Chapter Forty-One: Blood and Snow.
Smoke and fire filled the air as Ruby and Weiss broke through the tree line. Sirens wailed as people scattered trying to put out the fires or free others from the collapsed parts of buildings. Many of the students were leading the charge in the evacuation of the civilians that were on the campus while others were rallying against the bullheads that were trying to get closer and land.
The bullheads launched another wave of missiles towards the campus and students turned their fire towards the projectiles. A large portion of the incoming missiles were taken down from the students barrage but a few did make it through causing more explosions to rock the ground.
"We need to help." Ruby growled as she pulled out her scroll and punched in her lockers activation code. A red blinking light was all she got in response. "That's not good."
Weiss glanced at her wolf's scroll and sighed, "They must have hit the training area in the first wave, if the locker room was damaged then the lockers can't launch."
"Right then it looks like we'll have to get them on our own." Ruby switched from fun loving wolf to leader of team RWBY in an instant. Her eyes hardening into twin pools of molten silver, her mouth set in a hard line. "Let's move quick and find Blake and Yang, then we can start working on repelling the bullheads that try to land."
Weiss nodded knowing that Ruby was in leader mode and now was not the time to question her moves. The wolf was a fantastic leader and could adapt to situations much quicker than she could and learned that it was best to trust Ruby in these situations. Falling in quickly behind the redhead Weiss kept and eye on their surroundings as they quickly ran across campus, while the majority of the bullheads still seemed to be in the air that didn't mean some had spilt off from the main group and landed on the campus and were now trying to cause chaos on the ground.
As they rounded a corner they saw several students directing civilians away from the front lines and towards the back of the ground, "Keep calm and keep moving, Beacon will not fall as long as Hunters defend it." A student was shouting over the sirens. "Once you reach the back of the ground try and find a place to hunker down and wait until we have the all clear."
"Who's in charge here?" Ruby shouted out trying to find out if these students had a plan or were just following order.
"Miss Adel barked out orders before she took off with the rest your team towards the east end of campus to make sure none of the attackers landed there." The student replied, "She may not be in charge currently but when she gives orders it's best to listen."
"Right, if she has Yang and Blake in the east end Weiss and I will head to the west end to make sure there's nothing going on over there." Ruby responded, "Once we get our weapons we'll head out."
"Sounds good, if you run across any civilians tell them to head towards the back of campus." The student replied before turning his attention back to the group he was directing.
"Let's go Weiss." Ruby nodded at her partner. Weiss nodded in return and the two quickly made their way towards the training area.
Reaching the large building the two made their way inside through a large hole in the side of a wall. Thick black smoke hung in the air as they slowly made their way across the rubble that cover the ground, the sprinkler system had kicked in at some point putting out the flames and cause their clothes to cling to their body as they forced open a blocked door.
"Well at least we know why the lockers didn't launch." Weiss noted as they reached the locker room. Many of the lockers were knocked over onto their sides knocking them off of their launch platforms and a section of the roof had collapsed onto several of them preventing them from being called.
"Yeah. Must have happened in the first wave of attacks." Ruby agreed as she pulled her locker open and smiled down at her sweetheart. Putting Crescent Rose on her back and pulling out several extra clips the wolf noticed how Weiss was stocking herself with several vials of dust as well as a few crystals. "Ready Princess?"
"Ready." Weiss nodded.
Once they made their way back outside the duo set off towards the west end of campus to make sure none of the attackers had landed there. Along the way they saw several more groups of students evacuating civilians towards the back of the campus. Passing over a pile of rubble they found a sight that made Ruby's blood boil, several civilians were being attacked by Faunus in white masks, each laughing as they beat the captured civilians.
With a growl Ruby shot off like a bullet unfurling Crescent Rose as she went. The first Faunus she reached didn't even have time to comprehend what had happened before the blunt end of the scythe crashed into his gut sending them crashing through a wall. The rest of the Faunus barely had time to react as what appeared to be a miniature hurricane of red petals swept over, they couldn't even see what was attacking them as the sounds of booming gun fire and metal hitting meat filled the air.
Weiss had followed her wolf into the fray making sure that none of the White Fang could retreat from the raging wolf darting along the outer edges of the petal storm using repulsion and mine glyphs to prevent them from getting away. She was always awed by how furious Ruby could be; it was a stark contrast to the happy smiling wolf she held in her arms each night.
The fight, if it could be called that lasted only seconds and as the petals cleared every White Fang member was on the ground clutching parts of their bodies groaning in pain or out cold. Ruby quickly scanned the area making sure there were no more targets before turning towards the civilians, "You need to head towards the back of Beacon, we're setting up a defense line for all civilians to take shelter behind. Those that aren't wounded help those that are and we'll escort you."
The civilians looked at her for a brief few seconds in shock and confusion before a large man stood up and looked at them, "Well what are you waiting for? Let's get a move on." His voice seemed to pull them out of their stupor and they started to move, pulling the wounded to their feet and helping them. Ruby nodded at the man who return the nod.
"I know we said we'd check the west end by they take priority." Ruby glanced over at Weiss who was also scanning for targets.
"Agreed." Weiss nodded, "If we have civilians in the area we can't fight properly. You're lucky you didn't sweep any of them up in your attack." She chide playfully. Ruby looked down with a small blush but only shrugged in response.
As the civilians started moving Weiss and Ruby took up positions in the rear to make sure that no one attacked from behind but didn't make it very far, the sounds of an idling chainsaw made them stop and turn.
Through the smoke a mountain of a Faunus appeared, he was as all as Yatsuhashi and just as wide. Large muscular arms flexed as he drug a long chainsaw across the ground sending a spray of sparks into the air as the teeth of the blade whirled around. A deep rumbling chuckle sounded out from behind the white and red mask that covered his face, "Well, well what do we have here?" He continued to chuckle almost mockingly, "Two little Huntress trying to protect the filthy humans from the noble attackers?"
"There is nothing noble about what you White Fang scum do." Weiss spat as she glared at the large Faunus. "You're terrorists that that thrive off death and destruction."
The large Faunus laughed, "Spoken like a true Schnee. Though you would know all about thriving off death and destruction seeing as that's how your family rose to power, on the bodies of Faunus." Weiss glared at the large opponent, making him laugh even harder, "You think I wouldn't recognize you? Though I must confess I am disappointed it is only the second daughter of the Schnee, I've heard that you are so much less than your sister. Now there's an opponent I'd like to fight. But I guess the second daughter will have to do if I'm to kill a Schnee today."
A growl from Ruby was the only warning the Faunus got as the wolf shot towards him, Crescent Rose and his chainsaw blade meeting in a shower of sparks. The Faunus laughed again, "Oh don't think I forgot about you, wolf. I haven't had the chance to fight a wolf in such a long time, I am looking forward to this fight."
"Back down now." Ruby growled out pulling her Alpha nature to the forefront of her Aura, she had worked hard with Blake on how to control her nature and with the panther's help she had been able to pull it to surface and suppress it when needed and while she hated the idea of subjugating someone against their will this monster had threated her mate and she would not let that happen.
The large Faunus felt the tug of the small wolf's nature on his mind but it only made him laugh, he was a bear Faunus he had no need for an Alpha he was powerful on his own and would never submit to this pathetic wolf. With a mighty push he sent the red clad wolf skidding back a few feet, her sliver eyes wide with surprise making him laugh harder, "Did you really think you could dominate me? Not every Faunus will bow to an Alpha. You cannot beat me like that."
Ruby narrowed her eyes as she readied her scythe, "Fine. We'll just have to take you down the other way, ready Weiss?"
Weiss spun the cylinder on Myrtenaster and palmed a yellow crystal in her off hand and nodded before directing her voice towards the civilians, "Keep going we'll hold him here."
"Oh like the two of you are an actual threat to me." The Faunus laughed as he revved the chainsaw blade.
Without a word Ruby shot off again swinging Crescent Rose towards the Faunus' legs while Weiss jumped up high the blade of her rapier charged with green dust. As Ruby swung the large Faunus jumped over the blade while he blocked Weiss' attack with the side of his sword, the green dust pushing him back just as Ruby spun about catching him in the stomach with the half of the shaft. The Faunus was sent tumbling back into a pile of rubble.
Before Ruby and Weiss could react the large Faunus' laughter filled the air as he stood up, "Very good, it's been a long time since anyone as landed a blow like that on me. But now that you've had your turn it's time for mine."
Quicker than seemed possible the large Faunus ran towards them, Weiss barely had time to block the swing of his chainsaw with her sword sending her flying backwards while his other hand shot out a grabbed Ruby by her throat. With a spin the large Faunus tossed the young wolf into the falling Heiress making them collide in the air. Weiss felt her head spin and her Aura flare as she and Ruby landed on the ground.
"You okay Ruby?" Weiss asked as she sat up.
Ruby shook her head back and forth trying to clear the stars that had burst into her vision, her ears were ringing from the impact, "Yeah I'm good Princess just a little dazed. How the hell is he so fast?"
"Could be his semblance." Weiss suggested as she got to her feet her eyes trained on the large Faunus, he had stayed where he was laughing hard at the duo making anger burn through the Heiress.
"Well if it's a speed fight he wants let's see just how fast he really is." The wolf growled as she picked herself up and racked a round into the chamber of Crescent Rose. Weiss barely blinked and Ruby was already sprinting towards the Faunus, her swing poised and ready. Just as the large Faunus went to block the scythe the wolf disappeared in a flash of rose petals.
Suddenly the Faunus was thrown back as a series of cuts appeared on his body as a storm of rose petals filled the air. In the center of the petals Ruby slumped to her knees panting hard, sweat dripping down her face. Weiss ran up to the side of her wolf and placed a hand on her shoulder, "Ruby are you okay?"
Taking a few more deep breaths Ruby nodded her head, "Yeah that just took a lot out of me. I haven't moved that fast in a while and Crescent Rose is really heavy when I move like that." Weiss nodded in understanding, she knew Ruby's scythe was one of the heaviest weapons in their year; only Nora's hammer was heavier. "Do you think I got him?"
"Probably." Weiss glanced at the rubble pile the Faunus had been thrown in to. She figured he would most likely survive that attack but there was no way he was getting back up for a while after it. "Come on let's try to catch up with that group of civilians." Reaching down she help Ruby to her feet and stabilized the wolf when her legs trembled.
Before they could get more than a few feet a rumbling laugh filled the air as the rubble pile shifted behind them. Weiss froze as she slowly turned back to face the large Faunus that was standing up. Blood poured from the wound on his body and his shirt was torn to shreds, the white mask was cracked and missing a few pieces in a few places and the blade of his chainsaw was bent at an odd angle.
"Very good!" He laughed tossing his blade to the side, "No one's been able to land such a blow on me in years. I finally feel the excitement of the fight again, come let us continue."
Before either could react the large Faunus charged them knocking Weiss away from Ruby and grabbing the wolf once again by her throat making her drop her scythe as she was hosted into the air, "What's the matter wolf? Lost all of your fight? Maybe I should go after your mate maybe that will put the fight back in you." Seeing the wolf's eyes widen the Faunus continued to laugh, "Oh you thought I didn't notice? Her scent is all over you, even with the smoke in the air I can smell it. And to have such a filthy human as a mate, the enemy of our race, a Schnee! How could you betray your own kind like to be with such filth. You're nothing but a traitor to your own kind and I will make all traitors pay!"
Ruby struggled as he started to squeeze his large hands around her neck, trying to pry his hands open or kick the larger Faunus but every struggle just made the Faunus laugh harder and squeeze tighter. The edges of her vision had just started to fade and her struggles grew weaker when she was suddenly dropped to the ground.
When Weiss had pushed herself up her heart stopped for a brief second as she saw Ruby being lifted up into the air by the large Faunus, her struggling starting to grow weaker. The Heiress was on her feet and already running before she realized it her blood boiling as she charged her blade with green dust again, summoning a repulsion glyph just in front of her Weiss launched herself towards the large Faunus, Myrtenaster singing as it pieced the air.
Just as the tip of her blade hit the Faunus she detonated her attack flinging him away with a gust of wind. As much as she wanted to check to make sure her wolf was okay the Heiress shot off again determined to put this monster down before he could hurt them again. With another repulsion glyph Weiss shot off to land behind the Faunus hitting him again as she shot past knocking him up into the air chipping away at his Aura, landing on another glyph in the air she repositioned herself and shot off again increasing her speed. With each glyph the Heiress kept the large Faunus suspended in the air from the multitude of strikes she landed.
Finally Weiss landed on the ground and let the large Faunus slam into the ground. The Heiress was panting from the exertion as she turned to face him again seeing even more places that were bleeding. She must have lowered his Aura to critical levels as she couldn't see any of them closing up. With a huff she started to turn only to hear a low growl coming from the large Faunus.
"You bitch." He growled as he slowly pushed himself up, "You utter and complete bitch, I'll make sure you bleed for that. You will wish for death when I am done with you." As soon as the Faunus was on his feet he charged at the Heiress giving her little time to react. As she swiped at him trying to fend him off he caught the blade of her weapon in his hand and ripped it free of her grasp, while the other one slammed into her side driving the air from her lungs shattering what Aura she had left.
Weiss doubled over only to have her face smashed upward as his knee smashed against her cheek. As she staggered back a right hook impacted the side of her head causing her to stumble again and sent her ear ringing. Again his fist slammed into her stomach causing her to cough casting blood on the ground. Pain seared across her back as he brought his elbow down on her shoulder forcing her to her knees. Weiss tried to roll to her side but his left leg lashed out slamming her into head causing stars to burst in her vision and the world to spin.
The Heiress lay on the ground panting and trying keep herself conscious as she looked up at the large Faunus that towered above her, "You're going to die here you little bitch, you're going to die on the ground like the scum you are under my boot." Slowly the Faunus pressed the bottom of his boot against Weiss' neck.
Struggling for breath Weiss pushed back against the boot trying to push him off her neck but he just added more weight making it impossible for her to remove it from her throat. The Faunus laughed as she struggled below him, he was having the time of his life. He was going to watch the Heiress of the Schnee Dust Company die below his boot just as the many Faunus had died underneath the boot of the SDC.
Weiss' vision faded and the blackness press in on her as her pushes became weak movements, she couldn't keep the thoughts of Ruby out of her head. She had failed to protect her, once she was dead this monster would surely go after her again. Tears pricked at her eyes as darkness covered the majority of her sight. A growling snarl filled the air as a blur of red tackled the large Faunus off of Weiss making her gasp and cough for air. Once she could focus she stared in awe at the sight before her.
It had taken several minutes for Ruby to come to. The large Faunus had almost made her pass out and with how winded she was already her head was swimming as she lay on the ground trying to understand what had happened as she watched Weiss dart about in the air. As her head cleared a small voice started to work through her mind begging to be released. It ached to rip and tear apart the large Faunus to make it bleed to make it submit. Make it regret ever crossing her make it wish it had never been alive. To destroy it, to kill it, to snuff out the light that was it's life.
She had just started to rise and make her way slowly towards the pair when the first blow had landed on Weiss making her blood stir. The voice grew in intensity, howling at her to kill the monster before her to show him that she was the most powerful. When she saw Weiss coughing up blood something snapped.
The world around the wolf dissolved into a red haze, her senses sharpened bringing everything into a crisp relief. The blood of the Heiress stood out against the white of the patch of snow that it had fallen on, her ragged breathing sounded like thunder in her ears. The voice screamed at her destroy everything.
Fangs and claws dug into the skin of Faunus as the wolf smashed into him tearing at his neck. He yelled and trashed in pain trying to pull the savage red wolf away from him but the wolf just continued to slash and tear into him casting blood into the air. He felt her grab ahold of his hand that was pushing her back and rip it apart with her claws with a fierce growl. Blood poured down his arm from the torn apart hand as the wolf dropped off him and landed in a low crouch.
Weiss couldn't tear her eyes away from the scene before her as Ruby tore into the Faunus; she had never seen Ruby act so aggressively. Sure there had been the time when she had attacked Pyrrha but after that there had been very few incidents, well with the exception of when she took a swipe at Yang and then tackle Qrow to the ground but both times had been when she was defending her. But there had been no aggression.
Now however, now was a different story. It was almost as if Ruby was another person all together right now, right now she was a wolf. She couldn't even recognize the girl she knew and loved in the one before her now. Blood dripped down her hands as she slashed and tore at the other Faunus, her tail hung low and was bushed out while her ears were held low against her hair a low menacing growl seemed to rumble out of the wolf constantly except for when she attack, then it became an aggressive vicious snarl.
The Lieutenant was taken back but the ferocity the small wolf was attacking him with. He had spotted the duo as they fist started to help the humans that his brethren had been attacking and smirked at his luck. He thought he'd have to search from a while before he found them. The man that had given them all of the Dust and ammo had told him that fighting them would be worth his time but he had never expected much. At first he had been underwhelmed by them but once he had gotten them motivated he had been more impressed. They had taken his attacks and then shrugged them off like they were nothing only to retaliate with their own strong attack. First the wolf had moved so fast that he had missed her every move until his body was thrown back by the force of the attack but it still hadn't fazed him much, his semblance was always active giving him much more durability than anyone else he knew. Then the Heiress had shown her own abilities by air juggling him chipping his Aura away and he had been angered that she didn't have the thought to finish him off and was going to make her pay for that and he had almost done it.
Now however he was barely defending himself from the vicious wolf bleeding heavily. His breaths were coming in short burst as his limbs slowly moved to do what he wanted them to do but the wolf still after him with no signs of slowing down. At the start of the fight he could have sworn that her eyes had been silver but now only one eye was silver, the other eye was a deep crimson; the color of blood.
Weiss watched in horror as Ruby leapt onto the back of the large Faunus hands gripping on either side of his head and start to pull. The large Faunus began to panic as he tried to dislodge the wolf's hands desperately pulling at them but the claws of the wolf dug in deeper as she continued to pull. Slowly a soft popping filled the air and the large Faunus started to go slack, suddenly Weiss regretted ever watching the wolf's attack as she ripped the head of the larger Faunus clean off, blood showered the ground and the wolf as his body slumped word.
The sudden silence of the fight was broken as the wolf threw her head back and let loose a howl like the Heiress had never heard before. It was loud and ear splitting as it resonated through the air. She could feel the force of the howl rattle her bones and cause her soul to quake with fear. Once the howl was done the wolf lowered her head and gazed about. Weiss felt her breath freeze when she saw the deep crimson of one of Ruby's eyes gaze at her.
The wolf dropped the head and lowered herself once more into a crouch as she sniffed at the air. Weiss felt her pulse quicken as the wolf slowly started to prowled towards her taking a sniff every few steps.
"R-R-Ruby?" Weiss asked unsteadily. The wolf paused and cocked her head to the side at her voice as if she was asking if it was her she was speaking to. "Yes that's you." Weiss spoke with more conviction. "You're Ruby Rose, leader of team RWBY, you're a rambunctious and fun loving wolf who is friends with everyone she meets, you love cookies and sweet strawberries and hate it when I make you eat your vegetables before desert." As she spoke the wolf continued forward her eyes slowly softening and the crimson one fading back to silver. "You're exceptionally clingy in bed and love to cuddle up to my chest when you're tired, you have a tendency to place your tail around us as we sleep and make your ears tickle my chin in the morning. You are the only person that I have willing give my heart to and I will do everything with in my power to protect you from harm." But now Ruby was only a few inches away and was leaning her face in, "So please Ruby, come back to me. Come back little wolf."
Silver eyes blinked a few times before a cloudy haze seemed to clear from them and confusion and pain took over, "W-W-Weiss?" Ruby croaked out, her voice faint and raspy.
"Yes Ruby, I'm right here." Weiss cooed as she put her hands gently on the sides of her wolf's face ignoring the blood that cover her pale cheeks. Ruby took a shuddering breath before collapsing against the Heiress. Weiss let her hands slip up into the deep crimson locks of the younger girl and pulled her close, she could feel the tears of the wolf rain down on her neck as she trembled in her arms. "There, there Ruby. You're back, I've got you, you're safe." She continued to coo into the wolf's ear. She didn't know what had happened to Ruby but now she was very determined to find out.
A/N: Hello again! I'm so happy to have you here again with me! So here's what happened on the WhiteRose end of the attack on Beacon, there will be a bit of a time hop in the next chapter but what and how the White Fang attack ends will be given through reports of other people. No Penny did not make her move yet but I have a plan for that and it's a coming (hehehehe). We are marching on and the story is progressing towards it's final arc with will probably take the last 19 chapters to complete so looking forward to that. I'm actually moving the post days around now that I have time so look for a new chapter towards the middle of the week, I'll try to be consistent but we all know how unpredictable life can be from time to time.
So I've been helping out a new author get into the swing of their story offering help here and there where I can, they have a pretty interesting idea and I think that it has a lot of potential in it, it's called 'The Grey Area' by SolidSnake10101 so if you've got the time go swing by there and check it out.
With that: Many continued thanks for your show of support, I love hearing from all of you so please tell me what's up, and may you have a new reason to smile everyday.