Chapter 11: Powder Keg
The air was still as Penny stared down her attacker, her eyes firmly locked on target. The Masked Man did the same, fingers twitching slightly as they stared each other down. Suddenly, the Masked Man flipped his weapon around, sending two blasts at Penny, who sliced through them with ease. She sent a few of her blades forward, swiping at the black-cloaked man, who blocked each attack with ease.
The Man darted forward, swinging their weapon with their full strength. Penny floated around her, sending all thirteen of her blades forward, striking the Man square in the back. They let out a scream, turning their body around mid-air. They took aim, blasting Penny in the chest with their gun. She struck the back wall, the orb falling from her grasp.
Just as they were about to grab the orb, Levi came down from above, kicking the figure square in the face. With a snap of his fingers, he sent a wave of fire forward, keeping the Masked Man back. Overture's Dust cylinder spun around quickly, clicking softly until it stopped on Lightning Dust. He waved his glowing fingers over the blade, lightning flowed through him, pouring into his Time Dilation glyph, his eyes briefly flashing silver.
The ticking stopped shortly after and he darted forward, forming several white glyphs around the Masked Man, taking them by surprise. He let out a cry, leaping from glyph to glyph, striking the Masked Man with blades of hard light, sending them sprawling to the floor. He formed a glyph in mid-air, catching himself before pulling his blade back.
"Take this!" he shouted, his glyph turned vermillion, blasting him downward. With a shout, he swung Overture, a violet blade of Gravity dust enveloping his thin blade. The Masked Man managed to get up in time, angling his axe in time to parry the attack.
"Haah!" they cried, pushing Levi back. He landed on the ground with a handspring, twisting his body around, dust cylinder stopping on wind dust. He cocked his gun, pulling the trigger as he sent himself flying forward.
"Stupid fucking cat!" they shouted, swinging their axe. It connected with Levi's body, sending him flying back. The Masked Man turned around just in time to shoot Penny's hand, the girl had finally grabbed the orb from the floor. She looked up at her, glowing green eyes boring into the Masked Man's own. "You should have left while you had the chance, you dumb robot."
Just as they raised their weapon up, a vermillion glyph flashed beneath their feet. Levi smirked, detonating it, sending the Masked Man flying upward. As they began falling, something wrapped around their body, yanking them down to the ground.
"You know, I don't appreciate you calling my friend a dumb robot."
The Masked Man looked up, staring into the angry eyes of Blake Belladonna, who had her gun trained on them. Levy and Penny shot out of the hole moments later, the orange-haired girl cradling the orb in her grasp. Levi looked relieved, a sheepish smile on his face. "Thanks for the save, Blake."
"Don't mention it, I'm just glad me and Yang were nearby,"
"Heh… doesn't matter how many more of you there are, I'm getting that orb and you aren't stopping me!" the Man said, grabbing a handful of snow. They threw it at Blake's face, sweeping her off her feet. With a few flips, they managed to grab their weapon, swinging it around and firing at Penny, who blocked it with Floating Array. They grit their teeth beneath their mask. "Stop resisting!"
"I should be saying that to you!" the cybernetic girl exclaimed, throwing the orb at Levi. "I'll hold her off, you get this out of here."
"I can't leave you guys out here."
"Your aura is low, Blake, and I can handle it. Now that the storm has died down, I can sense Ruby and Weiss. They're not far from here. Go, Levi!" Penny said, flying forward, clashing with the Masked Man. Levi looked at Blake, who gave him a nod.
"Go, I've got this."
"I owe you one, Blake," he replied, stepping onto one of his glyphs. With a flick of his wrist, he formed a path ahead of him, allowing him to run over the surface of the snow.
Gritting his teeth, the faunus raced forward, ignoring the gunshots and energy blasts behind him. Loud shotgun blasts joined in, followed by Yang's boisterous cries as she leaped into the fray. It took everything in his power not to stop or look back, he knew if he did, the Masked Man would catch up. What was worse was that the blizzard had finally died down, meaning he couldn't use it as a cover. He panted a bit, glancing at his scroll, seeing his aura slowly falling to the red.
"I gotta get back to our base camp, there should be aura boosters in our kit." he thought to himself as he ran, looking at the orb in his grasp. It was black in color, swirling with red energy. It was the size of a baseball, small enough to fit in his grasp and be hidden in your pocket. "What the hell is this? And why does that Masked Man want it so badly?"
Those thoughts fell to the back of his mind, as he spotted the tips of the tents that had been laid out. The metal walls had been knocked down by the wind, exposing a bit of their camp. He slid to a stop, trudging through the snow for a moment before finding the supply boxes. He dug through them, filling his pouch with more bullets as he looked for an auto-injector.
"Levi, they broke away! They're going after you!" Blake cried, causing him to look over his shoulder. He grit his teeth, pressing his finger over his communicator.
"Girls, hold them back as much as you can! I still haven't found what I'm looking for!" he replied, still fumbling around with his supplies.
"That's a tall order but we'll see what we can do. Whoever this person is, they must have super speed or something. Even Penny is having a hard time keeping up with her!" Yang exclaimed, making him frown.
"They must be motivated to get this thing back, whatever it is," he said, finally finding an auto-injector. He spotted the emergency flare gun as well, shoving it into his waistband. "Alright, I'm ready to go. Lead her to the base camp, we'll take her down together!"
"Roger that!" Blake replied, the line going dead seconds later. Levi pulled the cap off of the injector, rolling his sleeve and stabbing it into his skin. He jolted a bit, feeling a shudder going through his body. He glanced at his scroll, seeing his aura rising from the red back into the green.
"Thank the Gods we're in Atlas, I don't think I'd be able to afford something like this in Mistral." he thought to himself, tossing the injector away. He grabbed a couple more, ready to give them to his teammates.
He swallowed the lump in his throat, keeping his gaze on the horizon as he refilled his dust cylinder, each gem slowly being topped off. He finished just in time, the man raised his weapon just in time to parry a slash, courtesy of the Masked Man. He parried the attack, pushing the figure back with ease.
The man twirled his weapon around, summoning several glyphs around the Masked Figure. They glowed bright yellow and orange as they swirled around them, unleashing thick bolts of lightning and fire at the Masked Man, who swung their weapon to and fro in order to avoid being hit. Levi pulled Overture behind his back, blasting himself forward with an Energy Bullet.
He flashed with the Man, who growled as he pushed him back. They twirled their axe above their head, bringing it down on Levi. He pulled the trigger, using the recoil to parry the attack, spinning around his heel, he threw a blade of Gravity-infused aura forward, sending the figure flying back.
"Had enough?" he questioned, dust cylinder spinning.
"You do not understand me, animal. I require that orb in your possession, it is life and death for me. I will not fail my mission here, if I have to kill you and your friends, I will." they replied, loading shells into their weapon. "I'm not scared to kill people."
"I know you aren't, you've become quite proficient at it, haven't you?"
They growled, darting forward, bringing their axe down on Levi who used Overture's recoil to dart away. He delivered two swift slashes at their back, parrying another attack. He flipped out of the way, using a glyph as a platform so he didn't sink into the snow. He swept his sword around, sending a wave of snow and wind at the Masked Man, who was forced to cross their arms in a vain attempt to block it.
She turned around, just in time to block several sword strikes from Penny, growling in anger as the cybernetic girl joined the fray. Blake and Yang quickly surrounded them, weapons at the ready. The figure looked around, gauging their enemies, not making a move. They spun their weapon around, aiming the barrel downward, blasting the ground underfoot sending them flying through the air. Readjusting their weapon, they shot themselves right at Yang, weapon pulled back.
The blonde brawler pulled her fist back, sending a volley of bullets forward. She parried the Man's attacks, throwing several speedy jabs, leaving behind a series of glowing sticky bombs. Levi formed a vermillion glyph beneath the figure's feet, blasting her into the air.
"Quick Blake, grab them!" he cried.
"Got it!" she replied, flinging Gambol Shroud upward, wrapping it around the figure's waist. She pulled them down with all her strength, slamming her into the ground. Levi twirled his weapon around, getting ready to pounce.
The Masked figure threw a canister upward, laughing almost maniacally as it burst, filling the area with thick black smoke. Levi was quick to react, swinging his weapon around, blowing the smoke away with a green wind glyph. He looked around, his ears twisting around as he listened for the Figure's whereabouts.
"What the hell is up with this guy? It's like he's a feral animal." Yang said, looking around the area.
"You aren't that far from the truth, it seems they're hell-bent on getting that orb me and Penny found," Levi said, glancing over his shoulder at the cybernetic girl, who was floating a few feet away from them. "How are you holding up, Penny?"
"My systems are nominal but my aura is steadily depleting, I won't be able to continue fighting like this. We should reconvene with Weiss and Ruby and call a transport ship."
"Penny, behind you!" Blake suddenly called out, causing the girl to turn around. She let out a cry, being sent flying back into the tents. Her body glowed a brilliant green as her aura broke.
"How ironic, despite being a cyborg she still suffers from the same problems we do," the Masked Man said, loading shells into their weapon. "I must admit, I wasn't expecting to run into more Huntresses out here. I never expected to run into you either, animal."
"I make it a point of contention not to run into Masked Murderers," Levi said, glaring at the figure before them. "Whatever it is you want, you aren't getting it."
"On the contrary, I will be getting what I want and you aren't going to stop me," they replied, throwing another canister to the ground. This one exploded outward, causing the trio to leap away. The Masked Man dashed forward, aiming his axe at Levi who parried the attack with ease.
They became locked in a flurry of swipes and clashes, Levi doing his best to keep the figure at a distance. He darted away with a somersault, forming a vermillion glyph beneath his feet launching him into the air. He spun his weapon around, eyes narrowed as he sprung forward.
The Masked Masked man let out a chuckle, swinging their axe full force, slamming it into Levi's armor, sending him flying back into the snow. Yang blasted herself forward, angling her arm in time to block an incoming strike, following it with an uppercut right to the Masked Man's abdomen. They let out a cry of pain, aura flashing a bit before settling. They took a few steps back, shifting their weapon back into their shotgun form. She shot at Yang, making her back away.
"I'm not going to let you stop me!"
The Masked Man raised their weapon above their head, the light glinting off of the blade. They tried moving forward, only to find they weren't able to. Looking down, they noticed a spinning black glyph under their feet, keeping them completely in place. "What the?"
"You know, the next time you start attacking our friends, at least pay attention to your surroundings. That way you won't get caught in any traps,"
"Weiss!" Yang cheered, throwing her hand up in the air. "About time you made it! Where's Ruby?"
"Right here!" the red-cloaked girl replied, joining her partner, taking aim at the Masked Man. "So, this is the person that attacked you and Levi, right?"
"Yeah that's right, they walked right up behind me and pointed a gun right at my face," Levi said, brushing the snow off of his clothes as he approached the figure. He loaded a round into Overture, taking aim at the person. "So, are you going to do the honors, or will I?"
The Man started laughing, shaking their head. "If you think you have captured me, you are sorely mistaken. You've only slowed me down! You've no idea who you are dealing with!"
Before they could attack, a shrill screech filled the air, causing them to jolt in surprise. Blake glanced over her shoulder, amber eyes growing wide. "Grimm!"
"Shit, there must be a hundred of them!" Yang added, cocking her gauntlets.
"We can't deal with all of those, Penny's down and we're all low on aura and ammo!" Levi said, gritting his teeth. "Of all fucking things!"
The Masked Man merely laughed, shattering Weiss's glyph with her shotgun. They darted forward, striking Levi in the face. She reached into his pocket, grabbing a hold of the orb. He growled, grabbing a hold of the person's mask.
"You aren't going anywhere!" he exclaimed. They punched him again, their mask partially tearing as they finally got hold of the orb. "Stop!"
The figure managed to wrestle away from Levi, orb in their grasp as they took hold of their weapon. "Are you proud? You tried so hard yet you still failed!"
They hadn't realized their voice changer had been damaged. The voice sounded familiar to him, as, but he couldn't remember who it belonged to. The man narrowed his eyes, ignoring the cries of the Grimm around him. "Who the hell are you?"
"Who I am doesn't matter, what matters is that for the rest of your life, all you'll be is a massive failure. Have fun dealing with the Grimm, they are but a prelude of what's to come!" they said, laughing as they threw a canister down. It exploded, filling the area with thick black smoke. By the time it cleared, they were gone.
"Levi, are you alright?" Ruby questioned, causing the miqo'te to look at her.
"That Masked Man… they were a woman," he said, looking back at the spot where they had been. The figure hadn't noticed their torn mask or the fact that a bit of their face had been revealed. But it hadn't been enough to identify them. He shook his head, regaining his focus. "Forget about it, Ruby, watch over Penny, the rest of us will deal with these Grimm."
Ruby nodded, moving toward where her friend had fallen. Penny was unconscious, not reacting to anything. She wasn't sure what had happened, but she was certain her friends would explain once things calmed down. She could already tell it was going to be a long night for everyone.
xxx
"Did you get what I asked for?"
The Masked Man panted a bit, resting against the side of the bullhead, clutching their side. They reached for the top of their head, pulling off the tattered mask. Long pink hair flowed down their back, cornflower blue eyes filled with hatred.
"Yeah, I got your fucking orb," Octavia said, throwing the device to her sister, who looked at it with wonder. "I had to deal with some Huntresses who were out there, and that animal was there too."
"Animal? A faunus?"
"Yeah, tall and handsome kid, with ears and a tail. He had silver eyes," she said, causing her sister to gasp in surprise. She moved forward, grabbing Octavia by her shoulders, squeezing her hard.
"What was his name? Did you get his name?"
"Yes! His name was Levi Athan. He came with Weiss Schnee to ask our father some questions. He looked into him and found out he recently got his license in Atlas. Why do you care?" she asked, taken aback by her sister's sudden reaction. She let out a giggle, evolving into a full-blown laugh as she stepped away.
"So, my former partner is here in Atlas, how wonderful. Better yet, he has silver eyes too! Oh, I think My Mistress is going to enjoy hearing that. Here I thought that girl, Ruby, whom Cinder was so obsessed with was the only one. But there's another one…" she said, tilting her head slightly in thought. "Oh… so he lied to me, those allergies he had in school that he needed drops for… those were contacts. What a peculiar happenstance."
Octavia's eyes narrowed a bit, her jaw dropping in realization. "Wait, so that kid is… he was your partner back in Beacon?"
"That's right, he was. He's the reason why I am the way I am. If not for that stupid argument, Aria would be alive, Sonata wouldn't be a toy soldier and I…" she caught herself, body shaking with laughter. "It doesn't matter, we are one step closer to our goal with this little trinket of ours."
She held the orb out, her black hand twitching slightly as she held it. "Millions of Lien pissed away for a single glass orb. An artificial negative energy condenser. I still can't believe Atlas Scientists managed to condense fear into a tiny glass ball. My, the age of progress is amazing."
"Is that what that thing is?" Octavia asked, causing her sister to glare at her. She shoved the orb into her pocket, moving toward the front of the ship.
"We've wasted enough time here. It's time for us to return to Mantle, things are about to start getting… interesting," she said, a smirk on her face as she started the ship. Octavia swallowed the lump in her throat, glancing out the dropship window at the snowy tundra.
"Just what the hell is my sister thinking? She comes back after nearly two years of being presumed dead. And now all of this? Has she lost her mind? What did this Mistress do to her?" she asked herself, a question she likely would never get answered.
Location: Atlas Academy
A day had passed since Team RWBY's encounter with the Masked Man. They hadn't had much rest after the Grimm had swooped in on them. It had been a long and grueling night for them, but somehow they had managed. They had requested emergency backup, and it had arrived just in time. The soldiers of the Atlas Army took over, allowing the team of tired hunters to be taken back to the Academy. It had been one of the most grueling fights that Levi had been a part of, far more grueling than facing off against Cinder and cronies in Haven Academy, and even battling Adam Taurus.
He was tired and was looking forward to sleeping for the rest of the day. But he knew they had to report their findings to General Ironwood. He was anxious to speak with Neo, not knowing what she had found in his absence. He had noticed their joint file had been updated with new information but he hadn't had a chance to look at it. His mind was racing, a myriad of thoughts flowing through his mind.
Just who was that Masked Woman? Why was she out in the hostile environment of Solitas all by herself? What had driven her to agree to assist Ivy Brown? And just what was that orb she had stolen? She had fought tooth and nail against all of them to recover it. How did all of this tie back to Ivy Brown? Just what was going on here? There were so many questions and far too few answers. It was going to drive him insane.
"It is Day Two of Mantle's Protests. The Protesters have been picketing outside of the Grand Elevator, which physically connects the city of Mantle to the floating Kingdom of Atlas. General Ironwood has closed access to the Grand Elevator for the time being but has not specified a direct reason.
Due to these protests, civil unrest continues across all of Mantle. The citizens are demanding the immediate termination of General Ironwood's position on the Council. They are also requesting an end to the Embargo as well as Reopening the borders. Citizens from Mistral who have been stuck here since late September, have run out of government aid, and are losing hope of returning to their homes. Vale refugees from Beacon Heights, as well as the lower 9th ward, are requesting assistance, as they have seen their benefits slowly being reduced over time.
We approached General Ironwood earlier today for a comment, but he was unavailable. Special Operative Winter Schnee had this to say…
"We understand that our citizens don't trust the Atlas Military. It may seem as if we have abandoned you, but rest assured, we have not. Constant attacks toward our security as well as the integrity of the outer wall have made things challenging for the Military. We are taking all of your concerns to heart and are prepared to assist as best as you can. If you require medical aid, financial aid, or any other service, we encourage you to contact the toll-free numbers. We know that your trust in Atlas has wavered, but we have not abandoned you…"
This message was received poorly by the citizens, who resumed their protests around the city. Mantle Police Department, which has put all of its resources into locating Mantle's Serial Killer, has had to pull back and reshuffle their officers to guard against protesters. Cases of Vandalism, Petty Theft, and Looting are being reported all over the East Side of Mantle, and Grimm Attacks have increased in the North Sector of Mantle. We plead that you take care in these trying times…
And now, onto Council Election News. Council Seat Candidate: Jacques Schnee has made-"
Weiss closed her scroll, a frown on her tired face as she pocketed the device. She looked over her shoulder at her friends, who had seemingly been paying attention to the news segment. She forced a smile onto her face. "It couldn't have gotten worse than it was, right?"
"Worse than it was? People were throwing bricks at Military Aid trucks," Yang scoffed, crossing her arms. "This is turning into a real shitshow. I understand that the General wants to prioritize Amity Tower but come on. He can't just ignore what's going on!"
"With that wave of Grimm out in the Tundra as well as the Military being spread across Mantle, we are spread too thin. There might be a crack, and if it forms, things will become worse for all of us." Ruby said, tugging on her cloak. "There has to be something we can do."
"Yeah, sit down, shut up, and do our jobs," Blake said, sounding pessimistic. "I hate to say it, guys, but we need to listen to what the General orders. Even if we don't agree with it. Amity Tower needs to be prioritized,"
"Mhmm… and then when the whole world learns about Salem, they can all be pissing their pants at the same time. It'll attract Grimm away from Atlas at the very least,"
Weiss shook her head, glaring at her blonde-haired friend. "It won't be like that, Yang. Atlas is more than capable of handling whatever comes. As to whether the people will be ready… of that, I'm not so sure."
"Not everyone will be, but that's what we're here for, right?" Levi questioned, glancing out the window, toward the city of Atlas. He looked at his reflection in the glass, sighing softly. "I just hope we're able to handle it."
"LEVI!"
In a fraction of a second, the miqo'te faunus was tackled to the ground, the air escaping his lungs. He had a fearful look on his face as he stared deep into Nora's eyes. "Hi… Nora…"
"It's been such a long time since we've seen you! You have no idea how many cool things we've seen!" she said, practically straddling his waist. Ren stood next to her, arms crossed, a look of slight annoyance on his face.
"Nora, what have I told you about tackling our friends?" he asked, making her frown.
"Only do it when they know about it."
"No, that's not-"
"It's fine, Ren. I needed one of Nora's tackles, she knows how to pull me back into reality," he said with a chuckle. The orange-haired girl finally got off of him, allowing him to see Jaune's outstretched hand, which he readily took. "Good to see you guys."
"Same! Sorry we haven't been in contact, General Ironwood gave us one bastard of a mission. We had to rescue some lost settlers north of here and well…" he scratched his neck, looking a bit embarrassed.
"While Ren, Nora, and I helped those settlers, all of the single mothers kept asking Jaune for favors," Oscar added, a smirk on his face. "I wish you could have seen it. Oh Jaune, your cooking is so good. Oh, Jaune, you must try my pie, it is absolutely to die for. Jaune, will you marry my Momma and become my new Papa?"
"Ayo, what the fuck?" Yang coughed, breaking into laughter as she clapped Jaune's shoulder, pulling him close. "Goddamn, Vomit Boy, here I thought you would never get a wife."
"It isn't like that, Yang, seriously."
"It's the haircut, I swear. Even when he's on crossguard duty, all of these really hot moms follow after him." Nora said, giving Jaune a look, wiggling her brows. "It really shows off that cute boyish charm of his."
"Hm… I can't deny it either, the haircut does highlight a lot of his good points. Perhaps that's why our friend is being bombarded by so many women," Ren said, glancing at Jaune who looked away in embarrassment.
"That aside, we need to focus on the here and now. We're about to report to the General, were you about to do the same?" Jaune asked.
"Yep, we just got ferried out of the tundra. We were assigned to the outskirts of Fort Arrowfell, there's been a lot of Grimm activity out there." Ruby said, sighing audibly as they continued on their way to the General's office. "That wasn't the only thing we found out there."
"What else did you find out there?" Oscar questioned, a look of curiosity on his face. Levi decided to answer, a firm look on his face.
"Me and Weiss have been investigating the killings down in Mantle. During that, we faced off against a Masked Man who attacked us. Me and Penny faced off against that same person, and then the girls helped fight her off, but she ended up taking this orb we found."
"Seems like you had quite the action-packed mission," Nora said, earning groans from Team RWBY. "Which reminds me, what happened to Neo and Alto? Neither of them were here when we arrived,"
"We left Neo in charge of manning our case while we were gone, as for Alto, the last I heard, she was off on a training mission," Weiss replied, holding back a yawn. "I'm certain they'll show up at some point."
Silence fell over the group as they finally arrived at the General's office. Ruby gave a knock, and once the man replied, they all filed in. The tired expression on the General's face lightened a bit when he saw them, a small smile upon his face. "Teams RWBY and ORNJ, good to see you back in one piece."
"Good to be back, General. We'd like to give our mission reports. We'll let Jaune go first," Ruby said, gesturing for the blond boy to step forward. Ironwood nodded, allowing him to speak.
"We're happy to report that the village of Sanctity not only received the supplies it requested from Dormir but it has been cleared of Grimm. We also managed to deliver the necessary materials to strengthen their walls and fix their CCT Relay Tower." Jaune said, a cheerful look on his face.
"Not only that, but Jaune made a lot of fans in the village, about 12 single moms are vying for his affections. They requested he be sent back as soon as possible,"
"Nora!" Ren scolded, causing the girl to giggle.
"I see. Well, I am quite pleased to hear the people of Sanctity have been spared the harshness of this late blizzard. As for the requests of those mothers, I'm afraid I won't be able to comply with it. There are quite a lot of things on the forefront that we must take care of first," Ironwood said, firmly. "Is that all?"
"Aside from stopping to handle a few Grimm near the Eastern Wall, nothing to report. Our mission was quite calm." Oscar said.
"Excellent, you four have earned a break. Feel free to rest up, tomorrow you will be returning to your usual missions. You are dismissed for now," the man said, earning nods from Team ORNJ. Jaune gave Yang and Levi a fist bump while Nora happily waved, swiftly leaving the office. Ironwood shifted his gaze back to Ruby, sitting up a bit. "I'm sure you know why I dismissed them early."
"Sort of."
The General rose to his feet, hitting a button on his desk. The shudders behind him closed, the doors behind them locked. A hologram appeared on his desk, showing a map of some underground tunnels. "Fort Arrowfell" was written at the top. Levi poured over the designs, seeing just how large that complex truly was.
"This is…"
"An underground lab built beneath Fort Arrowfell," Ironwood said, finishing Levi's sentence. He walked around the desk, standing beside the map. "This fort was the site of various experiments conducted by the Atlas Military. Various weapons were developed here and were the basis of many of the firearms employed by the Military today. Among them was another item, one you should be familiar with."
The map disappeared, being replaced by images of an orb. It was the same Orb that he and Penny ended up finding. "This device is known only by its prototype name: The Emotion Orb. It was created with the hope that it would keep the Creatures of Grimm out of the city."
"How does it work?" Yang asked curiously.
"Upon the device's activation, it generates a thin smog that isn't visible to the human eye. This smog is created from fear energy. The scientists that created it believed that by using these orbs, we could keep the Grimm away from settlements. However, they didn't work as intended. Despite them generating fear energy, the Grimm still sought out living breathing beings. These orbs only allowed them to congregate in larger numbers,"
"That's because Grimm aren't just attracted to negative emotions. They're also attracted to Aura." Levi said, causing the girls to look at him. He looked away from the screen, meeting their gazes. "What? I thought that was common knowledge?"
"It isn't that common. How were you able to figure it out?" Weiss asked, earning a shrug from the young man.
"It was just something that clicked. The Lamp got me thinking, if Grimm are attracted to it, perhaps it's because of the being that lives inside it. It's a living creature too, right? So its aura must be stronger than ours."
"An astute observation. That is indeed correct, it is information that will slowly be told to the public as soon as we are able to. Alas, this orb is something we thought would never be found, that is until you and Penny landed inside that worn-down corridor." Ironwood continued, standing in front of the group. "We reviewed Penny's memory banks and witnessed the battle you had with that Masked Assailant."
"We're still not sure what was wrong with that person. The way they battled was like that of a feral animal. They wanted to get that Orb at any cost, to the point where they broke away from me and Yang and went after Levi," Blake stated, a look of seriousness on her face. "What could they want with that orb?"
"I'm not sure, but now that it has fallen into their hands, we can only expect the worst. And a time like this… there's so much civil unrest, political turmoil… The Amity Project has stalled due to lack of materials, we are dealing with thieves and Grimm, and worst of all, we're still not sure we'll be able to launch it." Ironwood said, bowing his head slightly.
"That person is a woman… I managed to tear off a bit of their mask and heard them speak. Her voice sounded familiar but I don't know where I heard it. Worse yet, according to the joint file me and Weiss started, Neo found out that she was the one who killed those journalists. She has ties to Ivy Brown and Antonio DiCappriccio. That murder case spans way beyond the scale I first imagined," Levi said, sighing audibly. "I'd like to get back to it as soon as I can, I want to read everything Neo has found out so that I can get some headway into it."
"Indeed, we have to at least try to find this person. We weren't able to recover that orb, but we should be able to figure out that person's identity. With everything that Neo found as well as our contacts in Mantle, things should flow easily," Weiss added, only for Ironwood to shake his head.
He stood up straight, placing his hands behind his back as he addressed the team before him. "I'm afraid that won't be possible. As this orb is secret Atlas technology, technology that shouldn't have left Fort Arrowfell, this case is now going to be handled by the Special Operations Unit. I've forwarded all the information to the Ace-Ops as well as Special Operative Piccolo who will be spearheading the investigation."
Levi remained silent for a moment, not really knowing how to reply. He let out a tired sigh, rubbing his eyes. "I understand the circumstances have changed, General, but me and Weiss have been on this case since the beginning. We can't just abandon it halfway. Not only that, I don't think it's a wise idea placing Sonata at the head of this investigation… especially because her father is involved in this,"
"Yes I know, I wanted to place Winter in charge of this, but she is currently handling some business. As she cannot leave Atlas Academy, the only other available Special Operative must be sent out. She has been briefed and has attained all of the information from the file Miss Brunswick forwarded to Winter. She's taken it as well as she could,"
"I can only imagine. One day, you are living a life of danger protecting the people of Mantle from Grimm, and the next, you are investigating your own father for fraud and colluding with criminals. I feel bad for Sona." Yang said firmly.
"It is what it is, we can't really say or do anything. It is a shame her father involved himself in this, but that's what happens when you resort to crime." Ruby added, a look of disappointment on her face.
"She's right. We can't really say or do anything about it, this is just the cards we've been dealt with." Blake added, giving Levi and Weiss a smile. "You two did an excellent job, but this mission is out of your purview. You've made a large amount of headway, I'm sure this case will be closed soon!"
"I sure hope so… with everything that's happening in Mantle, I just hope that we don't have any more bodies on the ground," Weiss said, withholding her enthusiasm.
"My apologies, I'm certain you wanted to see it through to the end. But with so many moving parts as well as this stolen equipment, it is better it be handled by more experienced Huntsmen. For the time being, you may return to your dorms for some much-needed rest. Like Team ORNJ, you will be assigned to Amity Colosseum, to ensure its protection and make sure supplies are flowing smoothly."
"Yes sir!" The 5 of them exclaimed, saluting the General. He gave them a smile and a nod, officially dismissing them. The 5 of them swiftly left, hoping to finally get some much-needed sleep.
xxx
"I'm sorry, Chief. It's out of my hands now, things have been getting worse and worse, the General had us reassigned." Levi said, causing the man to sigh.
"Of course, just when things were getting good. The army gets involved, starts solving this mess, and quits just before we hit the finish line." the Chief said, clearly annoyed.
"That isn't the case, though I've been reassigned, someone else was assigned to the case. Special Operative Sonata Piccolo has taken the case. She'll see it through to the end." he said, making the man scoff.
"I certainly doubt it. Whatever, I'll just keep doing my job. Was a pleasure working with you and the Princess, have fun on your new assignment." the man said, ending the call. Levi frowned as the call ended. Before he could pocket his scroll, it started ringing, this time being Valentine. He tapped the screen, taking the call.
"Hey Val, what's up?"
"I'm just checking in. How are things?"
The faunus frowned, ears folding back as he stared at his screen. "Due to certain circumstances that I can't go into right now, I've been taken off the case."
The black-haired man remained silent, not knowing what to say. He processed what his friend had said, letting out an aggravated sigh. "So that's it then? The General removed you because of circumstances you can't explain?" Valentine asked.
"That's right. We don't have a say in the matter either, what was found in Fort Arrowfell is dangerous, and in the wrong hands it could cause a lot of discord."
"As if the protests aren't doing that,"
The silver-haired miqo'te sighed as he lay back in his bed, staring at his ceiling. "Trust me, there are a lot of things I wanted to do when I got back. But I just won't be able to. That Masked woman attacked us twice, she's far stronger than I had anticipated. We're no slouches, but we have our hands full."
He heard Valentine scoff on the other end of the line. "I hardly doubt you 5 weren't able to bring down that lady."
"If we were at full health, we would have. But the blizzard had battered our auras, we were tired and low on ammo. We just couldn't do a damn thing to her. We got her aura close to shattering but she disappeared before we could finish her off. Whatever she's planning, it certainly won't go well in Mantle."
The black-haired man sighed on the other line, leaning back in his seat. "What'll we do now? Neo and that wolf girl, Alto, went in deep. They got recordings from the Opera House, took down several goons, and confirmed a lot of our suspicions. Aside from that, Neo managed to steal information from Piccolo's PC confirming his involvement."
"They did all of that… really? Wow, I wasn't even aware Alto was involved in this."
"Yeah, that mute girl you left us with dragged her into it. She was kicking and screaming but eventually the kicking and screaming turned into kicking and fighting. She kept mentioning something about not weighing like a ton of bricks. Hell knows what that even means," Valentine said, causing Levi to chuckle.
"Whatever the case may be, this thing is out of our hands. All I can suggest is you work with the people they assigned."
"That Sonata girl, right?"
"Yep." the silver-haired man said, closing his eyes. "My best friend… the girl my leader sacrificed her life to save. She's a good woman, if she's on the case, you can trust her."
"Oh ho ho, melancholic are we now? Do you perhaps have feelings for this woman?" Valentine asked.
"Feelings? Of course, I don't. The only feelings I have toward Sonata are regret, for what happened in Beacon. It's because of me that she's in the condition she's in. She's more cybernetic than human now, all because of a petty fucking argument." Levi snapped, squeezing his scroll hard.
"Look, I'm sorry man. It was a joke, I didn't mean to rile you up. I've got to go, it won't be long until that girl shows up here. I have to be ready to provide all of the information we've gathered. I've gone ahead and told the Chief about you and Weiss being taken off the case. It's likely your S.O. friend will visit him as well." Valentine said, sounding a bit nervous as he spoke. "Ah, and before I forget, speak with Teri, would you? She's been dying to speak with you about Eorzea but the world keeps preventing you from doing that."
He didn't reply for a moment, finally relenting. "Sure, I owe her that much at least. Just as long as she doesn't pet my ears. It's embarrassing."
"I'll let her know. Get some rest man, you sound like you need it." Valentine said, ending the call shortly after. Levi stared at the device before placing it on the table beside him, frowning.
"As if, there's far too much going on for me to just sleep."
He forced himself to get up, grabbing Overture's case. He started topping off his Gems, making sure he was ready just in case. He heard footsteps beyond his door before they even knocked, he called out to them. "It's open."
Neo and Alto stepped into the room, bearing similar looks on their faces. He looked up from what he was doing, growing concerned. "What's up?"
"You aren't going to like this, Levi," Alto said, gesturing for Neo to step forward. She held her scroll out to him, gesturing for him to take it. He looked at it, his eyes widening.
"We Need to Talk."- Cinder
He looked up from the message, his face going pale. "We need to tell the girls."
Location: DiCappriccio Opera House, Mantle
"Finally, with this trinket in my hand, things are going to start changing around here,"
Octavia frowned, holding her ribs tightly. She had a large bruise on her side, along with a few other injuries that were slowly healing. She hissed a bit in pain, resting up against the stage. "What exactly is that thing?"
"This, my dear sister, is our ticket to dominating Mantle. This item was created by scientists during the early days of the Kingdom of Atlas. When labs and other things were still in Mantle. A colleague of mine learned about it from a former friend. He told me that it was a useless trinket best left abandoned, but I see the practicality in things. This object will help pave the way for my Mistress to arrive,"
Antonio let out a cough, grabbing his daughter's attention. "This Mistress of yours… what is she like?"
"Oh, she's just wonderful! She loves and adores all of us, but she is a very scary person when she is double-crossed. She has places for all of you too! All you have to do is swear fealty to her, and forget about anything that you could ever want." she said, turning away from the man, tugging on her hood. "For when you put your desires above her own, that is when everything will truly be lost to you."
"She… doesn't sound like a kind woman," her mother said, causing her to glare at the woman.
"Not a kind woman? Why, that kind woman was the one who saved me. It is her creatures that replaced my destroyed limbs! Replaced my organs. It is because of her that I stand before you, and you have the nerve to insult her? How dare you!"
"Cadenza!"
She looked over her shoulder at her father, glaring at him. "Do not speak to your mother like that. We are eternally grateful for what she did to you. But do not forget where you are and who you are speaking to."
Cadence met the man's gaze with her own. She scoffed, looking away from him. "Whatever, remember your place, Father. Compared to my Mistress, you are no one. Now then, have you spoken to your friend, Ivy? We need her to stir the pot, as it were, and really get that discord sowing."
"Of course I did, she's preparing things as she speaks. In fact, she's called for an impromptu rally. She's going to do just as you ask. So long as she gets paid for what she is doing, of course."
She rolled her eyes, snapping her fingers. Harmony let out a scream as a floating orb materialized beside her. The jellyfish like Grimm moved toward Cadence, holding a silver briefcase in its grasp. She took hold of it before handing it to her father. "Is that enough?"
The man opened it, seeing several stacks of Lien resting inside. He looked at his daughter, wondering where she had even gotten it. He merely nodded, closing the case back up and placing it on the stage. "It's enough. What else will you have us do?"
"Hm…" the girl mumbled, tapping her finger on her chin. "Have the Cobras set up those explosives how I asked of them?"
"Yes, we got word from King Cobra earlier. Everything is in position and hidden away so no one sees it. All we need is your order and they'll be detonated." Antonio said. Cadence clapped her hands gleefully.
"Excellent, well then, all we have to do is sit back, relax, and watch the chaos unfold, and just when it seems like there's a little bit of hope… we'll blow up those walls." the pinkette said, sighing with happiness. "Oh, Mistress, I can't wait for you to see the good work I am doing for you. Much better than that fucking bitch, Cinder. Those Fall Maiden powers will be mine, and then… then I'll be able to get my revenge on the one who abandoned me."
Octavia shared a look with her parents, who both looked very concerned. She decided to keep her comments to herself. The last thing she needed was to anger her sister any more than she already was.
Location: Schnee Manor
"I must admit, Arthur, your methods do decent work, despite leaving a bad taste in my mouth," Jacques said, as he read through the current news articles. "I do wonder if my wayward daughter and that animal by her side will be able to solve this problem."
"Oh, I have no doubts this will certainly attract them. And if not, our friend James will certainly put some of his best at the helm." the man said, sipping at his whiskey as he looked through the window. "How will you respond? My contact down in Mantle has confirmed Ivy Brown is hosting a rally today."
The white-haired man chuckled, leaning back in his seat. "She's merely trying to rally the troops, get the people to side with her. After all, there is an evil murderer out there killing her supporters, and the one suspect is none other than James Ironwood himself. As for me, I have a few plans to make sure the people rally toward my cause. All Mantle needs is a little push after all."
"What exactly are you planning?" the doctor asked, glancing back at his friend. Jacques merely smirked.
"It's quite simple, the powder keg is ready to explode, the fuse has yet to be lit. All it needs is a little spark. I've already decided my course of action, all you must do is ensure my victory and I will get you what you need,"
Arthur nodded, gaze shifting back toward the window. Jacques cleared his throat, rising from his chair. "You've yet to tell me… what exactly do you want those codes for."
"Oh, you'll see… Atlas is a kingdom of progress and technology, but it holds something that we require. A new change is about to sweep over this closed-off nation, my friend. You stand at a great precipice, one that Atlas might not survive. You best get used to the idea of living by simple means, in the future, you might not have your lavish accommodations."
"What exactly is it that you are after?"
The doctor laughed, shaking his head. "Now, that isn't part of our agreement here, Jacques. I'm afraid if I told you what my plans are, we might end up having to… take care of you. And I don't want that. You just focus on winning this election for us, I'll handle everything else."
A sudden ring filled the room, causing Jacques to look at Arthur in curiosity. He reached into his pocket for one of his scrolls, putting the device to his ear. "Yes?"
"Dr. Watts, it's your favorite little experiment."
"Ah, Odette, good of you to call. I wasn't expecting your arrival in Mantle for a few more days. How are things on your end?"
"Things are going swell. I'm calling to let you know that things down in Mantle are going according to plan. We managed to retrieve that item you told us about, all we need is the proper timing and we'll handle the rest."
"Fantastic, you are doing so much better than Cinder, you take things seriously and don't let petty sentiments derail you. I'm certain Her Grace will reward you handsomely," Arthur said, earning a giggle from the woman.
"Oh, I only want one thing, Doctor. And that is those neat magic powers… I know Cinder will arrive in Mantle, and I know she'll try to kiss our Mistress's Ass. That will be her undoing and an opportunity for me. I have yet to track down the Relic of Knowledge but I am certain it is in the Academy, likely being kept by my former partner."
Arthur remained silent for a moment before speaking. "The lamp was last seen in the possession of Ruby Rose, the girl Cinder wanted to murder. Your former partner was among them as well and I know for a fact he is here in Atlas."
"I am aware myself. My sister had a run-in with him and that pet project of Ironwood's. She almost didn't make it, but we still got what we needed. My father has encouraged Ivy Brown to host another rally. Am I to assume Tyrian is up to a little fun?"
The doctor rolled his eyes, holding back the urge to laugh. "You know he's always up for a little fun, my dear. I'll relay the message, I'm certain he'll enjoy himself."
"He will, and it'll be our ticket to Ironwood's downfall. I'll leave you to it, you keep prodding that dusty snowman, would you?"
"I will, don't you worry. Good day, Odette." Arthur said, ending the call. He turned back to Jacques, who had returned to watching the news. The man looked up from his Holovision, meeting eyes with the man. "Good news, the pieces are almost aligned. Whatever it is you are planning, it will lead to a great change in Mantle."
"Good to hear. I am currently preparing my speech. I have been inspired by Miss Brown. I too shall give my own announcement. The noose is wrapping tighter around the General's neck. It's about time we pull on it, isn't it?"
Location: Atlas Academy
"So she's finally here?" Yang asked, leaning against the wall. She had a bottle of soda in her grasp, her fingers flexing a bit as she spoke. "What's the plan then?"
"It's a simple one, Neo is going to make contact with her. Her Semblance allows her to make one solid copy of herself that acts and behaves like her. It's how she made contact with Cinder the first time in Mistral. That copy will remain here acting as her, while the real Neo sticks with Cinder." Levi said, glancing at Neo. She had a look of disappointment on her face as she held her scroll out.
"Before anything, I have to apologize for my future actions. In order to make it believable, I will have to devolve back to how I was before. We might have to cross blades, but I hope it doesn't come to that. Cinder believes that I have all of you fooled, that's how it'll remain." the device said, only for Alto to hug her.
"Oh, you don't have to apologize for anything, Neo. We've all forgiven you! Even I forgave you for forcing me into that wooden crate not long ago."
"Wooden crate?" Weiss questioned, causing the wolf faunus to shake her head.
"We need to be careful," Jaune said, grabbing their attention. He had his hand on the hilt of his sword, a look of seriousness on his face. "This woman is dangerous, far more so now that she has no one to back her up. She's a loose cannon, and with the Fall Maiden's magic, it'll be a lot harder to deal with her."
"It will be hard to deal with things, but don't forget what happened to us at Haven. Sad as it is to admit, we were reckless. Cinder will use Pyrrha against us, we cannot let her do that." Ren said, only for Nora to groan.
"Can we just break her legs already? She won't be able to fight back with broken legs!"
"She's half Grimm now, Nora. I don't think breaking her legs will be enough," Blake added. Her gaze shifted toward Ruby, who had been silently staring at her hands. The red-cloaked girl looked up, forcing a smile onto her face. "Are you okay?"
"I am… I just wasn't expecting her to show up all of a sudden. I knew eventually she would but… Mantle is suffering. The people are protesting, there's political unrest all over the place, and now that Masked Woman stole that Emotion Orb. I don't know what the future holds for all of us, but it doesn't look pretty."
Levi closed his eyes for a moment, gathering his thoughts. He turned back around, looking at Ruby. "We need to speak to Maria. The faster the both of us learn how to use our Silver Eyes, the better. It might sound like a McGuffin or some last-minute uber-powerful relic, but it's something that'll help us out a lot."
"It's a shame your eyes only work in the presence of Grimm. It'd be a really useful all-purpose ability, huh?"
"Things are never that simple, Yang. The ability clearly takes a lot out of the user. The last time Ruby used it, she was extremely tired, we can't have her or Levi overuse it." Weiss added, forcing a smile onto her face. "You two need to learn more about it, but don't overuse it and don't rely on it too much, okay?"
"Heh… is the Snow Angel concerned over her best friend's well-being?" the blonde brawler asked, earning a glare from the former heiress.
"Do you think-" Oscar paused, having broken his silence. The others looked at him, looking concerned from the expression on his face. He looked up, his olive-green eyes filled with worry. "Do you think… if Oz was here, we'd have a better plan?"
"We can't say for certain. He would have guided us as best he could, but sadly, he has decided to close himself away. We can't blame him, what we did was wrong, even if it was necessary," Ruby said, making him sigh.
"I understand. I'm just having a hard time getting used to things. I've been training with James whenever I can, hoping to jog him out. Sadly, nothing has persuaded him. I'm starting to wonder if he will ever return. I know eventually he will but-"
"Hey, you have nothing to worry about, okay Ozzy? Things are going to be just fine, we'll solve this and you'll still be you. Just believe in yourself, because I do." Alto said, giving him a toothy grin. The boy flushed, coughing into his fist while looking away.
"R-right."
"Well, thanks for informing us of this, but we have to head out. Team FNKI wanted to train with us when we returned. We promised Neon we would and you know how she is when she doesn't get her way," Jaune said, making Nora groan.
"That girl has way too much energy."
"That's funny coming from you, Nora, given the fact that you share a lot of Neon's traits," Alto said.
"What? I do not!" she replied, glancing at Ren. "I don't do I?"
He remained silent, opening his mouth to speak for a moment before closing it. He pressed his lips together, shrugging his shoulders. "Perhaps a little-"
Nora wordlessly left, heading toward the door. Ren looked at the rest of his team, who had nothing to say to him. He hung his head, following after his best friend. Alto shared a brief hug with Neo, Weiss, and Levi before following after the rest of her teammates. Jaune paused by the door, looking back at Team RWBY.
"Keep us posted with whatever happens, alright?"
"You got it, Jaune. Have fun training, we'll go train after ya." Ruby said. He nodded, taking his leave shortly after. Silence hung over them for a moment, no one knowing what to say. Levi stood up, glancing at his scroll for a moment.
"Metera just messaged me, she told me Ivy Brown is hosting a rally down in Mantle. I know I'm not on the case anymore, but I wanna listen to what she has to say. Maybe she'll say something incriminating."
"Are you sure you wanna head down there? We just got back, it'd be best if you rested up a bit." Blake said, looking worried.
"Normally I would, but I just can't let this one go. I won't get myself into any trouble, I promise," he replied. Neo took a hold of his hand, pulling him to a stop before he left the room. "What's up?"
"I'm coming with you." she signed, making him nod.
"Fine, but no funny business. We can discuss a few things as we head down there, especially about your plan for Cinder. We need to make sure all loose ends are tied,"
Neo rolled her eyes, but nodded, loyally following after him. Yang finished the last of her drink, glancing at Weiss who had been staring at her scroll. "Aren't you gonna head down with them?"
"They'll be fine. I agreed to meet up with my sister so I couldn't go even if I wanted to," she said, pocketing the device. She loaded Myertenaster's cylinder with Dust, sliding the weapon into the ring at her hip. "What'll you be doing?"
"I'll be catching some sleep. I have no idea what Yang will be doing," the cat faunus said, climbing up to her bunk. It didn't take long for her to bury herself in her bedsheets, making Yang giggle.
"You would take a catnap right now. As for me, I might hit up the training room too. I got a bit sloppy with that Masked Bitch earlier. I wanna make sure I'm in tip-top shape." she said, glancing at her sister. "What about you, Rubes?"
"Hm? Oh… Penny messaged me just now, she asked me if I was available for a supply run. I'm still recovering from our last mission but I don't wanna just sit here and do nothing. Uncle Qrow and Clover will be coming along too so I doubt anything will happen."
"Hm… okay, be careful alright? Make sure you have spare ammo, extra medical equipment, water, food, and don't forget-"
"Yang I'll be fine," Ruby said, hugging her sister tightly. "I hopefully won't be long. If anything comes up, you let me know, okay?"
Ruby left not long after, leaving behind a worried Yang. She sighed, glancing at Weiss who had yet to leave. "You think she's doing okay? I can tell all of this is putting a lot of pressure on her."
"Honestly speaking, I think she needs to open up to us more. It's rough having so many things to do with almost little breaks. I think she took that request from Penny as a distraction and I don't blame her. Won't be long until Mantle explodes and we're left picking up the pieces." she said, sighing. "Maybe Levi was right, we should have headed to Vacuo."
As Weiss left, Yang sat down at her bed, glancing out the window. "Things aren't that bad, are they Blake?"
She didn't get a reply from her friend, and that was enough of an answer for the blonde woman.
A/N: Things are heating up