A.N: Another Chapter, another request for reviews. Enjoy.
Jaune was sleeping soundly for the first time in months. Beacon was getting back on it's feet. The entire west wing was filled with refugees, while the east wing was filled with Hunters and deserters from the Atlas Military. In almost a week, his numbers had gone from little over a hundred to over three hundred!
He was having a peculiar dream. Something about playing tag in a pre-war Beacon, but he and his friends had giant heads. As he thought, peculiar. He forgot how fun running around doing childish things were.
A loud knock on the door startled him.
"Jaune! Wake up! Something's happening!" A lower voice in the hallway called out.
Cardin.
He quickly reminisced how he used to hate the ex-bully. But also how Cardin had changed after the first assault on Beacon.
"Got it. Coming." Theta called out.
His mouth had all but healed, and he could talk almost perfectly, but he still used Theta out of habit, and almost always left the A.I. on 'free mode', meaning it could think and speak for itself.
Jumping out of bed, he quickly donned his armor, and rushed to the courtyard.
A mixed crowd of Hunters and huntresses, soldiers, and civilians were staring across the water, at Vale.
Atlesian ships hung stationary over the skyscape, both beautiful and terrifying.
No… not stationary, they were moving. Turning. Towards Beacon.
"It's happening." Jaune said aloud, "She's coming."
He'd only whispered, but it was as though he'd shouted.
Instant pandemonium reigned. Civilians screamed, Soldiers barked orders, Beaconites ran hither and thither, grabbing weapons and ammunition.
Jaune himself armed himself with his new weapon, which he called Album Mors, or White Death.
It was a sword, much like Crocea Mors, but longer, with a line of stark white metal lining the thick of the blade, and a chrome silver blade.
He'd taken the time to etch the names of everyone who had died into the white. In his mind, every kill would be from them. His shield also had some renovations. It was thicker, wider, and longer. It had gone from a kite shield to a large tower shield, slightly curved.
The shield, again similar to Crocea Mors, collapsed into a sheath, but this time hung across his back.
When Jaune returned, the soldiers had already set up a wide perimeter, with mortars, rocket launchers, and rifles. Ready for any kind of attack.
Beaconites scattered into their ranks, dotting the white line with flecks of color.
The civilians, meanwhile, had returned to their wing to hide, and he didn't blame them. Part of him wanted to join them.
A fleet of seven large ships were now moving directly toward the school, the leading ship by far the largest behemoth Jaune had ever seen. The soldiers infrequently called it the "Asheregen".
Seven ships, armed to the teeth, able to wipe out Beacon itself with a single barrage.
Mechs they could handle, Grimm? Sure. Seven ships, weighing several thousand tons ready to completely and royally fuck their shit up? No thank you.
'Wait… several tons…' Jaune thought as an idea began to form in his mind.
He quickly looked around for the brilliant red that was his girlfriend. He spotted her giving orders to a group of Atlesians with a large mortar.
"Pyrrha!" He called out, but an even louder voice rang in his ears. Ascheregen had activated a massive loudspeaker.
"Students of Beacon, Traitors of Atlas. Surrender now and you may live." A low voice rang, "We don't want to shed any more blood than we already have."
Ironwood's voice wasn't strong, at least not as strong as before, "You have ten minutes to comply, or we will open fire." A loud clicking sound echoed.
Undeterred, he ran up to Pyrrha, and told her his plan.
"Jaune… I… I don't think I can…" Pyrrha stuttered.
"Don't worry. I'll be with you… it'll be just like dominoes… Giant metal dominoes, but you get the picture."
"I…" She began, but she grit her teeth with sudden determination, "Okay. When?"
"Now."
"WHAT!?" She gasped.
"It has to be now, before they attack."
"Oh… okay…" She said, and followed him to the front.
"Theta, set voice to all channels."
"Got it."
"Attention Cinder Fall. Surrender now and you might live, emphasis on might. We don't need to fight, but we will kill you if we need to. You have…" He looked at his watch, "One minute."
Silence rang in the air at the bold threat.
Seconds later, Ironwood responded, sounding tired and weak. "You have chosen poorly… Prepare to die."
Jaune answered, "With all due respect, General… Fuck that. Theta, end transmission."
Turning to Pyrrha, he nodded, and held his hand out, while Pyrrha did the same.
"With all due respect, General… Fuck that. Theta, end transmission." Cinder saw the small purple thing on the screen flip her the bird before going dark.
"Bold, aren't they… I guess that's what you can expect from children. Right, General?" Cinder snarked.
The general in question looked a mere shell. Gaunt, pale, with bags under his eyes. He swayed on the spot.
The ship suddenly shivered more than usual.
"I'm sorry, ma'am. We seem to be encountering minor turbulence. Compensating." The human pilot squeaked under her glaring gaze.
The ship shuddered again, harder.
"I thought you told me you were compensa-" Cinder started, but was cut off when the entire ship dipped and lurched, throwing the poor General off his feet.
The fiery maiden clutched at the railing to steady herself.
"That… wasn't turbulence. What was that?" The pilot called out.
Cinder glanced at the enhanced view screen, which had been zoomed in at the rebels.
She saw Jaune and some redhead girl standing there, arms outstretched.
Wait… not just any redhead. That was Pyrrha Nikos.
An uneasiness settled in her stomach as she quickly looked her up on the database.
"Pyrrha Nikos. Red hair, green eyes. Semblance: Polarity. Pol-" She began, before the ship lurched again, causing the screens to flicker.
She already knew Jaune was a mimic… Her eyes widened.
It clicked.
"PULL AWAY, ALL SHIPS, PULL AWAY NOW!" She shrieked.
She felt the ship tilt violently.
She heard the engines strain, then cut out.
She felt her stomach fly into her lungs as they entered freefall.
"Son of a bitch." She muttered as weightlessness took hold, then blackness took over as the ship slammed into the water.