Things are just... kind of a mess.
With the fear of saying his last words to Velvet out of the way, and the fact he was now falling through the sky as gracefully as a thrown rock, Ruben readied himself for a messy landing. The kind that ended with craters and broken bones. Or at the very least, very sore knees. Not that this was the first-time Ruben was afraid of falling from such a height.
Before Ruben made landfall, he made sure to at least land in a rather controlled roll when he crashed into the concrete. When the ground was no more than a few mere moments away, Ruben steeled his shoulders and began tucking into the fall.
The landing nearly broke his shoulder, and the way he rolled made it seem he couldn't stop rolling. Much like a snowball down a hill, the momentum kept Ruben tumbling like a pinball for at least two dozen more feet. Which ended with making the whole wide world around him do a few spin cycles before he found himself to breath. Much less take off and take care of Mercury. The clanking Penny's sword made against Ruben's scythes echoed in Ruben's ears.
The last thing he ever told her was that he was going to speak to her was after the bout between WY and the fellows from Atlas. Then came Yin's toe to toe battle with Mercury that left the poor girl to her own devices. The next time he'd find her, she'd be in pieces and staring right at him. A part of Ruben imagining that he was one of the last thoughts that coursed through her circuitry when she perished. Wondering if she would have some sort of rebirth after this.
Perhaps she could be rebuilt from the pieces, or even made anew. However, the thought of Penny not even imagining she ever knew a boy like Ruben did send a ping of pain through Ruben's heart. Something so serene and pure as little Penny didn't deserve the fate she was given. Something as hard and cold as metal and wires. She deserved warmth, and a heart. A real, blood pumping heart. At least, she deserved a chance to really live.
With the airship sailing through the night sky, cutting through the darkness like the gentle slice of a blade, Ruben glanced back and could already imagine Velvet still at the open doors. She was probably pressing her fingers against her soft and warm lips. Her cheeks the brightest red that the world would ever see, the shakes in her knees and the trembling of her hands stopped when the words escaped his lips.
He wondered if she returned those very same feelings, and if she would find herself saying them back to him one of those days. If they ever find themselves sharing a day, after what was probably going to happen in just a few short hours. Ruben didn't want to imagine Velvet, clad in black, holding a bouquet of dark roses. Her black veil adorning her face and her midnight dress bellowing in the easy winter breeze.
Ruben kicked up his feet, and against his better judgement, pushed Velvet to the back of his mind. As he couldn't be distracted. With a heavy heart, and ready fists, the red warrior ran back into the arena. Trying his damnedest to not peer over his shoulder and watch the ship sail away into the dark night.
The great Colosseum was empty, littered with the body of the Nevermore and the various locker boxes. All of them giving the arena a feeling of emptiness, as all that was left was dust and echoes from the fighters left in this dark place. Of the fights that would surely never be forgotten, of the night Vale fought bravely against nefarious forces that sought to plummet the great city to absolute chaos.
"This is dumb." Ruben climbed the Nevermore's busted skull, a boot slamming into the beak and the other planting into the locker's bottom. Ruben glanced up into the night skies, seeing the flickering bright lights of bombings and the plaster of red and green. Ruben shut his eyes, pressing his clapped hands together. Muttering a silent prayer. "This is so so so dumb."
Ruben pulled out Gren, halfheartedly raising her above his head. Barring his teeth before he slammed her blade full strength into the top of the locker, nearly cleaving the box in two. Ruben gave the stuck scythe a courtesy pull before he drew his scroll. A few scrolls of the screen, few button presses later and the locker's boosters fluttered to life. Ruben's eyes shutting as he tightened his grip and made sure to not let go.
Without much warning, the locker rocketed up into the sky. Ruben shot open his eyes, finding himself sailing through the air. Flying among the stars and the clouds. His vision blurred and made muddy by the intense speeds and the thin air.
However, anyone could have seen the poorly piloted airship from the grass and dirt alone. Ruben was now coasting above the thing.
Ruben, with a heavy groan, pulled his scythe out of the locker and once again was caught in freefall. Arms outstretched as he descended upon the airship. His breathing had gotten to a low, his heart thumping in his throat and his clammy hands held in tight fists. His mouth getting twisted and his stomach flipping.
"Make peace with it...Make peace with the facts. Not the possibilities."
Ruben didn't want to. He didn't want to make peace with the mere thought of it. He didn't want to imagine a day his father would wake up and not have Ruben to push out of bed. He didn't want to imagine a day where Yin would barge into his room without warning and find all his things packed and his bed untouched. He didn't want his father to wonder what he could have done differently. He didn't want his stepmother sobbing into her pillow most nights when the end came for Ruben before it came for her.
Ruben made his landing atop of the rouge airship, scythe slamming into the armor to allow Ruben to not roll off the side and continue a rapid descent into the dirt. The blade tearing into the ship and leaving a rather nasty gash. The sparks of electricity and weapon against ship made for a fun little light show.
Ruben's eyes glanced over the night sky, the huge legion of Griffons floating overhead before making dives down into the city below. Taking apart the squads of soldiers and the denizens of Vale. Turning the city into their personal playground. Or buffet. Whichever was more morbid at the moment.
The knocking of heels caught Ruben's attention first, then the clapping of hands. A golf clap, as to not excite or surprise Ruben. Just make him aware that he was in the company of someone. Someone who wanted to be heard.
Ruben peered over his shoulder, the twirling of the umbrella was the thing that caught his eye first. The lacy umbrella top. The hook spinning along her fingers, her lips pursed into a silent whistle. The slight wiggle of her hips making it seem that she was enjoying herself a little song. The umbrella was the first thing. Then the half pink and half brown hair.
Granted, Ruben didn't approach her by immediately trying to pump her full of lead. Or start by swinging and trying to dissect her like a frog.
Ruben waved back lazily, nodding his head as he let out a soft groan. The recent landings weren't too good for the back. Heel tapping into the hull as he stood before her. He glanced around, looking for the bowler cap and cigar smoke.
"Roman here?" He asked, seeing her simply shrug. She looked over him, then turned to her umbrella. Then back to Ruben. She winked at him, opening her umbrella and letting it twirl as she rested it against her shoulder. Her eyes resting upon Mr. Thorn.
Ruben flared his nostrils, rotating his neck as he pulled out Han. The girl was an associate of that Roman Torchwick, and it wouldn't be too much of a stretch to assume he was also wrapped up in all of this nonsense. As he did try to pull a stint like this only months ago.
The orange hair beast that was responsible for the attack at the warehouse. The attack that left a train exploding and nearly destroying the city. He nodded his head towards Neo, ignoring the metal workings of his scythe pull and lock into place.
"Where is he, Pinky?" Ruben growled out, the girl pressing a finger to her lips. Eyes rolling in a circle before shrugging. She pointed to herself, before glancing over her shoulder. Ruben rolled his own eyes, before rolling his shoulders back. "Ok, let's wait for him then."
"It's funny, Red, it really is." That voice, that arrogant orange haired man strolled out from the side of Ruben's vision. His cane rotating in his fingers as he rested his sights upon the red warrior. "You don't when to quit. It's kinda annoying."
"Well, I'm still breathing." Ruben pressed two fingers against his throat. Waiting for a brief moment before feeling his heart beating against him. Ruben nodded, tongue sucking the back of his teeth. "So, I guess I might as well spend my time trying to do some good."
"Good? Evil? Right? Wrong?" Roman tapped his cane against the hull of the ship, nodding his head over towards Neo before letting out a soft groan. The kind that sounded more tired than angry. Even annoyed, to the young Ruben.
Neo twirled her umbrella, meandering over towards the gray-haired boy with a smile curling across her porcelain white skin. Ruben spun his scythe, twirling it above his head as he kept his eyes on the pink minx. Showing off his fangs as he tightened the hold of his weapon. Neo pressed her flat palm against her lips, bent her knees and rolled her eyes over to the right. Before quickly snapping them back to Ruben.
A quick wink and stuck out tongue later, Neo took a running start towards Ruben.
"What is the difference? Could the death of some pompous cuss be justified by the families who would not live in fear?" Roman watched Neo dove up into the sky and dived down to Ruben. Her stiletto heels knocking against the blade, spring boarding off it and floating back to the steel below. "Wouldn't you agree?"
Ruben took a mighty swing to the left, using the momentum to lift him off of his feet into an overarching strike. The kind that dug his blades deep into the hull's armor. Neo ducked underneath the swung, her eyes glistening as she saw her reflection in the blade's stainless cheek. Her lips curled into an irremovable smile. Her heart pumping like a hummingbird's own and her swaying resembling a dance rather than the stance of a warrior.
Ruben deflected an umbrella stab with a shove to the right, Neo's left leg swinging in a wide swing and her right rising to strike against Ruben's cheek. As her heel smashed against his face, her left pulled back before driving it hard right into the center of his chest.
Ruben was skating on the bottoms of his boots, slamming his weapon into the floor and stopping immediately. He shook off the pain in his chest, spun Gren in his hands and drove the top of his scythe into the ship. Using the scythe as a makeshift pole vault and rising into the air. Whilst in the middle of the air, his body rolled into a flip, using all the momentum to slam his scythe into Neo.
The pink haired minx, with a smirk and glimmer in her eye, popped open her umbrella and prepped to take the brunt of the strike. The scythe had struck the parasol with such force, that it made Neo buckle underneath it. However, much like water off of a duck's back, the scythe had slid off and knocked against the ship.
Ruben, still holding onto the scythe, followed it around in a wide arching swing. Following it a full 180 and hooking into the insides of the pink haired woman's umbrella. Ruben, with his left shoulder forward, slammed his frame into Neo's. Driving the minx away with his strike and losing her umbrella in the process.
Neo's shoulders knocked against the steel, before she rested her hands behind her shoulders and sprung into a handstand. Holding form for a few brief moments. She breathed in the night air, the chills of being without her weapon. Of being pushed onto the defensive. It was invigorating. It was rough. It was fun. Neo gracefully rolled up onto her feet, before retracting her arms back. Intertwining her fingers behind her back and glancing over Ruben. Her lips curled into a devious smirk as she nodded her head towards him.
Ruben charged, swinging to the right. Neo ducked to the left.
Ruben vertically swung up, Neo stepped over to the left and once again admired her reflection in the scythe blade's cheek. She drove her left knee into Ruben's stomach, before swinging back and driving her heel directly into his chest. Knocking Ruben back and away from her beloved umbrella. She rose one hand, cartwheeling over her umbrella and letting it rest upon her shoulder. Fingers twirling it as she watched Ruben's pained expression and gasps for breath.
She took her free hand, with two fingers, dragged it along her cheek as she forced a frown.
Ruben simply ignored the pain the best he could, as he stared at Roman. Whose lips were resting in this 'know all' smirk. With his eyes watching the spar take place with great joy. Ruben shut his eyes for a brief moment, his hands shaking and his body feeling as though it were going to collapse.
On a level, one that was treading under the surface of Ruben's own consciousness, there was voice that called out to him. The voice that played advocate for the devil that was whispering in his ears. It was the voice that told him of the necessary sacrifices. The voice that told him that through death, life could flourish. Through the ashes, life could grow.
Ruben was the first to strike, swinging out Gren towards the right to strive off Neo and using the momentum to carry his legs out into a kick. Roman laughed as Neo dodged the first swipe without much effort, before catching the bottom of Ruben's boot and being knocked off of his two feet. Tumbling off and away from his umbrella body guard.
Neo shook her head, spinning her umbrella and charging. Taking a hard jab towards Ruben, who parried by raising his scythe to counter and locking Han into shotgun mode.
Ruben rose and followed with every stab of Neo's umbrella. The tip of her weapon a needle like rod that was getting closer and closer to Ruben with every step. Ruben quick stepped back, raising his shotgun and taking a hot shot at the multi haired woman. Neo popped open her umbrella, deflecting the load of buckshot without a single step missing.
Ruben opened his mouth to roar, only for Roman's cane to hook into his cheek. The hard, smooth oak scratching against Ruben's fangs and driving the boy straight into the cold steel. The gray-haired student found himself on his back, swinging his shotgun up and taking another shot. Shooting off into the air but used the recoil to smash into Roman's face. The heated barrel knocking Roman's bowler hat off when it slammed into his chin.
Ruben hopped onto his feet, taking Han and arcing it high above his head. Pivoting his foot and bringing it down upon the charging Neo. Ruben slammed his blade right into the hull of the ship, Neo stepping back and missing the strike. She screeched to a halt, her knees knocking right into the top of his scythe. She glanced between the warrior and the weapon, before silently giggling at the sight. She peered up at Ruben, a finger pulling down her cheek and her tongue stuck out.
Ruben chuckled back, swinging his lever and pulling the trigger. The pink haired mink was blasted with a shell of buckshot, knocking her off of her feet and tumbling down the ship.
Ruben let go of his scythe, rolling his shoulders back and turning towards Roman. His eyes shining that deadly shade of silver, the kind that made blood run cold and hearts stop beating.
Roman smirked, waving his hand towards the girl and letting out a soft smile. His eyes glancing over the warrior with a look of almost surprise.
"Go to the others. Tell them that I had to finish something. Leave me with the boy." Roman ordered, waving his companion as she remained where she stood. She simply shook her head, raising her umbrella and hitting the latch. The tool popped open, and off she flew. Sailing through the sky like a feather that was taking in a sudden gust of wind. Ruben watched her go, his head nodding softly as he felt his heart begin to race.
Roman planted his cane firmly into the ship, fingers curling over one another as he let out a soft chuckle. Ruben approached him with a single scythe in hand, each step more confident than the last. His silver eyes just resting upon the orange haired terrorist.
"Just you and me kid! Make it count!" Roman threw up his cane, catching it by the lower end of the stick. Swinging his weapon above his head as he waited for the challenge.
Ruben locked Gren into scythe mode and gave a hard swipe to the right, Roman's hook catching it and pulling it out of Ruben's hands. The twirl he did was to taunt and to show off. As if literally dance in the face of danger. Roman came back during his 180 spin, his eyes shooting open when the gray blade in the boy's hands was being charged up into his chest.
Roman rose his cane, the bottom popping up and the cross hairs rising over Ruben's foot. Finger working its way around the trigger to fire.
The way his body locked and the way his mind froze when the sword smashed against his ribs was enough for him gasp in shock. The force was enough to pierce through cinder blocks and dent in steel. But Roman didn't scream, as the immediate pain was soon overwhelmed by the chill of his shirt getting damped by the scarlet that drained out of his wound.
The cold steel was driven up into and through Roman's stomach, the middle of Roman's back was pierced through to the middle of the blade. But Roman wasn't screaming. Nor was he shaking in fear.
The shivers and roar of pain beaten by the screaming that came from Ruben. Who vision was a blurry, hazy shade of crimson. When his senses came back to him, his knuckles were dripping wet with blood, his stomach was flipping and his heart stopped for a moment. His eyes were glistening and tears were trailing down his cheeks, hands shaking and his whole body shaking like a leaf in the wind. But Ruben didn't stop. He kept going until the blade was slammed to the hilt.
"This is the pompous cuss dying so families don't have to live in fear!" Ruben gave the blade a solid twist, barring his teeth as he grunted with the soft gasps that escaped Roman's lips.
"This is for Penny! This is for everyone you've ever hurt!" Ruben barred his teeth as he steadied his stance and swung his body in a strong pivot. His whole body swinging and slamming his elbow right into the bridge of Roman's nose. Driving the man off of the bloody blade and stumbling back.
Ruben kept his back to the man, sheathing the sword in his belt before walking over to start digging Han out of the metal. Heel pressing into the steel and his quick tugs taking his scythe out of the hull after three hard tugs.
Roman's hands found themselves resting against still bleeding profusely wound, fingers failing to act as stitches as he tried to keep his blood from pumping out of his wounds. His lips trembling as his whole world started to flicker and sink into the dark.
Roman Torchwick, found himself stumbling over his own words. Roman Torchwick, once the deliverer of beautiful monologues, was now too weak to even make a full sentence. The gasps and the whining that sounded more like a dying hiss was all he could do. Eventually, he grew too weak to even stay upon his knees. He crashed against the ground without much warning. Feeling the cold steel of the ship warm against his cheeks. His own life pooling around his stomach and jacket. His vision just a dark, with splotches of light breaking through the mold.
"This isn't over..." Roman grumbled, his voice cracking as he glanced up at Ruben. Who walked over to him with Han in his hands. Roman saw the tears that were streaming down Ruben's cheeks. The way his lips trembled as he stood above him. The terrorist smirked, giving one last breath before his eyes grew dark. His breathing stopped, and he laid still against the steel. Ruben shook his head, holstering Han and began to make his way over to Gren.
"This is when our little game ends." Ruben's voice broke when he made his way to Gren. Tears trickling down his cheeks and landing in the puddles of crimson as he passed. Roman couldn't leave this world without a lasting impression, so he wouldn't get lost to the passage of time. Ruben heard the groaning and the moaning. Then it happened.
It made his blood run cold, made him lose his very footing and even stumble. Made his stomach rise into his throat and brought the young man to his knees. Ruben's hands resting against the steel and his eyes hazy from the tears.
"Ha...ha...ha...you lost."
With that, Roman took his last breath. Leaving Ruben alone atop of the airship that night.
Blair rolled his neck, throwing his arms back as he rotated his wrists. Adam simply stood his ground, a hand on the sword and the other on the sheath. Blair rose his weapon high above his head, fingers rhythmically tapping against the handle as the ram approached the bull. Not paying Belle any mind as she kept her distance from the inevitable brawl that would have erupted between the two.
"For the sake of honoring our ancient traditions, I challenge you to a test of wills. Not of strengths, as even the mightiest bulls have been foiled." Blair's eyes shut for a brief moment, before fluttering open. Despite all the horrible things Blair had done, Adam had committed, all in the act of some idea of prosperity, he was still a Faunus. Just the same as anyone else of their kind. His gaze resting upon Adam's figure before he puffed out his chest and stood his ground.
"Please don't do this!" Belle shouted, knocking her staff into the ground, trying to stray Blair off the surest path to destruction. As Adam listened, his scowl curled to a rather devious smile. Adam lifted his shoulders, his heel dragging against the floor and kicking up some dirt. "There has to be a different way!"
Adam bellowed out hot steam from his nose, as he ground his teeth. His eyes, if Blair could see them, would surely be narrowed and his brow furrowed. Blair lowered his ax, a closed fist beating against his broad chest and his teeth barring.
"Not of speed, as fastest felines have been out-sped. Of wills, as any animal backed into a corner, shall fight to their absolute fullest." Blair gave a slight bow to Adam, before laying the cheek of his axe against his outstretched palm. Feeling the cool steel against his fingertips as he waited for the confirmation of the duel.
Blair steadied his stance, popping his knuckles as Adam drew his blade. The shimmering surface of the midnight blade, with the flickering shine of blood against its cheek. Adam simply nodded, lip still curled.
"I accept. May you die as you lived, a coward." Adam spat onto the floor, bending his knee and easing into his stance. Sword held above his head and the handle of his sword hovered above the man's horns.
Blair charged, his hard chop smashing into the cheek of Adam's blade before the bull quick stepped back and twirled the weapon in his hands. His eyes, if they could be seen, would have been giving the ram a once over before cooling his temper and reentering his stance.
The flurry of strikes sounded like the clashing of steel against steel. Blair was on the defensive, each crash of the blades was followed with a step back. The vertical swipe was a step back with the right. The diagonal cut was with the left. The backhanded slice, right. The follow up to the left, followed with a left step.
Blair swung, the blades crashing against the other in mid strike. During the parry, Blair slammed his heel into Adam's chest and knocked him back. Not before swinging his arm back to chop.
Blair's ax clashed hard against Adam's quick blade block, the sparks showing off the seething hatred that Blair held for one of the White Fang's top enforcers. Blair took another chop to the right, a left leg springing up to catch Adam as he blocked with a heel to the cheek. The thrown leg was blocked with the edge of the sword, Adam giving a sharp swing and spraying the floor beneath Blair a nice splash of scarlet.
Belle screamed, her hands clapping over her mouth and eyes going wide. Her cheeks losing their color and her stomach churning. Blair didn't want to scream, he didn't even want to grimace, as he happened to do when the blade struck.
With his leg cut, Blair threw out his hatchet to make some distance and grabbed hold of his chain. Helicoptering the weapon above him before swinging and smashing its sharp edge against Adam's parrying strikes. The first throw was blocked with an upwards swipe, the spike on the poll of the ax smashing into the roof. Blair pivoted, as well as he could with a sliced leg, pulling the axe and chunks of the roof down back to the earth below. A quick swing and the axe soared back towards Adam once again.
Adam cut diagonally, the hatchet knocking up towards one of the many busted windows and the edge getting caught on one of frame. Blair blinked, hand twisting at the wrist when he felt Adam's blade skate across his abdomen. Blair's eyes shooting open and before he could blink, Adam slammed his elbow into the ram's sternum before sheathing his sword in Blair's stomach. The chill of the blade sent shivers down his spine. His mouth ajar as the world seemingly went silent.
Belle's eyes were glossy as the world spiraled into a vacuum, the soft and mellow beating of his heart slamming in his ears and his hands losing all strength.
The blade didn't just stab him, as the ram had hoped for when the steel struck. It continued piercing clear to the other side, puncturing through his leather jacket and until the hilt of the sword slamming against his abdomen. Blair's eyes grew dark, his breathing grew slow and his body felt extraordinarily heavy. Too heavy. Too heavy for his legs to keep up.
Adam pulled his sword out of Blair, taking a few victorious paces away as he rose his weapon. Watching the fresh blood trail down the cheek of his blade. Almost admiring the shine of the crimson before taking the sword into both of his hands. He straightened his back, solemnly nodded and made a move to strike the finishing blow. To end Blair with some shred of dignity.
With a quick spin and a devastating swipe, he aimed for the edges of Blair's shoulders to cleave him clean and through his thick neck. Give him a very quick moment of pain, before seething back into the nothingness. As he so much deserved.
However, he found he cut through empty air, Blair no longer was kneeling on the ground and bleeding out of his chest. All that was left was just a trail of dust in his wake. Adam's teeth ground together as he slowly rose up. His armed hand shaking as he was denied his prize. Denied his reward for the fight.
Adam snapped his neck to the opposite end of the cafeteria, almost baffled at the sight of a golden-haired brute on the opposite end of the room. In fact, he did chuckle at the sight.
What was worse, Belle was there at his side. Her hands shakily on her staff as she just stayed petrified besides the warrior. As if she decided she was going to side with this new blood rather than her new partner in crime. Literally.
With the Faunus flung over his shoulder, his eyes a shade of violet and his hands loose at his sides, Yin observed the Faunus before him. The golden warrior didn't take his eyes off of Adam, his gaze leaping from the sword in his hand to the mask that denied seeing the man's face. The mask that denied viewing the man who stabbed Blair.
Yin gently laid Blair on the floor, a hand cradling his fallen friend's head and the other keeping pressure on the stab wound. Yin gently leaned into Blair, knocking his forehead against the Faunus'. His lips curled to a crooked smile as the heads butt.
Yin patted Blair, mumbling a few apologies for the pain that was inflicted. His lips curling to a solemn look before he pulled his hand away from the wound. Ignoring the layer of scarlet that was painted on his hand. Letting it drip off his finger tips and onto the floor. Yin turned towards Adam, his eyes flaring up and changing into a rather fiery shade of red.
"Get him out of here. Get him somewhere safe." Yin turned over towards Belle, his eyes glossing over and his dark eyes flickering from red to that shiny golden hue. He nodded down at Blair, jaw locking as he restrained from gasping. "Please?"
Belle didn't even look at Adam, perhaps she couldn't. All she knew was that Blair needed help, and help is what she was going to get him. Throwing one of his massive arms over her shoulder, she hobbled out of one of the many holes in the side of the building. Slipping into the chaos of the outside world.
Yin didn't care for the bombings that rattled the floors. Or the roars of the beasts that scratched at the walls. Or the various rounds that blasted through the windows. All he worried about was the fires that were spreading among the tables. The swordsman with a fresh bloody sword and how he almost killed Blair.
With a few stern steps, Yin made his way towards the swordsman. Hands coiled into fists and each step cratering into the wood. Several dozen or so paces away, Yin stopped.
Interlacing his fingers and giving them a nice crack. The popping making the bull smirk. With a shake of his wrists, Yin let out a groan as his right foot leaned out and stretched. The tip of his boot shifting from one end to the room to the other, making a solid and straight line in the middle of the room.
Yin, eyes not leaving Adam's mask, spat onto the floor. He backpedaled several steps, before dropping to the floor. Sitting cross legged upon the soot and ash from where he ate breakfast. Where he played games in. Spent time with his family in.
Yin nodded his head softly, rubbing his calloused hands together as he sat before the White Fang's bull.
"Name's Yin." With a thumb, Yin knocked against his chest. His eyes shifting back to a golden hue as he simply watched the Swordsman. The way his shoulders slouched as he listened. The way his hand was already readying his grip. How his heel tapped against the floor as he seemed so tempted to simply charge at Yin. The swordsman didn't bother to retort, causing Yin to mouth an 'ok' and bob his head to and fro. "You tried to kill my best friend, you know that right?"
"I was putting down a trai-"
"I'm actually talking right now, thank you very much." Yin rose his right hand, silencing the Faunus before his lips curled to a smile. His eye brows raising and his teeth barring together. A few chuckles escaping his lips and his left curled tightly into a fist. Knocking into the floor, shaking the whole building with just a love tap. Or, what Yin thought was a love tap. "Yes or no? All you got to say to me. All I want you to say to me."
Adam corrected his posture, simply nodding his head to the golden warrior. Yin nodded back, his eyes glancing down to the line made in the ashes. He gestured his chin at it, before returning his eyes onto the bull. Scrunching up his lips as he shifted his head from side to side. Weighing options.
"You can walk away. You can leave, right now, and do whatever it is that you do. At this point, I want to get my family out of here. So, I'll take care of my family, which includes Blair, you walk away and this doesn't need to happen." Yin shut his eyes, letting out a soft growl. The kind that wasn't unlike his brother's own. His hands curling into fists as he steadied his breath. "But cross the line, this very line, and I swear on all that is holy that I'll put you down and you will not get back up."
Adam simply chuckled, twirling his sword in his hand as he walked over towards Yin. Letting the blood trickle down the edges of the blade. Dribbling among the soot and ash.
Yin had kept his hands on his knees and eyes focused on the very line he made. Studying it with intensity. Making sure to be ready for even the rubber edges of his shoe to lean against the line.
Adam was now a mere two steps away from the line, sword drawn and lifting it to rest upon Yin's shoulders. Playfully digging into his shoulder. The blade sliding against the jacket's shoulder pad and cutting deep into it. Leaving a noticeable tear. Yin peered over at the sword, before letting out a soft groan. Clicking the back of his teeth with his tongue.
"Splitting hairs right here, but I'll count this as crossing the line." Yin threw himself back, dropping to the floor with the heel rising up to crash into Adam's chin. The blow blew the Bull back, who steadied his stance and kept his composure.
Yin stood up on his hands, swiftly swinging onto the flats of his boots and letting his hands fall to his sides. Adam had shaken off the blow, rotating his jaw and wiggling his tongue about. Apparently having bit down on it when the kick connected. Yin, with a slouch in his shoulders and his arms raising no higher than his hips, waved his hands to himself. Begging for Adam to approach him.
The bull swiped to the right, Yin ducked to the left and underneath, only to bounce back. Shuffling his feet against the floor. Yin watched the way the bull's elbows bent, wrists bending over to the right, the way his right forearm was facing up towards the ceiling and how his shoulders shifted.
Yin rushed forward and jammed his forearm into Adam's chest before twisting his arm around. Knuckles grazing Adam's elbow and his arm slipping between the bull's forearms. With a hard curl, Yin was now forcing his forearm between both of the Bull arms. Yin's thick arm bending the elbow out and nearly forcing the sword out of his hands.
Adam blinked, catching the sight of a right fist speeding right into his face mask. The blow connecting, the knuckles smashing right across his cheek and rattling his teeth.
Yin, his own elbow running against the struck cheek, bent his arm to lock the elbow behind the back of Adam's head. With a tired groan, Yin rose Adam up off of the floor and rocketed his right knee into Adam's side. Hearing the Faunus' ribs crackle and pop against the blow.
Yin followed with a quick left knee to the stomach, letting go of the bull and watching him stumble onto the floor. Sword in his hand and the other holding his now bruised ribs.
Yin rolled his neck around, marching over towards the bull with his eyes flaring up into a fiery shade of red. Adam hopped onto his feet, his sword ready in his hands and his teeth barred in a sinister scowl.
The first chop was a vertical rise towards the right, which Yin dipped out of the way of without much effort. His fists resting besides his hips as his eyes kept in line with Adam's mask. The next was a horizontal swing that would have been right across the shoulders, had Yin not ducked underneath and quick stepped back from. Adam used the momentum to send the blades to strike Yin's left leg, only for the golden warrior to jump up to miss the swipe. His hands rocketing besides his ears before reeling back and springing back up. Slamming his heels directly into Adam's chest.
Catapulting the bull off of his feet and cruising through the air. Back parallel to the floor and his eyes fixated upon the burning ceiling above. Yin popped his knuckles and sprinted to meet Adam across the dining hall. Jamming past the still raging inferno that drenched the tables and their benches in a glorious orange flames. Adam blinked, before feeling a bony elbow knock into his lower back and spike him straight up into the air.
Yin, with his left hand open and pushing against his closed right, had smashed his right elbow right into Adam. His eyes shut, his breathing as slow as can be and his heartbeat echoing deep in his system.
Yin's open palm reeled back, fingers flexing and right hand coiling back into a tight fist. Adam was falling back to the earth, only for a palm to grab him by the scruff of his neck and a fist smashing right into the same spot as the elbow.
The force made his jacket bellow forward as though he were caught in a sudden windstorm. The nearby flames were extinguished by the gust, and Yin could have sworn that his spine might have snapped from the intensity of the strike. Adam was sent tumbling forward, rolling over among the ash and soot and resting upon his side.
Yin smirked, rotating his wrists as he walked over back towards Adam. As he struggled to get back up onto his feet. The shambling form of the man who tried to kill Blair was not fair. As he was still breathing after that last strike.
Yin approached the bull fast, who took up his blade with great haste and swung in a lightning fast overarching strike. Seeking to cleave through Yin, right down the middle. Yin dropped onto one knee, both of his palms clapping together against the cheeks of the slender blade.
Yin felt the blood had wet the blade too much, the sword slipping through his hands and nearly slashing against his chest. Yin shuffled back, ducking under another wide strike to the right and dipping to the right when the blade came back for a diagonal cut to the left.
Yin threw his right arm back, barring his teeth as he prepared to slam his fist right through Adam's face. Taking him off of his shoulders and splattering against the wood behind him. Yin blinked, his heart sinking upon seeing the glint of the bull's blade rising up to guard against the strike. Actually, it was more of setting up the blade for the follow through. Yin couldn't stop his arm, and could only brace himself for what would come.
Yin didn't want to feel the cut that dug deep into the elbow. He didn't want to scream when he felt it smash into his joint. However, he couldn't control his volume when he lost feelings to all the fingers on his right arm.
The swordsman had drove his weapon in between the strike and, the blood splashing against his jacket and the limp slipping onto the floor. Knuckles knocking against the floorboards and echoing the hall.
Yin dropped to his knees, head bowed and his left hand pressing against his thigh. His withheld cries music to Adam's ears. Adam tightened his grip against the handle of his blade, before turning heel and facing the downed warrior. Who's right arm was no more than a stump. Severed at the joint.
Adam rose his blade, seeking to give him a quick death. The very same he denied to the Beast. When the arms were locked back, Yin spun on his left knee and smashed his right heel against Adam's chest. Sending him stumbling back as he felt his ribs almost snap against the weight of the knock.
Adam let out a groan, hands trailing his stomach and his gaze returning to the golden warrior. He didn't see the boy on the ground, but a man who was standing on his feet. Even Adam was dumbstruck to see that Yin was now standing on his two feet. Even after losing his right arm.
His left hand curled into a tight fist and his stump profusely bleeding. Adam's jaw dropped when Yin's eyes were blacked out, like rolled over doll's eyes. His teeth shown off in his scowl and his shoulders hunching like a beast.
Yin shot forward, right leg reeled back, and his roars deafening everything within a mile radius. When the heel smashed into Adam's torso, the body was rocketed back like a bullet out of a gun. The wall, when Adam was sent into it, didn't cushion him. Nor did it just simply break like any sort of crash. Adam was blown clear through the wall when all the strength Yin could have mustered.
The sheer force of the strike, when it had finally made contact, created such a vacuum that it extinguished all the fires that were roaring in the room in a single blow. Adam was no more than a spec as he disappeared into the night. Leaving nothing expect a rather body sized entrance wound in the wall of the cafeteria and an ashy mess that would need to be cleaned. With the crumbling debris made up of not only the furniture but also the walls and parts of the ceiling.
Yin gulped, his mouth frothing as he shuffled over towards the right. His eyes blurring and spit dribbling off of his lips as the world began spinning. He squinted his eyes, his left hand patting the ground just to make sure he was still on earth when the world not only span but began rotating.
He caught the sight familiar looking staff and a mess of a pink blur. Yin glanced at where he thought his right arm was, before waving his left hand. His knuckles knocking into a charred piece of bench. Chuckling softly as the blur soon sank into darkness. Collapsing no more than a moment later as soon as he gathered up all that was left of his vast strength to speak.
"Just...a flesh...wound."
Winter took point against one of the dozen fallen pillars, his back to the cover as bullets either ricocheted off of the stone or began chipping away slowly at it. Revolver held in hand, hands fumbling over his pockets to look for yet another speed loader. Hearing the battering and breaking of the pillar behind him.
Winter's back laid against the edges of the broken-down pillar, before letting out a soft and almost defeated groan. His eyes shifting over the stone cover for just a moment, a few bullets smashing into the curve that was right beside his cheeks. The shots blowing the rock to bits and leaving a nasty rubble cloud besides Winter's face.
The Heir hacked and coughed, hand waving off the cloud as he shook his head. His left hand curling into a tight fist before slamming it into rock behind him. His hand flexing open as he felt the shocks run straight up his elbow. His right thumb pushing up on the ejector slide and letting the wheel pop out. Shaking the last of his spent shells out into the grass and dirt. The smell of Dust filled his system, reminding the young man of his sweet home. Spending time with his family, his sisters and little brother. Oh, and he supposed his father was well.
Winter let his arms rest along his knees, sinking to the floor and sitting against the dirt and mud. His heart twisting and his eyes growing dark. Winter peered over to the right, a few of Vale's finest still holding the line in the middle of the walkway. Their armaments rattling and booming like fireworks in their hands.
One of the soldiers had dropped one of the empty magazines, reaching behind his back for its quick replacement when a pinpoint sniper round smashed against his helmet. His body going limp and crashing against the floor like a ragdoll. His hand still tightly gripping the magazine he was reaching for.
His companion, her screams turning into roars of battle, ran over to him with quick haste. One of her hands grabbing the collar of his combat armor while the other kept the assault rifle in her hand up and shooting. Spraying the horde of White Fang with her hot lead. However, three of the Fang rested their sights on her and lit her up. Her body soaking at the very least ten or so rounds before she too collapsed besides the man.
Winter groaned, his fingers pinching the bridge of his nose as he let out a hard and labored groan. His heart sinking as his chest felt as though as massive weight were placed upon it. Then there was the sudden gasp, the shallow huffs of air, then the extinguished sound of life. The drawn-out rumble that weathered out of her now pale lips was all Winter could hear. With a soft gaze, his heart had struck what Winter was sure was his last cord. Her outstretched arm was rattled and tattered. Her gray uniform now stained a dripping scarlet and her flesh a slick mess. Her gloved hand was flexed out as far as her fingertips could possibly go. Her own eyes resting on the fallen man. Her digits just inches away from the man's hand. At least trying to pass holding onto her companion.
Winter barred his teeth, his breathing getting erratic as he pulled out his scroll. His fingers trembling as he worked the buttons and began to get all of his ducks in a row.
A White Fang soldier, giving his shotgun a courtesy pump, approached the pillar with his finger wrapped around the trigger and the butt dug snugly into his shoulder. His lips curled into his wicked smile and his sights locked on where he knew Winter was hiding behind.
"Come out, come out, Princess!" His growl wasn't the worst thing about him. Nor was it the broad shoulders and the rather large weapon in his hands. Winter rose out of his spot, teeth barred as his eyes grew into a wild gaze. The red strains in his eyes only beaten by the way the shone in the dark.
"Be! Original!" With that, Winter made a jump for over the pillar and charged at the man. Whose sights shot over towards the Heir with his finger already tugging on the trigger. That was, until Winter's personal locker came rocketing out of the heavens and crashed into the earth before the Frost man. Smashing the man beneath it and its shotguns to bits as Winter rocketed to the locker and let it soak up a great deal of the return fire that. His body trying to get as thin as it could while his hand worked on fiddling with the lock itself, eventually the sheet was thrown open and Winter raided his own locker for every speed loader and loose round he could fit into his pockets.
Before hearing a shotgun blast that missed his back and left a dent in his inner locker door, he managed to fit one of the speed loaders into the wheel and flick it back into its action.
Falling to his knees to throw off the shoot and proceeding to start fanning his revolver, he slammed three shells into the White Fang member's torso before he finally fell. Winter thumbed back the hammer, grinding his teeth as he cracked his neck. His free hand beating against his fast heart.
"You want to play rough? Ok!" Winter moved out towards the right, firing off a shot that caught a White Fang's mask before sending him to the floor. Winter's free hand reaching out focusing with his all his might as what started out as a white spec in the midst of gunfire and evening sky soon spread out as a snowflake that spread across his field of vision. The twirling white flake absorbing all the gunfire and keeping it spiraling in its field.
Winter's right hand, which held his trusty revolver, ran over the sights of one, two, three, four, five, six and seven White Fang on his right.
"I do not aim with my eye." The beads that seemed a few feet before him were caught in the field, but the flake was threatening to crumble as edges of its frame began to leave spider lines that slowly etched towards the center. Winter dug his heels into the ground, his sights now running over the White Fang in front of him. One, two, three, four, seven, ten, fifteen. "He who aims with his eye has forgotten the face of his father. I aim with my hand."
"I do not shoot with my hand." Winter's licked his lips as he softly nodded his head. His heart beginning to race as he felt his left arm begin trembling and shaking. His shoulder now convulsing and the scar across his cheek now slightly reopening from the tension. Fresh blood trickling down to the edge of his jawline and dripping off onto the dirt. Winter's arm reached over to rest along the crook of his left's elbow, running over the sights of the Fang. One, two, three, six, nine, eleven. "He who shoots with his hand has forgotten the face of his father. I shoot with my mind."
Winter pulled his right arm back to let it rest along his hips. His left hand slowly turning up, palms to the sky. His fingers ever so slowly into a tight fist. Winter swung it and brought it hard against his heart, bowing his head and letting out a soft groan. His lips trembling and knees threatening to buckle.
"I do not kill with my gun." Winter pulled his still uneasy fist from his chest, slowly opening up the hand as the snowflake once again trembled like a breaking piece of ice atop of a frozen lake. Winter found in his palm, a coin. His jaw locking and his eyes shutting for a very brief moment. His finger scratching against the trigger finger and his thumb flicking the thumb. He mumbled a soft prayer, as he dug his boots into the dirt and let out a hard battle cry. "He who kills with his gun has forgotten the face of his father! I kill with my heart!"
With that, Winter flipped his hand in such a motion that the coin now rested atop of his thumb. With a hard flick, his thumb had flipped the coin. The bronze piece now spiraling up into the night air as Winter's sights rested upon the White Fang on his right. Whose eyes were now focused on the coin that was still coursing through the air. Within that moment, the snowflake barrier had finally taken enough punishment and had a combustive reaction. The whole area around them now left in a dark gray murky fog. The blades of grass having now layers of ice coating the tops of them. Leaving the pillars in a nice layer of freshly laid snow and the bodies a snowy grave.
Winter fired off three shots, each one finding their mark and nailing each of the fang's members dead center in their chests. Each shot blasting into controlled explosions, blasting them off of their feet and sliding across the grass.
Winter spun his revolver around his finger, twisting his body around to avoid the hail of bullets that came from the left side as he threw up a speed loader. With a hard elbow back, the loader was slammed into the wheel and a hard stop popped the loaded weapon back into action. As the shells made their way in, the carvings into his dear revolver's barrel and grip shone a bright and beaming gold. Not unlike his best friend's own eyes or flowing hair.
Winter fired off six shots, the trails of thunder shook out of the fog. The bolts crashing their bodies and electrocuting them. Their weapons bursting in their hands and their armor soaking in the attack. The rolls of thunder ricocheting off of the targets and smashing into the comrades besides them. The left wall had been shocked into submission, helmets popping off their skulls and burning rifles in their hands.
Winter, mid spiral from the dodge, found himself facing the group of fifteen before him. Their eyes resting on the Heir to the Frost empire and the bane of all their existences. Winter reached into his pocket and threw a pocket loader up into the air to follow the coin. Winter, emptying revolver, slammed a fresh loader from his pockets and threw his revolver into gear. The inscriptions on the side of the barrel shimmering a pale white now.
Winter fanned the revolver, the first two shots smashed against the skulls of the White Fang. Each bullet casing their heads in blocks of ice. The second round of two shots were thundering rounds, blowing up the pistols in their hands and bouncing off to catch three more White Fang. Yielding the same results. The last two shots were a searing shot, which when made contact with the two members, caused a combustion on impact and began to catch their armor aflame. Soaking them members in a raging orange bloom.
Winter spun his revolver about, the barrel grazing his hip as the action was popped and the wheel was emptied. The shells littering the iced over grass beneath his boots. The now descending loader falling right into the now empty wheel. Winter flicked his wrist, thumb on the hammer, and his eyes still as steady as they were when the stared. His cold stare met with his left-hand hovering over the hammer then the earth-shaking booming of his revolver shots. One by one the White Fang had fell.
The smoke that rose out of Winter's revolver joined the mist in the cool air. Winter, with his hand pulling away from his hammer, reached out to catch the now descending coin.
It landed right into his palm, before Winter slammed it against his chest. The beating of his chest echoed the now silent battlefield. With that, The Heir had collapsed onto his knees. Revolver slipping out his grip and resting along the freshly laid snow.
Winter's eyes shifted as he heard the rushing of feet. Winter had spent the last of his semblance on that attack, leaving him tapped out for whatever battles were to come. He couldn't even muster up the strength into drawing his weapon and locking the hammer. As it were, Winter would have to accept whatever fate would befall him. No matter how long or short the torture may be. How sharp or dull the executioner's blade might be. However coarse or smooth the rope around his neck would feel.
With that in mind, Winter outstretched his arms and awaited his capture. Not wanting to waste the very last of his energy and not use it to curse their families and their creeds. The first of the feet approached him, taking a knee in front of him and taking his cheeks into her hands. Her brown eyes looking over him, taking notice of his barely registering stare and his pale cheeks.
It was the bunny girl, Velvet, who was with the remaining group of students who chose to fight. Sun, Neptune, Coco, and whoever else decided that fighting was the best option. Winter out a soft little chuckle, turning towards the snowy area and letting out a groan.
"Missed all the fun." Winter grumbled, grinding his teeth together as he let out a soft sigh. He nodded his head towards Velvet, before gulping. "Can you call Ruben for me, please? I need to know if he's ok..."
Velvet reached into her back pocket, pulling up her scroll and scrolling until she rested upon Ruben. Trying to do her best to hide the '3' symbol besides his name and the ignore the squint of Winter's eyes as he wondered if he was starting to see things in this state of exhaustion. Pressing upon his icon and awaiting his response. Listening to the call ring, and ring, and ring.
That's when they heard the squawking and the screeching coming from up above. Winter glanced up, Velvet reaching for her camera and seeing the quickly descending Griffon. Ruben, with his heels dug sharply into the beast's chest and one of his scythe blades curved into the Grimm's shoulder. Attempting as well as he could to direct the beast towards the dirt and grass below. As the Griffon spiraled towards the ground, Ruben gave the heels a stiff kick and his scythe a hard pull. Decapitating the beast in a single tug.
The body crashed against the floor with a great tumble, landing among the snow and grass. Shoulders smashing against the now frozen ground. Rolling down the way and easing into slow roll. The limp body flinching softly before easing into a stillness.
The Grimm had dropped out of sight.
Ruben eased himself up onto his feet, hand on his possibly broken shoulder and his other hand still gripping Gren. Leaning on it with a possibly sprain in his leg. He saw Winter and Velvet in the snow. Velvet with tears in her eyes and Winter with a crooked smile. Velvet rushed over towards Ruben, throwing her arms around him and keeping him close to her. Her elbows locking around his neck and her face nuzzling against his shoulders.
"That's cute-" Winter's scroll began to ring. With a groan, and a stiff right arm, he pulled the scroll out and opened it. Seeing Jaune's profile picture shoot open. Then the manic cries and the hard breaths. "Hello?"
"Winter! Winter! Please! I need you to go get Pyrrha! You have to stop her!" Ruben pulled away from Velvet for a quick moment, rushing over towards Winter and grabbing a hold of the scroll. Squinting his eyes as he listened to Jaune. "Pyrrha! She's going after that woman at the top of the tower! She doesn't stand a chance!"
"Jaune!" Ruben roared, taking the scroll out of Jaune's hands and pulling it close to him. Winter's eyes squinting and his teeth barring. "Where are you? I can send people to-"
"Don't worry about me!" Jaune's voice rose to the roar, before it cracked and his breathing got more subdued. Got more mellow. "Please, you have to save Pyrrha."
"Jaune!" With that Ruben heard a roar of agony and the sound of a hard knock. The scroll was disconnected not a moment sooner. Ruben's heart sank when he turned over towards Winter. His eyes swelling as he saw Winter's own face grimace. His teeth grinding together as he glanced up towards the Tower. Pyrrha was stuck in there, and he had wasted the very last of his own power to hold off the horde of White Fang. He wanted to rush up there and safe her. But he couldn't. He wanted to rescue her from that big horrible monster, but he couldn't. He couldn't save her.
But Ruben could.
Winter peered down at his revolver, with a trembling hand and loose fingers, he began taking hold of the hilt and trigger. His left hand reaching into his pocket and grabbing a loose shell from his vest. His eyes squinting at the Dust casings on the side to make sure he wasn't going to blow a hole in the wall or encase it in a shell of ice.
"Winter..." Ruben mumbled, the Heir's cough and hard groan his only interruption. A thumb pulling back on the hammer, Winter pulled out the wheel. His eyes glossing over as soft tears trickled down his cheek. His smile beating through the haze and fidgeting with the shell.
"I got just enough...for one shot." Winter loaded the shell, took aim at the tower's walls and made his shot. As the bullet connected, the snowflakes littered the walls in their spiraling and spinning symbols. Ruben glanced over at Winter, who flashed him a soft solemn smile as he began to reel back. "Save her, Ruben."
With that, Winter fell to the floor. Ruben simply nodded, turning over towards Velvet with a conflicted gaze in his eyes. His feet backpedaling towards the tower as he peered over at his best friend.
"Take care of him, get him to a ship now! Now!" Ruben took off in a mad sprint, his arms swinging at his sides and his feet pulling him towards the walls. Ruben, with a roar, shot up towards the tower wall. His feet locking onto the inscriptions along the concrete and keeping him grounded. Ruben didn't waste any haste as he traversed the upward climb. Carrying himself as fast as his body could take him.
Ruben could hear the clashing of metals and the shouts of battle. Then the hard cries. A soft exchange of words that were only silenced by the cries of the Grimm below. Ruben readied his hand along Penny's sword, as he almost made his way to the top.
Ruben hurdled over the edge, landing with one of his knees slamming into the floor and a hand on the sword. Eyes shooting up as he began to unsheathe his weapon. Barring his teeth as he readied to fight.
What was Ozpin's old office, with the huge copper gears that would spin and crank in the ceiling above, now littered the floors. The pristine window frames were blown to bits and pieces, shards of glass littering the floor beneath him.
Ruben's heart stopped when he stumbled onto the scene. The black-haired student he had met in the halls so many weeks ago, Cinder.
The one with the beautiful amber eyes now was wielding this black bow and flaming arrow in hand. Her blood red dress with black lace. Her ruby heels and her dark hair. She was the woman who attacked Vale a year or so ago. She was the one who escaped with Roman. She was the Queen. She was the 'moon as white as my fang'. She was the one who caused all of this.
And the arrow was loosed. Right into the chest of the beaten Pyrrha. Who was pierced with the bow with a hard knock and a voice cracking cry. Her hands shaking as she reached for the arrow's shaft. The crimson sparks trailing off the wound as Pyrrha gasped for air. Her eyes nearly bulging out of her skull and her body softly convulsing. As if she were now drowning in the air around them.
The woman meandered over towards Pyrrha, placing a hand against her forehead with a smirk across her face. Pyrrha's body glistened with this bright golden hue that consumed her whole form, and began to crumble and blow like ash in the wind. Leaving nothing but her bronze tiara to crash against the battlefield. It's metal ting ringing for what seemed like forever.
After that, Ruben's world sort of went white as he let loose this burst of rage. As his roars had pierced the heavens and the whole world seemed to fade. Drowning all that he saw in a curtain of blaring light.
The blur was headache inducing to say the least. It made the whole world seem so choppy and hazy. Ruben made the move to sit up, a pair of hands reaching out to rest against his shoulders and force him back into bed. The strong hands didn't sit too well with the irritated boy. Ruben started to writhe and fumble, swinging his body and getting the pair of hands to keep their firm grip.
"Ruben! Ruben!" The voice brought the boy's anxiety down to a minimum, as the voice belonged his dear old dad. The very man who raised him and Yin. The dirty blonde hair, soul patch and pair of blue eyes couldn't have made the man more different than his youngest son. The man sat on the bed by Ruben's side, steadily taking his hands off the boy and laying them in his lap. Shaking his head as he realized just how strong Ruben had gotten over the past few months. With a pair of hands, he pressed them against his chest. "It's me. It's Dad."
"Dad?" Ruben glanced around, his eyes drifting all over the walls. His various posters either peeling off the walls due to missing tacks or poorly placed tapes. The boxes of tools that littered the desk off towards the right. The clothes that were just a flood in the closet spilling out of the crevice that was the sliding door. Ruben felt his heart settle when he realized he was in his own room. And that he was home. Ruben squinted his eyes, before glancing up at his dad. His lips curling to a scowl as he shook his head. "We lost...didn't we?"
Taiyang let out a hard groan, hand rubbing against the stubble on his cheek as he squinted his eyes. His hard groan left on the 'ahhhhh' for a few moments too long. Just long enough for Ruben to slowly sink back into the pillow. Hands rising to press down against his eyes.
"Yeah...we all lost..." Taiyang mumbled, Ruben's eyes shifting down towards the covers on his bed before his breath was caught in his throat and shooting his gaze back up to his father.
"Yin? Is he ok?" Ruben nearly shouted it, his eyes beat red from the rubbing. His father's jaw dropping as he clapped a hand over his mouth. He averted his gaze, his free hand grabbing a handful of covers as his eyes glistened. His lips trembling as he shook his head. Ruben's heart sank, his tears trailing down his cheeks already when he rose up out of his bed. "Dad?"
"He...got hit. Bad..." His voice cracked, something Ruben never thought he'd hear from his father's once commanding and stern voice, and his words were muffled by his hand. As if it was painful to even speak the words he was saying. "He...lost his arm-"
"What?" Ruben's body began to shake as he felt bile rise up into his throat. His eyes were already burning, his hands shaking with such rage that he thought he was going to snap. Then his heart was sinking and the tears that ran down his cheeks were now trickling off of his chin and staining his comforter. "You're not serious?"
"He fought. He fought hard, don't think he didn't..." His father glanced back at Ruben, shaking his head. He wasn't the dry angry that Ruben had wished he could be. Nor was he crying. He was stone eyed, his voice chilling to a cool and hard baritone. The kind that sounded more growl than word. "Right arm. At the elbow. Clean. Smooth. Had to be a sharp weapon. Yin didn't have his gear..."
Taiyang felt the edges of a blanket knock against his arm as Ruben threw his legs over the side of the mattress. His teeth barred as father rose up to grab him by the shoulders. Ruben felt the hands graze his bare arms, only to knock a foot into his father's leg and throw him into the bed frame. Letting him land among the pillows and blankets. Before shambling over towards the door with tears trailing his every step.
"Yin! Yin!" Ruben, with both of his arms sluggishly before him, slammed his body through his bedroom door and nearly slipped as he entered the hall. He had to reach Yin. He had to see Yin. Ruben's right hand slid out to use the walls as a crutch. As he shambled over towards Yin's room. Ignoring the pictures he knocked down. Some of them school photos, others family portraits, a few just random pictures Yin took when he was younger.
Ruben misplaced his right foot, the heel sliding out from under him and making him slip onto the floor. The thud echoed throughout the house, Ruben's skull bouncing off the wood like bowling ball.
The sudden rushing of feet was followed by a doorknob's racket. The door creaked open, the pink rabbit slippers were the first thing Ruben caught sight of. As they were a mother's gift so many years ago. The right shoe's left ear was torn, hastily sewn together by Ruben when he was no more than perhaps eleven. The olive skin was covered with a pair of dark sweats. Patches of sewn up plaid squares against her black apron.
Her calloused hands resting intertwined against her waist, her split knuckles and years of messing up whilst holding the kitchen knife had left her hands looking like she was a brutal fist fighter. Who's hung up her gloves and settled to raise her family. And given how she used to rope Ruben and Yin with just a shake of the hand and the tone of her voice, many would think she'd be able to match them bout for bout.
Her chestnut brown hair was done into a nice ponytail that had rested along her left shoulder. Her soft and mellow green eyes almost taking the pain out of Ruben's being with their stare alone. But that didn't seem to match the way her eyes swelled as she saw her Babyboy was now out of bed and moving. Even if it was just five steps out of his bedroom.
She dropped to her knees, taking Ruben up into her arms and pulling him close to her. Ruben gave her a tight and tearful hug, his wet eyes resting against her shoulders as she held him. Her soft words echoing his world and her hands rubbing up and down his back.
"It's ok..." Her voice was so soft, Ruben could feel himself calming down. Feel the world get less hazy and less blurry. "It's ok. I'm here. I'm here."
Ruben pulled away from her, giving her a soft little nod before taking his arms off her and attempting to get back up onto his feet. His mother's arms wrapping around one of his own and helping him back onto his feet. She led him all the way to the frame of Yin's door, opening it and helping Ruben shuffle inside. Giving him just enough room to slide in and shutting the door behind him. Probably to give the two brothers privacy to work through what happened.
Yin eyes didn't seem to register that the door was finally shut. Nor did he listen to the shambling that came from his dear little brother. He was too fixated upon an Autumn leaf that was picked up by the sudden and harsh wind. That crisp brown flake now taken up into the winds. Carried off where ever leaves happen to go. Ruben found himself right by Yin's bed, taking a seat right beside his older brother. Ruben's right hand was going to reach out for Yin's, only to see a tourniquet in the place of his arm.
Ruben pulled his arm back, grabbing handfuls of covers as he felt his whole-body shudder. His mouth going dry and his teeth chattering together.
"You're ok-" Ruben heard a scoff, a hard blow out of Yin's nose as he softly shook his head. His lips fold back and his neck flexing. Eyebrows twitching. Nostrils flaring as he tried to steady his breathing.
"I heard that...too many times." Yin let out a soft but grim chuckle, tongue running over the fronts of his teeth as he let out a big and hard 'ha'. His left-hand curling into a tight fist and shaking violently. His golden eyes flickering between their soft gold to the fiery red every so often as he spoke. "So many damn times! Too many! Damn! Time!"
"Yin-" Ruben's voice drew to a soft murmur, bowing his head ever so slowly to avert his gaze from his brother's. However, only for Yin's voice continued to rise and his feet starting to shake uneasily.
"I'm not! Ok! 'OK People' don't lose their arms! They don't lose their school! They don't lose their friends! So, no! Ruben! I'm not ok!" Yin's uproar came to a screeching halt as Ruben's shoulders rocked to the rhythm of his sniffles. His eyes shut as tightly as they could, except for those few pesky tears that found their way out. Yin's barred teeth and aggressive tone vanished as soon as the first tear dribbled down Ruben's chin and onto the comforter. Yin's eyes softening and his hand losing its hard fist. Yin, as well, turned away from his little brother, keeping his gaze out the window.
Ruben nodded his head softly, biting his lip as he kept his sights pinned to the floor. Seeing the soda stained rug spotless for what must've been the first time in about ten or so years. Ruben's hands came together and intertwined, Ruben's breathing coming to a soft pace, and his tears ceasing to drop.
"What happened?" Ruben mumbled, hearing Yin's own hard groan suck all the air out of the room. Leaving Ruben pale faced and white knuckled as he spoke.
"From the news, it looked like Atlas was firing upon innocent people. And it's scaring them. That...dragon thing is frozen. In stasis. Stopped in time. I don't care...it's just in Vale. And just...summoning more Grimm." Yin's voice grew soft, almost to a growl as he spoke. Whatever fire was left in him trailing out with his words. Breathing some semblance of life back into the abode. Even if it was just a flicker. "Pyrrha's gone. Vale's gone. Ozpin's gone. Everything. Gone."
"Winter and Blair? Where is Winter?" Ruben was sure that Winter had to be alright. Considering that his father owned the Frost company. The boy was going to inherit it. The man could cover whatever hospital bill would be needed for Winter and the two of them could get back into the dirt and grime. Find who did this Yin and bring them a swift and punishing, well deserved cup of justice. And go after Cinder and whoever else was involved with this. "Is he-"
"Holed up back home. Locked down. His daddy grabbed him by the scruff and I haven't heard a thing from him since the incident. All this was second hand from Qrow." Yin muttered, an arm wrapped around his knees and hugging them close to them. Chin pressing against his knees as he watched the fall day live its life and breath it's air. Watched the trees bellow in its breeze and shudder in it's cool air. His eyes just staring out the window. Trying to not look at Ruben in the slightest. "A part of me hopes that it's his dad putting him on some sort of probation. A part, anyways."
"Another part of you thinks what?" Ruben's hands trailed across the blanket, his fingers gathering as much fabric as it could before he curled his hand into a tight fist. His arm shaking from the pressure. Eyes growing ever wider the more Yin spoke.
"Another part thinks he wants to put this all behind him. Focus on his family. Focus on his job. Focus on Frost. Like Vale, leaving whatever memories of team RWBY to perish with the people or cease to be like the city." Yin honestly spat out, grinding his teeth. "You were comatose for weeks, I lost my arm. Blair's MIA-"
"Blair? He's gone too?" Ruben's voice broke as his chest felt a huge weight rest upon it. Nearly crushing him from the pressure alone. His heart descending slowly into the abyss with every word.
"Gone too." Yin rose up what was left of his right arm, his eyes not leaving the stump for more than a moment as he could see that sword rise from the dark. Feel the cold blade go through him like butter and leave him looking like this. Leaving him wounded like this. "Some man in a mask did this to me. Blair cost me an arm, and he disappears off the face of the earth without saying goodbye..."
"Blair would never-"
"Blair cut tail and ran." Yin's eyes began to glisten as he grumbled his words. As his hand shook and his voice trembled. His mouth frothing as he spoke. His glossy eyes now letting tears stream down his cheeks. "I fought tooth and nail for him. I almost died for him. He thought he was going to lose the hand so he let them chop off a finger...instead of losing the hand. "
"Yin, don't think-"
"I fought! For him! I almost! Died! For him!" Yin was slamming his fist into the mattress, his teeth barring as his body trembled and his eyes grew red from straining. Blair, who Yin would have gone to the moon and back for, had up and disappeared without a trace. No message, no visit, no letter to boot. He was gone. As if he never existed in the first place. "Where is he, Ruben? Where is he, huh? Where's-where's my friend? Where's my brother?"
"Yin, I...I...I don't know." Ruben leaned forward, barring his teeth as he shook his head. His breathing getting erratic and his heart beating hard in his chest. Ruben turned to Yin, taking his brother's shoulders into his hands and forcing him to look at him. Focus solely on him. "But I swear to you that I'll-"
"You'll what?" Yin glared over at Ruben with a soft scowl, his eyes not any lighter or darker than their typical shade of gold, as his left hand curled into a pointed finger. His teeth barring as his breathing got uneasy. Yin pressed the finger against Ruben's chest, his breathing getting harder. "Hit them back for this? march down to Haven like some kind of Grade A warrior! No. No, you don't. and you won't!"
"Yin-"
"No. And that's the end of that!" Yin simply shook his head, glancing to the window with a strained growl. His voice once again rising. His face losing its scowl. His eyebrows furrowing and his fangs being shown off. His expression darkening and his tone not any more than just stern and tired at this point. "Face it! We fought! We lost! And I don't care anymore!"
"Yin-"
"Forget it. If you want to go out there, and lose again, be my guest." Yin shook himself out of Ruben's hands, before rolling over onto his left arm and facing the wall. Back to his little brother. His left arm wrapping around his torso and gripping the right's sleeve. "Don't let me stop you."
Ruben's eyes grew cold, his hands returning to his lap before the gray-haired Hunter let out a hard sigh. The kind that rattled in the air as he rose to his feet. Feet dragging from the bed over towards the door. Ruben's hands at his sides in tight fists before grabbing ahold of the door handle. With a glance over his shoulder, seeing Yin with his back still turned, Ruben threw open the door and began to ease his way out.
"I love you, Yin." Ruben stated, as clearly as he could with his scratchy voice. Trying to make it at least sound like he didn't just cry just a few short moments ago. The door was shut not so long after, leaving Yin alone in the silence.
Dear Dad,
I can't promise you that you'll ever understand why I had to do this. Nor why I had to go about without telling either you or mom. But that doesn't matter now. Yin shut himself off to me the moment I came back from whatever happened from Vale. Blair is missing and Princess is stuck up in his Ivory Tower. I've lost all my teammates and there is still ruin out in this world. Whatever happened to Pyrrha, and to Ozpin, I can't help but blame myself. I saw the arrow that struck her, and saw her leave this world and enter the next. I can't promise the same fate won't become of me.
So, where does that leave me? Sitting at home? Watching TV until, hopefully, Ozpin shows back up or Ironwood fixes this? No. I can't do that. I won't.
I will be leaving, can't say for how long, and hope I find what I'm looking for. But I know that the next step for me isn't to allow myself to stand by when there is still work to be done.
Tell Mom and Yin I love them. And please tell Yin sorry in advance. He'll know what I mean.
With Love, Ruben Thorn.
Ruben threw the letter onto the freshly made bed, padding it out against the sheets and covers. Making sure it could be clearly seen. With a pivot, Ruben marched over to his closet, throwing the doors open and reaching inside. Han and Gren returning to the holsters. Ruben's hands resting upon the edges of the weapons with a soft hint of nostalgia. His lips curling to mellow smile as he shut his eyes.
He reached over to the right, pulling out what used to be Penny's sword. The green bar that ran along the dark gray blade still hummed with a mellow green light. The power sign hilt pulsing ever so softly as it was held in Ruben's arm. Ruben took the sheath he had hastily made for the sword, letting the strap run along his chest before sliding the blade behind his back. The hilt poking out from over his right shoulder.
Ruben's eyes turned towards the window behind him, the window unlocked and open. The soft snow that laid against the dirt was fresh. The leaves were either buried underneath the snow or taken away by the last of the autumn breezes. The chill in the air left condense fog against the pangs of glass. And the frost had gathered at the edges of the frame. Winter had come.
Ruben glanced at his wrists, shaking Yin's own battle cuffs freely before making headway towards the window. Ruben would only hope that they would bless him with luck upon this trip. With the side effect of morphing into its armor should the situation ever so arrive. With hands resting along the edges of the window's frame, Ruben vaulted out of his room and onto the snowy forest floor below.
The snow crunched underneath his onyx boots, the thought of having to leave home made each step harder than the last to take. But take them Ruben must. As he would gain no ground standing still in the snow.
Ruben glance up the winding road, catching a glimpse of Nora's arms waving in the freezing breeze as Jaune and Ren stood beside her. Their eyes resting upon the gray-haired boy as he approached them. Ruben's silver eyes meeting Jaune's sky blue for a brief moment. The fear that laid dormant in Jaune's eyes was apparent, sure. But beyond that was the foundation of courage. As he couldn't let what happened to Pyrrha go unpunished. Even if it meant going out and above his league. He had to be afraid to be brave. As the old saying goes.
"Not too late to turn around." Ruben offered, eyes bouncing off of Jaune to Ren and Nora. His hands retracting to his jacket's pockets. "Don't have to do this."
"No," Ren honestly mumbled, his hands reaching down to rest upon the handles of his guns. His eyes shifting up to the pink strand in his hair before he let out a soft smile. "but we want to. We need to.'
"She was our friend too." Nora stated, her hands intertwining as she caught Ruben's lips curling to a smile. Her own breaking through the thin mold and her heart already soaring. Her smile warming the whole world around them. Her right hand reaching up and knocking against the grenade launcher on her back. Knuckles brushing against the stock. "And we wouldn't be here if we weren't determined!"
"Well," Ruben took one more glance at the cuffs that jingled along his wrists, hoping that maybe one day they'll return to their master. And that one day they'll be used to their utmost potential. Ruben's eyes peered over to the trail that was before them. Perilous and uncertain the journey will be. The dangerous Grimm and yet more vile Villains had yet to come. Ruben would know he would be pushed to his absolute limits. And yet, Ruben showed off a rather toothy grin as he took the first steps forward.
"Let's get started."