Ch 20: The Phantom Pain PTIV

Three days have passed since the latest attack on Beacon, perpetrated by the WF. Yet Mako, you find yourself squatting in the Schnee's vacation residence. This goes through my mind as I put a clean bandage on Jaune's chest. "You know Jaune, you are lucky you just got some cuts and bad bruising. What happened to you could have been way worse." I tell him as he lay still on the master bed, with a sleeping Pyrrha at his side.

He looks at Pyrrha, "It is all worth it since my body basically protected hers from the impact. I'm just glad she is nearly all healed up."

"So am I, then she can change your bandages." I attempt to laugh to lighten the mood. How can you lighten the mood after your school just got attacked, and the new city you live in as well?

"Yea, you are right. No offense, it's kind of weird having a guy change these stupid bandages. I liked it more when really hot nurses did it back at Beacon." He smiles as he says this.

"Jaune, where did the evacuation ships take the rest of the students?" I ask him.

"I think I overheard Ozpin saying they were going to the Mistral Region, that everyone would be safer there till this passes over. Also Commander White mentioned Fort Winter, which I think is the base of operations for the GICD." He finished this and looked back at Pyrrha. That would make a lot of sense. But we are in Southern Vale, how the hell will we get up that far north to Mistral?

"Alright Jaune, get some rest." I say before I walk away, out the door, shutting it gently behind me. Down the spiral staircase to meet Blake. I find her sitting in front of a TV. It reads "Kingdom of Vale's Military is attempting to hold the WF back from the central part of Vale City". The look on Blake's face is a worried one.

"Blake you need to buy some boat tickets for Mistral." I blurt out, she is startled at first at the sound of my voice.

"You mean Mistral, the snow kingdom far up north?" She asks with curiosity.

"Yes, Jaune told me the rest of the students were supposed to head there for safety. I want you to take Jaune and Pyrrha, they can't stay here forever, neither can you." I tell her with a stern look on my face.

"So you aren't coming? I thought we would work through these problems together?" She questions me.

"Blake, you know I love you. But what is happening is because of me. I pissed of the WF, I caused them to attack Beacon. They have already taken so much from me, I won't let them take you from me either, that is where I draw the line. Where ever I am, they will try to find me. That's why I am staying her in Vale alone. I won't let them hurt anymore innocent people." Blake starts to tear up as I say this. I walk over to her and hug her. "Don't worry the three of you all will be safe in Mistral, the kingdom has the finest Army of the 4 Kingdoms. But Blake, I need to get back at them. I hate to say it but I want revenge for all that they have done. For those brave soldiers who died in the halls of Beacon, for the students who more than likely are still strewn across the lawn." as I say this, she slowly let's go.

"Mako, I think you are doing this for another thing: yourself. You just won't let this go, this obsession. You've changed, I know I said before you haven't changed, but Mako you are changing, and I don't want to lose the guy I fell in love with." She started crying, the tears running down her face and neck.

"You know I have to do this though, right?" I say this as she nods. I hand her some money for tickets and give her one last kiss before I walked out the front door, down the street to the rental store to rent a motorcycle for myself. This should help me if I ever have to make a quick getaway. I started its engine and rode off down the road, not looking back, knowing that the journey I was about to begin would not be an easy one.

2 Months Later

I sit on the side of a valley, viewing the country side that is teeming with life. I think today would be my birthday, nothing like celebrating your birthday by being alone in a valley. I frown and stand up turning around to walk back to where I had put my things. I've been waging a one man war against the WF. The City of Vale and the cities west of Vale are under occupation under the WF. For the past month I have been hitting WF outposts, attempting to find out where the leadership of the WF is. Fortunately for them, I have no leads. I haven't heard from Blake, or anyone else. I hope they made it to Mistral. I bend down and pick up my sword.

Reaching in my back pocket I pull out a rag, and then I stick my hand into my backpack, searching for some water. Eventually finding it, I pour some onto the rag and begin cleaning my sword. This is one of the many things I can do to pass some time until night. I think about all the things that have occurred up until now, since the beginning of the semester. The faces of those I saw die pass through my mind. The screams of those that I have killed. All of a sudden, my day dreaming is stopped by a crackle in a radio I stole from a WF Patrol.

"This is Squad 3, we are in the convoy and are making our way to Vale City." The chatter said over the radio. So it seems a WF convoy is making the journey to Vale City. Wouldn't want them to go alone. I smile as I extinguish my fire pit and gather the few things I had. The road they will come down runs right through the valley, guess I'll ambush them then. I jump over the side of the cliff sliding down the side of the hill. My shoes sent a cape of dirt flying behind me as I braced myself for an immediate stop at the bottom, made possible with my sword. I drove it into the ground, ceasing my sliding motion. There is the road 5 meters ahead, now all I have to do is wait.

Mako, as you have seen, has changed over these 2 months. I will go further into detail regarding this next chapter. I am nearly finished with this part of the Phantom Pain story arc. Then hopefully Mako can carry on with his adventures... or will he?