Chapter 29: Argus
It was bitterly cold, he mused, as he made his way through the snowy paths. The Argus Limited had suffered an attack several days ago, he had been following the train close behind in an attempt to get close to her. After all, it was her fault that his attack on Haven had failed. It was her fault that everything had gone the way it did. It was her fault for abandoning him and making his life spiral out of control.
Adam had been thinking to himself a lot, since murdering what was left of the White Fang. Thanks to Ghira Belladonna, everything had gone awry. Sienna Khan had been working directly with him, capturing all the White Fang members that had escaped, and putting an end to everything that they had created. 5 years of hard work, five years of attacking humans, of protests of destroying SDC strongholds and mines, wasted. All because of Blake Belladonna.
He loathed her, absolutely detested her. It was all her fault, the reason why he had fallen so low. The reason why he had gotten a wound that had almost lead to his death, the reason why he had to murder his own brothers in cold blood for turning on him.
"Belladonna!" he hissed, his voice drenched in anger, as he stalked through the unplowed paths, his feet leaving behind deep imprints on the snow. He heard something growl next to him, and slowly turned his face, his ocean blue eyes peering through his mask.
A creature of Grimm, an alpha beowulf. The creature looked like it was wounded, barely any flesh hung onto its skeletal body. Adam had never seen a Grimm like this before. It looked… hungry. Like it hadn't eaten anything in several weeks. He had never seen a Grimm die of natural causes, for all he or anyone knew, Grimm couldn't die normally. But this one, if it was close to dying, would certainly be feral. More so than a normal Grimm. It lunged at him, claws extended outward in an attempt to slash his throat open. Adam wasted no time, drawing his sword so fast it barely looked like he moved. The beowulf landed on the ground in two pieces, groaning in pain before fading into ash.
The bull faunus watched as it disappeared, taking a whiff of the air. He could smell smoke. As if something was burning down. He started moving toward the source, slashing his sword to and fro as Grimm attempted to attack. Each one looked exactly the same. Emaciated, weak, and desperate for something to eat. Thanks to his anger and hatred for Blake Belladonna, he was a walking beacon for the Grimm. Thankfully, he was strong enough to deal with a few Grimm.
It was then that he stumbled upon it, a farmhouse, enveloped in flames. Dark plumes of smoke towered high into the sky, the smell of burning wood permeated through the area. By now the entire property was engulfed, the heat was unbearable, but it wasn't anything Adam wasn't used to. After all, he had caused his fair share of arson in the past. He slowly approached the entrance to the property, spotting the imprints of tires in the snow.
But there was something else that he caught. Snagged on the wooden fence was a piece of a ribbon. Black felt, silky… familiar. He gently plucked it from where it rested, looking it over with a close eye. He gave it a tentative sniff, a familiar peppery smell assaulting his nostrils. He flared them a bit as he exhaled, clenching his hand tightly around the ribbon.
"She was here," he thought, eyes moving back toward the house. He followed the tire tracks that lead out of the property, heading north. He started following them, slashing at another Grimm that tested his luck. As he moved, he ended up finding more imprints on the ground, including a full-bodied one, as if someone had face-planted into the snow. This trail leads to the nearby riverbank, leading back toward the house.
That's when he spotted something sticking out of the ground, a tire tread marked on it. He gently lifted it from the ground, seeing it was a pamphlet. Carefully unfolding it, he saw the words "Atlas Academy" printed on the front in bold white letters. He looked at it for a few more seconds, before crumpling it into a ball, throwing it into the snow. He started walking up the path, his hand wrapped around the hilt of his sword.
"So, she's heading to Atlas. The only way to get to Atlas from Anima is through Argus. That's where you'll be, eh? Belladonna? This works well in my favor. I might as well intercept you before you leave. That way, I can finally get my revenge on you." he thought, holding back the urge to laugh as he kept walking up the road.
Location: 5 km from the city of Argus, Kingdom of Mistral
"I… I can't believe it," Qrow muttered, eyes wide as he looked at the old woman sitting a few feet away from him. "You… you're the Grimm Reaper? You were a legend! And then you disappeared…"
Maria frowned, looking at the wooden floor of the trailer, opening and closing her hands. Oscar sat up a bit, looking back at the gray-haired huntsman. "How exactly does a legend disappear?"
"I remember my mom talking about this once. She never used her name, never showed her face, a lot of huntsmen thought she was just laying low." Levi said, looking back at Maria. Qrow gave a grunt of agreement, his eyes still on the old woman.
"Yeah, that's what the rumor mill kept churning out. No one knew what had happened, we just came to accept that you were probably dead. But the stories… they kept going on strong. I based my weapon off of yours. I wanted to be as strong as the Grimm Reaper."
"Hah… strong? Me? That's nothing but a lie. I'm just a disappointment, so you are well on your way," she boasted, causing Blake to frown.
"How can you say that?"
"Child, a huntress is supposed to protect others to the bitter end. But after I lost my eyes, I only ever looked after myself. Even after my surgery, I was too afraid to fight. Afraid someone would find me again, finish what others had started. You shouldn't aspire to be like me, especially when some of you are clearly stronger already,"
They all remained silent, with Yang glancing back. Her hand shook a bit as she looked at it. She took a deep breath, hanging onto the edge of her motorcycle while Neo kept driving.
"Silver Eyes are a curse," Levi said softly, making the old woman look up. He hugged his knees tightly, keeping his own eyes closed. "My mother… my birth mother, she and Terra were born with silver eyes. They were taught how to use them by their village elder, they learned the risks. Salem, she… she hunted down the miqo'tes because they had more silver-eyed warriors than any other race on Remnant. She slaughtered them all and went out of her way to track down the other survivors. She killed everyone. My extended family, the villagers of Eorzea, my father, and my mother. She killed them all. All that did was prove to Terra that my grandfather was right. We were born with a curse."
"We? What do you mean, we?" Weiss asked, making the boy look at her.
"When my mother brought me to Vale, she used her semblance to hypnotize me into believing I was born and raised there. She asked General Ironwood to craft me a special pair of contacts that never have to be removed, so long as I have eye drops to keep them moist. I always thought I had allergies, turns out I'm packing a set of silver eyes just like Ruby." he said, taking a deep breath. "And I'm starting to regret finding that out."
"You shouldn't treat it as a curse, child. I certainly never did. Yes, it paints a target on your back, but so does having a relic and so does being a miqo'te. You should embrace them, and hone them to their full potential. There aren't many of us left, you know." Maria said, sighing. "Although, it is comforting, seeing that your generation seems up to the task of inheriting this world. I'm just sorry I didn't leave it in better shape."
"Well, maybe you can do something now. Teach me to use my powers the way you did," Ruby said, her gaze shifting toward Levi. "Him too. If he really has silver eyes, then he should know how to use them. We gotta make sure Professor Athan's hypnoray thingie is gone. I mean come on, we can team up and blast lasers out of our eyeballs."
"I appreciate the sentiment, Ruby, but I don't think I am ready for that. My mother fought tooth and nail to prevent me from using my silver eyes. So I won't. It's a wondrous power, but it has gotten everyone close to me killed. The last thing I want is to give Salem another reason to run me through with a sword."
"You will take the contacts off, right?" Weiss asked, giving him a firm look.
"Weiss, maybe you shouldn't ask him that. He should do it if he feels comfortable." Yang said. They felt the motorcycle slow down to a stop, with Neo stretching her arms. "Is your ass sore, Neo?"
The young woman nodded, hopping off Bumblebee. She stretched her tired body, a few soft pops making her sigh in relief. She gestured to Yang, telling her to keep driving in her stead while she hopped into the back, taking a seat down next to Levi. "Thanks for getting us outta there, Neo. You deserve a break."
"I deserve a nice long bubble bath." her scroll reply, as she gave Yang a wink. The blonde rolled her eyes, hand wrapped around Bumblebee's throttle.
The following hour went by without a hitch, with the group mostly sulking in silence. Levi had laid down on an open space of the trailer, staring up at the sky. The rolling clouds and snowflakes had ceased not long after they had left the house. The towering black smoke clouds had been visible for a while, but by now, they were so far they couldn't see them.
"What are we going to tell the others?" someone said. It took him only a moment to realize it had been him that had spoken. He gathered his thoughts, not looking away from the sky. "I mean, using a question, learning about Ozma, the fact he's gone. The house, the Apathy. Maria joining our party, it's some… heavy shit."
"We'll just keep it concise," Ruby said.
"You know, my mom, Raven, said Salem couldn't die. She knew before I did, hell, I knew about it, but I just tuned it out of my mind. I always thought about it, but the whole magic thing seemed so unbelievable. But hearing Jinn confirm it? I just… something in me snapped." the blonde huntress said firmly. "I should have told you all about this, sorry for not bringing it up."
"It's alright, Yang. You thought it was bullshit, none of us blame you for that. Besides, it wasn't like you meant to keep it secret, you just thought it wasn't true. What Ozpin did to us though, that is unforgivable." Blake said, picking her nails. "We should be careful about what we tell Jaune and the others."
"Should we tell them anything?"
"Of course we should, Weiss. Keeping that shit to ourselves, after what happened to us… that makes us no better than Ozpin. If we want to save the world or help not make it a shithole, then we need to be open with our friends." Neo's scroll said. She had a scolding look on her face, which made Weiss back away a bit.
"Well, if there's one thing that's changed from back when I was a huntress, it's dealing with the truth behind this all. A shadow war being waged behind our backs for generations? Yeah… you have it a lot harder than I did." Maria mused, tapping her mechanical eyes a bit, in an attempt to get them to focus.
"Tell me why ain't nothing but a heartache
Tell my why ain't nothing but a mistake-"
Levi shoved his hand in his pocket, pulling his scroll out. He slid his finger across the screen, ignoring the laughter of the others as he held the device to his ear. "Hello?"
"Oh my god, he answered! You guys, it's Levi!" the voice of Alto cried, causing him to pull his ear away from the device. He turned the speaker on, the girl's voice screeching from the receiver. "I'm so happy to finally get an answer! We've been calling you every five hours for the last week!"
Just before he could answer, Ruby's scroll began ringing, Jaune's picture appearing on the screen. He cleared his throat as she began to speak, leaning away from Ruby a bit.
"Alto, how are you talking to us? Did the CCT get fixed or something?"
"No, you idiot! We got your scroll signal, it was weak at first but now it's almost at full strength! You're close to Argus. Hurry up, you dingus, we have a lot of catching up to do!"
With that, the call ended, making the boy stare at the picture of Alto on screen. It had been one he had taken before getting on the Argus Limited. A picture of herself, her face extremely close to his, pressed up to his cheek. She was winking in her picture, her tongue sticking out as she held her scroll above them. The image disappeared, causing him to sit up a bit, just as Yang came to a stop.
Down in the distance, was a large city, protected by thick walls. He could hear the distant seagulls cawing as they flew over the city. The sound of the ocean was audible, the waves lapping the shore, along with the sounds of tugboats chugging in the bay. Despite being a couple of miles out, he could hear these things clear as day, thanks to his faunus traits. He sat back a bit, feeling himself genuinely smile for the first time in a few days.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to Argus," Yang said, looking relieved, as they watched the city from afar. Moments later, she drove off, heading downhill on the road to the port city.
Neo glanced away, staring longingly at the dirt path they had already traveled. Her face scrounged up a bit, tears pricking her eyes. She bowed her head a bit, letting them run down her cheeks. Her shoulders shook, her sobs silent as she continued crying. She felt someone wrap an arm around her and looked up, seeing it was Levi, who sat down next to her. He forced a smile onto his face, as he wiped her tears away with his sleeves.
"You've felt alone since he left, didn't you? But you don't have to be. If anything, going back to that house proved how strong you are. Any other woman would have likely run away, but you came with us. You stuck around, and you ran back to save your friends. That shows how compassionate you really are. Roman would be proud of the woman you've become, Rosa."
She sniffled, her lips curving up into a smile. She tapped her head with a finger, her lips forming an o shape as she blew outward. "Oh yeah… you never found his hat."
Neo closed her eyes, head bowed in disappointment. Levi reached behind his back, reaching for something. He flicked it outward, spinning around before placing it in Neo's lap. She gasped silently, looking at the hat he had given her. She looked up at him, a look of sheer joy reflecting on her face. She spun the hat around, placing it on her head, tracing her fingertips across the brim.
"I found it while I was out with Jinn. I was conflicted, I didn't know what to do, but then I stumbled onto that buck, realizing we needed food, I shot it. Turns out, Roman's hat was hanging from its antlers. As for how I kept it hidden without you seeing it, I have my ways." he said, giving her a wink.
Neo felt her cheeks heating up a bit. She suddenly remembered the item he had pawned so long ago, back in Kuchinashi. She reached into her shirt, pulling the coin from inside her bra. She looked at it for a moment before placing it in his hand. His eyes widened a bit in surprise, feeling a tear pricking his vision. He flipped the coin over, seeing it was the same one that had once been attached to his mother's gun.
"D-double eagle," he said softly, clenching the coin tightly. He looked at Neo, a firm look on his face. "You got this for me?"
She nodded, reaching for her scroll. "That bastard Po gypped you, he knew this coin was valuable and underpaid you. Not only that but this is a precious artifact, not just to you but to your people too. Not only that, but this thing, it belongs to someone special. To your mother. And you deserve to have it. Don't sell it again, or I will kick your ass into the moon. Got it?"
Rather than say anything, Levi leaned forward, giving her a kiss on the cheek, much to her surprise. He pulled away moments after, giving her a hug. She remained still for a moment before settling into the hug, her heart beating wildly into her chest. She briefly looked at the others, all of them giving her looks of support, though she did notice an interesting look on Weiss's face. The former heiress looked away, nose held high. She shrugged it off, smiling happily.
xxx
Arriving in Argus was a lot harder than they had expected. The security check had been abysmal, but after the Atlas Military left, the troops that had stayed behind wanted to be sure of who entered the city. Levi was treated roughly, but at the end of the process, he got his weapons back and was cleared to go. Yang had headed to the train station to rent out a storage unit for Bumblebee. The rest of the group looked around, admiring their surroundings. Levi felt Neo shying back a bit, hiding behind him as she looked around, her hat tipped forward.
"Are you nervous? Argus isn't that much bigger than Mistral, and you were comfortable there."
"Wasn't Argus the first place she came to after her farm was lost?" Blake asked, earning a nod from Neo. "She's probably just nervous about being back. Memories and such."
"Oh… I'm sorry, Neo. I didn't think about that,"
Neo merely hugged him, silently telling him that she accepted his apology. Yang stepped up behind them, holding some bottles of water to them, having already finished her own. "It's odd seeing a city this big away from the kingdom capital, huh?"
"It is. But it also makes me feel safe if that makes sense. The Argus Military Base controls the troops here, so I doubt we'll run into any issues. Let's just hope they agree to take us to Atlas."
"CUTE BOY OZ!"
They all watched as Oscar was tackled to the ground by a blur of orange and white. It took them a few seconds to realize it had been their friend Nora. Levi's ears twitched a bit dodging the tackle hug Alto had almost given him. She face planted, groaning in pain as she peered up at him. "No fair! Oscar let Nora tackle him!"
"Uh no, he just didn't hear her in time," he said with a chuckle, holding his hand out to his friend. He helped her to her feet, brushing the dirt and rocks from her face and shoulders. He stumbled a bit as she hugged him, squeezing him tightly. "Whoa, miss me that much?"
"Duh! I was worried about you, dingus! We didn't think you'd take over a week to get to Argus!"
"It's been that long? Could have sworn it was only a few days," he said, head tilting a bit.
"Maybe it was due to those Grimm?" Blake asked, glancing around for a moment, ignoring the glares a few humans were giving her. "They did make us tired and drained our will. Perhaps we slept through a few days and didn't even realize it."
"Could be." Neo's scroll said.
"There's a lot of things you have to tell us, like why it took you so long to get here, for instance," Ren said, holding his hand out to Levi, who gave it a firm shake. "I trust nothing bad happened."
"Define bad?" the cat faunus asked, earning a jab to the side from Levi. "Erm… I mean…"
"We'll explain soon, Ren. Let's just catch up for a bit?"
As they headed toward the trolley, Ruby explained what had happened to them after they cut away the cargo cars. She told him about the Grimm attack, keeping the truth about Jinn and Ozpin to herself for the time being. It all culminated with their recent stay at Brunswick farms, and of course, finding out about Maria, her silver eyes, and their arrival at Argus.
"Sounds like you all went through hell," Jaune said.
"You don't know the half of it, for a second there, we legit thought we were going to die," Yang said. They waited for a moment, letting the crowd get off the trolley before they climbed onto it, grabbing an empty space or a spare handlebar to hang onto. "Ruby activated her silver eyes just in time to save our asses."
"Don't forget, Levi opened the door for us. We all worked together to get out of there, it wasn't that bad of a stay, really," Weiss said, shuddering a bit as the image of the burning Apathy filled her mind. "But if I had a choice between a cardboard box underneath a bridge and an old creepy house in the woods, I'd take the box and bridge any day of the week."
"Yep."
"Same here,"
"Count me in,"
They all laughed a bit, their gazes returning to the city. The roads were made mostly of brick, while the buildings were a mix of sandstone and bricks. Most of the city consisted of rolling hills and smooth paths, the buildings grew tall as they descended deeper into the city. Levi could see several Mantas flying overhead, along with a tall relay tower in the distance, likely keeping Argus connected to Mistral's CCT.
"You know, Argus is a lot bigger than I thought it'd be," Yang said. Ren cleared his throat, chiming in as he looked away from the nearby buildings.
"It's actually one of the largest non-capital cities in all of Remnant,"
"Wow," Ruby gasped, bouncing a bit where she stood. "No way! But wait, wouldn't it be harder to settle something big away from the main kingdom?"
"Well, it was," Jaune chirped, looking up from his scroll. "That was until Mantle showed up. Early settlement attempts by Mistral didn't go well. But colonists from Mantle were able to brave the cold climate and return for goods that Solitas couldn't provide."
"In sixteen hundred seven, we sailed the open sea! For glory, god and dust, and the Mistralian Company! For the new world is like heaven, and we'll all be rich and free! Or so we have been told by the Mistralian Company~" Levi sang, breaking into laughter as Weiss glared at him.
"I didn't know the Schnee Dust Company had a song as their motto," Neo added.
"We do not! For your information, Anima was already colonized before Solitas even made a move to come here. In fact, Argus wasn't even an advanced settlement until about fifty years ago when Atlas had its "Technological Boom", where Mantle's technology advanced far into the future!" she snapped angrily.
"If I remember correctly, that's also around the same time that Atlas was born. They cut a section of the old kingdom out of the ground, and through various means and a lot of Gravity Dust, they were able to lift the city off the ground." Oscar said, smiling a bit. "What a time it must have been, seeing something like that must have been cool."
"Indeed, Solitas sending colonists to Anima was what led the nations to work together. That led to this, a hybrid city which falls under Mistral domain but receives its support from Atlas. That's why there is such a heavy presence here, all the medicinal, technological, and other advancements come here, and eventually get shipped all over Anima. It's to keep the trade routes and relations between both nations safe and steady."
The group looked on ahead, spotting the Argus Military base in the distance. It was a large structure on its own island, connected to the mainland via bridge. Several ships lifted off and touched down. They were both filled with joy and a slight sense of dread as they looked at the base.
"The relationship between Anima and Solitas was steady, until recently," Nora mumbled, a frown on her face.
"With General Ironwood closing the borders and stopping all trade, it's been hard for Argus to source its supplies. The stores are still replenished, but it's all coming from the south. Vale has been struggling to keep trade relations steady with Mistral, but the situation is so bad that all trade routes have fallen." Alto said, ears drooping as she spoke. "Things are becoming a lot more challenging for everyone."
"Another grim reminder of how crappy our situation is," Qrow said, hanging onto the trolley as he shook his empty flask. He cursed himself for not filling it up while still at Brunswick Farms. "Hey, Vomit Boy, is there a liquor store anywhere nearby?"
"There's one three blocks from where we are staying, Qrow. We'll show you when we get there." Jaune said, ignoring the moniker he had earned since the day he had met Yang and Ruby. The pair looked rather disappointed in their uncle, especially after what had happened before.
"Hey look, Levi! There's the theater!" Blake suddenly said, causing the young man to look up from his scroll. He turned around, following where she was pointing. Argus Theater was one of the larger buildings, looking almost like one of those old theaters from fifty years in the past. The large sign had the title "Tryst in the Mist" visible to everyone who passed by, while the window featured a poster of two people kissing. Blake looked at it with stars in her eyes. "I'm so excited to see it!"
"You two are seeing a movie? A raunchy movie?" Yang asked, clearly surprised by this news.
"Yes, they are, and apparently Levi mistakenly purchased tickets to the X-rated showing. Not only that but Blake claims to be going with Levi as platonic friends. For whatever reason, she is also purchasing some cucumbers for a tuna salad." Weiss said. Levi facepalmed, his cheeks heating up as the white-haired girl spoke.
"Pfft… I get the movie mistake, happens to the best of us, but Blake is seriously buying cucumbers for a tuna salad?" Nora asked.
"Is he going to toss it for you, Blake? I'm sure he'd like that, what growing boy wouldn't like to toss a pretty girl's salad?" her partner said, wiggling her brows. Blake blushed brightly, her ears folded down.
"First off, the cucumbers and tuna salad was a joke, second, we are going as platonic friends. We both enjoy this type of literature and want nothing more than to see if it is faithfully translated from word to film. Nothing more, nothing less. I am certain Levi will be a fine gentleman and will escort me there and back without a hitch." she said firmly.
"Of course, no shenanigans will occur whenever it is our ticket dates come up," Levi said firmly.
"Don't worry, Levi. I'll make sure you have some protection, just in case you want to end up tossing some salad. I'll make sure to get you some long-lasting salad dressing. Oh, and I'll make sure the tuna is canned and in water so that salad is nice and wet." Neo's scroll said. At this, Yang started laughing, barely containing herself as she bumped fists with Neo. Ruby looked both amused and horrified, while Ren remained silent. Qrow let out a few chuckles while Maria just wondered why the youth was so perverted. The only one confused was Weiss, who just stood there with a look of intrigue on her face.
"What is so wrong about a cucumber and tuna salad? Seriously, I am just so confused. I get that Blake likes fish but why does it have to be canned? Can't she procure some from Argus's fine fish market? Same with the cucumbers. I'm sure she can find the most succulent and delicious ones this place has to offer. And if Levi wants to toss it, then it falls onto him to make sure the salad is firmly tossed and well dressed. Common courtesy and all."
"Uh… Weiss, you do know what tossing a salad means right?" Yang asked, having brushed away her tears. The white-haired girl's brows knit together.
"Yang, you don't have to treat me like an idiot. I have seen many salads prepared in front of me and have tossed a few myself. I might be from the Atlas Elites but even I know what tossing a salad is."
"Oh, you poor girl, allow me to-"
"No, Yang! Don't poison her mind like you did with me!" Ruby cried, hanging onto her sister's arm. "I forbid you to speak! As leader of Team RWBY and your little sister!"
"For the love of… will, someone tell me what's so wrong about tossing a salad?"
"Weiss, do you know what cunnilingus is?" Nora asked, earning a head shake from the former heiress. "Oh, goodie! I get to explain, it's when a man or a woman-"
The look on Weiss's face went from curious to shocked to horrified as Nora whispered into her ear. Her lips slowly opened as her jaw hung low, hand covering her open mouth as her friend continued speaking. After a second, Nora finished what she was saying, brushing the invisible dust from her hands. Weiss however looked horrified and disgusted. She turned to Levi, slapping him across the face with all her strength, and if he didn't have an aura, his neck would have likely snapped.
"You disgusting, low-life, ass-face, limey bastard!"
"What the fuck did I do?!"
"You offered to do something so disgusting!"
"I didn't offer her shit!"
The pair continued bickering like a married couple all while Blake wished the world would swallow her alive. She briefly wondered why it was that she had to point out the theater she and her friend were going to visit soon. She just hoped they could get to their destination without much issue.
xxx
"So, where have you guys been staying?" Oscar asked, earning a happy smile from Alto, whose ears wiggled as she listened to her surroundings.
"Oh, we've been staying with one of Jaune's siblings. She's really nice too, let us bunk in her house. So long as we keep things neat, tidy, clean the dishes, and of course, help her with her son when she's working. She fell in love with me the moment we met."
"Why's that?"
"I'm a two-star Michelin chef, cooking in her house for free. Not only has she covered our food expenses, but she basically gave me free rein over her kitchen. I haven't been happy cooking since leaving Mistral!" the wolf faunus said cheerfully. "Of course, those stars were earned for the restaurant and I have been cooking practically since I was little. While I know my ramen, I can cook other things, provided I have ingredients."
"Wow… that's so cool," the farmhand said, flushing a bit as he looked into Alto's eyes. She shuddered a bit, nervously looking away.
"Erm… I do need help bringing some more ingredients home. Once we stop at the station, do you think you can help me?"
"Sure thing, how much are we getting?"
"Oh, just enough to feed all of us plus some of Saph's friends from work, and some of her wife's friends, and some homeless people," she said, ticking off everything with a finger on her hand. "I'd say about four carts full of food."
"F-four carts?"
"Five if we can get some good deals. I'm telling ya, working for Atlas nets you so much money, you won't know what to do with it all."
As the two lost themselves in their chat, Levi couldn't help but admire the city. It was a lot larger than he had been expecting. He leaned against the pole he had been hanging onto, taking in all of his surroundings. He had seen a few faunus mingled with the human population, though most of them seemed to be builders, construction workers, or people doing the heavy lifting.
"Hey Ozzy, what really happened while you were gone? You seemed a lot more cheerful then. Not to mention Professor Ozpin has remained rather quiet. Surely he would have interjected with an interesting tidbit about Argus." the wolf faunus asked, causing Oscar and everyone else to share a look.
"Come on guys, it couldn't have been that bad, could it?" Jaune asked.
"It's just…" Levi paused, his head hanging down a bit. "We have a lot to share with you, but we also don't want to make you all get disappointed. I mean… god, this is a lot harder than I expected it to be."
Neo wrapped her arm around his, giving him a pat on the shoulder. Weiss adopted a somber look, while Ruby just looked depressed overall. Yang looked rather angry while Blake was clearly distracting herself with her surroundings.
"Whatever it is you have to share with us, we will agree to understand. We're all in this together, after all, we've been through enough already. We aren't going to give up, on you or on our mission," Ren said firmly.
"Mhmm! Ren is right, we've been through hell together, so whatever is you gotta hit us with, you make sure to hit us good and hard!"
"Don't blame us if you start suffering from depression then, kid. Trust me, it isn't going to be peaches and rainbows." Qrow grumbled. The trolley slowed to a stop, causing Jaune, Ren, Nora, and Alto to jump off. Figuring out this was their stop, the others got off as well.
"So you never told us, Jaune, who are you staying with?" Ruby asked, earning a flustered look from the blond knight.
"Ehehehe… well…"
"There you are!" a distinctly feminine voice cried out, causing Jaune to jump a bit. The trolley moved away, allowing them to see who Jaune was so flustered by.
A pretty young woman stood across the street, holding onto an infant with caramel-colored skin and a mop of dark brown hair atop his head. She had a light complexion, with shoulder-length, dark yellow hair. She wore a sleeveless white shirt, with a pair of tight-fitting brown pants and matching boots. She had a grin on her face as Jaune held his hand up.
"Hey… sis."
Ruby looked between the two, her eyes filled with stars as she squeaked in sheer joy. "No way, we get to meet one of your sisters? That's so awesome!"
"She looks familiar," Levi said, eyes narrowed a bit. Neo gave the woman a once-over herself but didn't find a single thing familiar about her. Jaune and the group crossed the street, he shared a brief hug with the woman, taking her infant son into his arms.
"So, you must be my little bro's close friends. And my my my, a lot of cute girls are in this group. One of them must be your girlfriend."
"Saph please, they're all just close friends." the young knight said, clearly embarrassed. His sister rolled her eyes.
"Suuure, anyway, my name is Saphron-Cotta Arc, Jaune's second big sis. He's told me all about you. Let's see, we have Ruby, who's dressed in red, and has silver eyes. Her older sister Yang, who is very beautiful just like he described. Then there's Blake, a fan of smut and a cat ninja, and of course the gorgeous Weiss Schnee. You know I thought he was joking when he said he knew a Schnee."
"It is unbelievable, isn't it?" the former heiress said, earning a jab to the side from Neo. She hastily typed into her scroll.
"Stay humble, Weiss. Don't let that rich smug Atlas Elite personality come back or I'll beat her out of you with Hush." her scroll chirped.
"Ah, you must be Neopolitan, the cute ice cream-loving silent girl. Jaune told me all about you, we have plenty of ice cream at home just for you. Though I am sad to hear you really can't speak." she said, frowning. Neo tipped her hat back, giving the woman a polite bow. "Oh, how polite! Jaune neglected to tell me about that."
"Don't worry, Neo only shows her polite side when it benefits her," Levi said, chuckling. He shut up when his partner glared at him. "A-anyway, it's a pleasure to meet you, my name is Levi Athan."
"Likewise, Jaune told me all about you. I'm very sorry for your losses, it must be difficult having to move on without your friends and mother. If you ever need anyone to talk to or hell, even an older sister, I'm your gal. I'm pretty much everyone's older sister at this point," she giggled, shaking his hand. "Now then, I see Alto and that cute farm boy took off, and that other huntsman headed off after them. So why don't we head back to my place? Jaune was able to get all of your things from the train. I'm sure you are all looking forward to hosing off after being stuck in the words."
"Yes!" they all exclaimed, with Neo resorting to nodding. The group followed after Saphron and Jaune, the woman embarrassing him every step of the way.
xxx
"Ah man, nothing beats a fresh shower," Levi said, as he joined the others in the living room. By now most of the group had settled into Saphron's house, sharing stories about what had happened along with Jaune's childhood. Oscar, Alto, and Qrow had returned with groceries, Nora and Ren joining Oscar and Alto in the kitchen for what would no doubt be a large dinner order.
"My, look how long your hair has gotten. You'll need a haircut soon, Levi, it's looking a bit unruly." Weiss said as she finished brushing her own hair. She gathered it up in her hand, tying it at the side of her head, pinning her tiara into it. "If you'd like, I can do it. I sort of learned how to take care of my own. Split ends are a nightmare."
"Thanks for the offer, Weiss. But I think I'm going to keep it long," he said, running his fingers through his hair. Months ago, when he had arrived in Anima, it had been down to the nape of his neck, and rather spiky. Now, it had grown past his shoulders, the top being straight while the bottom retained its spikes. He looked away after a moment, scratching his cheek. "I uh… took my contacts out."
She set her mirror down on the table, next to her hairbrush. "Let me see them."
He looked down at her, peering deep into her eyes. He had to admit, they were very pretty. Cool as ice, but warm as well. They seemed to sparkle in the low lighting of the room, making them shine brighter than normal. Weiss could see the difference in his eyes, they shone, but not like before. She could see hidden confidence in them, along with the power of the God of Light. But she could also see other emotions hidden within. Nervousness, shyness, worry, anger, hatred. All of them blended together in those eyes. Despite them being silver, they were nothing like Ruby's.
"You look… better."
"You don't sound confident in that assessment, Weiss," he said, sitting down beside her. He placed his face in his hands, looking at her matching brush and mirror set. "It feels odd. All my life I've seen my eyes as unique, you know? Not a lot of people with Heterochromia iridium in the world. I got used to blue and amber being my eye color. Just another lie in my sad excuse of a life."
"Your life isn't a sad excuse, Levi," Ren said, as he stepped into the room from the kitchen. He wiped his hands off on a rag, giving the young man a smile. "I'm not exactly sure what has happened to you, this last week. I can tell it has affected you greatly. But always remember, your presence makes every one of us happy. We care about you just like I am sure you care about us. We would all be very sad if you weren't with us."
"He's right, Levi," Blake added, looking up from the novel she was reading. "If not for you, I wouldn't have a friend whom I can discuss literature with."
"I wouldn't have been saved from those bandits, that's for sure. I also wouldn't have had a reason to hone my skills like I did. Training you in fencing and helping you with your semblance kept my skills sharp. I can't thank you enough for that," Weiss said happily.
"You became our friend, despite us hardly knowing each other. You could have just gone to Shade or Atlas like the other Beacon Academy upperclassmen. And sure, you headed to Haven Academy for petty revenge, but you've made a lot of friends beyond that. That's pretty great if you ask me." Jaune said, entering the kitchen with platters of sandwiches, snacks, and of course, freshly made ramen. "We're all in this together, after all."
"Damn straight we are! You aren't gonna get rid of us that easily, Mister. And sure, mope all you want because of the shit we went through, witnessed, and learned. But don't give up on yourself." Yang said, unceremoniously dropping into the couch behind Blake. Ruby zoomed into the room, hair partially wet as she eyed the platter in front of her.
"Shut up, there's food!" she screamed, snagging some sandwiches. Alto, Oscar, and Saphron followed after Nora, carrying a wide array of food and drinks, placing them all on the table. "Oh… this is awesome. Thank you so much, guys! And thank you too, Saphron, for letting us stay here and junk,"
"You're welcome, Ruby. I can't exactly let my little brother's best friends sleep under a bridge."
"Well you could, Weiss said she'd be all set as long as she had a cardboard box," Levi said, earning a glare from the former heiress, who stuffed her brush and mirror into her backpack.
"So, Saphron, are you the only Arc living in Argus?" Blake asked, setting her book down beside her. The woman nodded, briefly glancing at the framed photo of her and her siblings.
"Yes ma'am, moved out the second I could. Jaune and I are the only ones living away from home," she said, looking at her brother. "I guess he just wanted to be like his big sis!"
"I uh-"
"You didn't deny it~," she said with a wink, pulling his cheek. He groaned in pain, doing the same to her, getting into a tug of war of sorts.
"Jaune told us he has seven sisters, I had a hard time believing him, but seeing this picture? Damn, you had it hard huh?" Levi said, glancing away briefly, holding back a laugh as he saw the 'help me' sign clutched in little Jaune's hands. "Hmm… aside from Saphron, another one of your sisters seems really familiar to me."
"Oh, which one?"
"The one with the glasses. I feel like I've seen her somewhere, a television special or something?" he asked, one of his ears folded down in thought. Saphron snapped her fingers, holding her finger up high.
"Ah, yes! She's in Atlas right now on a scholarship. General Ironwood apparently offered her a spot in Atlas Academy, not as a soldier, but as a computer tech and cybernetic scientist. According to mom, she designed the new line of Atlas Tech Prosthetics, which are self-reliant cybernetic replacements that don't need to be attached to your nerves to work!"
"Wow… I knew Scarcelle was ahead of the rest of us with her smarts, but to work directly for the Atlas Military? I'm honestly proud of her." Jaune said, biting down on his sandwich.
"Now I remember her, she was speaking about a new line of prosthetics, right before Global Comms went down. If it hadn't been for the Fall of Beacon, I'm sure her tech would be everywhere. But with the embargo…" the miqo'te faunus said, frowning. "Well, we shouldn't think about that stuff. You have very beautiful sisters, Jaune, Saphron. I'm happy to know you care deeply about each other."
"Thank you, Levi. Now don't just stand there gawking at my siblings, sit down! Eat something, you must be famished! I won't let Jaune's friends go hungry while they are here, no siree!" she said, pausing briefly to look at Qrow. "And you, stop drinking, it isn't healthy!"
"Ahh...um, erm… of course, my apologies," he said, sliding his flask inside his pocket, forcing himself to sober up a bit. "I'm glad you let my nieces and their friends stay in your home. We aren't causing you much trouble are you?"
"Of course not, like I said before, I'm not going to let Jaune's friends stay out at night," she said cheerfully. Just as she finished speaking, the front door opened, a jingle of keys filled the room for a moment, as another woman stepped into the house.
"Sweetheart, I'm home… oh wow… there a lot more of you than I imagined." the woman said, taken by surprise. Short raven hair fell down to her shoulders, a broad pair of glasses decorating her face. She was wearing a light blue sweater, with a navy blue buttoned-down shirt underneath. She was wearing a pair of black jeans and heeled boots on her feet. She was also wearing an ID card on her left breast, which she quickly pocketed. "It's good to meet you all."
"Everyone, this is my wife, Terra Cotta. Terra, these are Jaune's other friends. We have Team RWBY, consisting of Ruby, Weiss, Blake, and Yang, then there's their friend Levi, his partner Neo is taking a shower, and finally, we have Qrow and Oscar. They have another friend, an old woman named Maria, who's reading on the patio." Saphron said, earning a nod from her wife.
"It's a pleasure to meet you all. Honey, would you mind helping me in the kitchen real fast? I just need help putting these groceries away." Terra said, gesturing for the kitchen.
"I'll be right back, she's probably stressed out from work," Saphron said sadly, stepping away from the group.
"Is she alright?" Ruby asked Jaune, earning a nod from the young man.
"Yeah, Terra has been dealing with the people from the military base. She's an Atlas Technician tasked with maintaining the nearby CCT Relay, and she's been getting blamed for all the signal drops and outages. She's working hard to keep the tower in top shape, but without the necessary equipment from Atlas, she can't really do much."
"That sucks. How come she's getting blamed for shit she has no control over?"
"Yang, don't swear in front of the kid," Blake scolded, giving Adrien a smile. He happily clapped his hands, jingling the plastic keys his mother had given him. "Though she has a point. How is it Terra's fault that the embargo has her fixing a tower without adequate equipment?"
"That's what I keep telling those idiots down at the military base." the woman snapped, as she and Saphron sat down on the couch next to Jaune. "We've been dealing with sudden signal drops and outages ever since the Fall of Beacon. The towers worked in tandem and the relays strengthened that signal. The failsafes kicked in, sure, but with all the relays that have gone down all over Anima and the fact that Haven Tower was partially damaged from the attack on Haven, it's made things much harder on me."
"Things will get better, I'm sure." her wife said, giving her a kiss on the cheek. Terra sighed, snagging one of the sandwiches on the platter.
"I know, I know. So um… where are you all headed now?"
"Atlas," Levi said, not meeting the woman's eyes. "I've decided to finish my huntsman training and get my license there. Neo, Alto and I are enlisting. Same with Team RWBY, Ruby has allowed me to be a part of their team along with Neo. We have… a lot of things in front of us."
"Not to mention we need to get this," Oscar paused, holding the Relic of Knowledge up for emphasis. "To General Ironwood so that he may keep it safe. We've had a lot of trouble getting here as it is, the last thing we need is for this thing to get damaged."
"I see… that thing looks important."
"You don't know the half of it, Terra," Jaune said, eyeing the lamp in Oscar's hands.
"I know you've said it's okay before but… are you sure it's alright for us to stay here, Saphron? We wouldn't want to impose. We can stay at a hotel or something," Weiss said, still rather nervous about the whole thing.
"Nope! We've already told you! We're happy to house huntsmen and huntresses!"
"She's right. You all risk so much to keep people like us safe! It's the least we can do." Terra said, shifting her gaze to Qrow, who had been looking at his scroll longingly. "Especially for such an elite Huntsman like yourself. Although, I will say I was surprised to learn you had students helping you. Is that even… legal?"
Ruby bumped his arm with her elbow, causing him to jolt a bit. "Oh uh… yes of course. Think of it as an extended training mission. Trust me, I was a professor. Even went to the same academy as them. Let me tell ya, these kids were way better than we were at their age,"
He paused for a moment, stroking his chin. "Well, not better than me, specifically, but a lot of the students-"
"My mom gave him a royal fizbin because he was drinking in front of me," Levi said, swallowing the ramen in his mouth. "She said and I quote "Qrow you drunken asshat, if you keep drinking the devil's water in front of my son, I will shove Harbinger up your-"
"Kid, you're cramping my style here."
"Who are you trying to impress? All of us or the married women?" he asked, giving him a smirk.
"Terra better be happy that I decided to take care of ya."
"Huh?"
"Oh right, my mother's name was also Terra," Levi said, a fond smile on his face. "She fought her whole life to keep me safe, but now it's my turn to pick up where she left off."
"Ah, I see," Terra said, finally understanding. She was about to say something when her scroll started to ring. She looked at the screen, sighing audibly. "I have to take this. Hello?"
She shot to her feet, swiftly leaving the living room. They all watched as she went into the other room, with Blake being the first to speak. "Is everything alright?"
"Yes, I'm sure Jaune told you already, but she's an Atlas tech working on the nearby CCT relay tower. It's been on the fritz lately, and since the Argus Base's radar system is also housed there, they're holding her accountable." Saphron said, glancing down at her son, poking his nose. "It isn't fun seeing mommy have to deal with those meanie soldiers, is it?"
"No! It isn't!" Terra hissed loudly, having peeked back into the room. Her wife rolled her eyes, glancing back around the room.
"So, what's the plan for tomorrow?"
Ruby swallowed the food in her mouth, giving Saphron a smile. "Well, we're hoping to speak with someone at the military base. Like Levi said earlier, we need to head to Atlas, and currently, that's the only way we'll be able to do that."
"Ehehe… about that," Jaune said, scratching his neck. "We kind of already tried."
"Yeah, we spoke with the Special Operative on call there and she was super mean! She said I was a person of questionable character! Me!" Alto said, clenching her fists together. "I mean yeah, I get it, I'm a faunus, but I'm not questionable! I got my damn license for a reason!"
"Sadly that's how people from Atlas behave around faunus. Honestly, I feel like, for every step forward we take, we immediately regress twenty. No one in that base gives a remote F-" Saphron paused, glancing down at Adrien who clapped his hands loudly as he looked up at his mother. "Erm… they don't care about the faunus. They don't even care that a group of faunus saved Haven!"
"Don't worry Saphron, we're kind of used to it," Levi said dejectedly. "Just because we're in training doesn't mean high society won't treat us like crap. But hey, we signed up for the job and we're getting it done."
"Whatever the case may be, it might be a bit of a challenge to get passage to Atlas through the Argus Military Base. If you'd like to speak with them, we can head there after we finish eating so you may speak with the Specialist yourself," Ren said, setting down his tea. "Worse comes to worst, we can offer Weiss up, perhaps it'll butter them up a bit."
"We're not going to give them Weiss, pretty boy, you'd have to kill me first," Neo's scroll said, causing them to jump a bit, as the ice-cream-themed girl stepped into the living room. She had her hair wrapped in a towel, she was wearing one of Levi's tee-shirts, which had a picture of a dinosaur on the front. She was wearing a pair of blue shorts with bits of the front being shredded, exposing some of her skin. Her feet were adorned with mismatched socks, pink on her left and brown on her right. She sat down next to Levi, holding her scroll out. "Seriously, I'll stab you if you even think about giving Weiss up."
"Pretty sure he was joking, Neo. Even if he wasn't, it's likely the only card we have left to play. As much as it annoys me having to use a friend as a literal bargaining chip. If it gets us to Ironwood, all the better."
"Yes, I agree as well. The last thing I want is to return to Atlas, but after what has happened, I've set aside my petty wants and needs. Saving Remnant is my current objective, and that means going back home, I will," the former heiress said firmly.
"That also means Levi gets to rip off the caterpillar that's living underneath your father's nose," Yang said, causing Ruby to spit the juice she was drinking on the floor. She coughed loudly, grabbing some napkins from the table.
"Yang! Don't make me laugh when I'm drinking stuff!"
"We don't just have getting to Atlas to worry about. We also have Cinder to face off against too," Jaune said, reaching for his scroll. "I've kept an eye out on the train station in case someone suspicious came through, I managed to snap this yesterday when Alto and I went to look for you."
He passed the scroll to Levi, an image on screen. He visibly stiffened, seeing the green cloaked woman stepping out of the train. There were a few people around her, but he could tell it was her. Neo glared at the image, closing her eyes as she lost herself in thought.
"We weren't expecting her to be here early, I thought she said two months. We should have two weeks until that meeting. This changes things a bit, but the overall plan won't change." Ruby said, glancing at Neo. "Do you think you can handle meeting with Cinder? Maybe you can talk her into finding her own way to Atlas. That way we don't risk leaving you behind."
"I can try that, Ruby. But you've met Cinder, you know how she is. The moment she sees insubordination is the moment she strikes. I hate to say it, but we're likely not to see each other for a few months." Neo said, a look of sadness on her face. Levi wrapped an arm around her, giving her a firm look.
"Hey, we aren't just going to let you slip away with that witch. You're my best friend and my partner, and I'll be damned if I let her take you away from us. Especially after all we've been through. You have nothing to worry about, Rosie!" he said cheerfully, making Neo flush.
"Rosie?" Nora asked, clearly confused.
"We'll explain later," Blake said, rising to her feet. "Well, Alto, everyone, the food was delicious as always, but I believe we should head to the military base. The faster we get that over with, the better."
"She's right. We shouldn't be gone long, Jaune, Ren, Nora, do you wanna tag along?" Ruby questioned, earning nods from the others.
"I'm heading off too! I have to make sure of something for my own trip to Atlas." the familiar voice of Maria said, as she slowly made her way to the group. She snagged one of the sandwiches on the platter, biting into it. "Well let's go, don't make this old lady wait!"
"I'll stay here and clean up, the chef always has to make sure her kitchen is clean for the next meal!" Alto said cheerfully. She took the platters filled with empty bowls and silverware into her hands, carrying them expertly into the kitchen. "Good luck! You'll need it!"
"We most certainly will," Jaune muttered under his breath. Levi honestly didn't like the tone in his voice. He wasn't ready for what he was doing to see, but it would be better to see it now than later. He just hoped getting to Atlas wouldn't be too much of a challenge.
xxx
"And that's the truth about Neo, every bit of it. We happened upon that house by mere happenstance, but what we experienced there not only brought us closer together. But it strengthened our resolve," Levi said, giving his partner a smile. Neo was happily skipping alongside them, her long hair blowing in the wind as cars and trolleys whizzed by them. The large group of teenagers were on the main road that lead to Argus Island, where the military base was located.
"I'm so sorry to hear that, Neo. You've clearly been through a lot, but to see your deceased parents, and learn that it was your own father that did that. I… have no words," Ren said.
"He's right, we were all quick to judge you because of your crimes, but you've had it the hardest out of all of us. Ren and Nora lost their folks when they were around your age, but they at least didn't see their bodies. I can't begin to imagine what it must have been like," Jaune added. Neo shrugged her shoulders, her body language was calm and relaxed, though her eyes spoke the truth. "It must have been tough going back there, I imagine?"
She bobbed her head in agreement, briefly looking at one of the nearby clothing stores, entranced by a few of the outfits that were on display. Levi took a hold of her wrist, pulling her along. "Come on, you. We don't have time for window shopping,"
Neo suckled her lower lip, giving him a puppy look, but Levi was clearly not buying it, a stone-cold look on his face as he walked on. She crossed her arms, face changing to one of annoyance as she stomped her feet, her heels striking the cobblestone sidewalk with a loud thwack which followed each of her steps.
"So aside from Neo facing the creatures of nightmares past, what other depressing things did you find out? It's clearly affecting all of you," Nora said, looking around the group. They all remained quiet, keeping their gazes forward. "Seriously? It's that bad?"
"It's not that it's bad, Nora. I'd rather we discuss it back at Saphron and Terra's place. What we have to discuss is rather serious," Oscar said. He briefly glanced at Qrow, who was walking hunched over as always. His mood hadn't improved since leaving Brunswick Farms, in fact, it seemed as if it had worsened.
"Yeah, I've got some things to share myself, with everyone. I… found out everything about my mother recently. This also has to do with why my eyes are silver. Again, things we can discuss back home. Right now, we have to focus on getting to Atlas," Levi said firmly. The mood seemed to change after he said that, their previous joy slowly shifting toward a more somber atmosphere.
"Hey, Blake. This is going to sound weird but-" Yang paused, glancing over her shoulder. Her hand shook a bit as she scanned the crowds around her, her lilac eyes taking in everything she saw. "-Do you feel like we're being followed?"
"Not really," she replied, briefly looking over her shoulder. She focused on a particular area of the city, seeing a few people cutting through an alleyway. She narrowed her eyes a bit, briefly spotting a figure cloaked in black. She rubbed her eyes, but by the time she looked again, the crowd had swallowed them up. She sighed, shaking her head. "Maybe you're just seeing things. We are still kinda tired after facing those Apathy."
"The draining effects of those Grimm last for a few hours after contact. But given the fact we faced an entire horde of them, it might take a few days for us to get back to normal. All of us got lucky. If it hadn't been for Ruby, we wouldn't have gotten out of there alive!"
"D'aw, it's nothing. It was all thanks to you, Miss Calavera. The advice you gave me helped a lot." she said, glancing back at Levi, who had his gaze locked on the path ahead of him. "Levi, do you remember how to use yours?"
"Hm?" he glanced back at the younger girl, frowning. "A little bit, all I saw were things that happened in my past. But if I remember the village elder's words correctly, she said Silver Eyes were based on emotion. Anger and hate are sometimes good motivators, but ultimately, it's love that makes them stronger. Love for our friends, to protect and to make sure they're safe. Creating a state of mind that lets you tap into that emotion is the key to mastering those powers."
"That's precisely what my father told me," Maria chirped, as she walked alongside the silver-eyed pair. "He didn't find much about our powers, all of it was seemingly destroyed. It made him wary. How could it be that such powerful bloodlines could have this kind of ability and be so rare?"
"Salem was hunting them down, killing them all. That's why they barely exist, even in the old fairytales. Up until I met you, Miss Calavera, I hadn't met another silver-eyed warrior." Ruby said, closing her eyes for a moment. "I did ask Professor Athan if her eyes were silver, but she never answered me. I saw her taking her contacts off one day when I asked for extra credit."
"Yeah, mom liked to change the subject quickly about things like that. I once asked her about Amber and I got chewed out by her,"
"You aren't the only one who got chewed out by her, Levi. Your mom's arguments were legendary. Leo sat through a lot of them, and so did Ozpin and Glynda. The only one who didn't take her shit was Good old General Jim, but even he avoided pissin' her off. She was a force of nature, that woman." Qrow said, chuckling.
"Was she really that bad?"
"Okay, Ruby, imagine Weiss and Blake were the same person, but add a little bit of Yang when someone touches her hair, a sprinkle of Neo's pettiness, and top it off with that angry mom look Pyrrha used to give people. You basically have my mom," Levi said, making Ruby shudder. "Yeah, she can be a warm and cuddly kitten one moment and a ferocious momma panther the next,"
"I'd take that over what my own mom is anyway," Yang said sadly. "Ah well, we're almost to the military base, what can we expect to see there?"
"Two bumbling idiots who love kissing Atlas's big floating ass more than your typical rich asshat. Oh and there's a snobby old lady who thinks she's hot shit but really isn't," Nora said, arms crossed in annoyance. "Believe me, that old lady can really drive you up the wall."
"You did say Atlas was only aiming to measure how big their-" Ren paused, shaking his head a bit as he walked. "I'd rather not say."
"I can probably figure out the rest of that sentence," Neo's scroll said. She was grinning, giving the raven-haired boy a wink.
"You guys are blowing it out of proportion. Certainly, it can't be that bad!" Ruby said cheerfully, as they finally made it to the base. She raced forward, stopping just shy of the gates, where a pair of guards held their hands up.
"Halt!"
"You may not-"
"Pass!" they finished in unison. Ruby looked them up and down, taking in their silly outfits and hats. All around them, various ships took off and landed. The base itself was a lot bigger than they had been expecting, consisting of several buildings, with one large one being smack dab in the center.
"You are to leave the premises immediately. The Argus Military base is closed to the public!" the taller of the two said firmly.
"Listen, buddy, do you think you can help us?" Qrow said, holding his ID out for them to see. "We're close friends with General James Ironwood. We need safe passage to the Kingdom of Atlas, it's rather urgent that we get there."
The two men shared a look, darting behind the gates. With a snap of their fingers, the big hulking gates slammed shut, barring the group from entering.
"Bruh… are you serious?!" Yang cried, wrapping her hands around the bars. "You didn't even hear us out!"
"Our orders are clear! The Mistral-Atlas border is closed!" the first guard said.
"Please!"
"Have a good day!"
"But-" Yang began, causing the two men to open their mouths.
"A Good Day!" they shouted, their voices being carried far by the wind.
Qrow sighed, pinching his eyes as he pocketed his scroll. "Alright, look. If you don't wanna believe that I'm friends with Ironwood-"
"General Ironwood!" the men said, once again in unison, making Qrow's frown deepen.
"Yeah, General Ironwood, then fine. But look, we have Weiss Schnee with us and are trying to get her home safely," the huntsman said. Levi gave Weiss a gentle push forward, staying close to her as she walked toward the gate.
The two men bent down, peering through the bars as they took in Weiss's appearance. They muttered things under their breaths, nodding to each other briefly before stepping back. "Very well!"
"You may speak with our commanding officer!" Guard 2 said.
"We will fetch her at once!" parroted Guard 1. They both turned around, walking away, picking up their knees with a "hup-hup-hup" as they walked.
"Where the hell did they get those buffoons? Atlas Central Station?" Yang asked, clearly exasperated.
"There's no way Atlas Central Command hired those two idiots, and if they did, they likely did it under the table. Either that or they're from Mistral and have converted to Atlesian and now see the people of Atlas as their supreme overlords. Time to start kissing some ass, fellas. It's the only way we'll get by in Atlas." Levi said, making Blake giggle.
"Hmm."
"Is something wrong, Miss Calavera?" Oscar asked curiously, watching as the woman tapped her eyes with her finger.
"Well… I may know this commanding officer…"
"That's good, isn't it? If she's your friend, then maybe she'd be willing to help us."
"I wouldn't exactly call us…friends," the old woman said. They all shared a look, not exactly liking the woman's tone.
"Acquaintances?" Weiss asked.
"Not quite."
"Colleagues?" continued Blake, making the woman shake her head.
"Warmer."
"Enemies?"
"That's the one!" Maria said, agreeing with Yang.
"Wait, what?" Levi asked eyes widened in shock. Neo stepped back, arms crossed with a look of amusement on her face. She was honestly enjoying herself but also had a hint of annoyance in her eyes.
"Oh yes. I come through here about once every ten years to get my eyes checked up in Atlas. You bring outside cashews to one flight and suddenly you are placed on the additional screening list for life!"
"Because of cashews?" Neo's scroll asked, her head tilted a bit in confusion.
"You have got to be kidding me…" Qrow mumbled, taking a swig from his flask.
"Now now, let's not give up hope yet," Maria said, tapping her cane on the ground, a grin on her face. "Maybe she's dead!"
The gates flew open with a bang, the two bumbling guards zooming out with speeds that would give Ruby a run for her money. They stood together, facing the small group, bright smiles on their faces.
"Introducing!" Guard 1 began, with his friend taking over.
"Special Operative!"
"Caroline Cordovin!" the pair cried, stepping aside to reveal a short, gray-haired woman dressed in an Atlas Military uniform. The woman stepped forward, glaring at Maria, neither of them batting an eye.
"Witch," Cordovin spat.
"She-devil," Maria replied without missing a beat.
"Hmm… I see you've chosen larger contraband to smuggle this time,"
"Oh, Cordo. You know they say time changes people, but I see you still have that stick right up your-"
"-Hey! Erm, h-hello Miss uh, Cordovin. My name is Ruby Rose, and I was wondering if you'd hear us out about-"
"I've already heard what your other friends had to say, Miss Rose," Cordovin said, glaring past them and right at Jaune, Ren, and Nora. "What are you doing back here?! I thought I told you all to leave!"
"And I told you we wouldn't rest until you let us through!" Nora cried, attempting to charge forward while being held back by Ren and Jaune, the former holding his hand out in greeting.
"It's nice to see you again as well."
Cordovin growled as she shifted her gaze back to Maria and the rest of the group. "You civilians are clearly incapable of comprehending the importance of our mission here in Argus. So let me say this slowly and with smaller words: This base, that relay tower-" she paused to point at the tower in the distance. "-The very safety of Argus are all gifts from the glorious kingdom of Atlas! And my duty is to uphold them, as only I have the wit and tenacity for such a task!"
"Such wit!" Guard 1 cried.
"Such tenacity!" his fellow guard added. Levi sighed, rolling his eyes as he crossed his arms.
"How patriotic."
"Maybe the reason why all of you are stationed here is because Atlas wanted to get you as far away from the kingdom as possible," Maria said, earning a growl from Cordovin, the others subduing a laugh.
"You are just like the rest of these Argus ingrates! This city wouldn't even be here if it weren't for our Atlesian ancestors, and what do we get in return? The entire world is ready to put a knife to our throats!"
"Well maybe if General Ironwood didn't put up an embargo and prevented vital resources from being traded to Anima and Sanus, and maybe if he didn't close the borders, and let some SDC techs out to collect the mined dust, the world wouldn't hate Atlas, now would they?" Levi snapped, his fist shaking in anger. "I get it, the world is scared. Everyone saw what went down in Vale, I was there. I lived it and I lost people I cared about. But what the General is doing is wrong! It's bound to make the people hate him and look down on Atlas. After all, they're sitting high, dry, pretty, and enjoying their foie gras while the rest of us gotta eat trash!"
"Levi! Don't exacerbate things!" Ruby snapped, placing a hand on his armor, lightly pushing him back. "Please, we know your kingdom isn't to blame for the Fall of Beacon. All of us were there as my friend here said."
"Trust us, no one is happy about the Atlas borders or the embargo, but I know General Ironwood is doing it for the safety of the kingdom. Which is why we need to talk to him in the first-"
"The reason why Atlas is closed is that we need to protect our own. General Ironwood isn't a coward! He knows Atlas is strong! If all the kingdoms are planning to make us the enemy, then so be it! Atlas will prevail!"
"Atlas will prevail!" the guards parrotted, causing Levi to growl. However, it was Neo who stepped up, holding her scroll up to the woman.
"How long do you think Atlas will last without the precious Gravity Dust mined in Lake Matsu? Sure, Solitas has natural deposits of Gravity Dust, but is it enough to keep Atlas aloft? Last time I checked, the city was looking a little low. Now, wouldn't it be a shame if everyone in Mantle was crushed under Atlas's big fat ass because you didn't let us pass through? We have information of vital importance for the General. Now, imagine what would happen if he didn't get that information, but could have, all because of you? I bet you everyone in Remnant would look at you as the failure who ended up causing the death of Atlas."
Everyone cringed at her words, but none more so than Cordovin, who didn't have anything to say. She recomposed herself, glaring at Neo. "Darling, Atlas is capable of floating without Gravity Dust, thank you very much."
She turned to face Weiss. "If Miss Schnee has truly come to her senses and wishes to return home, then, of course, the Atlas Military will escort her home. But the Kingdom will not be responsible for her friends of…" she paused, giving Blake and Levi a once over. "Questionable character."
"And what is that supposed to mean?" Weiss said, glaring at the short woman. She swiftly turned around, walking back inside the base.
"It means we are done here!"
The gates slammed close after her and the guards, leaving the dejected group on the outside. Nora shook free of her friends, cupping her hands over her mouth. "Oh yeah? Well, your face looks like a big dumb boot!"
"Way to show her, Nora," Jaune said in a deadpan, dragging his friend away.
"I… I"m sorry." Weiss said. Ruby, Yang, and Blake shared a look, the three of them giving her a smile.
"Weiss, we've told you we wouldn't leave your side for a second. We'll find another way to Atlas," she said cheerfully. Qrow swiveled on his heel, walking away from the group, causing the red-themed girl to move forward. "Where are we going now?"
"Yeah! What's the plan?" Nora asked excitedly, as the man pulled his flask away from his lips.
"The plan?" he slurred, shaking his flask a bit. "The plan just got shut on our face three times over. I am getting another drink."
"Uncle Qrow, I really think we should try to come up with something together," Ruby said, hanging onto her arm. "Please?"
He gave her a look, shaking her off before walking off, stuffing his hands and his empty flask in his pockets. Ruby sighed, a defeated look on her face.
"What's his problem? It isn't your fault we can't go on!" Jaune exclaimed, making her press her lips into a thin line.
"If he's gonna be a moody broody negative Nancy, then we'll just come up with something ourselves. I mean, we've got Ozpin with us! He usually has something to tell us, or a suggestion or something!" Nora said, glancing at Oscar, whose face only dropped. "Um… Ozzy? What's the matter?"
When they stayed silent, Ren stepped up, the look on his face was firm. He wanted to know what was going on, his eyes shifting around the group. He looked at Ruby, Weiss, Yang, and Blake before shifting his gaze to Neo and Levi, who turned away the moment they locked eyes. Finally, he looked at Oscar, arms crossed over his chest. "Is there something else we need to know?"
"Yeah… as a matter of fact, there is. Let's head back to the house, I think… I think it's time we told you what Jinn told us."
The remainder of Team JNPR shared a look, the same thought in their minds. "Who's Jinn?"
A/N: I don't have much to say this week, aside from happy late 4th of July, I was supposed to post this yesterday but I wasn't able too. This chapter marks the beginning of this end of this story as we have finally reached Argus. After the finale of this story is posting, I will be taking a break. I have written eight chapters for the Atlas Arc but there are a few things I have to take care of before I can start working on it fully. Plus I don't want to be burned out. So this story will be on hiatus for a while. There are a lot of story details I have to get right, and I am also waiting for anything on Volume 9. I am going to create my own continuation from the ending of Volume 8 but I of course want to know what will happen in canon, though at this point, it really isn't that important. Anyway, I do hope you have an excellent week. See you all later.
