Dreaming of a Better future
Chapter 24
Jaune walked down the hallway of the dorm building heading up to his room tiredly. 'Damn this day was just one crazy mess after another.' Jaune thought resting his head on the door for a second to collect himself before moving to open the door. Only his hand stopped on the doors handle when he saw a note hanging from it. Jaune stared at the note intently before turning to look down the hall to see if someone was nearby. Jaune looked down each hall, not sure what was going on but grabbed the note from the handle and looked it over. He was about to open the note before he heard a door opening behind him. He quickly tucked the note under his breast plate. He turned around to see Yang walking out of her team's room. She paused for a second in surprise at seeing Jaune as he waved at her.
"Yo."
Jaune greets her waving her to close the door to her room. She does so quickly before turning back to Jaune.
"So, what happened with the General?"
Yang asked worriedly getting a shrug from Jaune as he leaned back against the door of his room.
"He went ballistic on me for a minute, I was able to get out of trouble but I'm still under his watchful eye. I bet his soldiers are all keeping an eye on the dorms right now."
Jaune said waving a hand to the side before shaking his head in frustration at what was happening. Yang just gave him an apologetic look patting him on the shoulder.
"Sorry to hear that, but hey at least you aren't in a prison cell."
Yang said getting a chuckle out of Jaune.
"True doesn't mean the good General doesn't have one ready and waiting for me. I bet it even has my name written on its door in bright bold neon letters."
Jaune said exaggeratedly getting a laugh out of Yang before she just smiled at him.
"Well be sure you don't get put in that cell alright, Sara would be sad if that happened."
Yang said surprising Jaune before he smiled at her.
"I will keep that in mind, I got to get yelled at by the team so tell the others I'm ok for me would you."
Jaune said turning to open the door to his room. Yang nodded at him turning to go back into her room as well. He paused for a second wondering what his team and Helen might say to him. He just took a deep breath and opened the door to his room ready to face his team.
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Along one of the main defensive walls stood an Atlas soldier on guard duty. The guard stood on the wall looking out over the scenery before him watching as the sun set off in the distance painting the sky orange. The guard just smiled at the sight amazed he could see such a sight compared to the normal snowy scenery he was used to back in Atlas. The guard just let out a relieved sigh at the sight only for his breath to stop short as he felt a burning sensation in his chest. The guard shook his head in confusion before looking down to his chest where he saw a long spike of what looked like bone sticking through him. The guard just stared in shock at what he was seeing till he felt blood bobble up his throat as he let out a gurgled cough.
"Do forgive me for this, I know you were enjoying the beautiful scene but sorry, can't have anyone knowing I was here."
Alastair spoke up from behind the guard before pushing him off the wall. The guard's body fell down the face of the wall down to the forest teaming with Grimm bellow. Alastair just nodded happily at the sound of the man's body making a silent echoed thump from crashing into the ground. Alastair turned and began walking along the wall whistling happily as he did spinning his bone sword in hand. Slowly making his way towards the next soldier on the wall only to watch as the man was pulled over the wall by a black shadow. Alastair smiled at this stopping next to a stair case as he leaned to the side on his sword. Alastair waited as he watched the black shadow jump back up onto the wall landing before him silently black mist spilling from the shadow like form.
The mist like shadow slowly rose revealing a tall, lean man dressed in bloody black jeans, a messy black dress shirt, with a waist length black coat on over the top of it. The man had wavy shoulder length green hair. The man had a small smile on his lips with dark purple eyes.
"Hey Alastair, I heard you were having some problems."
The man said arrogantly only to get a chuckle out of Alastair.
"Yes Bates. I happened to run into a difficult opponent when I first arrived."
Alastair said getting a laugh out of Bates before the heard a man shout from behind Alastair. Bates looked over Alastair's shoulder at a guard and rolls his eyes.
"Really, you didn't kill them all."
Bates said only for Alastair to shrug at him.
"I can't exactly leave a trail of bodies, now can I?"
Alastair asked causing Bates to shake his head disapprovingly.
"Then let me deal with him."
Bates said about to move off to kill the man only to stop when he watched the man disappear in a flash. Bates quickly turned to his left looking off into the forest where he watched the poor guard flying away screaming at the top of his lungs before being ripped in two. Bates just laughed at the sight watching as the two halves of the man fell towards the forest. Alastair just stared passively at the scene before turning to look at the black figure that flew towards them. Bates and Alastair watched as the black figure landed revealing a beautiful woman with long silk like ebony black hair with long black wings on her back that slowly faded away. The woman just smiled as she reached her arms over her head stretching licking her lips where some blood was. The woman was dressed in a form fitting red long sleeved vertical sweater, with a black scarf around her neck; she had black skinny jeans that hugged her legs showing off all her curves. She turned smiling at Bates and Alastair revealing she had only one bright red eye. Her right eye was covered by a soft fabric like eye patch.
"It is good to see you again Harper."
Alastair greeted, getting a small nod from the woman.
"Yes, I always love to see you Harper. I mean whenever I get to see those sweet curves and your lovely ass I always want to drool over you."
Bates said sarcastically glaring at Harper who just chuckled at him.
"Well it's good to see you're still an asshole Bates."
Harper said only causing Bates to smile darkly at her.
"Thanks, tell me does your eye still hurt?"
Bates asked with a snarl causing Harper to glare at him before smirking.
"Well now, it hurts only as much as your neglected little cock."
Harper said cocking her hip to the side resting a hand on it as she smirked at Bates. Bates just glared angrily at her growling as he took a step forward only to stop as Alastair held a hand up before him.
"Now, you two calm down we aren't supposed to be fighting each other."
Alastair said as Bates turned from him with a growl crossing his arms over his chest angrily. Harper just nodded at Alastair doing as he said.
"So, Alastair, tell me did you really meet with the Arc boy and fought one of his sons?"
Harper asked Alastair, walking past Bates with a sway to her hips. Bates just scowled at her but said nothing turning to Alastair to listen to what he had to say.
"Yes, I did meet with him. It was certainly an interesting encounter and his son is by far the most amusing little human I have ever met."
Alastair said fondly peaking Harper's interest.
"Really now, is there anything special about them, tell me?"
Harper asked smiling happily at Alastair only to hear Bates giggle behind her.
"You and your sick obsession with the humans. What do you want to keep the boy as a pet? Sorry but our job is to kill him remember."
Bates said causing her to glare at him before huffing and looking away.
"What I do with the humans is my business and mine alone." Harper said before grinning and looking over her shoulder at Bates. "What, don't tell me you watch when I have my little moments with the human boys."
Harper quipped causing Bates to growl at her his eyes flashing red as a black mist passed over him. Alastair quickly stepped in between the two before they could do anything.
"Easy now you two, I already told you we aren't supposed to fight each other!"
Alastair snapped at the two his eyes flashing red causing Bates to take a step back. Harper just held her hands up in defeat knowing she couldn't argue with Alastair.
"Alright forgive us."
Harper said as she held her hands up to her side. Bates just turned away silently getting a nod from Alastair.
"Good, now tell me, what were you ordered to do when you got here?"
Alastair asked looking to the two other Nightmares beside him. Both shared a look before smiling at him.
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Jaune sat on his bed, Pyrrha and Helen standing in front of him staring worriedly at him.
"So, you aren't in trouble. I mean that's good, but did you have to do all this on your own?"
Pyrrha asked looking to Jaune sadly. Helen nodded next to her.
"Yeah, Papa. Why didn't you ask us to help? We could have at least been able to help you if you needed it."
Helen said causing Jaune to sigh tiredly at her. He smiled though reaching his hand up ruffling her hair.
"It's nice to know you wanted to help, but I couldn't ask for your help. Hell, I shouldn't have even asked Aeron to help me." Jaune said running a hand through his hair. "Look I know your mom is my partner, but that's why I didn't ask her to help. If I did she could have been hurt, and you would have followed and gotten hurt as well. Nothing really bad happened, but still the chance of something happening was too high to take the risk."
Jaune said looking to Pyrrha hoping she understood. It looked like she did as she nodded at him taking Helen into her arms hugging her from behind.
"He's right, though he's an idiot for doing what he did, but we can't blame him for wanting us to be safe."
Pyrrha said getting a nod from Helen who pulled her mother's arms up to hide her face some.
"Still Papa's an idiot, doing something so reckless."
Jaune just smiled at Helen, standing up grabbing her and lifting her up hugging her tightly.
"Sorry I worried you."
Jaune said looking over Helen's head at Pyrrha. She just shook her head at him with a small smile. Helen just wrapped her arms tightly around Jaune's neck while Pyrrha patted her head.
"You won't be let off so easily."
Helen said hugging him tighter. Jaune just chuckled at her knowing he would take her punishment without complaint. However, he still wanted to read that note left on his door but figured it didn't matter for now as he turned looking out of the rooms window at the setting sun. The sky a bright orange. 'Things are only going to get more complicated from here on.' Jaune thought worried about what that Alastair fellow was going to do.
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In Vale, a police officer stood looking over the tailor shop that was a crime scene just earlier that day.
"Man, what is going on with this city."
The officer said to his partner who just shrugged.
"I don't know, first Roman Torchwick and the White Fang, then that crazy Breach and now we have a murderer. This city is falling apart, isn't it?"
The officers partner who just nodded at him. Behind the two men Marcus walked by staring into the shop before huffing and turning away continuing his walk through the city. 'I should have known that the Nightmares were going to try and incite panic.' Marcus thought turning down an alleyway before quickly running up towards a wall before jumping up using his semblance to boost him onto the roof of the building. Marcus slowly began to make his way across the rooftop till he came to the sight of where the Nightmare he had fought earlier that day had caused a ruckus and involved his father. Marcus just glared angrily down at the restaurant balling a hand into a fist. 'If I find that bastard I'm going to rip his spin out for getting near dad!' Marcus thought angrily before he heard the sound of glass breaking behind him.
He turned around to see Lilith walking up towards him. He took a deep breath before smiling at her.
"Did you leave the note for dad like I asked?"
Marcus said getting a nod from Lilith who just walked towards him looking out over the restaurant.
"I left the note, but I still can't believe that Nightmare went for Father. I thought after the fight he had with you he would have kept hidden."
Lilith said looking back worriedly to Marcus who just shrugged at her crossing his arms over his chest.
"Even if Nightmares can look like humans they can't act like us. They're the same as any other Grimm. Mindlessly searching for ways to kill humans."
Marcus said getting a sad look from Lilith.
"I know I asked this already but why do you hate Nightmares so much?"
Lilith asked Marcus causing him to flinch before turning away with a bitter stare.
"They're monsters, it's only natural that I would hate them."
Marcus said turning walking away, obviously not wanting to answer the question. Lilith just stared worriedly at Marcus' back as he walked to the end of the roof. 'What did they do that makes him hate them so much?' Lilith wondered as Marcus stared out over the city as the moon slowly rose in the distance. The night air passing over him in waves as he brought a hand up sliding it across his chest piece. The metal of his chest piece and gloves clinking softly together. Marcus had a pained look before closing his eyes and taking a deep breath before looking back over the city as he balled his hand into a fist.
"Come on Lilith, we can't just sit by and wait for something to happen."
Marcus said quickly jumping from the roof to another. Lilith quickly ran after him doing her best to keep up with him.
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Ozpin and Ironwood stood before a capsule like tube with a tanned woman with brown hair and strange scars running along her face. Ozpin and Ironwood both had sad stares for the poor girl.
"You don't think these Nightmares are coming for Amber do you Oz?"
Ironwood asked only for Ozpin to shake his head.
"I don't want to think that but I do. As well as many other things that I think these monsters are here for."
Ozpin said. While he wasn't truly lying, Ozpin new the Nightmares causing problems were from the future and mostly after Jaune, but he knew Amber was also a target. For some reason the Nightmares knew of her and her location, so the fact they haven't come after her yet worried Ozpin.
"This can't happen, we need more protection. If I can tell the council, then..."
Ironwood began only to stop as Ozpin smacked the end of his cane into the ground.
"We cannot tell the council, and even if we did they would call us crazy for what we would be asking and telling them of humanoid Grimm!"
Ozpin said knowing full well if they went to the council with such information they would be stripped of their seats on the council. Ironwood seemed to know this as well but the frustration in his eyes showed how much he disapproved of what they were doing.
"Ozpin I can understand keeping the maidens secret, but that doesn't mean we should hide the information on these Grimm. Nightmares are new beings to us and from what you are saying they're beyond our understanding!" Ironwood snapped in frustration. "We need to tell the council, the people. They need to know! Damn the consequences!"
Ironwood shouted only for Ozpin to shake his head at him.
"Please James, you know if the people knew that there were intelligent Grimm who can hide among us it would send people into a panic. The streets would be full of people trying to kill one another in paranoia at the thought of them being a Nightmare!"
Ozpin shouted back at Ironwood causing him to recoil back. Ironwood opened his mouth to retort only for nothing to come out as he knew he couldn't argue with Ozpin on this matter. Ironwood just lowered his head balling a hand into a fist in frustration.
"Your right, I know your right. Its I can't sit by and do nothing."
Ironwood said angrily while Ozpin stared at him solemnly.
"I know James but no matter what we do, we would only cause a panic." Ozpin said turning to look sadly at Amber. "The only thing we can do is hope for the best. That is all we can do."
Ozpin said as Ironwood turned looking to Amber as well.
"I truly hate waiting."
Ironwood said as Ozpin lowered his head.
"I know, but when you're facing the unknown the only thing you can do is wait."
Ozpin said as Ironwood just took a deep breath thinking about what might come their way now with the new development. 'This is like one big chest game to Salem as she just throws new pieces onto the board as more time passes.' Ironwood though bitterly.
End
An/ well look at that I finally updated again. Well you all might want to strangle me for leaving you sitting on the edge of your seats like that with the super long as wait. But hey I am a mean person who likes to watch people squirm as I torture them with anticipation. Wahahahahaahahahahahaah!
No jokes aside I am back for how long I have no idea. I mean I only left because I wanted to work on the other stories and get my mental fluids flowing but now I am back! Not sure if that is a good thing though.
So yeah leave me a review.
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