Chapter 3

After packing up Yang's things, the duo retrieved Jaune's stash.

The brawler leaned against the wall, watching Jaune Arc go about gathering his things. "Still have that sword, eh?"

"With the dust shortage, a sword's more reliable." Jaune shrugged. "I see you ditched Ember Celica."

"Still have 'em." Yang gestured at her backpack. "But they need custom dust cartridges. No one will make them anymore."

"Therefore the guns?" Jaune questioned, glancing at her.

Yang nodded. "Yeah. I'm not the best shot, still. Target practice tends to attract too much attention lately."

Jaune nodded, and finished packing his things. He slung the pack over his back. Yang motioned for him to follow.

The two descended down the building Jaune had paid residence to. Careful not to make a sound, they set out on their journey.

Yang sent one look over her shoulder at the decaying city. A familiar feeling sprouted in her chest: longing for a place to rest.

A place to call home.


"Have you been in contact with anyone else from Beacon?" Jaune broke the silence in the trees they ventured through.

Beacon…it had been an eternity since she'd thought about school. Nothing she'd learned came in use anymore with her weapons useless.

Grimm never threatened humanity. The Knights had culled them and frightened them into hiding.

It was good they had. All the negative emotions in the world would have driven the Grimm into a frenzy.

We traded calamities. Now we have mechanical hunters who do not rely on mortal needs.

"Not for a long time," Yang replied. "Weiss left for Atlas to find her sister. As far as I know, they're still alive. Sun's team went to Vacuo, but I lost contact with them two years ago."

"How did you lose contact?" Jaune asked.

Yang shrugged. "I had to do some running. Never managed to get to another stable point of contact before I lost their trail."

Jaune's fist smashed into a tree as he roared in anger.

Yang's pistol was in her hand in seconds, pointing at Jaune. The pain from her hand hit her as she realized who she aimed at.

After several moments of silence, Yang lowered the gun. Then, "What the fuck, Jaune?"

"Why did this all have to happen?" he whispered. Yang nearly missed his question.

"Well, it did. Buck up!" she shouted, losing her temper.

"Shhh!" Yang shushed herself.

Quiet…

Yang breathed.

Clank!

"Knights!" Jaune hissed. "Run!"

The brawler followed her companion's lead and began to run. The pistol was stowed in her belt, and the shotgun off her back. Yang cocked it.

Jaune had his sword and shield ready, knocking aside tree branches as they came and cutting them where he could.

A Knight intercepted them, and was promptly blown apart by Yang's shotgun.

"Nice aim!" Jaune complemented.

"You don't aim with a shotgun!" Yang replied, cocking it again.

The two continued their run through the trees. The familiar metal clanks of the Knights followed them, never relenting.

Several times, Yang spun around and fired haphazardly. Only one blast from her shotgun managed to take down a Knight.

"We've got to get in the trees!" Jaune shouted. "Go first, I'll cover you!"

Yang complied, picking up her pace and reaching one of the larger trees. Slinging the gun over her back, she began the climb.

Jaune took up a defensive position, sword and shield aloft.

When one of the Knights crashed through the brush towards Jaune, Yang's uninjured hand went to the pistol. Just like old times, she had to save Jaune.

Except she didn't. Jaune cleaved the Knight in two. Another emerged, firing its weapon.

His shield met the shots, stopping them cold. Crocea Mors bit into another Knight, this time taking its head.

Yang snapped out of her stupor, and began to fire. The Knights began to grow more cautious as Jaune thinned their numbers.

The Knights visors flashed red, and they stopped.

Jaune slashed another before realizing they had ceased their movements. Stupidly, he stared at them.

Then the visors went back to black. All their heads turned to Yang. Then they began to retreat.

Bullets ripped through the air, and miraculously plugged one in the head, and another in the torso. Jaune flinched at the gunfire, but stabbed the nearest in the neck.

The rest fled back into the forest, successfully making their escape.

Yang hopped down from the tree. "Have you ever seen them act like that?"

"Never," Jaune marveled. "And that red flash…"

"Not since the first days, when they always glowed red," Yang finished.

"Let's get moving," he said, shaking off his chills.

Yang nodded. "When did you get so good with a sword, vomit boy?"

A fragment of a smile whisked across his face. "When did you start to suck, Xiao Long?"

The brawler rolled her eyes. And on that note, the two continued on their way.

But not another word passed between the two of them.

Their ears listened…

Listened…

And others' ears listened back.