Chapter 20: A New Resolve
It had rained the day after the battle of Haven. The Mistral Police Force had gathered up the White Fang members and had arrested them, taking them all into custody. Systematically, all members involved were either sent in disarray, arrested, or ran off. Sienna had almost met the same end, but Ghira Belladonna had vouched for her, saying she had been the one who had led most of the attack on Adam Taurus. She was taken into custody to testify against the man but had subsequently been released. The police had grabbed their statements, taking reports from all of the present Huntsman and Huntresses in Training, including Levi himself. He explained what had happened, keeping the Relic of Knowledge and the Vault out of the conversation. He only said the one who attacked the school had been sent over the edge of a cavern and was likely deceased.
Since there had been no body and no confirmation, it was assumed Cinder was still alive. Mercury, Emerald, and Hazel Rhinart had also managed to escape, thanks to one of Emerald's illusions, something that had clearly shaken whoever had been left in the entrance hall. He had asked Weiss about it but she didn't say anything, not wanting to even speak about what she had seen. It had been quiet since then, a week had passed since the battle, and the group now stayed in their rented apartment, not exactly knowing what to do. They were all grateful that things turned out for the best, and Team RWBY was catching up, now that they had their final member back. But for Levi, it was just another day.
The miqo'te was standing in front of the monument to the deceased, staring at the names of those who had perished in the Fall of Beacon. Several bouquets had been left behind, among them, a bouquet of gardenias that he had placed down for Aria. The wind was blowing softly as he stared at the names, tracing Aria's with eyes. He had her notebook in his hand, his finger marking the pages where she had written her letter. He had been standing there all morning, steeling his nerves in order to read it.
"So much has happened in such little time. It's almost been a year since what happened, and I've successfully made it here. But now that Cinder is gone, I don't know what to do. Neo is gone, Weiss is back with her friends and Sienna is likely going to help Ghira with the new White Fang. I'll be all alone again." he thought, taking a deep breath.
"Did you read the letter?"
His ear perked up a bit as he glanced down, seeing Alto standing beside him. She wasn't dressed in her usual uniform, she was wearing something else entirely. She wore a sleeveless white tank top, with dark silver markings around the edges. Over it, she wore a set of armor, a corset-style chest plate that protected her breasts and lower abdomen, the edges made of thick leather. She was wearing a pair of black shorts, and knee-high black boots. Her hair was tied up in a ponytail, held up with a black ribbon. Her wolf ears were standing straight up, wiggling a bit from the breeze.
"No, I haven't," he said, glancing down at the book in his hand. "But I'm going too, just steeling my nerves a bit. What about you? Heading to work?"
"No, I was getting my armor ready. This was the set that I used when I was back in Kuchinashi. I had to get it resized. I took a year off from combat training, and in that time the girls grew a bit. So I had to get refitted and a few areas had to get reforged."
"Oh… well I uh, don't know what to say." the young man said, flushing a bit. Alto giggled, muffling her laugh with her hand.
"Boys never do. It's just a part of growing up, Aria had some big ones and had to get her armor redone a few times. I hope it doesn't become that way for me. Aside from that, I've filled out the necessary paperwork to get into Atlas Academy. But now I have to head to Argus." she said, glancing back at the monument. She placed her bouquet of gardenias down, looking up at Aria's name. "I was just saying my goodbyes to my sister. I'm all packed and ready to go, just gonna take some time to truly decide if this is what I want."
"Well, whatever you decide to do, it'll be great. Your sister would be immensely proud of you, Alto. And I'm sure Atlas will benefit from having another wonderful soldier." Levi said with a smile. The wolf faunus looked away from the monument, looking up at Levi with a curious gaze in her eyes.
"And you? Where are you gonna go, back home?"
"I… don't know. I don't have a home anymore, my house in Vale was likely emptied out during the city-wide cleaning they did. All of the Beacon students went to Shade Academy, but since I don't have a team, I likely won't be accepted there. Can't really stick around here after what happened at Haven."
"Hm… it's still crazy that all of that happened. Even crazier than you were involved in all of it along with your friends. Why don't you stick with them? They likely have a plan of attack or something," Alto said, a hopeful tone in her voice.
"Maybe," he said with a shrug. "I'm still looking for my friend Neo, my partner. I've tried messaging her all week but she isn't responding. I… had a fight with her."
"Oh?"
"Yeah, both of us made a promise, you see. To find the person responsible for what happened to us in Vale. But I found out she was involved in all of that. I just snapped, and almost killed her. I realized my mistake too late and now she's gone." he sighed, glancing back at the wall of names. "The more things change, the more they stay the same. Maybe I just don't deserve teammates or partners. Especially if all I'll do is hurt them."
Alto didn't say anything. Instead, she just gave Levi looks of concern, placing her hand over his own. She traced the emblem on Aria's notebook with her fingertip, her lips curving into a frown. "I really think you should read this letter, Levi. Maybe it'll give you hope for the future, clear your mind a bit."
He gave her a defeated look. He had waited long enough, he knew eventually he'd have to read this letter. It had been bugging him for the better part of a year. He had always wanted to read it but felt he wasn't ready to. After everything that had recently happened, he believed he was finally ready. He opened the notebook, his eyes reading the words he had been avoiding since Glynda Goodwitch had placed this book in his care.
"Dear Levi,
This is probably going to be the most awkward thing you will read in your life, given the one who is writing it. But these might be my final words to you. Things are looking bad here in Amity Arena, and all of us are fighting hard. We had that argument a few hours ago, and I want you to know one thing above all else.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry for everything, Levi. I have been nothing but an asshole to you since day one, and that's because of my stupid father. I was forced to do things that I didn't want, and I was borderline abused. They wanted me to become a toy soldier, someone who would lead their clan to greatness without them thinking about what I wanted. I grew jaded with this. I hated them, I hated the faunus and I hated everything. I left Mistral for Vale to forget about everything. I wanted that, but I kept getting constant reminders, being told every day of my expectations. When we were put together on a team in Beacon, I just snapped.
Because you had a wonderful mother and had gotten into the academy so easily. All while I Had to work for everything. I didn't know how hard you worked or how much effort you put into your fighting style and your semblance. You put work into your singing, into your schoolwork, but I refused to see it. I hated you. Not because you were a boy, or because you were a faunus. I hated you because you were carefree and happy and had someone who loved you dearly. I have my siblings but they were never around. All I ever wanted in life was to be appreciated and treated like another part of the team.
I gave you such a hard time because of my own shitty life, and that evolved into something worse. There was this deep-seated hatred that wasn't even me. I kept telling myself to break out of that character, and apologize. To tell you how much I appreciated you being there, and how much I relied on you. That mission we took in Vacuo opened my eyes to how wonderful of a man you were. You made sure those lost kids made it home, despite a few of them being racist, despite them being tired. You gave them your food, your water and you carried a few of them just to get them back to town.
Not only that, but you did so many great things in Beacon. I was jealous. Because you were well-liked and everyone treated me like an outcast, and I have no one but myself to blame for that. I wanted to end this farce, but everything exploded today. I can still hear your words ringing through my mind.
I don't want to die without apologizing to you, Levi. I'm sorry, so so sorry for everything. For treating you like shit, for forcing you to wear a mask because I didn't trust you. For stealing notes, for fighting you over a stupid donut. I'm sorry about the dance and humiliating you in public. And I'm sorry about Amity Arena. I want you to know that I love you dearly, Levi. I love you, Cadence and Sona. You three are my best friends in the whole world.
I can't keep writing anymore. Sona and Cadence are out there, defending the civilians still stuck in Amity, and I'm going to help them. I've been calling your scroll but you don't reply. I hope to see you in Beacon again when all of this is over. We will win, and we will see each other again. But if we don't, just know that I love you, Levi. As much as a friend can love another friend. You are more than that. You are my irreplaceable teammate and my partner. Don't be scared to spread your wings and soar, fight for what you believe in, and take care of Sona and Cadence if I do die. They're everything I have left, and they deserve it.
On the off chance that you meet my little sister Alto or my brother, take care of them for me, will you? Make sure they get this notebook. I have letters for them as well. This isn't goodbye, Levi. This is just so long. When I see you again, I'm giving you a big hug, you deserve it after all the shit I've put you through. See you soon, Kitten…"
Levi didn't know he was crying until he saw the droplets hitting the page. He had expected this letter to be something terrible, something berating him for something. Instead, it was the complete opposite. It was her final words to him and apology. Everything she had said and done was just an act, a defense mechanism. He never understood her. She was just dealt a bad hand and had been given a crappy family, sans Alto and her grandmother and brother. He was glad he hadn't done his make-up because if he had, he would have certainly ruined it. He wiped his tears away, fanning his face with his hand.
"I should have read this a long time ago. She wrote this with the belief that she would see us all again. She died protecting Sona from being killed. She probably knew she wasn't getting out alive, and there I was, not by her side. My last words to her were basically hoping she would die!" he said, gritting his teeth in anger, as more tears fell down his cheeks. "It shouldn't have been that way. She should have been here, not me!"
"Stop it, Levi." Alto snapped, causing him to look down at her. She had a bright smile on her face, as she held a handkerchief in her hand. "No one deserves to be here more than anyone else. Aria knew this would be a possibility. She made a choice and she stuck with it. Now you have to do the same. Why did you want to become a huntsman?"
"Why?" he asked, accepting her handkerchief. He wiped his tears away, dabbing his eyes in hopes that the tears would stop flowing, and thankfully, they did. "I want to help people. My mother would tell me these stories of all the people she met while on call. All of the people she saved, men, women, and children. Even if they hated faunus, she would save them. Her stories were so bright and filled with hope. I was starry-eyed at the idea of becoming someone that could help. To become a hero that people could rely on."
"And has that dream died?"
"Of course not. I still want to help, but I don't know what to do anymore. Before I came to Mistral, I decided to quit training. I made my promise to Neo, but I still kept acting like a huntsman. I fought Grimm, escorted a merchant family back to their home. Look where I ended up, fighting to defend Haven Academy from being demolished. Even still, I don't feel like a huntsman, I'm not sure I even deserve it."
"Why not? I think you are just as deserving of that title as anyone else," Alto said, placing her hands behind her back. "You fought well, you made friends along the way, you are, however, grieving. The Fall of Beacon has affected you. You lost friends and family. You are just heart, your heart is cracked but isn't broken."
"Then what should I do?"
"I can't decide that for you, Levi." the young wolf girl said. She reached behind her back, pulling something from her pocket. She unfolded it, looking at it for a moment before handing it to him. "Though I can't decide what you do with your life, I can encourage you to do what you set out to do. Get your license, become the hero you want to be. Save lives. That is your true calling in life, Levi. Look at what you've accomplished so far."
He looked down at the pamphlet he had been handed, reading the words on the front. "Atlas Academy… the pearl of Remnant, the most advanced academy in the world. General Ironwood offered positions to all of Beacon's students. Maybe this is where I need to go. Finish my training, gather myself, and then decide what to do."
"I think… I think I'll get my license. I'll head to Argus and see if I can find a ship willing to bring me to Atlas. It'll be hard, seeing as the people there heavily discriminated against the faunus. But I'm sure General Ironwood will accept me."
"Awesome! That means we'll be heading to the same school together! I get to train with my big sis's friend. It's so cool!" Alto said, gushing at the thought. "It's a shame I had to sell my weapons though. I sure hope I can get some from the military, if not we could train on our way to Argus!"
"You sold your weapons?" he asked, taken aback. She nodded, ears drooping sadly.
"I had to sell them. My grandma got sick for a while after Aria's death and my little brother was too young to work. So I had to run the shop all by myself, and we didn't get any customers. So I sold my weapons for scrap metal and used the money to get by." she said. She threw a few punches forward, taking Levi by surprise at how swift she was. "I can still fight hand to hand though. Aria taught me during summer break!"
"Yeah… we'll have to rectify that. I'm sure we can get you some weapons to use. What did you use before?" Levi asked curiously.
"Sword and Shield, mostly. I had a round shield on my right arm and my sword could shift between a DMR and a Sword. Do you wanna know what my semblance is?" Alto asked, earning a nod from the young man. "I used to think it was momentum, but it's actually something I affectionately call "Deceleration/Acceleration" or DCA for short. Basically, I can accelerate or decelerate any object or person I lock eyes with. I can run faster than most people but I can also slow things down to a snail's pace. My semblance was thought to be highly adaptable and effective since I could turn regular 9mm rounds into high-speed projectiles with a snap of my fingers. It saves on ammo, that's for sure."
"That's a really interesting Semblance. Being able to speed up or slow down whenever you want is very useful. Not to mention you can easily close gaps and overwhelm your opponents. You'll be a force to be reckoned with, that's for sure."
"Yeah… that's what my sister said. She said I inherited this semblance from my paternal grandfather. I'm not sure if my old man has it, but it has to do with our wolf traits. Whatever the case might be, I'm sure going to need a lot of training to get back into the game. I hope you can help me. You are gonna travel with me, right?"
"I… well I suppose so," Levi said, glancing back at Aria's notebook. He remembered the words she had written on the paper, relating to her siblings. He nodded to himself, ruffling the girl's hair. "Yeah, let's head to Atlas together and get our licenses. I spent a while training with my friends, and they helped me improve. So I'll do the same with you."
Alto grinned brightly, turning back toward the monument, placing a hand on her hip. "You heard that, big sis? Your little sister is going to become a huntress. I'll make sure to keep your dream alive for the both of us. And now I got myself a friend too, don't you worry, I'll watch his back for ya!"
"Are you sure it won't be the other way around?" he questioned, causing her to puff her cheeks out. He rolled his eyes at her giggle. He faced the monument, reaching inside his cloak pocket for something. He pulled out a framed picture, the corners of his mouth lifting up in a smile.
It was a picture that Sonata had insisted on taking. It had been taken the week after Team ACPL had been formed. The girl in question was on Levi's back, her arm wrapped around his shoulder as she flashed a peace sign to the camera. She didn't seem to care that her skirt had ridden up, exposing quite a bit of her thigh. Cadence was next to the two, a smile on her face. The final member was Aria, who stood tall beside them, arm crossed. Her long silver hair, which had normally been in a ponytail, had been left down, her Beacon Academy uniform had been freshly ironed, her weapons attached to her waist. Despite the look of annoyance on her face, her lips were curved in a small smile. The frame itself read "Beacon's Number 1 Team", and had been carved into it by Sonata herself. He held the picture close to his chest for a moment, before setting it down in front of the monument.
"Are you sure you wanna leave that there, Levi?" Alto asked, her eyes firmly locked on the picture frame. He nodded, giving her a smile.
"I want her to be with her friends. Come on, I want to introduce you to my other friends. I'm gonna let them know I'm leaving for Atlas."
"Hm… okay! How about I buy some ramen stuff and make lunch for everyone? I think they'd like that! I'm sure Weiss would." she said, winking at the older teen. He briefly wondered why she had said that, but nodded eagerly.
"She wouldn't stop talking about that meal you made her last time, so she'd definitely appreciate it. Just be ready, my friend Nora is like a vacuum cleaner. It would be best to get enough for a large bowl, just for her."
"Don't worry, there isn't a customer I haven't left satisfied in a long time…. that sounded extremely wrong, please ignore me," Alto said, earning a chuckle from Levi. He had spent only a few minutes with Alto and already his day had been a little brother. He glanced back over his shoulder, spotting Aria standing by the monument, gazing down at the picture. She looked over his shoulder, giving him a smile.
"Take care of her for me, Levi. It was an honor calling you my teammate."
"You weren't just my teammate, Aria. You were my friend… rest easy, Alto will be safe," he replied in a reassuring tone. She gave him a nod, followed by a wave as her body disappeared in a shower of sparkles. He felt his shoulders becoming just a little less heavier than they had been.
Location: Downtown Mistral
It hadn't been hard to fall back into her previous routine. In her line of work, she had gotten used to being a drifter. After her parents died, she had no choice but to survive by any means possible. It just so happened that Roman was the stronger of the two, and had been able to teach her how to survive.
Money was no object, after all, she had been able to pickpocket a few drunken idiots who decided day drinking was a good idea. Neo had been able to survive, though having spotted Blake Belladonna, she had hastily changed disguises, having to take on the appearance of a random Kuchinashi waitress in order to blend in. Thankfully, no one had noticed and that's exactly what she wanted.
She didn't know why she was still in Mistral. This place held only bad memories for her, for various reasons. It was one of the first towns she had arrived in when she was young, and it had been here that Roman decided where they would go. Living in Kuchinashi for a few years had taught them the tools of the trade and eventually, they had arrived in Vale. They had made new lives, had made power friends, and had started a criminal empire that had netted them millions of lien by the day. And it all got destroyed by a single woman. She walked past a holographic screen, showing the faces of the people who had attacked Haven Academy, wanted dead or alive.
Mercury Black.
Emerald Sustrai.
Hazel Rainhart.
Adam Taurus.
Cinder Fall.
Her eyes lingered on the final one, taking in the woman's appearance. She had been beautiful at one point in time, but now she was a broken woman, with ugly scars hidden beneath her hair. She briefly wondered what had happened to her that ended with her choosing that life. Sometimes, the underworld life was one you stumbled into, and other times, it was one you had to choose to be in. Something told her Cinder had stumbled into something she hadn't wanted to be in and was too far gone to be saved.
She had seen the report, the interviews with those who had been at Haven Academy. She had seen Levi's blank stare as he spoke to reporters, and he shared his story, how he had delivered what was assumed to be a fatal blow on Cinder. But Neo knew she wasn't dead. Ugly weeds like her took a lot to die, and she had an inkling Cinder would be back.
Perhaps that's what had led her to stick around. The possibility of finding Cinder weakened from what happened in Haven Academy. Perhaps she could do what Levi had set out to die and deliver the finishing blow for him. One last favor for her friend before she finally disappeared and lived a normal quiet life.
Or so she thought.
Opening her scroll for the first time in a few days had yielded her with a barrage of messages from Levi, Weiss, and Sienna, all of them filled with concern. Weiss had asked her to come back, and that she had a lot to talk to her about, while Sienna encouraged her to follow her heart and do whatever she believed was right. She hadn't read any of Levi's messages. She was scared. Scared to see those words, scared to see the disgusting words he likely had thrown at her. She didn't have the heart to delete them either, not knowing what to do.
As her finger hovered over his contact, about to open it for the first time in a while, she spotted a woman, trying her hardest to blend into the crowd. She was wearing a lime green kimono, her hood being pulled so far down that her face was hardly visible. The clouds above rumbled above them, signaling the coming storm. It was already raining, but that didn't seem to bother the people too much. She closed her scroll, deciding to follow her.
"I really hope this isn't who I think it is. This damn bitch has ruined so many fucking lives, and she still manages to stick around. Like shit dragging behind a goldfish. What drives this woman forward?" she mentally asked herself
The hooded figure paused for a moment, glancing to her right. Neo pretended to be interested in some necklaces a vendor was selling. He started saying his prices to her, but she turned him out, her gaze firmly locked on the green-dressed lady. She noticed her enter the building beside them, slowly walking as she went, almost curious and guarded about the place.
"So how about it young lady, are you interested?"
She looked up, shaking her head. He looked defeated, making her frown. Rolling her eyes, she reached into her pocket for some lien, which she handed the man and in turn, he handed her a bracelet and locket set. She looked at it closely as she walked away, noticing the bracelet had one half of a heart while the necklace had the second. She stuffed it into her pocket, a look of embarrassment and annoyance as she scoped the building out.
"God, traveling with Levi really did make me soft. Leave it to me to buy a dumb jewelry set that probably isn't real gold. What a waste of lien." she thought as she ducked between buildings, standing behind a dumpster. She ignored the smell of rotting garbage and diapers, eyes narrowed as she looked into the building.
She waited for what seemed like hours, until finally, the green-clad woman left the tavern, looking both ways before blending into the crowd. Neo slowly slipped out of the alleyway, letting the people walk around her. The person she had been tailing was long gone, and that was exactly what she wanted. She looked at the tavern entrance, and with a firm nod, stepped inside herself.
The place was completely full, Neo noticed, as she walked toward the back. Her eyes moved around the building, taking in every single inch of it, memorizing the details as well as the intricate designs. It was something she had been doing since discovering her semblance could help her blend into places. Her overactive imagination just begged her to drink in as much scenery as she could.
Neo also noticed the people in the bar had spider tattoos, on their arms, legs, chests, arms, necks, everyone sported the same tattoo. She spotted a couple of young girls, no older than herself, both having their tattoos on their breasts, the spider at its center almost glowing. They briefly locked eyes with her, holding her gaze before returning her conversation. The silent girl continued her walk, stopping in front of who she assumed was the owner. Judging by the look on her face and the air of arrogance surrounding her, she figured this woman would give her answers.
"I take it you aren't here for idle chitchat or for the ambiance of my tavern." the woman said, taking a drink from her glass. "I never thought I would see Roman Torchwick's girl here of all people. Everyone assumed you had died,"
Neo shrugged her shoulders. She didn't drop her disguise, but learning that this woman knew who she was did unnerve her a bit. She placed her scroll on the table, slicing it toward the woman. A picture of Cinder Fall was on it, making her smirk. "I see, so you are after this young woman? Why you just missed her."
Reaching inside her pocket, she placed three stacks of lien on the table, rather roughly as the silverware rattled. Lil' Miss Malachite quirked a brow, reaching over for the money that had been placed on the table. She briefly counted it, a low hum leaving her glossy pink lips. "This is quite a lot of money, nearly double what she gave me. What do you require?"
The young woman took her scroll, hastily typing a message, holding it out to the blonde. "That bitch is the reason why Roman is dead, she's the reason why my friend and partner lost his mother and teammates. I want to know what she asked you, where she's going to be and when she's coming back."
"That's all? Here I thought you were gonna ask me to send some killers in her direction. Hmm… you paid me good money, so here's what she requested of me. She wanted information on a group of huntsmen and huntresses in training. Specifically Ruby Rose, Jaune Arc, and Levi Athan. Our sources indicate they are still in Mistral. We gave her a week to come back and hear what information we'll be able to gather on them."
"Ruby, Jaune, and Levi? What the hell does she want with them?" Neo thought, eyes narrowing a bit. Levi, she understood. He had been the one to deliver what he assumed was a fatal blow. She likely wanted revenge on him, the same for Ruby, since her silver eyes were what left her in that state, but Jaune? What had he done to her?
"Does that satiate your desire for knowledge, or do you want more? Because if you do you'll have to pay extra, especially if you want to keep your identity out of this business transaction."
Neo nodded, placing 50 thousand more lien on the table, followed by another message. "I want you to keep me posted on everything related to Cinder. I'll be here the day of her return, we have a score to settle."
"Of course dear, just leave your scroll information and we'll get back to ya. Perhaps next time you can show me what you really look like." Miss Malachite said, giving Neo a wink. The young woman said nothing as she turned around, slowly leaving the tavern. She didn't look back.
As she walked away, she opened the messages Levi had sent her. She hadn't read all of them, but most was him begging her to come back, and that he wanted to talk to her. But she wasn't ready to return to him. She did catch the end of one message, which made her tear up a bit.
"You aren't just my new friend, Neo. You are my partner, and you are irreplaceable. You have no idea how sorry I am for everything. Please, we need to talk."
The most recent one as of an hour ago was one that briefly read: "I've decided to get my Huntsman License in Atlas Academy, and will be heading to Argus with a friend, Aria's little sister. Please Neo, before we leave Mistral I'd like to talk to you. I want to make our partnership official, I want you to become a huntress with me. If you are interested, then meet me at the train station in a week and a half. That's when we'll be heading out. Please consider it."
Her eyes read and reread the message she had received, her heart skipping a beat. She felt herself smiling. "He's really asking me to become a huntress with him? But my license isn't even real. Then again, Lionheart did make an ID for me for the Vytal Tournament. I still have all that information on the black scroll… I should be fine but…"
She looked over her shoulder at Miss Malachite's tavern, her smile turning into a frown. She shook her head. "A week and a half, I can finish here and be there in time. The Argus Limited leaves from Akidori's Train Station. I'll just have to haul ass and be there. Okay, Levi, time for me to do something good with my life."
Nodding to herself, she pocketed her scroll, a giddy feeling coursing through her body. He didn't hate her after all. She was excited, for the better part of a week, she thought her friend had hated her, but the fact he called her a friend and partner reignited something in her. It was the same feeling she felt toward Roman. Admiration and Loyalty. He had forgiven her, and that was enough for her. She would prepare in the meantime and wait for her meeting with Cinder in a few days, and this time, she would keep her promise.
Location: Team RNJR's Apartment
"Hey guys, I'm back! Hope you don't mind, I brought a friend with me." Levi said as he entered the apartment, holding several bags in his hands. Alto trailed behind him, carrying various pots, pans, and even more bags, several vegetables sticking out of the bag.
"Hello!" she cheerfully greeted, earning awkward waves from the people within, all except Weiss who looked rather surprised.
"Miss Alto, I wasn't expecting to see you again so soon."
"I could say the same thing about you, Miss Weiss. I hope you're hungry because I'll be making lunch for everyone today. If you have anything, in particular, you'd like, do let me know, alright?" she said, immediately heading to the kitchen.
"Do you want some help in there, Alto?"
"Nope, talk with your friends. You said it was important, I'll be fine." the young woman replied. He shrugged, setting everything down on the table, heading back into the kitchen.
Jaune was near the back of the room, sharpening Crocea Mors with a whetstone. Ren was nearby, sliding bullets into the magazines that belonged to his weapon, StormFlower. Nora was next to Ren, helping him with the bullets, the pair sharing words every other second. Ruby was messing with her scroll, Crescent Rose sitting beside her. Blake and Yang were speaking about one thing or another while Weiss was checking her weapon over for damages and refilling her dust canisters. Qrow was, predictably, drinking on the other side of the room, not really interested in what the kids were doing. Levi remained silent for a few moments, gathering his thoughts, not exactly knowing what to say or how to even speak. Thankfully, Ruby beat him to the punch.
"So, you have something to say to us, Levi?"
He awkwardly nodded, his ears flattening against his head as he looked around the room. "I just wanted to say that I'm thankful that you all readily accepted me into your group. I hardly knew any of you, aside from Yang and Weiss, but you accepted me as if I was an old friend. So I'd like to say thanks."
"You have nothing to thank us for man. Not only did you give us information on what was going on in Haven, but you fought alongside us. I mean yeah, your partner attacked Ruby, and several other things happened, all out of your control…" Jaune said, clearing his throat. "The fact of the matter is, you helped us at Haven, so we're square, I guess."
"Not only that, but you watched over Weiss while you were out in the wilds. That makes you a good person in my book, besides, we've all decided to forgive Neo. She fucked up, but all of us have regrets we gotta swallow." Yang added, despite her tone being cheerful, the look on her face was anything but.
"There's something else you wanna say, right?" Weiss asked, causing him to nod. He took a deep breath, standing at full height, his arms stuffed into his pants pockets.
"I've decided to continue my huntsman training. I've been thinking about it a lot, and I've come to realize I'm, well… lost. I enrolled in Beacon because I had a dream. To become a hero, and protect the people of Remnant. But I was so focused on getting here, to kill Cinder that I Iost sight of what was important. So I'll be accompanying Alto to Argus and enrolling in Atlas Academy. I only have two years left, so I figure I can finish up and start taking missions."
"Atlas, huh? Never thought you'd decide to go there of all places, I thought you'd decide to head to Shade Academy with the other Beacon students." Qrow said, causing him to shrug.
"I thought about it, but it wouldn't make sense to head there by myself. Besides, Atlas was my second choice if I didn't make it into Beacon. I may as well give the military life a try, not like I got many other options left." the faunus replied, a slight frown on his face as he wiggled his ears. "I'm already used to being discriminated against, so there's nothing else for me to worry about. Aside from getting there."
"With Atlas being closed, it'll be hard to get there. But I assume the moment you mention joining the military they'll let you in." Ren said, loading a magazine into his gun. He checked it over, placing it down on the tabletop.
"So, when do you leave?" Ruby asked, sounding kind of sad.
"When we buy the tickets," he said with a chuckle, glancing back at the kitchen. "Alto sold her weapons for money a while back and we decided to see if we could find her some. We'll be heading to Akidori tomorrow morning, it'll take us about a week to get there. After that, we should be at Argus in about three days, give or take."
"Aw, we wanted to hang out more," Nora said dejectedly. "It's not every day we get to hang out with an upperclassman!"
"Agreed, we never got to say more than hello when we passed by each other at Beacon. We wanted to get to know you better, but we understand. We all have dreams to achieve." Jaune said, setting down his whetstone.
"I'm sure we'll run into each other again. It ain't the last time you'll see me around, that's for sure," he said with a grin on his face.
"Hm… I am rather disappointed. We spent quite a lot of time traveling together, I was hoping we could keep training on the road. You're the only other person I know with a semblance similar to mine. The practice I was getting was wonderful."
"Sounds like someone has a crush," Yang tased, earning a glare from the former heiress. She gave a dry chuckle, glancing back at Levi. "Sooo… what about Neo? You gonna go after her?"
"I've messaged her countless times but she hasn't responded. I don't blame her, if I had been nearly choked to death, almost stabbed, and slapped while pinned to a wall, I would leave too. I deserve it, she needs someone better than me to be her partner." he admitted, glancing up at the ceiling. "She's probably long gone."
"I'm sure you'll see her again, Levi. I wouldn't give up hope, she might just surprise you." Blake added, giving her fellow faunus a smile. Though her attention was on Alto, who had been making some grilled salmon to go along with her ramen, the smell was already filling the apartment. "I'm gonna go help Alto with lunch, she must be overwhelmed."
"There's no need to worry, Miss Belladonna, I've been running a ramen restaurant for nearly a year now, I think I can handle it." Alto said, looking over her shoulder, giving her a glare. "Of course, if you are only asking to help in order to get this salmon I'm cooking then I'll be very mad, and I'll make sure you get your portion last."
"Oof, better luck next time, Blake," Levi said, holding back the urge to smile. The cat faunus deflated a bit, the frown returning to her face.
"Ah, good to see you all here. I've been meaning to speak with you all." the tired-sounding voice of Ozpin said, as he limped into the room. He and Oscar were still recovering from fighting Hazel, a pained look on his face.
"Hey Oz, I wasn't expecting you to be up already," Qrow said, setting his flask down on the table. "You doing alright?"
"I am. I would certainly like to take more time to recover, sadly time is of the essence," he said, placing a hand on the relic of knowledge that was at his waist. "Since the Relic of Knowledge is no longer in Haven's vault and the Spring Maiden is absent, we must find a secure place for it. There is only one kingdom that might provide adequate protection for the relic."
"Adequate protection? It has to be Atlas, right?" Ruby asked, earning a nod from the professor.
"Indeed, Miss Rose. The Relic of Creation is currently hidden within Atlas Academy's vault. James is keeping it protected at all times. It makes the most sense to take the Relic of Knowledge there as well."
"What about the Winter Maiden? Wouldn't you have to find her?" Levi inquired, making the professor look at him, a surprised smile on his face.
"A very astute observation, Mr. Athan. Fortunately, finding the Winter Maiden will not be very difficult. In fact, she's been under the Atlas Military's protection for several decades now." he said.
"Well if that's the case, I suppose heading to Atlas won't be that bad," Ruby said. Her eyes widened a bit, gasping rather loudly as she shot to her feet, dashing to Levi's side, a look of glee on her face. "We can hang out more!"
"What? Oh… right yeah. I'll be heading to Atlas myself, that means we'd all take the Argus Limited to the coastline."
"That's so awesome! I love how things fall into place!" Nora excitedly said. "That also means we'll be able to play more video games! I swear I'll beat you in Call of Remnant one of these days!"
"In your dreams, Nora. You'll never be able to beat me, I'm 10th prestige for a reason after all!"
"May we stay on topic for a moment?" Weiss suddenly said, closing her weapon's case, setting it down on the couch beside her. "I don't know if it's wise to head to Atlas. General Ironwood recalled everyone except the soldiers stationed in Argus's Military Base. It'll be nigh impossible to get through them. Not to mention the effort I went through to get out of Atlas. I'm not exactly excited to go back."
"We understand that Weiss, but we also have to make sure the Relic is protected from potential dangers," Blake said, ears twitching as she glanced down at the relic. "Speaking of which, what exactly does it do? I was never told."
As Ozpin was about to begin explaining what the Relic of Knowledge did, Alto stepped into the living room, balancing several bowls of ramen on her arms. She had a tray in her hands, somehow managing to get everything to the living room without dropping a single bowl. "Lunch is served, everyone! I hope you like it. I made shoryu ramen all around, except a beef bowl for Weiss and a House Special for Oscar."
Everyone hastily took their bowls, the empty tray being filled with nothing but napkins and extra chopsticks. "Wow, that was quick."
"Can you blame us? Your ramen is amazing, Alto. Me and Weiss have been getting some for the team since Haven Academy's battle went down. By the way, if you weren't all aware beforehand, this is my teammate Aria's little sister. She's the reason I decided to join Atlas Academy in the first place."
"Man, you said the girl who ran that ramen shop was cute but I didn't think she'd be this dang cute," Yang said as she slurped her noodles. "Look at those fluffy ears, I wanna scratch em."
"Please don't. I'm rather self-conscious about my ears." the wolf faunus said, a flush on her face.
"This salmon is amazing, it's so soft and flaky and delicious. You have to share this recipe with me. I have a few from Menagerie I wouldn't mind parting with." Blake said, a hopeful look on her face. Thankfully, Alto nodded, holding her scroll out.
"I wouldn't mind sharing some. I'd love it if we kept these recipes alive, especially since my grandma is going to be retiring soon. With me becoming a full huntress, she won't be able to keep the ramen shop open. She's thinking about moving to Mantle, but is going to earn a bit more money before she does."
"Erm… if I may, Miss Blaze, would you mind giving us a few minutes? What we are discussing is rather sensitive and I would like to have total privacy, if possible." Ozpin said, making her brows knit together.
"If you are going to talk about the fancy lamp at your hip, then do it in confidence. There's no privacy with faunus that have two sets of ears. No matter where I go, I can hear it. Besides, I'll be heading to Argus myself so there's no point hiding information if I'll be traveling with you."
Everyone shared a look with each other, eyes falling on Ozpin who clutched his cane tightly. He took a deep breath, nodding. "Very well. But be advised, if you listen in to our conversation, you will be joining us on our journey. The task that befalls all of us is of vital importance, meaning you must protect this lamp with your life. You are young and in training, and there is no shame in stepping down after reaching Atlas. I need to know if I have your full cooperation."
"Sure, no problem. My sister went to Beacon Academy, and I wanted to follow in her footsteps. I know the path to being a huntress is a tough and challenging one. And I also know the job is difficult and has its terrible downsides, but I am here, ready and willing. Me and Levi here have a sort of bond through Aria, so wherever he goes, I go."
"Your dedication is very admirable. I'd love to see more children your age with as much gumption as you. As I was saying, the Relic of Knowledge is a peculiar and powerful object." Ozpin said as he placed the lamp on the table. They all watched as it grew in size, looking twice as big as it had before. "It has the power to answer any three questions. However, there are limitations. One being, you may not answer questions about the future. Only of the past and present. The other, you may only ask these questions every 100 years. Regretfully, the three questions of this era have already been used."
Alto's ears twitched a bit as she poked the lamp with her finger, sliding her hand beneath it a few times as it floated over her palm. "Sick. So this is like...magic?"
"It isn't like magic, it is magic. A very powerful magic, that in the wrong hands, will spell disaster. Which is why we must take it to Atlas. It is imperative we do. The forces of darkness are working against us as we speak. The safest place for it at the moment is Atlas Academy." Ozpin said, his gaze shifting toward Weiss. "I do apologize, Miss Schnee. I understand the effort it took to leave, but we must head back. James needs to be notified of current events. I believe it will also do you good."
"He's right. Heading to Atlas might prove beneficial for all of us. Not just because you'll be escorting the Relic to James, but also because you can make use of the Academy facilities. You'll be able to get your licenses there." Qrow added, leaning back against his chair. "Atlas Academy doesn't work like Beacon, Shade, or Haven. In fact, it works a lot like ranks in the military. Work your way up from Private and you'll be able to graduate. Being trusted friends of Professor Ozpin and knowing about Salem and the Relics will put you high on the list."
"Um… who's Salem?" Alto asked curiously.
"I'll fill you in later," Levi said, ruffling her hair. She sighed, rolling her eyes, nodding in understanding. "Well, I was planning on leaving for Akidori in the morning. But if we're all going to be heading north, perhaps we should take our time. Make sure our weapons are ready."
"Akidori? Why can't we take the Argus Limited from here in Mistral?" Professor Ozpin queried.
"I don't have a weapon at the moment, Oscar. So I can't really fight. There are some here in Mistral, but they are far too expensive. All I need to get by are a durable sword and shield. At least until I get to Argus and get some actual weapons forged."
"We might have something for you." Jaune suddenly said, causing everyone to look at him. Nora and Ren straightened up a bit, both looking at their friend and former team leader.
"Jaune, are you sure?"
"Yeah, I'm sure this is what she would want too," he said. He sheathed his own sword, stepping out of the room for a moment. Everyone was silent, eating their food waiting for his return. After a minute of silence, he came back, holding a large, square-shaped case, which was bright orange and gold. He set it down on the floor, flicking it open. "These weapons belonged to a dear friend of mine. Do you know who Pyrrha Nikos was?"
"Do I ever! Pyrrha was a legend here in Mistral. She won the Mistral tournament four years in a row. Not to mention was the greatest student to have graduated from Sanctum Academy. She was the reason I chose to become a huntress, second only to my own sister. The way she moved on the battlefield, how she switched her style and kept her opponents on her toes, it was amazing." she said, a bright smile on her face as she spoke. "It was almost like she was dancing, she was a modern-day warrior huntress. I like to think she's a part of the Gods personal army, an angel that watches over the world, guiding us and protecting us. You have no idea how much I cried when I heard she and my sister had lost their lives in Beacon."
She reached into her pocket, pulling out a small notebook. She pulled the cover open, pulling a small bit of folded cardboard out of the notebook, holding it to Jaune. He noticed it had Pyrrha's signature on it. "I didn't have enough box tops for that Pumpkin Pete sweater, and when she heard how much trouble I went through collecting them, she gave me this. It happened before she went to Beacon. She was in Mistral for some award ceremony. She looked so sad while she gave her speech, but by the end of it when she walked onto the ship, she looked relieved. I think the pressure of being famous was getting to her. I really wish I could have gotten to know her, maybe even be friends."
"Pyrrha was like that. She hated talking about her fame and the tournaments. She said she felt choked by it all. She loved making kids smile, but she also felt like she wasn't a good role model for them. Most of all, she wanted people to befriend her, but they all put her on a pedestal, treating her like she was unreachable. She was a wonderful partner and an even better friend. I wouldn't be here without her. Hearing you speak so passionately about her made me realize something. I think you'll make good use of these."
Her jaw dropped when Jaune opened the case, showing her what was inside. A golden shield, made out of a thick metal alloy, with swirling markings and black colors, a Dipylon shield of exquisite quality. Above it was another weapon, a retracted javelin, which was bright orange in color, with a triangular-shaped blade. The handle of it was thin, the outer edges of it having solid red markings on it. She recognized instantly what these were, and looking up at Jaune, repeatedly shook her head.
"I can't accept these."
"You need weapons, we were meaning to return these to her family, but we're not sure where they live. I'd rather you make use of them," he explained, glancing at the weapons. "They were spares. Pyrrha's set or what remained was smelted, and the metal went into upgrading Crocea Mors. She was always keeping her weapons primed and ready, and told us having backups was a good idea. She was right because now they'll see some actual use."
"He's right, Alto. We may not know each other well, but if there's something I know about Pyrrha, is that she would want someone like you to make good use of something that belonged to her. She was like that, always helping people out and generally being kind. She'd give you the shirt off her back if she knew you'd put it to better use." Ruby said a sad smile on her face.
"She was a good student, of that I assure you. I am just disappointed that I was not able to protect her. Especially after the choice, I presented to her. It was one of my deepest regrets."
"It's alright, Professor. We've come to grips with everything that happened in Beacon. You were aiming to protect what remained of the Fall Maiden's power, and Pyrrha was the perfect candidate. It's just a shame the process was stopped before it could finish." Ren said, a frown on his face. "Miss Alto, please accept our gift. We wouldn't want anyone else to take it. Levi trusts you, so we shall put our trust in you as well."
Alto didn't know what to say, her eyes glued to the weapons before her. She gently lifted the shield, seeing the name "Akouo" etched to the top. Beneath it was a vambrace, which attached to the shield. She slipped it onto her arm, grabbing the laces, only for Jaune to take hold of them, tying them nice and tight.
"There you go. Pyrrha always needed help with this, so we always took turns whenever we had combat practice," he said with a chuckle. Alto nodded, attaching the shield to the brace, realizing it stuck on via powerful magnets, enhanced with gravity dust. Finally, she took Milo into her left hand, slowly rising to her feet.
"How do I look?" she shyly asked, ears flat against her scalp. Levi gave her a wink and a thumbs up.
"You look great! All you need now is a bit of practice and you'll be killing Grimm like the rest of us."
"If I might ask, what level of training have you gotten?" Qrow asked, taking a sip from his flask. "I wouldn't want to bring a kid into some tough situations."
"But Oscar is a kid, in fact, I think he's my age. You bring him along."
"He's an exception. We ain't stoppin' ya, I just wanna know if you can handle it." the man reiterated. She sighed, grabbing her scroll from her pocket, pulling up her Huntress in Training license. She had a smile on her ID picture, along with her full name. Alto-Marie Blaze, the license had been issued in Mistral and her operation status had Kuchinashi Academy listed on it. Once satisfied, Qrow gave her a nod. "Alright, seems like everything is in order."
"Yes sir. I promise not to be a burden. I've been keeping up with my physical training, but I admit, selling my weapons was a bad call. But my grandmother was sick, and I didn't have the means to earn money,"
"Hey, it's alright. We'll make sure you're up to snuff with the rest of us. We'll take turns with some training. I spent the last few months training faunus who had never picked up a sword or a shield. The fact that you graduated from Kuchinashi expedites the process." Blake said, having finished her salmon. "Not only that, but I have to repay you for this delicious salmon."
"You will be in good hands, Miss Blaze. For now, I will allow all of you to begin planning. Escorting the Relic of Knowledge to Atlas will be rough, but it isn't anything you all cannot handle. I shall return soon, Oscar has been waiting to speak with you for a while now."
"Thanks, professor, see you soon," Ruby said joyfully. Oscar's eyes glowed brightly, hissing a bit as he clutched his shoulder.
"Ow, that still hurts."
"Huh? How come Oscar's eyes flashed like that? And how come his voice changed too?" Alto questioned, ears wiggling a bit as she tilted her head.
"Oh… oh shit, we gotta explain that to her," Levi said, rubbing his arm. Weiss sighed, rolling her eyes briefly before looking back at the young wolf faunus.
"Tell me, Alto, have you ever read the book "Among Two Souls?" It's alright if you haven't."
She shook her head. "No, I'm sorry, Miss Weiss. Should I have?"
"No no. This will just make things a little bit more challenging. But we will fill in the blanks as much as we can. It all starts like this…"
Location: Downtown Mistral
A few days had passed since the meeting, and the group had finally gotten ready to go. Alto had been told everything, about Salem, about Ozpin and about the fight to save the Relics, as well as the true purpose of the academies. To say she was shocked was an understatement. When asked why the rest of Remnant didn't know this story, Oscar, replying for Ozpin, said they did, but they had faded into obscurity, which had been for the best.
During those days, everyone restocked on supplies, making sure they were prepared for anything that may happen. It was a four-day walk to Akidori from Mistral, so they didn't need much, other than food. From there, the Argus Limited would take them the rest of the way. It would be a five-day trip via rails. Afterwhich, they would arrive in Argus, where they would have to find a ship to Atlas.
Alto had gone home, wanting to say farewell to her brother and grandmother before she left. That left Team ORNJ, Oscar, Ren, Nora, and Jaune, along with Team RWBY, Levi, and Qrow with nothing to do but wait. They decided to take a look around the downtown district for the last time, seeing as they wouldn't be back in Mistral for a long long time. Qrow had of course gone to the bar, and Nora had dragged Oscar and her teammates with her, so that left Levi with Team RWBY.
He had expected it to be awkward, but since he had been in a team with three girls, it had gone by smoothly. He got along great with Weiss since they had traveled together, and Ruby felt like the little sister he never had. Yang of course, was the teasing older sister who kept cracking jokes and trying to fluster him. He couldn't say anything without her turning it into a joke. He had known Yang back in Signal and had been good friends with her at Beacon as well, but she could be a bit overbearing at times.
That of course left him with his fellow faunus, Blake Belladonna. The quiet one of the group. While Yang and Ruby chatted and Weiss window-shopped, he decided to walk around with Blake, hoping to find something of interest, a souvenir from Mistral before leaving the city forever. Blake however had been searching for reading material, having eyed several stands, none having anything that caught her interest. He was just awkwardly shuffling behind her, hoping he didn't annoy her. She must have noticed this because she turned around, giving him a curious look, arms crossed beneath her breasts.
"You know, you don't have to shuffle around behind me. We can chat about anything, I don't bite."
"I know, I know. I just… have a hard time coming up with topics, you know? With Ruby, we talk about weapons and comics, with Yang we talk about video games, food, and cute guys and girls. Weiss and I usually train and figure out how to maximize our semblance's output. But I don't really know what to talk about with you." he said a sheepish smile on his face. "We only ever said hi to one another whenever we passed each other in the halls."
Blake pressed her lips into a thin line, giving him a nod. "You do have a point. I was a rather reserved girl back in Beacon. Yang always asked me to hang out with you and her Signal Academy friends, but I felt curling up with a good book was better. We can talk about that if you'd like. There has to be a book we've both read."
"That is true. A few of mine are on my scroll but I love having physical books. Shame I had to leave all of mine back in Beacon." he said, frowning. "The dorm was cleared first, but when Professor Goodwitch asked if I wanted to go back, I said I didn't. I just… couldn't, you know? Knowing Aria and Cadence were gone and Sona was fighting for her life, I didn't want to be surrounded by their things, their scent, the memories."
Her demeanor changed a bit, as she put a hand on his shoulder, giving it a light squeeze. "It's alright. I'm sure Sonata is fine, Weiss told me she was in Atlas, but she never told me if she was awake or not."
"She is, Weiss said she was getting some prosthetics made. Honestly, a part of me wanted to run to Atlas in hopes that I could see her. But the other part of me wanted to head to Shade instead."
He stepped away from the ravenette, wringing his hands out as he walked. "I don't think I can ever face her, Blake. She knows what happened to our friends but… what do I say if I do see her? 'I'm sorry I wasn't there?' It doesn't cut it. It just makes me hurt even more."
"Have you talked to anyone else about this?"
"No. I've accepted everything and moved on, you know? I always felt responsible for what happened, but I realized none of it is. I can't take back what I said, but I'm also not ready to face Sona."
Blake remained silent as they walked, keeping her eyes peeled for any book stands. Despite this, she had a look of concern on her face. Sure she didn't know Levi that well, but she didn't need to know him well to know he was still hurting. She didn't exactly know what to say, so she gathered her thoughts and gave him an answer, even if it hurt him.
"No one is ever ready to face things in life, Levi. None of us were ready for what happened in Beacon, but we survived and grew strong because of it. We're not ready for what life throws at us, but we have to learn to be. You can prepare for life for as long as you want, but sometimes it throws you a curveball. You just have to adapt."
She took a deep breath, licking her lips slightly. "I did something worse than what you did. I abandoned my friends. I decided that I couldn't face them, because I felt responsible for Yang losing her arm. Adam was there for me, and because of me, she was almost killed. So I ran. But a friend followed me, making sure I wasn't alone. He was annoying, but he drove the point home. I wasn't expecting to see Yang, Ruby, and Weiss in Haven, but when I saw them, and that flood of emotions came back, all I wanted to do was cry. I was a fool for leaving my friends, but I was stronger for having the courage to fight my demons and see them again."
"You're a lot braver than I am, Blake. That's for damn sure."
"I'm still a coward, Levi. The only difference is, I'm a coward with things worth fighting for. I fight for what I believe in, and I'll make damn sure I protect what's mine. I treasure my friends more than anything in the world. They made the dark clouds go away, brought me out of the funk, and made me see the light. They're my family, maybe one day, you'll be a part of that family too."
His eyes widened a bit, a playful smirk appearing on his face. "Are you asking me to marry you?"
"Wha?"
"Hmm… I think I like the sound of that. Levi and Blake Belladonna. I'm taking your name because mine is kinda silly,"
"Oh come on, Levi! We were having a moment here!" she cried, clearly embarrassed, making him laugh.
"I'm sorry, I couldn't help it. But in all seriousness, thank you, Blake. I think you helped clear away the last of my doubts. I have a new resolve now. To get my license and help protect the things that are important to me. I might not be able to save the world, but I can make it a little brighter."
He looked around for a moment, spotting something he had been looking for, a forge. He smiled, his tail wagging a bit as he spotted it. "But before we leave for Argus, there's one thing I have to do. Will you accompany me?"
She saw where he was looking, giving him an odd look. "Sure. I don't mind, but we're checking the bookstore afterward."
The pair started moving toward the forge, stepping inside it. A man who was hammering out some iron looked up, setting his hammer down after a moment. He took his gloves off, approaching the pair with a smile on his face. "Howdy there, my name is Serge, how may I help ya?"
"Do you do engravings?" Levi asked, earning a nod from the blacksmith.
"Yes, sir we do. We have a laser engraving machine in the back, which usually takes about half an hour to do a design. You looking to get something done?"
He nodded, slowly removing his chest plate, placing the front and backplate on the nearby table. He pulled his notebook out of his back pocket, flipping to one of the back pages, showing the man a design. "Can you engrave this onto my armor? It's my personal emblem. I need it to be perfect."
"Hmm… a mighty detailed design, it incorporates quite a lot. But sure, we can do that. It'll cost ya about 10,000 lien. Will that do?" the blacksmith asked. Levi reached into his pocket for his wallet, pulling out two five thousand lien cards, handing them to the man, who looked them over for a moment. "Alrighty then, come back here in half an hour and we'll get this back to ya."
"Excellent, thank you, sir."
He gave the man a bow, gesturing for Blake to follow. She cleared her throat, grabbing his attention. "Yang told me you didn't have a personal emblem because you thought they were silly. What made you change your mind?"
"Well, it all goes back to what we hold dear in our hearts. I didn't have an emblem because I didn't have a good design. After thinking of an original one, I decided I wanted something more personal. I want to keep my friends close to my heart always, so I designed something that would allow that." he said happily. "You'll have to wait and see, because I kind of handed it over to the smith, hehe."
Blake rolled her eyes, urging him to stop at a nearby bookstand. "Oh look, they're selling the sequel to Ninjas of Love! I didn't even know these were in print yet."
"Ninjas of Love, huh?"
"Ugh, are you going to question my taste in literature?" she asked, getting rather defensive. He shook his head, a firm look on his face.
"No, I was going to ask you if you thought Ryu Hayabusa deserved to end up with Momiji? Because I was rooting for Ayane the entire time. At least until page 69, I wasn't expecting that scene that quickly into the book."
Blake's eyes lit up, her ears perked as she gave him a nod. "Of course he deserves to be with Momiji! The two of them grew up together and had similar goals. They're part of the same clan but after the massacre of the Hayabusa family, the pair needed to stick together. It was a slow burn romance between a Master and his Student, and I think it was done masterfully."
"I disagree, Ayane was a much better candidate. She was the daughter of the rival clan member, forced to participate in something she didn't believe in. Her fight with Ryu, learning that he was the son of the clan she had been ordered to kill, and serving as his sword and shield made sense. She needed to atone for what she had done, but that admiration turning into love was much more natural and less forced than with Momiji."
"No, it wasn't!"
"Yes, it is."
"No, it wasn't!"
"Yes, it is!"
"Levi!"
"Blake!"
"Nora!"
The pair jolted a bit in surprise as they turned, seeing their friend Nora standing next to them, holding some bags in her grasp. "Look at you two getting along! For a moment there I thought the two of you were going to kiss!"
Levi blushed a bit as he stepped away from Blake, realizing just how close he had gotten to her. He slapped some money onto the counter, avoiding the gaze of the vendor, a middle-aged woman who was clearly amused with their arguing. "I'll take a copy for my friend here. We'll share it."
"Of course, young man. Would you like me to place it in a bag for you?"
"No, I'll just put it in her backpack," he said, taking a hold of the book. He undid the clasp of Blake's backpack, placing the book inside. "We speak of this to no one."
"Mhmm."
"But what about-"
"Buy yourself some pancakes." the miqo'te faunus said, handing the orange-haired girl some money. She gave him a salute before marching away. He sighed, shaking his head. "I better get used to that, we'll be sticking together for the long haul now."
"Yep," Blake said, ears twitching a bit. "Erm… have you read Tryst in the Mist?"
"Yes. Did you know they're making it into a movie?"
"Shut up, really?"
"Mhmm… I heard rumors that they were filming the x-rated scenes. You need to be an adult to watch it. Thankfully-" he paused, showing Blake his scroll, which had his student ID on it, his current age being 19. "-I can legally watch it, and give my consent for those who aren't of age."
Blake whipped out her scroll, typing something into the search. She looked through the results for a moment, finding exactly what she was looking for. "Sweet! The theater in Argus is already selling tickets! It'll be in theaters for a few weeks before it gets pulled down. Do you wanna reserve some tickets?"
"Hell yes! I'll pay for them but you buy the popcorn and snacks," he said, handing her his credit card. She nodded, a grin on her face.
"It's a deal!"
"At least I found something in common with Blake, even if it was talking about smutty books." he thought to himself. He was glad Cadence and Sona had a variety of books back at Beacon, books they had tried to hide and he had found. Books that he ended up liking despite them being geared at females. Who knew smut could actually be a conversation starter?
xxx
"Jeez, what the heck took you so long?" Alto cried, glaring at Blake and Levi, both of whom had finally arrived. The group had been waiting at the edge of town on the road that leads out of Mistral. She quickly took notice of his armor, seeing the paper that had been taped to it. "And what happened to your armor?"
"This is basically the reason why we were taking our time. I had something engraved onto my chest plate. Since we were waiting for it to be done, I accompanied Blake to look for some books. We found out we have quite a lot in common when it comes to literature." he said joyfully, ignoring the flush on Blake's face.
"Oh cool! What did you get engraved? Was it a personal emblem?" Ruby said excitedly, her eyes sparkling as she looked at the paper. "Can I peel it off?"
He rolled his eyes, giving her a nod. She carefully undid the tape, pulling the paper off his armor, her eyes widening a bit as the light glinted off his polished chest plate. She stood back, a look of melancholy on her face. "This is…"
"A tribute." he simply replied.
The others finally got to see the emblem he had gotten designed. The main body of the emblem featured a large wolf, sitting down on its haunches as it howled at the broken moon. In its mouth was a chain whip, wrapping around the outer edges of the emblem, the dagger at the end pointing outward, glittering like a diamond. The outer edges of the emblem featured twin axes, shaped like half-moons, forming a sort of crown beneath the wolf. Finally, there was another marking above the wolf, a shield with an arrow going through it. The phrase "Requiescat in Pace" was emblazoned on the bottom, in fancy lettering. He looked up from it, a smile on his face.
"One of the things my mother taught me was to keep those that are important to you, close to your heart. I figure this was the best way I could do that. Sure, I wasn't particularly close to Pyrrha. But I wanted to honor her sacrifice as well. Hope you all don't mind."
"No, it isn't an issue," Jaune said, wiping away a tear, a brilliant smile on his face.
"It's really sweet of you to honor her, Levi. Thank you." Nora added, giving the young man a grin. "I'm still beating you in Call of Remnant though."
"Sure you will," he winked, grabbing a hold of his bag, which Weiss had been watching. He strapped it onto his back, making sure it was secure around his shoulders. "Now then, let's hit the road! We gotta make it to Akidori while the weather holds out!"
"Levi, before we go, are you sure you don't want to contact Neo? Make sure she knows where we're going?"
"I did so already, Weiss. I'm not gonna keep pestering her. She knows where we are going, if she wants to tag along, then she can. If not, then that's also okay." he said, walking ahead of the others. "Anyway, I mapped out the route ahead of us, there's an abandoned village about 8 kilometers from here. It was cleared of Grimm a few weeks ago, so we should be able to stay in some of the abandoned homes for the night."
"Do you think that's a good idea? What if there are bandits around?" Ruby asked, causing him to chuckle.
"Me and Weiss will be able to handle it. We did escape from Raven's camp after all."
"Ah yes, we did do that. After you blasted me from a hole and practically threw me at Neo!"
"Hey, your stupid dress got caught in the wood and I couldn't get a good grip. I like fondling butts as much as any other man, but we couldn't afford to get caught. I had to think on my feet!" he returned, earning a glare from the former heiress.
"You were not fondling anything. I was stuck, I gave you permission to dislodge me, not launch me through a wall."
"Oh, and I was just supposed to let myself get caught? I had to get you outta there as soon as possible. Besides, launching you out of a hole wasn't the worst part of that night. Need I remind you about you setting the goddamn forest on fire?" Levi cried back, earning a growl from Weiss.
"I did it to stop them from chasing us!"
"We almost died, Weiss! I would have been an extra crispy fried faunus if it wasn't for Neo finding an open path for us to run through! If she hadn't we would have died to death, and dying to death is not fun!" the boy shouted.
The two continued bickering as they walked, their friends clearly amused by their conversation.
"Those two are getting along swimmingly," Yang said, poking Blake's side with her elbow. She had been busy reading the book Levi had gotten for them. "So, whatcha reading there, Blakey?"
"Nothing that would interest you," she replied, snapping the book close. Yang rolled her eyes, having figured out what she was reading.
"This is so much fun! We're all traveling in a huge group, it's like a field trip, except with dangerous stuff in our path! If you spot any Grimm you leave them to me!"
"Not if I can help it, Nora. I need practice against the Grimm too you know." Alto said.
"Worry not, I'm certain the opportunity to train will present itself to us. Let us focus on reaching that village first. Afterward, we can focus on training and supply management." Ren said firmly.
The others nodded in agreement, Levi and Weiss being too into their argument to even hear the young man speak. Qrow took a drink from his flask, already feeling an oncoming headache. He glanced over his shoulder for a moment, blinking a few times when spotted a cat sitting in a nearby tree branch. He rubbed his eyes, but when his vision cleared, the cat was gone. He sighed, shaking his head, grumbling under his breath as he walked. It was going to be a long trip to Atlas, of that he was extremely sure.
A/N: Whelp, with this chapter, we end the events of Volume 5, but now begins the fun journey of getting the Relic of Knowledge to Atlas. I say fun but it isn't gonna be fun, nothing is ever fun. Honestly, this is my favorite part of this arc, since I get to explore a lot of elements. So I do hope you are enjoying this so far because its going to ramp up a bit. I hope you are all having a good weekend. I'm a bit tired, but meh, that's life haha. I'll see ya when I see ya!
