fear. Nor did she show any signs of stubborn defiance, or denial, or tears…anything.

Nothing but resignation.

A few more seconds passed, and I didn't move, and she continued to stare at me…her good eye began to narrow at me, frustration clear to see "...what are you waiting for…? Do it…!"

I freeze at her words 'What…?'

"Do it!" Her voice gained a bit more strength, but her limbs didn't even twitch "What are you waiting for!? End it!" She cried out.

"That's how it always ends!" Her voice cracks, raw and strained "So just do it!"

Staring at her, I can only stay silent as I let my mind run 'How what ends?' I question myself, completely lost.

I don't know what she's talking about…maybe if I were born in this world, I would.

Maybe I would understand.

I can imagine it, I'm not so completely blind that I haven't heard of faunus discrimination, and I know from the history of my own world just how bad that type of treatment can get. But I never grew up here, I never met a faunus before I came to this planet.

I can imagine it, but I don't understand it.

"...no" I mutter out, putting my knife away, seeing her eyes slightly widen in utter bewilderment.

Looking into her eyes, I thought about the one I damaged 'You'll probably never see out of that eye again'

The memory of the molten iron in her skin came up 'And you'll have nasty scars, if your aura keeps up it'll keep you from getting nerve damage, but you'll live with those scars for the rest of your life'

But she'll live.

I never intended to kill her, as much she might even deserve it, that's not my decision to make. Hurting her before, with the thermite and the hydroxide…I could justify it as self-defense, but now? With her completely defenseless?

"No" I say again, raising myself over her "...I have no right to take away your life"

Standing on my leg, I wobble for a moment before catching myself, staring down at her; my hazel eye meeting her blood-red one through the hole in my lense.

"I don't know…what you went through, or who hurt you" Taking a breath, I continue "...but whatever you went through, whatever it was that lead you to here…it does not give you a monopoly on pain"

She didn't move, or even speak…she simply froze.

Feeling the wind blow through the broken window brush against my face, over some of the cuts on my suit, the chilly air soothed the aches of my body a little, making me sigh in response.

Rage, grief, anxiety, despair…all things that I had felt towards her just minutes ago, from all the near-death experiences dealt to me and the pain she caused that family, to that little girl that couldn't have possibly done anything to hurt her.

It faded away as I saw those small licks of tears in the corner of her good eye, leaving only one feeling left…

Pity.

Sirens sounded off in the distance, down the street from what I can hear '...damn, took you long enough' I think in annoyance, but found that as my cue to wrap up and leave it to this world's authorities "You're going to face justice for what you've done, against those you've hurt…" I pause, debating whether I should say anymore, before sighing again.

"I hope you find peace with yourself" I whisper quietly, raising my fist, seeing her shut her eyes before I punch her in the head, bouncing the back of her skull against the floor and knocking her out.

(Ezio's Family-(Slowed+Reverbed))

Hobbling myself away from her, I make my way through the kitchen, up the stairs, and cursing all the while. 'Can't let them see more, or follow me, I'll have to take the rooftops…'

Making it to the top of the staircase, exiting the building, and into the cool night air, I breathed it in and walked towards the edge.

Hearing the sirens blaring and the screeching of tires, I look to the side to see cop cars surrounding the front entrance, officers starting to move out of their seats 'Shit, no time to rest'

Tensing my legs, I take a running start position, noting the height I'll drop from, before foregoing any hesitation.

I ran, feeling the pulsing pain of my leg run up me 'This will be fun trip back…' I think sarcastically 'Just a little further…you can go further' I think, determined.

After all, I achieved all my goals.

I saved the little girl and her family.

I beat the entirety of those terrorist's gang, including their leader.

And most important of all…

'I got them' Tears reach my eyes, the feeling of joy spreading stemming in the form of the papers stuffed in my suit, ruffling against me as I threw my arms out in sync with my legs 'I got my leads'

If I was able to do this, to win against those impossible odds, even when everything that went wrong did go wrong, even if I just barely escaped with my life…

I survived.

I won.

There was hope.

'I can do this, I'll find a way home'

Making it to the edge, I jump off into the night. Despite feeling the aches that plagued my body, the headache surfacing after the invasion of my mind, I was feeling satisfied and proud as the breeze brushed past me, and I disappeared into the night under the moon that wasn't my own…

Finally ready to take on this new world, whatever it has in store for me.

(End)

---

"Breaking news: this is Lisa Lavender here to bring you the latest news events to your attention" The lavender-haired newswoman with gold-brown eyes stated, sitting at her large wooden oval desk, a square image of a clearly damaged bakery shop's front entrance surrounded by police cars appeared by her left shoulder.

"This time the news scene makes its way to the quiet island off the coast of Vale, known to the locals simply as Patch, with a surprising turn of events occurring that shows that something on that peaceful island is not so peaceful anymore, an example being that last night there was an explosion that had occurred in a bakery shop on Hollow street avenue"

The image changes to the pictures of a family of three, a father and mother with their little girl, all bruised up and pale, covered in protective blankets by a few policemen "The owners of said establishment and home is a family of three, a human father and mother with a little girl eight years of age"

Lavender's voice cracked a little at the last bit, but resumed as if nothing happened "This tragic event was caused by, if our sources are to be trusted, a White Fang terrorist cell hiding in plain sight"

The image changes to a video of policemen hauling away men and woman guards in regular clothes as well as construction uniforms "It is believed that these members of the White Fang organization were hiding among the people of Patch without anyone the wiser, using the recent destruction of the water tower on Hollow street as a front to sneak in and out without notice, using the family of three's bakery establishment as a temporary base for their operations while holding the family hostage; we as of yet do not know what their goals were or if they had succeeded in them"

"However" She suddenly stated, the image shifting to the start of a video with the father's face on screen "Despite the tragic circumstances, these parents and their daughter are alive and safe, and from their own statements: rescued by a mysterious savior in black" She paused for a moment before continuing "The following video of their statements will have their names be left out and their faces blurred to protect their privacy and security"

The video started, and the audio playing was a little shaky but perfectly understandable "I…I think he first came in through the door" The man's voice hesitated "It was so dark, they kept it that way so they could hide better, and I thought he was just another guard since he wore their mask…"

"But…but he hid away, and when that man came in…when that man was about to hurt my little girl-" He stopped for a moment, "I thought I was gonna lose her, he was gonna kill her…but then he came out of nowhere and saved her, he saved my little girl"

The mother's face showed up next, she was rubbing her wrist nervously "H-He helped us escape, told us to climb down to the platform on the side of our building, made a rope and everything for us…we got out as he went to distract them"

"But we were too slow" She suddenly hiccuped, taking a moment to collect herself before speaking again "He…another guard was outside, h-he put a knife to her neck…I couldn't do anything again; they tied us back up and brought us in…and then took her away"

The video shifts again, this time to the little girl, contrary to her parents, her eyes were not only relieved, but sparkling "The superhero from the stars saved me! He was all WOOSH! And then there was a bunch of smoke, and he beat up the meanies who hurt us, even while he was holding me! Then he saved mommy and daddy! Miracle is so cool!"

"He said he was a superhero from the stars to her" The mother smiled behind her daughter, her eyes watery as she patted her child's head, happy to see her smiling "...l-like a falling star that grants miracles, he…he was, he saved us each and every time when it looked like it was all over"

"He just…he didn't stop" The father spoke as if remembering it still, his voice had a sense of awe in it "I heard what their big boss was saying…his aura was broken, and he was still fighting, still winning, there were so many moments where I thought he wouldn't get back up…where I saw him get thrown into a wall and beat into the ground…and then he did, my oum he got back up, it was like he was invincible"

"Like nothing in this world would stop him, he just kept making miracles, saving us every single time"

"Thank you Miracle!" The little girl shouted into the microphone "Thank you for saving mommy and daddy!"

The video ends, minimizing itself on the last image of the smiling little girl above Lisa's shoulder, before shifting to a black silhouette of a person with a question mark inside it.

"And there you have it, folks, it seems like the island of Patch has got itself its very own superhero" She chuckled quietly "Not much, if anything, is known about this mysterious savior…from all accounts, nothing from police investigation has turned up anything to narrow down as to who this man is, or where he is now"

"Police investigation is still ongoing, and Chief Teal of the Patch Police Department has made no comment on the mysterious savior or what the White Fang was doing on Patch in the first place…so stay tuned for more information" She smiled, clasping her hands in front of her and leaning in a little.

"But in the meantime, we want to ask about your thoughts on the subject: Who is Miracle? Is he here to stay? Is he really a hero? Or just another vigilante? We want to know"

"I am Lisa Lavender, and you heard the latest news here on Vale News Network"

The connection cut and the screen faded to black.

"...well now" A masculine and calm level voice spoke out, then taking a long sip from his drink, the clicking of metal gears echoing around him before he set down his cup "Isn't this interesting?"

---

Captaindrake123: WOOO! Chapter Nine is DONE! This took forever, and was very tiring, I just got up one day and kept hammering out the words for this chapter after seeing the last update date…and it just wouldn't stop. But I am pretty proud of this one; yet at the same time I'm sure it's got it's flaws, so please leave any criticisms you have in the reviews. I especially wanna know if I did a proper reporter news scene; close or so off the mark that I need to change it sort of critic, don't be shy.

I got a lot going on right now, but I am really sick of having such long in between breaks between chapters, so I'm gonna stay on task and get more chapters out. This is the finishing chapter of Arc 1: the introductory arc. This sets up for the events following for Arc 2: The Patch Vigilante Arc and beyond. You know who Drake is, what his motivations are, and the world and characters I've started setting up and building around him. It's time to get to the good stuff.

Fuck, it took three years just to get that done, what is my life!? Where did the time go!?

Anyway, I have an omake for you all before you go, hope you enjoy a late halloween special (wanted to get it done on halloween but "eh" what can you do?).

Enjoy!

---

Omake: Halloween Special- RWBY CHIBI (Non-Canon)

Ah, I'm a giant bobblehead again, that's swell.

Anyway.

Considering the fact that I am adjusting to my new existence as an apparent cartoon character, I find that it wasn't actually that bad all things considered. Things tend to be a little lighthearted when this happens, so I guess I'll take it as the reprieve that it is.

But enough about me coming to terms with my existential crisis (a tenuous agreement), I find myself walking outside after dark along the sidewalks of the town, watching people in costumes walking around and enjoying themselves.

"Why are people in costumes?" I asked incredulously, feeling underdressed for today "Is it Halloween?" Wait, how would they have Halloween?

Hold up, bigger question, why have two months passed already-?

"DRAAAAAKE!"

Thoughts interrupted; my head whips around toward the sudden screaming of my name-my eyes widened at the red blur barreling towards me.

"Ah, so this is how I die" I state flippantly-"OOOF!"

Feeling myself hit in the chest, I bounce off the concrete ground multiple times before hitting a telephone pole "AwaAAA…oooo…." I groaned, seeing stars…hey, is that Alpha Centauri?

"Drake get up get up get up!" A red blur runs around me, I squint as I felt my giant head turn gears…and then stopped flat.

"Anyone get the number of that bus~?" I ask dizzily, blinking several times as Ruby's face came into my vision.

"Quit with the jokes already!" What joke? "We're gonna be late for nondescript scary holiday!" Ruby shouted at me while shaking my shoulders in excitement.

.

.

.

My eyes narrow at her "...you mean Halloween" I point towards her...pointedly.

"Nope!" She grinned cheekily.

'...roll with it' I think to myself, just shrugging "Right, nondescript, how could I forget? What are we doing?" I know I'll regret asking.

Ruby's smile widens, her hands spreading out towards a nearby-oh…oh no-!

"We're getting costumes silly!" She stated, an evil glint in her eye as she does so with such an innocent expression.

I'm never gonna leave it! She'll make me put on every costume!

Escape plan bravo!

"YeahI'mout-" I quickly turn away, speed walking in the other direction…only to notice I wasn't moving anywhere at all, I look back to see Ruby just holding the back of my jacket to keep me in place, and then started to pull me.

"C'mon silly, it's this way!" She laughed as she easily dragged me along with one hand.

Dang nab cartoon physics!...or is it her superstrength?

'I'mma blame both. Their both doo doo…aaaaand I realized what I thought just now' I sighed at my inability to curse.

We both enter the store, walking up to the counter and seeing the old man shopkeep: I am convinced that he is an eldritch entity with the ability to be in many places at once, there is no other explanation for how he can work so many jobs at once.

But I don't bother him since he seems pretty laid back and I don't wanna bug him, also because I'm terrified to ask about it.

"Hey Ruby!" Me and Ruby glance to the side to see Azure, the comic book store guy, coming up to us ina cyborg costume with a fake prosthetic eye and a robot hand "And…Drake right?" He asked, I nodded, and then laughed "It's a big day for Rubes, hope you two have fun!"

"We will!" Ruby shouted back as Azure exited the building.

I blinked in confusion '...eh? Big day? Does Halloween mean that much to her?'

Before I could think about it too hard, I got a stack of costumes shoved into my hands "C'mon, try them, I'm sure you'll look great!"

"Don't put me in anything weird" I warned her, and she smiled innocently.

After a long and torturous session of dressing up as an alligator, mongoose, cat, and a Grimm wolf later, I find myself crossing my arms with an annoyed look as Ruby was laughing at the pictures she took.

"You look like a grumpy cat!" She giggled as she held up the photo with me having cat ears and paws, crossing my arms and glaring.

"Glad my suffering amuses you" I deadpan…but nonetheless, smile a little, her joy was kinda infectious like that.

Eventually, we settled on our costumes: Ruby was a standard bloodsucking vampire, cape and fangs and all, even a bit of make-up to touch it up a little. It certainly suits her.

Me however…

"I cannot believe they had this!" I shout in excitement, sliding out of my change booth in my costume, any trekkie would recognize it!

Black wig with perfectly symmetrical hair, pointed ears, a blue shirt with a certain space organization's symbol, and a pair of black leather boots with a tricorder strapped around my shoulder.

"Live long and prosper miss Rose" I raise my hand dorkily as I put it into a v-shape.

She giggles at my attitude "I don't get the reference at all! How did you do that with your hand?" She attempts the same, only to somehow twist up her fingers awkwardly "Eh…"

"Years of practice and dedication, miss Rose" I state logically as I tilt my head towards her…and the facade broke a second later when I smiled "So? Where's the big trick or treat spot taking place?"

"You mean confuse or consume?"

"Nope!" I state, staring her in the eye, daring her to challenge me. I will fight her on this.

She narrows her eyes at me "...fine" She says slowly, finally submitting, before perking right up and twirling her cape and heading towards the door "C'mon! We're already running late as it is!"

I nodded, figuring there couldn't be any harm, even if I'm a little old for it.

Once we were outside I see some monkey dude skateboard by-'Son Wukang!?' I think as I see him wave at Ruby as he rides by "Hey Ruby! Hope you enjoy your special day!"

"Thanks, Sun!" She shouted back-'His name is actually Sun!?'- before continuing on her way.

"Special day…?" I muttered to myself, completely befuddled. I mean, so far she seems to really enjoy halloween but from the way they talk about it…

"We're here!" Ruby shouted, the neighborhood appearing to be large and…rich?

"Wait…why is it so cold?" I asked in confusion, looking around "...is this Atlas?"

"Yep!" She stated as she skipped ahead, I followed her.

"...are you gonna tell me HOW we're in Atlas?" I questioned.

"Nope!"

"I thought so"

"Well, there's a lot of rich people handing out tons of giant and expensive candy in this neighborhood!" She happily chirped, pulling along a big red wagon.

When did she get the wagon? I can't keep up.

"Would've loved to put on something warmer first" I state, rolling with the punches and accepting it for as it is, looking around to see any houses with lights on, and pointing towards the one large white mansion at the of the town (city?) covered with expensive Halloween decor. "How about that one?"

Ruby looked over at it, her eyes widened before looking back at me "...you are either bold or naive" She whispered to me with that look on her face, and I don't have the energy to deal with it.

"...I have no idea why you just said that, and I don't care" I stated simply, if I'm doing this then I'll do it on my own terms, sink or swim.

Starting to walk towards the big mansion house, I hear Ruby scrambling behind me saying "wait up!" as she dragged her wagon behind her.

Knocking on the large door with the metal banger attached to said door, I waited with Ruby until someone answered "...so who's this place belong to?"

"...the Schnees" Ruby looked back at me "Pretty much the richest people on the planet"

"Mmm" I hummed, seeing Ruby just guffaw at my lack of a reaction.

"-Ugh- c'mon, I drop a bomb on you like that and you don't even respond!?"

"Why are you acting like that's not your fault?" I snark back as I gave her a pointed look, and she huffs at it.

I think I'm becoming numb to this planet's curveballs, and she knows she's not helping.

But one thing was bothering me though, that 'big day' thing that kept coming up "SO…" I began slowly "What's the big d-"

Suddenly the giant door slammed open, and out came a white-haired twenty-something-year-old woman with icy blue eyes and a stern expression, a 'no-nonsense' aura surrounding her being.

Both me and Ruby froze, I hear her whisper to me: "Don't move…I think her vision is based on movement"

"Your thinking about T-Rexes" I whisper back as I feel her cold gaze see through my own.

"Oh…" Ruby pursed her lip "...what's a T-Rex?"

"May I help you?" The woman interrupted our very intelligent conversation with a sharp tone of voice.

"Uh…" Ruby glances at me, gesturing for me to do it, her eyes screaming "You picked the house, you do it!"

My own eyes narrow at her, accusing: "You brought me out here in the first place!"

We continued to have a conversation with our eyes alone for a minute, which I could see clearly confused the heck out of the older woman as she saw are eyes dart back and forth like we were transmitting morse code.

It's more complicated than morse code though.

Biting the bullet, I look her dead in the eye and say: "Trick or treat"

"...you mean consume or-"

"Nope" I state, my eyes growing sharp, unrelenting "Not doing that"

She actually flinched "R-Right…" shaking her head and getting back her same intimidating atmosphere "Well, if that's all you wanted then all I have to say…"

Ruby hid behind me, and I prepared to become a bouncy ball kicked all the back to Patch.

"...FINALLY!" She shouted in relief.

"...Eh?" Both I and Ruby let out in sync.

"I've been waiting for someone to come up here for trick or treating every nondescript holiday!" She paced back and forth in front of us, a frustrated look on her face "Despite everything I do to be welcoming and in the spirit of the holiday, nobody ever approaches!"

"Gee, I wonder why…" Ruby mutters, I nudge her with my shoulder.

"I mean, I always buy these giant bags of candy and they end up just laying around-"

"CANDY!?" A monstrous voice that has no right to be coming out of her mouth emerges from Ruby's voice, her stare predatory and hungry.

I take a large step away from her.

"Why yes, here it is!" The woman pulls out a giant bag of goodies that could easily weigh over two hundred pounds, and she's carrying it with one hand "And since it is your special day, I will let you have it all just this once"

That again!? Why does everyone but me know about this!?

Biting my tongue, I don't question it, figuring Ruby will tell me when she's ready at this point, as she takes the bag of candy and puts it into her cart, I just look over to the woman "Thanks I guess, hope you're having a good holiday"

"It is…pleasant" She finishes awkwardly "For the most part"

"Winter!" Another young female voice, more me and Ruby's age calls out from inside the house "Mother got into the wine cabinet again!"

"Coming sister!" She shouts back, turning to us "I'm sorry to cut this short, but my sister needs me, enjoy the rest of your nondescript holiday" and shuts the door, I hear her footsteps run along the hallway behind it as she shouts "mother, get out of the cabinet!"

At some point you have to ask yourself…do you really want to know?

No, no I did not, and neither did Ruby as she gave me the same look I had on my face, and we both promptly turned around and walked back down the steps

And we head back out and somehow make it back to Patch, a large haul big enough to last for months on end, I'd say we had a good nondescript holiday.

'Damn it, now I'm doing it!' I grunt in annoyance before glancing back at the happy Ruby Rose, eating her candy as she walked with a skip in her step.

On the way back, all we talked about was weapons and my experiments, I never brought up the "special day thing" that seemed to be happening that everyone else knew. If Ruby wasn't gonna bring it up, should I bother?

"...oh" Ruby suddenly stopped "Bathroom! Be right back!" She became a red blur again, disappearing into the distance.

"...okaaaaay" I drawl out, guess I'll just wait here then.

Taking a glance at the sky, I look up at the stars and wonder what my family is doing 'Hope you guys are having fun, I kinda am, but I still miss you guys'

"Hey, Drake!" I was brought out of my somber thoughts when I saw Olive, who was wearing a fluffy Ursa costume walk over to me "You having a good nondescript holiday?"

I shrug at my coworker "Pretty good, got a dang good haul of candy with Ruby earlier"

"Oh?" She asked, tilting her head "You're hanging out with Ruby for the entire holiday on her birthday? That's sweet!"

I roll my eyes exaggeratedly "Yeah yeah I'm a good friend-waitafrickingsecond!" I was in her face in an instant, her head backing away "It's her BIRTHDAY!?" I shouted, everyone near us looking at me, but I don't care.

It was her birthday this entire freaking time!? Why didn't she say anything!?

"O-OH! Sorry! I thought you knew!" Olive raised her hands to placate me "Her birthday is on the same day as nondescript scary holiday, I only know that because we got to the same school and she mentions it's her birthday all the time, very obnoxiously actually"

…that…that makes even less sense!?

"She hasn't said a word to me" I sat down on the sidewalk, staring at the giant pile in the wagon, I see Olive join me to the side "Why wouldn't she say anything? I would've at least gotten her a present!"

"I dunno, I'm not particularly close with Ruby" Olive shrugs, but puts on a thinking face "...maybe she just really didn't wanna bother you too much with it? She's been obnoxious about it in the past, maybe she realized that and, y'know, piped down on it"

"...but why?" I asked again "That's not really a reason, we talk about pretty much everything, and there are plenty of things I find annoying about her, but I enjoy talking to her more than I'm annoyed with little things like that"

Olive smiles at me, poking me in the shoulder "Your thinking too hard, I never said it made sense…but from what I gather, you're Ruby's closest friend right now, she probably just doesn't wanna lose you and went the extreme route"

.

.

.

Ah, that sounds like her. It tracks.

Dang it!

Suddenly standing up, I look at Olive with a determined expression "Watch the cart for me please, I need to get something!"

"Oh, okay then" Olive slumps in her spot.

"And thank you for the talk I really appreciate iiiiiit!" I shout as I run towards the nearest bakery shop, noticing the slight curl of her lips as I left.

After placing my order, I take the box from the shop owner and start running out the store and back to the spot, I held the box I got from the shop in my arms as I ran back towards the red cart, seeing Ruby was back and chatting with Olive.

"There you are!" Olive called out as I slowed down to approach them, she glances between us "I think you need to talk to each other, I'll leave ya be, happy nondescript holiday!"

She waves at us, I look over to Ruby to see her glancing off to the side awkwardly.

Not wanting this atmosphere to remain, I jabbed my thumb over to the right "...wanna head up the hill and just hang out?"

Ruby looked back at me…and then smiled "Yeah, I'd like that"

After arriving on the hill we both sat down and dug into our pile, a few minutes pass in comfortable silence before I break it "...so, you wanna talk about it first?"

"Ugh, emotions…" Ruby groaned, she wiped her hand across her face "Sorry for not saying anything, I know I can be a bit overbearing about it so I just…didn't say it this time" Dropping her large chin into her knees she glanced back at me "I didn't want to drive you away or something, which sounds stupid when I say it now…but earlier I was really worried about it"

"I would've appreciated knowing about it, birthdays are important" I speak up, looking up at the sky "Maybe not 'end of the world' or 'immediate right this second' important, but I think the idea of appreciating that someone you care about came into the world is important; showing that people care about you"

'...speaking of showing' I think, picking up the box and sticking it towards Ruby "It's last minute, didn't get a lot of notice" I give her the stink eye, and she giggles awkwardly " but I hope you like it"

She gingerly takes the box out of my hands, putting it on her knees…then she opens it.

A chocolate birthday cake with whipped cream and strawberry toppings, with the words Happy Birthday Ruby written in cream on top of it.

Ruby sniffed a little "Y-You…remembered I liked strawberries…!" she looked at me with watery eyes.

"Yep, happy birthday-HEY!" She tackles and hugged me "Personal space!"

"It's my birthday!" She shouted and hugged tighter "Let me have this!" Her cry muffled as she buried her head into my chest, which was pretty awkward considering our bobblehead proportions.

.

.

.

I sighed, and just hugged her back "Fine, because it's your birthday…" I relent "Did you have a good time today?"

"...yeah" She nodded against my chest "You?"

"...yeah" I think back on it, the costumes, the talking, bending of reality to go halfway across the world…

"Yeah," I say with a bit more strength "I did have a lot of fun…thanks for taking me with you and putting up with my attitude at first"

"It's fine, I know your just tired" She muffles into my chest.

"...how long are you gonna do this for?"

"Few more minutes"

"Alright, I can live with that…" I adjust myself to get more comfortable.

"Also, since it's my birthday, could you maybe give me that non-dust bullet propellant formula-"

"Don't push it Ruby" I warned.

"Kay"

We both just sat here for a while, looking up at the stars and enjoying each other's company, eating candy.

'Hope you guys are having a good time back home, even without me' I sent a thought out for them, even if they wouldn't hear it, I think they'll get the message somehow.

'Happy birthday Ruby' I think again as I watch her smile, taking another bit of candy and laying next to her in the grass, the broken moon shining above us.

---

Captaindrake123: I really wanted to do something simple and lighthearted for a Halloween omake, it's not my best work, but I think it's a nice, simple, and silly story.

Anyway, hope to see you all again soon, thanksgiving is coming up so I hope you have a lovely one. Stay safe out there.

Also I'm just looking at the word count, OVER TWENTY-SIX THOUSAND WORDS HOLY-!