Heretic notes:
Alright, you people know how this work! You will need BGM for this chapter.
Blah blah only play it when I say so blah blah blah
The music is...
Homestuck Vol. 7 - At The Price of Oblivion
To avoid confusion, turns out the volume name is also ''At The Price of Oblivion'', so you guys will have to find the sole OST whose name is ''At The Price of Oblivion. It's about 3:24 minutes long, starts a bit melancholic then picks up?
You will know it when you hear.
Well, here goes
Yang walked along with Weiss.
The blonde looked at her scroll angain and couldn't believe it, but finally the conference was over.
"Oh, boy... this is really really bad".
Weiss ignored her and walked forward.
"Weiss!" Yang followed. "Wait! Where do you think you are going?"
"I'm going to contact my family!" She said. "I can't let those guys do as they please!"
"Nuh-huh. We are NOT doing anything but hide!"
"Hey-"
"No! I don't care" said Yang. "If Orlok gets his hands on you, it's all over. Not to mention, if you try to do anything, Bathory, that infiltrated in the Schnee Dust Company, will know".
Weiss glared at Yang, but averted her gaze.
"I know... but... but..."
"Listen to your friend, Weiss" said a new voice. "And hide. I don't want this mess to get any bigger".
The duo turned around. Luna Lycaon was the girl that was aproaching, alone.
"What was that?!" Asked Weiss. "What is going on with you people? Do you only do things by threatening and deceiving?"
"Hey! Who is deceived is the one at fault if the other party didn't lie!" Replied the girl. "And that WASN'T supposed to have happened. Orlok wasn't supposed to have come, wasn't supposed to go on killing people, and certainly wasn't supposed to risk provoking a freaking war! And before all else I wasn't supposed to talk to you right now about that, but I won't let the Dracul siblings get their way done".
Yang looked at Luna with confusion.
"You aren't?"
"No. I am here as a member of team VLNT, Vlad's team. Not his sister's, nor his brother's. And Vlad wouldn't risk any of that" she turned to look at Weiss. "Hide. There at least three people in this city that would be happy to and CAN kidnap you"
"And what about you?" Asked Weiss.
Luna sighed.
"I'm gonna stop my boyfriend from doing something reckless and join my friend into DOING something reckless. We don't want this mess" said Luna. "We don't want another war".
The girl stepped off, kicked the ground and disappeared at a high speed and soundless blur.
Weiss and Yang looked at each other.
RWBY: Against All Odds
Newton was about to do something reckless.
He was alone in that part of the subway train, going straight to the location he deduced Orlok would go next.
Out of nowhere, his scroll started to ring and to his surprise, he didn't recognize the number.
"State your name".
"Jaune Arc".
"?!"
Arc 2 - Fallen Hero
Ozpin, Merlina and Plasma were alone at the geadmasters office.
"How could things turn out like that?" He asked himself.
"Gee, your melodrama is ridiculous it's not as if there is anything to do about it" replied Merlina.
"I know you are taking this seriously" said Ozpin. "Could you act seriously too?"
Merlina sighed. Plasma spoke:
"As much as problem this all seems, I highly doubt the young Orlok is a problem from outside" the man took a pocket watch and saw the seconds pass in it. "According to that small conversarion, the young man isn't backed by Chimaera in all of this".
Merlina nodded.
"The only problem is his recent connection with the White Fang and that, my dear Ozpin, isn't a problem".
The headmaster looked at Merlina. With that smile in her face...
"You saw the future, didn't you?"
"Who knows?"
"What did you see?" Asked the headmaster again.
Merlina sighed.
"Gee, one of the few people believe in my clairvoyance is asking for free. Fine, this is for letting the tournament happen" Merlina showed the tarot card [The Tower] for Ozpin. "I knew beforehand a big mess would happen. I know very well a bigger one will too. Soon. Like, today or tomorrow soon and really, really big".
"But?"
"But Chimaera won't be the source of it" she replied. "The Dracul siblings will have nothing to do with it either. The problem is: Vale is at a stalemate right now. So, when the mess happens, there won't be much it could do".
Plasma side-glanced at Merlina.
"Is there a way to avert this?"
"Who knows?" She raised her shoulders. "You know how these visions works. Normally, they already account my actions for the outcome to happen. I warned you and you can do whatever you want, at worst one of us may indirectly cause the future to happen. When we CAN actually change something, is because we messed up big and a bigger problem will arise because we did what we weren't supposed to".
Ozpin looked at the ground and thought about it.
"Do you see anything more?"
"No. After this event, I can't see anything. But, well, I can see a few things of today" she spread the tarot cards in the table. "A few students of your school will take part in trying to avert it from happening, and probably will fail. I think one of them may actually die? It's kinda ambiguous. I also know that the Dracul siblings will fight each other. Nothing more... also..."
"Also?" Asked Plasma.
"That student you brougth, Chad? Yeah, that one. There is something going on with Es Shade. Big too. That's all".
Chapter: The Tyrant
Jaune felt the urge to vomit in the airship, but he didn't.
"What do you want, Arc? I am busy and trying to contain the loathing I have over you!" Said Newton.
Pyrrha tapped Jaune's shoulders. The boy calmed down.
"Vladimir" said Jaune. "If the whereabouts of him are uncovered, his siblings will stop this mess, right? They won't do anything anymore nor hurt any people".
Jaune heard a sigh from the other side of the scroll.
"Bathory, yes. Orlok may kill more people before going".
"Uhh..."
"Look, stop that" said Newton. "I know people like you, people with hero syndrome or whatever. This doesn't concern you. None of this concerns you. So stop butting in. There is nothing you can do to change this".
"What if I can find out about the culprit?"
"There are NO clues left behind. We already went through all of this! Well, I may discover something about wether Vlad is dead or alive but nothing about the culprit"
"The Paladin!" Said Jaune.
"You can't be this dumb!" Said Newton. "The Paladin could fly. It can be anywhere!"
"It's in Vale".
"... explain".
Jaune smirked, but felt the airship again. Ren was a good pilot, that guy wasn't.
"Okay, whoever did this was closely analyzing us all and anyone he could use. The Girl of Red Hair is also tied with-"
"Get to the point!" Shouted Newton. "What do you know about the Paladin?"
"Okay, look. Just because it can fly, doesn't mean it can hide anywhere; whoever got that Paladin would have find a way to quickly use it and hide at the same time. It had to be in Vale in the beginning and in Vale at the end. No one would just destroy that after a single use. Even if they did, they-"
"Even so. It means it can be anywhere in the city" replied Newton.
"No. You guys said it was rebuilt and modified. That thing had to be busted BEFORE. You... you are a blacksmith and know technology. Think of a place. Think of a place you could hide, prepare and ready a Paladin for quick use in the city".
Newton looked at the scroll.
'A place? Of course, we are dealing with people that did most they could in a limited situation... If the place was also a limit to overcome...'
"Stein, you in there?"
"I'm thinking, Arc".
'Okay, it's a Paladin. A place to build and hide... a place to do maintance...'
"There are three places I can think off".
"Where-"
"And" Newton interrupted Jaune. "Only one where not only a Paladin could be rebuilt, but also much more. That would be the most probable place".
"Where is is?"
Newton's eyes where half-opened.
"Not telling".
"What?! Why?"
Jaune looked at the scroll.
"Because you are going to do something reckless. You are just a student, Arc. You go there, you die. I know better than to let someone do that".
"Tell me!"
"I'm doing this for your own good".
"TELL ME!" Shouted Jaune again.
A sigh could be heard.
"Fine. Your life is none of my concern. If you die by the end of this, it will just prove the place is the right one. It's one Scrapyard".
"The scrapyard?"
"Not the, one of them. An abandoned scrapyard in Vale. I went there once. It's part of a much larger structure that collapsed years in the past, but I could determine the underground could still be used if proper procedures were done. I will send you the location. Do whatever you want".
"... thank you".
"I warned you about the danger".
The connection ceased.
Jaune and Pyrrha crossed their eyes. They knew what should be done now.
Find about the culprit so that the Dracul siblings would stop their rampage.
Newton's scroll rung again. A cross-call happened:
"Newton!" Called Tracy.
"Newie!" Said Luna.
"What?"
Tracy was the first to speak:
"Stop and go back. You have no place in the next battle".
"What?" Newton felt anger. "You two are probably going to fight Orlok and are telling me to back down?"
"Listen to her, Newie" said Luna. "Orlok is insanely powerful. You couldn't beat Weiss Schnee. You can't control your aura. I know this sounds harsh, but..."
"Tracy is going too! You are going too! Neither of you can stand up to Orlok!"
Tracy sighed:
"No, shut it. Whatever plan you have is stupid and you are being an idiot".
"Bu-"
"I'm not letting you endanger yourself or get hurt. Orlok may end up killing you. Luna can handle herself and I may survive the worst. You can't. And I..."
Tracy looked at the scroll with a grim gaze.
"And I can't stand having another loved one fall in combat..."
Newton felt an ache in his chest. Pain, he felt pain.
"Tracy..."
"I don't care whatever plan you have made. You went away today for a reason. You know something about Vlad. You know something that may avert this if proved. That's your fight Newton. If you want so much to stop Orlok, that's what you will be doing".
Tracy disconnected.
A bit later, Luna said:
"You heard her. Stay away of this. This is for your own good".
Luna disconnected.
"For my own good, huh?" Newton looked at his options.
1- Go to the crime scene.
2- Go to the scrapyard.
3- Fight Orlok.
"It's almost as if you are putting me in Arc's position" Newton's eyes released green sparks. "Well, sorry, girls. This isn't about Chimaera. I would gladly go search for Vlad if I couldn't do anything about it. But there is something I can do".
Newton grabbed his whipsword, Positron Hunter.
"I may actually have just the thing that may stop Orlok. But, before that..."
Newton took out his scroll and called another person:
"Ravenna, this is Newton. I don't think Bathory would let you fight Orlok. There is something I may have discovered about Vlad..."
Ruby and Blake were running across Beacon at full speed.
"If Jaune is right, we may avert this" said Ruby.
"He will need help" agreed Blake.
Chad Es Shade ran quick calculations and called the allies.
"Leafy, Mary. I know you two are in Vale hack Arc's and Niko's scrolls. Eliminate Pyrrha Nikos!"
"Honky-donkie!" Said Mary.
"Did... something-" Leaves was about to ask.
"Yes. Something big. They will definitely want results today now. We need to speed this up! Sister, where are you?"
Telka's voice came out of the scroll:
"At the scrapyard, why?"
"Arc is left for you to take care of. I will be returning shortly".
"Wait, what about the prince?"
"Orlok will have his own battles to fight".
Mary's voice followed next:
"Wait, wait wait! Here says that Arc and Nikos are together! Isn't it better for us to-"
Chad quickly interrupted her:
"Listen, these commands are part of a big and fragile chain of events that I have been determining as the variables appear and go. You and Leaves are to eliminate Nikos use illusions to separate or something, but do not interrupt the order".
"Fine, got it. Geez, it's almost as if you can see the future sometimes".
"Yes" agreed Chad. "Almost".
Heretic: Play the ''At The Price of Oblivion''
Jaune was running through the streets, Pyrrha was following right behind. Their destination: the Scrapyard.
.
Luna and Tracy were with Bathory in the city. A few blocks away was Orlok, the mad prince that had to be stopped.
.
Yang and Weiss stayed in Beacon. Ruby and Blake tried to contact others, to no avail.
.
In the subway, alone, Newton looked out of the window to the tunnel.
He pushed his plan to another one to fulfil.
He alone was going to meet up with a battle that should he fight, would definitely lose.
.
Mary observed on the streets.
Jaune Arc went in one direction, Pyrrha Nikos in another. Neither could feel the curse that clouded her vision.
The two were separated. Nikos was for them, Arc was for Telka to battle.
And, as the cascade of events was unfolding...
"My left hand controls your bones"
A man with clasped hands calmly and scornfully gazed at another.
"My right one controls the rest of your body".
"W-wait-"
"You musy be feeling a shocking sensation. You should have expected at least death when you sent that assassin after me".
Orlok separated his hands, at the same time, the body of the man was ripped in two as the blood dyed the ground red.
Turning away from the puddle of blood, he met himself with three other girls.
A human with arms and legs covered in bandages...
A faunus wearing a silver armor...
And finally, his sister, with two spears in hand. Orlok knew those: red spear - Malignant Tumor, black spear - Lethal Gene. Powerful [Sin]s that could hurt even him.
Words were unnecessary; he adjusted his position and readied for battle while glaring at the three insolent girls that dared battle against him.
Tracy felt it - the power Orlok possessed.
Bathory's words echoed in her mind, they were said minutes ago, when they agreed to ally themselves against Orlok:
"Just like me and Vlad, Orlok's semblance is about control. It's a bit vague in what sort, but it also applies psychologically. Needless to say, he is much more powerful than both of us".
"Why is that?" Asked Luna.
"It depends on how far someone can be capable to go in order to achieve an end. Since Orlok can do next to anything if he deems necessary, then his power is equally as strong as his lack of concern and determination".
Tracy finally spoke:
"Vlad never told us the name of his semblance. We only deduced it was something similar to telekinesis, why-"
"He dislikes the name of the semblance" answersd Bathory. "Our semblance is [Tyranny], the mark of an absolute and hated ruler".
.
Tracy readied herself. The runes on her body were ready. Compared to the other two, she was the weakest, but even she could plan to fight Orlok in her own way.
The battle started.
Luna and Bathory disappeared from her view and she stepped forward, fast but still far slower than the others.
Orlok glared at her and she felt her life going away.
Her head was pressed against the cracked ground and blood was coming out of her nose.
Her scroll beeped, her aura hit zero.
"Tracyyyyy!" Luna shouted her name.
In less than a second, that prince eliminated her from the battle. She knew what happened; Orlok used his power to push her down. His force was so much that when her body hit the ground, her whole aura dissipated to protect her. And, even so, that single hit nearly killed her.
She was the first to fall.
But it didn't matter.
In the corner of her eye, before she could faint, she saw that violent princess closing in with black and red spears.
Her fall was a loss, a loss for a greater victory. Since the beginning, she knew Orlok would come for the weakest enemy. It was less than a second, but enough for Bathory.
Enough to bring that man to justice.
A little before she talked to Newton in the past...
Bathory spoke:
"I think I figured it out" her grim look was enough. "You know one thing? If you analyze it straightforwardly, can you think what someone can gain with all this chaos?"
Tracy shook her head.
Bathory smiled emptily.
"If Vlad is gone, I would be sent here. Why would Orlok go? What would he gain by coming here and therefore putting two direct heirs in a place they can easily die? Then, I thought: if Vlad dies, I'm the next for the throne. And if I die..."
"Orlok is the next" muttered Luna surprised. "N-No..."
"Whoever attacked Vlad knew his interests and personality. Before that, knew he was a prince. Who could know him so well except for one of us? If it was Orlok, does everything not add up? Find someone useful and kill the prince. Lure the princess, kill her and there it is done. Orlok becomes the next king".
'Get him, Bathory!' Thought Tracy while fainting. 'Do NOT let him have his way!'
As the battle was unfolding...
.
Sitting on the ground in the scrapyard, Telka saw a man aproaching: Jaune Arc.
.
Pyrrha, that was running following Jaune saw everything around her shatter.
Surprised, she looked around, it seemed like an abandoned theater.
"Welcome!" Shouted Mary on the stage. "For this private concert".
"Who are you?" Asked Pyrrha.
Mary laughed:
"Me? I'm but a fan! A fan of the Impaler Vampire. And I know, Nikos, that you and your little team have something to do with his death!"
'Just like I know you don't know actually anything that's actually going on' thought her.
But she knew. Mary Bell knew everything and the truth.
Jaune would be defeated.
Pyrrha would be defeated.
And, team RWBY...
A glance on her scroll was enough, her last conversation made sure they wouldn't interfere.
MARY: Rubyyyy! FF, not BFF. Not yet : D
MARY: I heard about the conference. Is everything alright?
RUBY: Mary, we are busy right now! We can talk later.
MARY: Really?
MARY: BTW, I say Nikos and Jaune, that beefcake running like crazy here in vale saying something about being the wrong scrapyard.
RUBY: You what?!
RUBY: I can't contact them!
RUBY: Are you sure of what you saw?
MARY: Yep! Man, that Jaune is hot!
MARY: Do you think he is dating?
MARY: If not, can you help me? ? ?
RUBY: Not now, Mary!
RUBY: Jaune and Pyrrha may need help!
RUBY: Where did they go?
MARY: Hold on... hmm. I will send you a location. From there you follow the arrow. Ok?
RUBY: Thanks, Mary!
MARY: No problem ; )
It was over. And Mary smiled.
Team JNPR was soon to be eliminated.
The mixed-bloods would kill each other.
Team RWBY? Even if they discovered they were on the wrong track, it would be too late to do anything.
Mary took out her guitar. Everything left for her to do was defeat Nikos.
.
Telka stood up.
Everything left for her to do was defeat Arc.
.
Orlok slammed Bathory in the ground.
"A futile strategical plan. Everything left is defeating you, sister".
.
Chad walked through the streets.
Soon.
Soon, they would be able to begin the next step.
Heretic Notes:
Oof!
Da plot thickens!
If everything goes well, arc 2 may be over next chapter.
So, it's like:
Tracy (DEFEATED), Luna and Bathory VS Orlok
Pyrra VS Mary and Leaves (HIDDEN)
Jaune VS Telka
Meanwhile, Blake and Ruby were sent in the wrong track by Mary. It's obvious Chad was the one that instructed her to do so.
Why?
H3H3H3H3
N3XT CH4PT3R YOU W1LL KNOW! : ]
I'm so addicted to homestuck right now that I can't even bear it.
BTW, the next chapter's name will be... Fall of a Hero.
Guess who!
It will be the finale of the Fallen Hero Arc with that text again and stuff.
Heretic, out!