RWBY: The Verdant Light of Remnant
Chapter 22: Counterattack!
Author's Notes: First of all, sorry this took longer than it did & for not being able to put everything i wanted here in this chapter. Thankfully, this mission will be able to end in the next chapter which hopefully will be out this september... Gods, i need a co-writer to help me write this so badly. Doing this AS WELL as being a video editor REALLY doesn't help my case since i SUCK at balancing both things well.
But in lighter news, i'm a twitch streamer now! Every Saturday &/or Sunday, we're going to play either a Pokemon Nuzlocke Challange or play some Fire Emblem, as well as any game my emulators can handle. Go follow me on my twitch: Remnant Bardock to keep that to date.
With all of that out of the way, let's finally start this chapter. Always rembember the following statement, folks.
The following is a non-profit Alternate Universe fanfiction.
RWBY is owned by Rooster Teeth, Warner Bros. & the late Monty Oum. While Fire Emblem: Three Houses is owned by Nintendo, Intelligent Systems & Koei Tecmo. Please support the original release.
Also, major spoilers for both RWBY & Fire Emblem: Three Houses, specifically the Verdant Wind Route. If you haven't caught up with either of them, it's recommended that you catch up with both of them before reading this story.
& On that note, enjoy this chapter.
The Garnet Papillons make their way towards Hunter's town, ready to take down the bandits & bring in Wave, the bandit leader. For a good chunk of this battle, the Garnet Papillons have made quick work of the bandits, taking down many dozens of them while they barely break a sweat while doing… Unfortunately, things can't stay that way forever.
Right as Ruby was about to send the signal to allow Blake, Ren & Hunter into the manor, the manor's rooftop suddenly starts opening & out of it, a large prototype weapon rises up, one that makes Hunter shiver in fear… A Dust Ballista. With a single warning shot, this prototype proves to be a true weapon of destructive power by destroying the gates of the town & leaving a large-sized crater. This catches the group completely off guard & makes them consider approaching the manor in a more careful manner now… Will they be able to stop this Dust Ballista Prototype & capture Wave, or are they doomed to fall in their first mission? Find out all & more happening now…
Is what I WOULD'VE said if we actually continued this story where it last left off… But we won't do that just yet, because I'm evil! XD! Before we take a look at how are heroes are doing, we're going to cut to Sothis & Gayelette for a brief moment. They're currently at Gayelette's room, with Sothis reading her friend's notebooks & being amazed how much she written down about Aura, Semblances, ETC.
Sothis: W-… Wow, I can't even understand half of this… Yet you get all of this stuff just fine?! *Looks at Gayelette* What is it with small girls being very good scholars?!
Gayelette just shrugs at Sothis' question, thinking back at how people like Lysithea would always keep herself at her books & studies, to the point of being a detriment at times… Well, Gayelette doesn't have a short fuse & isn't a brat like Lysithea is, so maybe the comparison isn't very fair.
Gayelette: I didn't have anything to do for the last 5 years other than practicing my Semblance & doing some studying, so I made sure to use all of that time well.
Sothis: Wait, all of that for 5 years straight?... *Blinks as she remembers* Oh yeah… I forgot; you didn't get out much after you moved here…
Gayelette nods sadly as she takes out a photo resting on her drawer, it's one she took a couple of days before Nicholas II left for an "important meeting". The photo had herself, who was very small at the time, her Mother, the Schnee Sisters, an older looking woman with white hair (who was Weiss' Mother) & Nicholas himself, they all looked very happy in that photo… If only this wasn't the last time they'd ever get together like that.
Sothis takes notice of her BFF's attention going to the photo she's holding & goes next to her to take a look at it, focusing more on the younger Gayelette in the photo.
Sothis: Wow… You were really small & cute in there, huh?
Gayelette: KYA~!
Gayelette gets spooked by Sothis suddenly sneaking up right next to her when she was focused on something else, with her cheeks suddenly getting hot as she processes what her friend just told her.
Gayelette: S- Sothis, don't do that! You can't just sneak up on people like that!
Sothis: What? I just got close to see what you were looking at, that's nothing something to get jumpy over.
Gayelette sighs as she looks back at the photo she's holding.
Gayelette: Ya'know Sothis… I really envy you…
Sothis understandably raises a brow in confusion as Gayelette continues speaking.
Gayelette: You & Prof. Eisner got to travel around the world & get involved as many wild adventures without a care in the world, seeing many places that most people dream of getting the chance to go… All the while I've been stuck in one place or another…
Sothis: What's stopping you from doing it right now? You're not with your Dad anymore & you're Mom isn't as rough with you as she is with everyone else, so why not try to go out there now?
Gayelette closes her eyes as she takes Sothis' words to heart. Much like Ruby, Sothis is telling her that she should take the first step while she still can. But deep down, Gayelette knows she isn't ready… That's what she thinks, anyways.
Gayelette: I already told you… I'm not ready, I still have a lot to learn before I can go… Not everyone can just take the first step like Ms. Ruby told me.
Sothis: *Snickers* I'm sorry, Ms. Ruby?!
Gayelette blushes at Sothis' joke as she places the photo back in the drawer next to her bed, followed by taking off her glasses & start cleaning them.
Gayelette: My point is that not everyone has the courage to start such a journey… Especially if they know nothing but their comfort zone… Like me…
Sothis then goes next to Gayelette & places a comforting hand on her shoulder.
Sothis: Don't sweat it, kid! You'll get there soon.
Now it was Gayelette's turn to give her BFF a confused look.
Sothis: Listen, we're not that much younger than those brats. Heck, Ruby's just a year older than us! If an opportunity comes for us, we'll take it! That's when you'll know for sure that you're ready.
Gayelette: You really think so?... That could easily go very wrong.
Sothis: *Shrugs* Ya won't know until ya try, right?... Besides, you're not going to do this alone. I'll be there for you when the time comes, I'll always watch your back.
Gayelette's expression goes from confusion to one of shock, she can't remember the last time someone said those exact words to her: "I'll be there for you". she starts feeling something warm inside of her as she feels Sothis' simple, yet kind demeanor starts to rub off on the young scholar.
Gayelette: You really mean that?
Sothis: *Smiles* Of course! That's what friends are for, right?
Gayelette begins to tear up, doing her best to hide her emotions from Sothis as a small smile grows on her face. Sothis suddenly stops smiling as she noticed Gayelette rubbing her eyes for some reason.
Sothis: What's up, something got on your eye?
Gayelette: N- no, it's not that. Sorry.
Sothis: Then what's the matter?
Gayelette: Nothing's the matter!
The entire time the girls were talking, Glynda was outside of the room hearing the whole thing. To see her little girl make such a friend & to hear her speak like that, it brings a powerful, yet kind warm feeling in her heart. She wipes out a tear before heading out to do some paperwork for Ozpin.
Okay, now we can get back into the action & needless to say, it's not looking very good for the good guys. The moment the Ballista fired its warning shot, everyone suddenly starts to get concerned & even panic at the thought that this random village in the middle of the plains has a weapon like this, even if it's just a prototype! Hunter slams his fist into the tree in anger, cursing his stupidity.
Hunter: Son of a bitch!... If I knew they'd finish that ballista, I would've planned ahead!
Blake & Ren look at Hunter with confused expressions, not understanding his words.
Blake: Wait, ballista?! Why would a place like this have a ballista?!
Hunter: His Majesty lend us the resources to help us give our village better defenses, so we can have a way to deal with any Grimm attacks or invasions… But we didn't get to finish it before Wave's Bandits attacked… *Growls in anger* They must've been able to follow the blueprints & finish the ballista! How could I have been this foolish?!
The 2 young Huntsmen-in-training look at Hunter before exchanging a nod to each other.
Ren: Tell us? Does this ballista have some kind of weakness we could exploit?
Hunter: *Takes a deep breath* There is one… After firing a shot, it needs to cooldown for around 5 minutes before firing another shot again… Our best bet is to go in now…
Ren: 5 minutes? That's not a lot of time…
While the boys were talking, Blake spots Jaune's group sneaking from behind & getting themselves some cover while they look at the back entrance of the mansion. It looks like they might try to sneak into it themselves, which gives her an idea. Hunter notices Blake's sudden focus going elsewhere & asks what's going on.
Hunter: What are you looking at?
A small smirk grows on Blake's face before she gives Hunter a confident answer.
Blake: Our key to victory.
Hunter suddenly gets confused about what she meant, not knowing what she's talking about. Is she just saying that to cheer them up, or is she actually serious? He doesn't know… But for some reason, he has a gut feeling that this might actually work out well in the end… But only time will tell.
Back at the group below, they're all trying to process what just happened. A large Dust cannonball just hit the gates of the town & left a small crater on the ground that's now on fire. The students are greatly taken aback by this sudden warning shot.
Yang: Wh-… What the hell was that?! Since when the bandits had that at their disposal?!
Byleth: Tch!... Whatever the heck that was, it looks like they were giving us a warning…
Yang feels a very tense feeling of astonishment & anger as she looks at Byleth.
Yang: YOU'RE TELLING US THAT THEY MISSED THAT SHOT ON PURPOSE?!
As everyone was more focused on the crater itself, Weiss was focused on the weapon itself. While it's built from different materials, she recognizes the shape & size of the weapon almost immediately… & A feeling of horror is sent down her spine at the thought of such a thing being at the hands of bandits.
Weiss: That's a… A Dust Ballista!
The girls' attention then shifts to Weiss as they hear her soft-spoken & chilling words.
Ruby: Oi, wait a sec!... Did you say a Dust Ballista?!
Weiss: *Nods at Ruby* That's a recent weapon of mass destruction developed by The Atlesian Empire to strengthen its might even more, it'd later become something other nations would try to copy as a means to defend themselves from Grimm. *Looks at the Ballista* That one looks like it's made right here in the Holy Kingdom of Vale, it wasn't a gift from the Atlesian Empire, so it probably isn't as potent or well-built as the ones you'd see back in my homeland… *Clenches her fists* & Yet-…
Weiss looks down horrified as her hand begins shaking, feeling the terrifying power of such a weapon being here of all places. Ruby looks back at the ballista on the top of the mansion, glaring at it fiercely as her hands boil into fists.
Yang: Well, any idea why we didn't know about this weapon being here beforehand?!
Ruby: It doesn't matter!
Everyone then looks at Ruby, feeling a rather intense aura coming from her.
Ruby: What does matter is that we're going to tear that weapon into pieces!
Yang: Ruby…
A worried Yang looks at her Sister, concerned about how she might go "like that" just like she did with the Grimm a few nights before they went to Beacon. That state where she showed no emotion other than the deep desire to kill, something she hopes never happens ever again. Before any more words could be said, they notice that despite all of the bandits they've taken out, a couple of dozen more come out & surround them.
Bandit: THEY'RE THEY ARE!
The many large brigands & rogues surround our heroines, all with their weapons at the ready. None of them are too worried about them specifically, they're more so worried about getting to the ballista before it fires another shot. Team RWY & Byleth all gather with one another as they discuss their next course of action.
Weiss: We don't have time to waste on these low-life scum! We have to move out, now!
Yang: But Blake's group are still waiting for their opening! They probably haven't made their move yet since Ruby didn't get the signal off!
Ruby: We'll worry about that in a few minutes… *Reloads her rifle* We got work to do!
Reluctantly, the girls nodded at their Leader's command & began fighting off the bandits that surrounded them, with Weiss making sure she doesn't stray herself too far away from any of the 3 frontline fighters. As they're fighting, Ruby occasionally looks at the door of the mansion as she keeps thinking to herself.
Ruby: (Crapbaskets, this is going nowhere! If I can make just one opening over there, then I could get in that mansion & end all of this now! If I don't, then the next time that ballista's about to fire will-) RGH?!
Ruby doesn't have time to continue thinking before she dodges an incoming attack from a brigand before sending him packing with an Aura shockwave. These bandits seem to act a lot more focused than the ones they knocked out prior, meaning that passing through will prove to be difficult this time around.
The same could not be said for Jaune's group, who decided to try & sneak inside of the mansion from the back while all of the remaining bandits are focused on Ruby's group. Jaune pokes out his head from their hiding spot to see if there's anyone around.
Nora: Remind me again why we can't break any more legs & are trying to get in there?
Jaune: *Looks at Nora* Didn't you see what those monsters have up there?! If those bandit bastards fire that weapon again, they'll aim at the others this time! *Looks back at the Dust Ballista* We have to stop them before that happens!
A concerned Pyrrha goes to Jaune to try & talk some sense into him, as well as try to assure him that things will go well soon enough.
Pyrrha: Jaune, I understand your concern… But if we go in there blindly, we won't be of any help. What if there's another dozen bandits inside that are very strong? What about Wave, their captain?!...
Jaune: *Looks at Pyrrha* Well, we don't have to kill her, do we?
Pyrrha: Well-… No, but what do-
Jaune: Then all we have to do is just sneak up on her & bring her in!
Both of the girls look at Jaune with both a worried & somewhat deadpanned expression on their faces, they both share a glance at one another before looking back at Jaune.
Nora: Okay, so how do we do that? Oh, fearless leader?
Jaune: THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO THINK OVER HERE, GODDAMNIT!
Nora groans while facepalming at Jaune's response & the fact that he doesn't have an actual plan yet, with Pyrrha's reaction being a rather nervous laugh. The latter clears her throat as she decides to help her leader to make a plan of action.
Pyrrha: Well, would you like us to help you with the plan making?
Jaune calms down from his sudden outburst as he begins thinking about Pyrrha's idea… Only to feel a heavy sense of embarrassment flow through him as he asks himself why the hell didn't he do that in the first place!
Jaune: That-… That's be nice, thanks Pyrrha.
Pyrrha: *Giggles* Anytime, Jaune.
Pyrrha's attention shifts from the mansion's backdoor, which was opened for the bandits have more ways of leaving the mansion to attack the Garnet Papillons.
Pyrrha: If I was the leader of such a large bandit group, I'd want my strongest & most reliable men where I can see them. In this case, it'd be in doors. I'm certain that this mansion has a basement where some of them are waiting for us. *Looks at Jaune* If we get cornered by too many bandits in-doors, we're going to be in trouble.
Jaune begins rubbing his chin as he begins thinking of something to work with the few possibilities Pyrrha gave him, just as both girls suddenly notice a slander, yet very familiar silhouette standing right behind him, with Jaune himself being oblivious to their presence.
Jaune: If that's true, then our best option would be to split up in some way. One of us try to handle the bandits inside, the others can try to climb to the top & stop the ballista before it fires again… But we're too short on manpower over here.
Blake: "Too short on manpower", you say? Then why not have a few more of the brats on the town come over here to help you?
Jaune: *Hums* I don't know, they might be too busy handling the bandits over there.
Blake: Why not have the ones from the sidelines help you, then? We handle the bandits in the house, while you guys stop the ballista's next shot.
Jaune: Hey, that's not a bad idea. Thanks Blake! *Stays quiet for a few seconds* Huh?
Jaune then turns around to see Blake looking down on him, which scares the shit out of him. But before he could scream like a little girl (Again) just to blow their cover, Blake puts a finger in his mouth to shut him up.
Blake: Not gonna lie, you guys couldn't have picked a better time to come here.
Nora: What the heck was that for?! Why did you sneak up on us like that?!
Blake: I felt like it.
While Jaune & Nora understandably grow in frustration on Blake just coming at them like that & not say a word until she "felt like it", Pyrrha's a bit more understanding of her approach… Even if she doesn't approve it all that much.
Pyrrha: I assume this means you thought of a plan for us to get up there?
Blake nods as she points at the tree she was at, Pyrrha looks at where she was standing & spots both Ren & Hunter. The latter of which seems to be preparing to fire a modified arrow… Actually, it looks like one of Ren's Dust Paper Bombs is wrapped on it. A feeling of curiosity dwells on Pyrrha as she looks at Blake, who's about to explain her plan.
Blake: We're going to wait for them to fire their next shot, that's when Hunter will shoot a Fire Dust arrow at the next cannonball to create a diversion. That'll throw the bandits long enough for us to sneak in & take them out, it's as simple as that.
The reaction of Team JNP are go from utter confusion to downright not liking it, feeling like it can risk their friends to get hurt in the crossfire.
Jaune: No way! We're not going to put our friends at harm's way like that!
Pyrrha: Jaune's right, Blake! This plan has way too many risks involved!
Blake: Well, I don't see any of you coming up with any other ideas, do I? Besides, we're short on time, we need to act before things get any worse!
Nora: Well, it's not like we can protect the others from your explosive arrows or whatever!... *Looks away* Unless, I don't know… Make some kind of shield for them?
While Jaune hearing this from Nora makes him look both confused & really questionable at her for thinking of something as random as that at a time like this, this actually gives both Pyrrha & Blake an idea. They both shoot at nod at each other before looking at back at Nora with the most confident smiles on their faces, confusing the other 2 students.
Jaune: Pyrrha… Blake… What's with those looks?
Pyrrha: I've never shown or told any of you about my Semblance… Have I?
Jaune & Nora look at Pyrrha with a confused look on their faces before looking at each other for a moment, all the while Pyrrha looks at the many knocked out bandits surround them, all of them with many steel weapons like swords & axes. "That should be more than enough" Pyrrha told herself, let's hope this gamble of theirs pays off.
We cut back to Ruby's group, who are still fighting off the bandits. Thankfully for them, they're about finished with the seemingly endless batch of them. Yang's able to take out the last few by giving them some well-timed hooks & slam them to the ground with some powerful punches, she gets back up to her feet as she begins catching her breath.
Yang: I think those were the last of them… How the hell could a bandit group have so many people in it?!
Byleth: Get used to seeing that, you never know how large the enemy's numbers truly are. *Looks at the many dozens of knocked out bandits surrounding them* This doesn't even hold a fraction on what you kids are going to deal with in the future. *Looks at Team RWY* But we can worry about that later, let's focus on the here & now first.
Ruby nods before looking back at the manor.
Ruby: Yeah... Right now, we have to-
Ruby suddenly starts talking as she feels a terrifying presence approaching, which catches the attention of her comrades.
Weiss: Ruby?... What's the matter?
Ruby doesn't answer Weiss at first, she wants to confirm her suspicions first. She places a hand behind her ear & begins to focus. Everything suddenly goes quiet for her… Too quiet… Until she hears lots of screeching & growling coming from miles away. She finally speaks up as her suspicions are proven correct.
Ruby: An army of Grimm... One that's about to surround us…
A sense of fear & desperation hits both Weiss & Yang, not initially believing what Ruby said while also having the feeling that she's actually correct.
Weiss: What?! Already?! But we haven't even been fighting with these bandits for 30 minutes! How could we've managed to attract that many Grimm so quickly?!
As they're in the state of anxiety of the fact that a supposed army of Grimm will arrive shortly, Byleth turns around to see that Ruby's right. From afar, from the direction of the front gates, she can see many Grimm coming towards them from afar from miles away & are fast approaching.
Byleth: I'm afraid Ruby's right… Everyone, get ready!
The 3 girls' attention goes to Byleth as they see that the Grimm are drawing closer to them, they all decided to head outside of town to confront them, with Byleth in the lead.
Weiss: Professor, what about Pyrrha & the others?! Shouldn't we ask for their help?
Byleth: For all we know, they might be in a pickle themselves, we just have to hope that they're able to make it through & help us fight these Grimm! Until then, stick together & make sure none of them get through these walls!
Team RWY: Yes, Ma'am!
The 4 of them wait a little longer until they get a little closer to the town walls, that's when Byleth charges head first & swings her chain sword to take out a few dozen of them, with the other girls doing their best to prevent the Grimm from entering the walls. Even though the town is essentially deserted to an extent… Not only are the others inside of the town themselves, but so are many knocked out bandits & they (mainly Byleth) would prefer to not let their bodies be taken as food.
Ruby & Yang are both keeping their distance close to Weiss, acting as her shield as the Crown Princess keeps summoning Glyphs & firing off many Dust attacks… While Weiss always carries many packs of Dusts with her, the same can't be said for her draining Aura, which begins taking an effect on her. After using another powerful Glyph to support the Rose Xiao-Long Sisters, she suddenly feels her body suddenly get heavy & a need to catch some fresh air, to the point where she falls to her knees & starts to feel a little woozy.
Weiss: *Pant* *Pant* *Pant* {B- Bloody hell, why now!?... Why have I reached my limit now of all times?!...}
Weiss tries to create one last Glyph to launch one last Dust Barrage at the Grimm, only for a few Grimm (Specifically Beowolves) to be able to move pass the Rose Xiao-Long Sisters for a moment & are about to pounce on a weakened Weiss. The young princess looks up to see the Grimm about to tear her apart like butter, they suddenly stop for a split second before their bodies are split apart & scatter into the wind as they dissolve. Before Weiss could say anything else, she looks at the trail of rose petals on the ground, just as a familiar voice speaks out.
Ruby: Keep your disgusting paws away from my partner!
Weiss turns around to see Ruby, who's getting back up to her feet before running back to Weiss to see if she's okay.
Ruby: I saw you fall for a moment, what happened?!
Weiss looks away rather ashamed as she slowly gets back up, but with her hands on her knees to make sure she stays up.
Weiss: I must've overused my Semblance… Those Glyphs consume too much of my Aura, not that I ever had much Aura to begin with.
Ruby: I see… Just focus on recharging your batteries then, let me- *Looks up* Wait here!
In a flash, Ruby gets up to confront a large Ursa Major about to attack them both while their guard was down, only for Ruby to place her palm at the Ursa's chest & send it flying with an Aura shockwave so powerful, the other Grimm are caught in the crossfire. Oh, but she wasn't done just yet. She readied a few Throwing Bottles before she looked at Yang & Byleth, calling for their attention for a moment.
Ruby: Sis! Prof. Eisner! Get back!
Yang & Byleth looked back at Ruby for a moment before nodding & stepping away from her range, curious about what she's going to do… Well, Yang already had an idea, so it was mainly Byleth who doesn't know the context behind Ruby's new plan. She waited for the Grimm to get a little closer to each other before throwing a couple of bottles at the Grimm… Said throwing bottles having flammable gas inside of them… They weren't able to hit the Grimm directly, but they were thrown just close enough for them to get covered in the now spreading flammable gas. Her comrades see this idea of hers & are at shock at the fact that she'd come up with something this destructive.
Weiss: Hold on, Ruby! You're not actually serious about this, are you?!
Ruby changes the cartridge of her rifle with one of Fire Dust Bullets before turning to Weiss & answering her question with the coldest, yet most determined look on her face.
Ruby: Weiss… I'm always serious… *Takes aim at the Grimm* Go get cover… Now!
The girls look at one another concerned before nodding at Ruby, quickly backing away from her to not get in her way or get caught in the crossfire.
Ruby: Good riddance, you disgusting beasts from hell! [BURNING STAR]
Ruby fires a fire dust bullet at the Grimm which are now clouded by the flammable gas, causing a huge explosion in the process. It's so powerful that it can be felt from miles away, even from the hideout of the village. This causes the citizens there to suddenly get worried, not knowing what's going on back in their home & hoping that things are okay.
This doesn't go unnoticed by Wave, who was on her way to the basement to blow up the walls blocking off her path to get the town's treasure stone. She looks above for a moment as she takes her scroll to contact the Rogue who's in charge of the ballista.
Wave: Hey! What happened?! Why did I suddenly feel a massive explosion just now?!
Rogue (Scroll): It's those brats from outside! Our battle has attracted Grimm from the surrounding woods & brought them all here, but then the girl with red hair suddenly blew them all away!
This revelation causes Wave to flinch & put her scroll down for a mere moment, trying to process what she just heard. A small sense of dread begins to flow through her as the realization of just how powerful these Huntsmen & Huntresses in training truly are starts to get to her. she knew they were powerful, but she didn't expect them to be this strong! She now understands why her employer wants the girl so much, she & her friends were able to take out almost their whole bandit group like it's nothing! Despite the odds being stacked against her, she's able to recompose herself before talking back to the rogue through her scroll.
Wave: I understand… Make sure the next shot prevents their escape! Understood?
Rogue (Scroll): Let's see… *Looks at his dust cannonballs* Would freezing them with an Ice Dust Cannonball be acceptable?
Wave: As long as the girl with the hood & her busty teacher are still alive, then you're free to do what you see fit!
Rogue (Scroll): Understood, I'll prepare the next shot in a moment! Over & out!
They both end their call & put their scrolls away, with Wave arriving at the gates of the basement, which are blocked off. She scoffs before taking out a few Fire Dust Crystals from her pocket.
Back to Ruby's end, who's looking at the now smoked crater she just made with her gamble to wipe out the Grimm. By the looks of it, it seems to have done the trick just fine. Weiss & the others come out of their cover before slowly approaching Ruby, with the former trying to speak to her leader.
Weiss: Uh… Ruby?... Are you alright?
Ruby takes a deep breath before turning to her comrades with a tired look on her face.
Ruby: Yeah, I'm alright… Don't lower your guard, I don't think I got all of them in that gamble of mine… *Looks at the manor* We still have to deal with that too.
The others look at the direction Ruby's looking at, spotting the ballista stop its smoking, which likely means it's almost ready to fire its next shot. Ruby looks at Weiss for a moment before thinking of another plan.
Ruby: Weiss, how's your aura looking? Do you still need to recharge your batteries a bit?
Weiss: I'm afraid so, I've never used this many glyphs at such a short span of time.
Hearing this, Byleth gets an idea to help Weiss out. But to do it, she might have to risk her cover being blown… Only for Ruby hear more Grimm coming from outside, she really did miss a few of them… Damn!
Ruby: Tch, those were the only gas bottles I had too!... Crapbaskets!
Yang: Guess we'll just have to send'em packing, huh?
Perfect, this could give Byleth an opportunity. She goes to Weiss before looking at the Rose Xiao-Long Sisters.
Byleth: Ruby! Yang! You go on ahead without us, I'll help out Weiss & then catch up!
Understandably so, Yang & Weiss give their professor a confused look. Both because she's not going to help them with the Grimm for a bit & because she sounds like she can help Weiss in some form… Ruby on the other hand has an idea what Byleth's thinking: "She's going to do that weird thing she used on me after Neo beated me", she told herself. After giving Byleth a nod, she turns to her Sister & calls for her.
Ruby: Come on, Yang! Let's go, Byleth knows what she's doing!
Yang: Huh? Uh-… Okay? *Looks at Byleth & Weiss* Stay safe, you 2!
Byleth nods at Yang before the latter went outside to fight off more Grimm alongside Ruby, Weiss doesn't have time to respond before she gets picked up by Byleth.
Byleth: Excuse me, Weiss.
Weiss: What the-
As easy as a picking up a small child, Byleth picks Weiss up in a bridal carry before moving into a "safer location" so she can do her little magic trick… All the while Weiss' blushing madly as her face starts to burn a lot over the embarrassment of suddenly getting picked up like this by someone.
Weiss: Huh?! Professor, what's the meaning of this?! We're in the middle of a battlefield, this isn't the time for these kinds of jokes.
Byleth: I don't do jokes, Weiss.
Thankfully for the both of them, Weiss is put down to the ground once Byleth found a spot for her to take cover, one of the abandoned houses of the town that actually looks like it's in good condition.
Weiss: Okay, now may I ask what was the meaning of that?
Byleth: Just hold still for a moment.
Just like with Ruby, Byleth closes her eyes & clears her mind before placing her hands at Weiss. A faint green glow starts to emit from Byleth as Weiss fatigue from earlier begins to… Vanish?!... How is this possible? She was really spent out just now from overexerting her Aura, yet she slowly starts to feel better? This doesn't make any sense, it's almost as if she's being healed back up with magic or something! After a moment passes, Byleth stops her magic trick before standing back up & offering a kind hand to Weiss.
Byleth: How are you feeling? Can you stand back up?
Byleth's words wake Weiss back to reality, looking up at her professor before taking her hand & get back to her feet.
Weiss: Y-… Yes, I can… How did you-?
Byleth: Something I've been working on… It's a little… Secret of mine.
While not understanding the full context behind what just happens, Weiss decides to respect Byleth's request in keeping what just happened a secret between them. That's odd, she didn't want anything to do with this woman last month & here she is, promising to keep a secret for her… Both her & Ruby are starting to rub off on her… But for some reason, she's okay with that… That's weird. Before they both began to move out, Byleth takes a quick look at the manor, noticing that the smoke stopped… That's where her heart suddenly stopped for a moment.
Byleth: Oh no…
Weiss looks at Byleth confusingly before looking at the direction she was staring off to, quickly understanding why she suddenly flinched. They notice that the rogue is finally getting ready to fire the next ballista shot. They both look at each other before rushing towards the other girls, trying to warn them about what's to come.
Speaking of which, they're dispatching the Grimm that were still coming to them. Even though Ruby's plan dealt with a lot of them, it didn't fully eliminate the threat outright. She spins her scythe around before slashing through another dozen with quick efficiency, with no intention of letting them escape. One of them tries to pounce Ruby from behind, only for it to get a nice punch to the jawline by Yang & be sent flying. The 2 are literally at each other's backs as they look at the Grimm slowly surrounding them.
Yang: Ya think we can pull off another combo with them?
Ruby: Maybe, but we might only get one shot. I'm starting to get low on Aura… You?
Yang: *Spits on the ground* My body can take a few more hits…
Ruby smirks as she spins her scythe & gets on her stance, ready to rush down once again.
Ruby: Alright, I'm ready whenever you are.
Unbeknownst to them, the rogue has already taken aim at the 2 girls, all he has to do is wait for Byleth to come to them as well & he can fire his next shot. All the while Hunter's taking his arm at where the cannonball will go, waiting for the signal. Ren has his scroll on, talking over with Jaune's group as Hunter's taking aim.
Ren: We're both ready, are you all in position?
Jaune (Scroll): Yeah, Pyrrha has her "shields" ready to go. Good luck, you too.
Ren: Roger that, over & out!
Ren puts away his scroll & shoots a nod at Hunter, confirming that the others are ready. Hunter's arrow has some Fire Dust tipped on its blade, as well as one of Ren's Dust Paper Bombs wrapped around it. He's not aiming directly at the ballista, he's aiming at where the shot will be directed, with the intent to fire it just moments before the cannonball hits its target: Ruby's group.
He keeps his breathing in check as he keeps his aim just right, not focusing on anything else at that moment. All he's thinking about right now is hitting his target! Speaking of hitting their targets, the Rogue sees that Byleth & Weiss are running back towards the girls. A small, malicious smirk grows on his face as he takes hold of the lever, only saying 3 words right before pulling it down & firing his next shot.
Rogue: Just in time...
– POW –
Almost as if the world suddenly went in slow motion, the shot is heard all throughout the area, taking the attention of the girls as they take out more Grimm. Byleth in particular turns her head back with a horrified look on her face, feeling like she made a mistake in screwing around instead of finishing this job in a matter of minutes on her own. She's about to take hold of The Sword of the Creator with the intent of possibly deflect the incoming cannonball away… Until…
– FWING –
The moment the cannonball started to curve downwards & starts falling, a powerful Fire Dust arrow is fired & connects to the cannonball, causing it to explode… & Not just in a large cloud of smoke either. Since the cannonball was mostly made of-… well, DUST!... When the material that was keeping the Dust intact got cracked by the arrow, it was enough for the entire outer shell of the cannonball to break apart & when that happened, all of the Ice Dust got spread throughout town like a barrage of throwing knifes, some going after our heroines. Ruby's about to charge her Semblance one last time in an attempt to hopefully grab everyone & dodge the incoming Icicle Crash… & That's where their "shields" finally come to protect them.
Pyrrha: {I made it just in time…}
Their eyes widen as they witness Pyrrha in front of them, extending her arms towards what it looks to be a large wall made out of hundreds iron & steel weapons. While that normally wouldn't stop a large Ice Spear coming down at them, her Aura made sure that this wall was as sturdy as diamonds. Although, she won't be able to disassemble the shield now that it's being frozen with the leftover Ice Dust from the Icicle Crash. Everyone is at shock to see Pyrrha do this, unaware about her Semblance or what it could do… Except for Weiss. Once the initial shock has passed, a confident smirk grows on her faces as she regains her posture.
Weiss: Well, I'll be damned... Those rumors about your Semblance were true after all.
Yang: *Looks at Weiss* "Rumors"?!... What rumors?!
Pyrrha: *Looks at the group* We can talk later, are you all alright?!
Byleth: Y- Yeah, we are… Thank you, Pyrrha.
While the others were focused on what just happened, they hear more growling from behind. They all turn around to see the other Grimm surrounding them, all the while a few more come from afar, as they were attracted by this recent cannonball shot. Ruby's about to take her stance, but is stopped once she felt Byleth's hand on her shoulder. She looks at her professor with a confused look on her face as Byleth speaks out, not taking her eyes away from the Grimm.
Byleth: Don't waste your energy with them, use it to take out Wave & end this mission!
Ruby looked shocked at Byleth's new orders, not understanding why she's sending Ruby there on her own instead of keeping her here. But she's come to trust her professor's judgement, as well as understand that they don't have time to waste anymore. She shoots Byleth a nod before turning around, confusing the others all of the sudden.
Weiss: What are you doing, Ruby? *Points at the Grimm* Our enemies are that way!
Ruby: Hold them off for a bit, I'll be back in a few minutes.
After saying that, she takes position to run off & blasts away before the others could get a word in. Now that most of the bandits are knocked out, she's easily able to get through the front doors of the manor & get inside. While Weiss & Yang are worried by what she just done, Pyrrha's a little more confident about it, which confuses her classmates.
Yang: Why are you smiling, Pyrrha? Ruby's getting in there to fight this Wave chick while she herself is almost out of juice, not even she can do this on her own!
Pyrrha: Who said anything about her doing this on her own?
Those words catch Yang off guard, not understanding what Pyrrha's talking about. But then she remembers that Jaune's group is on the other side, which finally makes her click. But before she could get another word in, she turns to punch away a Grimm who was charging at her… It didn't end well for the vicious beast.
We cut back to Ruby, who manages to get inside of the manor. She starts to look around, amazed by the architecture at first. She's seen some very beautiful wooden settlements, yet this one manages to make her jaw drop. The wood was of such great quality, the home-build furnitures is all made perfectly & there's even a few plant pots around.
Ruby: Well, at least the bad guys managed to keep this place intact.
Before she could continue admiring this manor any further, she smacks her cheeks together to keep herself focused. She has come here to beat down the big bad, not go sightseeing!... She certainly regained her focus just in time too, she starts to hear some footsteps coming from upstairs, coming down to the first floor was more bandits… But these looked a little stronger than the nearly hundred or so bandits she & her friends knocked out outside.
Brigand: You've made a mistake in coming here on your own, girly!
Ruby looks around her surroundings, the bandits having her in a tight spot. She can't waste her Aura with these guys… Whatever, she just has to hope & pray that she can move past them without wasting too much of her strength. But before anyone could move, they feel the floor suddenly shake for a moment, almost as if a small earthquake suddenly hit them. Ruby somehow manages to keep her footing as she thinks of what could've happen to cause… This… She did hear it coming from below, so maybe it was from the basement?... That's when it clicks for Ruby, she takes a small Water Dust Crystal & throws it at the bandit in front of her, causing him to catch it.
Ruby: I don't have time for you people, get out of my way!
With a single Lightning Dust Bullet, she shoots at the Water Dust Crystal at the bandit's hands. It both causes some water to be splashed by him & the bandits close to him… & Getting some dose of electricity flowing through their bodies, just like how Ruby did it once with Nora back at their Mock Battle. Using this distraction, Ruby jumps & uses the electrocuting bandit's head to both push her forward, but also push him towards the other bandits, causing some of them to make contact & getting electrocuted as well.
She starts running around the mansion to find where the stairs to the basement are, making sure to not use her Aura or Semblance to boost her speed like she normally does. On her way, she starts to feel some familiar presences. She stops for a moment to feel the Auras of Jaune, Ren & Nora upstairs, likely fighting some bandits of their own. A smile on her face grows as a sense of pride grows in her heart, "So this was their plan all along", Ruby thought to herself. She has to admit, she was impressed.
Ruby: *Looks up* Thanks guys, I owe you big time!
After having this little moment for herself, she then feels 2 more familiar presences below. Those being of Blake & Hunter, they're down there with one more powerful presence. That could only mean one thing in Ruby's mind. She then starts hearing some footsteps coming from the way she came from, "There's still more of them?! Come on!" Ruby thought to herself, knowing who those voices belonged to. She begins running around the mansion as the bandits who didn't get caught by Ruby's little escape plan start to catch up to her, which annoys the Red Reaper.
On the basement, a fight was ensuing between Blake, Hunter & Wave. Hunter is taking cover behind some large wooden crates as he occasionally gets out to get some shots at Wave, but she's able to reflect his arrows every time. The only reason she isn't fighting him at close range is because Blake isn't letting her pass through.
Wave's weapon of choice is a large bow without a string, said bow being able to be split into to & be used as a pair of swords. Despite her great skills in swordsmanship herself, Blake is having a hard time in this battle since not only is Wave surprisingly strong, but the area they're fighting in isn't well suited for Blake's fighting style. Not to mention how she's trying to keep her cover up by not revealing her Semblance in front of Hunter. The 2 young women are in a stalemate, crossing each other's blades as they try to get the upper hand at the other.
Wave: I'm impressed. It's been a long time since I was forced to fight like this, yet I can feel some weakness within your strikes!
Blake: Don't delude yourself! I have no weakness!
Wave smirks before pushing Blake away with a powerful kick to her stomach after parrying her blades to create an opening. Enhancing her left hand with Aura & in turn, her sword, Wave fires off an aerial aquatic sword slash towards Blake, who narrowly dodges. But the tip of the attack managed to leave a small cut on her left cheek. This angers Blake as she starts charging at Wave with quick & precise sword slashes, only for Wave being able to parry them all one by one.
Wave: Is that so? Then why are you hesitating in your moment to strike me down with your blades? Is there something holding you back, young girl?
Blake: SHUT UP! *Pushes Wave back* Don't act like you know me, you bitch!
With Wave pushed against the wall, Hunter uses this opportunity to fire off another arrow at her, only for her to dodge it yet again. She reacts the moment the arrows are about to hit her, almost as if she's dodging them on pure instinct.
Wave: *Looks at Hunter* Come on, kid. When will you learn that you can't hit me?
Blake: Focus your eyes on me, damnit!
Blake once again charges at Wave, only for the bandit leader to elegantly & swiftly move out of the way, causing Blake to have her to slash the wall instead. She turns back just in time to block an aura enhance kick with her sword, getting pushed against the wall.
Wave: Ya'know, I've heard stories about you… & I must say, I'm disappointed. I expected a better fight from you, ya'know?
While keeping Blake pinned against the wall, Hunter decided to take another shot. But not at Wave herself this time, which confuses the bandit. She turns to see what Hunter fired at… & Suddenly gets horrified at the sight of what he shot, a small crate of Fire Dust. With the sudden reaction, the Dust inside of the crate explodes & causes an explosion to where Wave was, although Blake was able to dodge the attack by turning her body into shadow momentarily & blend in while nobody was focused on her. Blake reappears next to Hunter, looking at the mess he just made with his little gamble.
Blake: Aren't you worried about the entire place collapsing at us?! That might've started a fire with that stunt of yours, ya'know!
Hunter: Remind me again who's plan was it to have me shoot a firing cannonball as a "diversion" for the enemy?!
Blake's about to say something back, only to immediately pull back & look away in thought as a smug look is formed on Hunter's face.
Blake: Touché.
Suddenly, the fires that were beginning to spread from Hunter's sudden surprise attack are put out with water… Very sharp looking water at that… That doesn't make any sense, there's no water in this basement, right? Either way, Wave emerges from the smoke while removing her burned vest, exposing both her large bust & her slender, yet ripped upper body. Most notable is her large tattoo that's marked on her back, one in the shape of a crossed-out raven wing.
Wave: I'm impressed, I've never been injured this badly for the last 5 years of my career as a bandit. I'm impressed, boy. *Points her sword at the teens* Unfortunately for the both of you, your time on this world will come to an end!
With that, Wave takes her 2 swords, combine them together to form a bow & out of nowhere, she's somehow made a very thin string made out of water. She has the water string wrapped on her bow before looking back at the 2 young teens. Understandably confused by what she just did, Wave explains to them her Semblance.
Wave: [Aqua-Lance], that's the name of my Semblance. It allows me to create very sharp streams of high-pressure water in many forms, like strings or blades. The sharpness of these blades are enough to cut through diamonds with a single slash. *Smirks* Think you kids can handle a little bit of water?
Wave positions herself in firing mode & pulls back her bow's string, the other 2 question how is she supposed to fire her bow without an arrow until they witness the bandit create an aquatic arrow as she's taking aim at the young teens. They both dodge the incoming attack, just barely avoiding the HPW (High Pressure Water) Arrow & witnessing how destructive it is. It left a huge hole on the wall & a really deep one at that. before they can process it any further, Blake narrowly avoids another HPW Arrow that grazes her cheek, leaving a deep cut on her face. She lands on the ground to process what happened.
Blake: Did… Did that arrow just cut through my Aura?!
Wave: Correct. If you moved your head just a millisecond later, I would've taken you down… Oh well, there's always next time… *Puts her bow down* Actually, I have a better idea… Why don't you join me?
[Music: "Mephiles' Whisper" from Sonic the Hedgehog 2006]
This actually takes Blake off guard for a moment, surprised by the sudden request.
Wave: As you saw, my manpower isn't powerful enough to take on Huntsmen. I'm the only one who can stand a chance against them, I could use someone who can truly fight by my side. Why don't you come to me? I can tell that you don't belong with those kids, that you feel like you're wasting your time playing pretend with them.
Hunter: DON'T LISTEN TO HER, BLAKE! SHE'S JUST TRYING TO TRICK YOU!
Blake could hear Hunter's warnings loud & clear, but whether she'll take them seriously is another matter entirely. Wave kinda brings a point, what is Blake even doing here? She's shown a distain towards humans & is only really here for her own gain… Right?... Blake continues thinking as Wave keeps trying to persuade her.
Wave: Your blades lack finesse & power, it's not what it once was in the past. Back then, you were revered throughout the entire world, you were feared by the world… Yet here you are, pretending to play the good guy while playing with your little friends… Do you actually believe that you can walk away from your bloodstained hands & live amongst the commonfolk, try to live a peaceful life?... Is that what you even want for yourself?!
Blake: *Glares at Wave* My goals & past events in life are none of your concern!
Wave: *Smirks* Then why are your arms shaking?
Blake raises a brow before looking at her arms, which are shaking in a very subtle way… But they are shaking none the less, but why?! Does Blake actually buy Wave's words deep down? Is she actually scared of who she is? Who she TRULY is?! Wave then offers a hand to Blake, calling out for her once more.
Wave: Join me, Blake… You don't have to live in a lie anymore, there's no shame in embracing your true nature… The nature of a born killer… The nature of The Mans-
Blake: Spare me your fake promises, you bitch!
Wave is taken aback by Blake's sudden declaration of defiance, something she didn't expect. Despite her words being true, she's not going to let that take the better of her… Blake has a promise to make & she'll keep that promise until her last breath. She takes her blades & points them at Wave before speaking once more.
Blake: I've heard those words before; I'm not going to let them trick me again!... You can take that offer of yours & shove them up your fucking ass for all I care!
Wave: You'd rather live a lie where you're unwelcomed then?!
Blake: I decide my own path in life, not you!
Wave's expression grows into a very upset & disappointed one, she simply huffs in slight frustration as she spins her bow & aim a shot at Blake.
Wave: That's a shame… You had your chance, girl… Get ready to die!
Both sides ready their weapons, getting ready for round 2. But before anyone can make a move, they hear someone come from upstairs at an oddly fast pace. Before they could turn around & see who that is, what looks to be a homing missile made out of rose petals comes flying at them at blitzing speeds & connects a clean hit at Wave's face. The bandit leader is sent flying through the basement, passed through an open door of said basement & crashed into the wall of that room… Hard!...
[Music: "It Doesn't Matter (Instrumental)" from Sonic Adventure]
The rose petals soon land on the ground, revealing to be none other than Ruby Rose. Both Blake & Hunter are taken aback by Ruby's sudden entrance & the fact that she got a clean hit on Wave just like that, with the young girl just getting back to her feet while she tries to catch some air.
Ruby: *Pant* *Pant* *Pant* I've made it through them… Finally…
Blake & Hunter: RUBY?!
Ruby: *Looks back* Sorry I took so long, had to deal with more bandits on my way here.
Hunter looks between Ruby & where Wave crashed into with the most horrified & shocked expression you could think of.
Hunter: What the- how did you manage to land a hit on her like that?!
Ruby: *Shrugs* What do you mean? I just take the chance I'm given & attack.
Hunter's jaw drop at Ruby's rather blunt & simple response while Blake adjusts her hat for a moment, contemplating on Ruby's rather simple & blunt way of doing things.
Blake: (This kid just does whatever the hell she feels like doing, doesn't she?)
Before they could thing of anything else, Ruby "takes" an arrow to the head, which shocks the 2 teens, mainly Hunter… Until they both notice that no real damage was done to Ruby whatsoever as they look at the hole on the right side of her head. The "injury" Ruby took is actually covered in rose petals instead of… Ya'know, flesh & blood? Wave keeps walking up to Ruby until she's right behind the short Huntress.
Wave: That was a very impressive kick, girl. Where did you learn to fight like that?
Ruby's face begins to form back to normal as she looks back at Wave with an innocent smirk on her face.
Ruby: You're gonna have to try harder than that! With my Semblance, I can turn my entire body into Rose Petals. Ya can't hurt me if you're slower than me.
Wave: A speed-based Semblance that gives you a form of invincibility? That's a very rare type of Semblance, not to mention very powerful… You have quite the gift, young lady.
Ruby: Thanks. *Turns around* & To answer your question from earlier, a "warrior prince" & a "dusty old crow" showed me the ropes. Pretty cool, right?
It doesn't take long for Wave to figure out who Ruby's talking about through her brief descriptions.
Wave: "The Mighty Prince of Wrath Khloud" & "The Bringer of Misfortune Qrow"?... I haven't heard those names in a very long time. *Turns her bow into swords* Why don't you show me more of those "ropes" they showed you?
Ruby's smirk disappears as her "game face" grows on her face, getting ready to what will be a tough battle. She doesn't have too much Aura at her disposal right now, so fighting her alone is out of the question. She hears some footsteps from above start to come down here, causing the young reaper to look at Blake & Hunter for a moment.
Ruby: You guys hold those punks coming here up, I'll hold this one off.
Hunter: Wait, what?! You're not thinking of fighting her all by yourself, are yo-
Hunter stops talking when he feels a hand on his left shoulder, turning his face to that direction to see Blake looking at him.
Blake: It's fine, she can hold that bitch down for a moment or 2 while we're gone. *Looks at Ruby* Hey kid! Once we're done with those guys, we'll come help you out! Just hang on tight for a few minutes, okay?!
Ruby shoots them both a thumbs up, prompting Blake to get Hunter up to his feet & have them run back upstairs to hold off the bandits Ruby ran past before she got here. Wave sees this & tries to go after them by jumping past Ruby & going after the other 2 teens.
Wave: Don't think I'll let you go after that little stunt of yours!
Before she could reach them however, Ruby suddenly appears in front of Wave with her arms pulled back, with her hands enhanced with Aura. Before Wave could react, she's sent flying back to the room Ruby kicked her earlier at with a powerful Aura Shockwave from Ruby, with the red-haired reaper instantly charging towards the room to confront Wave alone. Wave simply gets up as Ruby readies Crescent Rose.
Ruby: (I got about 1/3 of aura left, the best I can do is hold her off for a few minutes!)
Wave: Ya got guts, kid. I'll give you that! I'm starting to understand why The Fall Empress wants to see you so badly.
Those words cause Ruby to lower her guard a bit, putting her weapon down for a moment to figure out what Wave means.
Ruby: "The Fall Empress"?... Isn't that the person Roman's friends with? What does she want from me?
Wave smirks before charging at Ruby at full speed, causing her to sloppily block the incoming attack with her scythe & have her hit a wall. This is what she gets for lowering her guard for that brief moment, "Crapbaskets! Can't believe I fell for that!" she thought.
Wave: You can ask her that question yourself after I deliver your limp body to her!
Ruby regains her footing before taking her fighting stance again, not allowing herself to make that same mistake again.
Ruby: I'd like to see you try, "Aqua-girl"! While I'm at it, I'm gonna take that stone you took from this town!
Wave smirks before she reaches from the pocket of her pants & takes out a beautiful stone in the shape of a sphere, one that radiates some kind of "mystic energy". One of the 3 Sacred Treasures Ozpin & Glynda talked about: Yasakani no Magatama, the Jewel of Benevolence… At least, that's what both young women hope it's the real deal.
Wave: You mean this little rock over here? I would give it to you without hesitation under normal circumstances, but "her royal highness" wants this a lot, so it's not for sale.
Ruby: *Smirks* Fine by me, not taking it by force would be boring anyways.
The reaper & the bandit take their stances, ready to start their intense battle. While Wave has the advantage over Ruby, that doesn't necessarily mean she'll have an easy time. Speaking of the young reaper, Ruby hopes everyone else is okay on their own & hopes the bad guys don't have anything else hidden on their sleeves. For now, she'll hold off the bandit leader for a couple of minutes & make sure she doesn't escape, as well as get the supposed Yasakani no Magatama.
[Music End]
Even though this started to look grim due to the sudden reveal of the Dust Ballista & the constant Grimm attacks that started because of it, the heroes were still able to think of a plan to turn things around & push through. But is any of this going to be enough for them to claim their victory, or are things only going to get worse from here? Find out all of that & more next time on RWBY: The Verdant Light of Remnant!
RWBY: The Verdant Light of Remnant - Chapter 22: Counterattack! - End.
Author's Notes: Okay, the next chapter will be the final act of this mission & the aftermath. I PROMISE! Hopefully i can finish it for September...
"I'll be able to do things fine" i said, "I'll be able to get though the V1 phase of this story in about a year's time" i said... WE'RE ALREADY PAST YEAR ONE OF THIS STORY & WE'RE STILL IN THE V1 PHASE OF THE STORY, THIS IS HORRIBLE!... Whatever, i can at least still be able to finish in 35 chapters or less, since i wanna start the V2 section by chapter 40... Which BTW, The V2 section of this story? OH BOI, get ready for when we get to that point.
Despite the pacing issues, i'm glad you guys are still supporting me in this story, it really makes me happy. Even if the support itself is small, i couldn't be more grateful for you guys. That's all i have for you guys today, unfortunately. This has been Remnant Bardock & until our next meeting, have a WONDERFUL DAY, my friends!