Chapter 5: No Longer a Student, But Not Quite A Huntsman
Vytal Festival (Over 1 Year Ago)
Levi grit his teeth as he ran, trying to avoid alerting any of the nearby Grimm. He didn't know what was going on, or where his friends even were. All he remembered was going back to his seat and seeing Penny, the girl from Atlas, being sliced into pieces by her own weapons courtesy of Pyrrha. Everything had gone to the tubes after that. He was stuck in Amity Colosseum, being swallowed by the crowds desperately trying to get to an airship. He tried to dial Sona's number, but she wasn't picking up, leaving him all by himself. He panted a bit, ears twisting in all directions as he listened to the screams of the people. He wrapped his finger around Shiva's trigger, nodding to himself as he left his cover.
"Somebody help us!"
He slid to a stop, glancing down an adjacent corridor, seeing a civilian being stalked by an Ursa Major. He started moving toward it, taking aim at the creature's face. The bullets bounced off its armor, making him hiss in anger. He quickly flicked his wrist, shifting his weapon to its sword form. He shot himself forward with a combustion glyph, slicing clean through the Ursa's neck. Its body fell to the ground, turning to shadowy dust in seconds. He turned to face the scared human, giving him a firm look.
"Are you alright?"
"Tch… of all people that had to save me, it had to be a damn faunus." the man spat, glaring at the teenager. "I'm not gonna thank you."
The man ran off, making Levi frown. He glanced over his shoulder at the corridor the man had come from, the one that led back to the main arena. He could hear gunshots and rockets coming from there. A part of him wanted to go there, but another part of him told him to run in the other direction. He needed to reconvene with his Team. Though after their fight, he doubted Aria, Cadence, and Sona even wanted to talk to him. He steeled his nerves and picked a direction, running with all his might.
He turned the corner, coming to a complete stop when he saw an Alpha Beowulf tearing a person in half. He heard them scream briefly before being silenced, their bones crushed under the pressure of the creature's maws. Levi raised his weapon, shooting what was left of his magazine at it, ending its life. He looked away from the mangled corpse, seeing the other bodies in the corridor. Men, women, children, soldiers, humans, faunus, it was too much for him to bear.
The young man swiveled on his heel, running down another corridor. He clenched his eyes, running past several other bodies, trying to hold back his urge to vomit. The scent of blood permeated the air, it was a scent he wasn't going to forget any time soon.
"This is not a drill! Level 9 Grimm Invasion imminent, this is not a drill!" the mechanical voice screeched, reminding him of his current situation. His knuckles were white from how tightly he was gripping his weapon. He had been trained for a lot of things but he hadn't been trained for a full-blown invasion. He grunted a bit as the Coliseum shook, the sound of an explosion filling his ears.
"This is madness, who the hell is doing all of this?" he thought, coming to a stop at another intersection. He saw a few more civilians running from some Grimm, being covered by some Atlas soldiers. There was a soft crackle in his ear, causing him to tap his earpiece.
"Levi, baby where are you?"
"Mom? I'm in the Colosseum, where are you?"
"I'm down on the ground. Someone brought an airship filled with Grimm to the academy. We're trying to fight them off but it's getting dicey. Are you with your team?"
Levi's ears flattened on his head as he let out a sigh. "No, I'm not. We had an argument, a bad one. I don't know where they are, they might have made it off the Colosseum, or they might still be here. I don't know!"
"Stay calm honey, remember, negative emotions attract Grimm. Can you get to the ground?"
Levi started moving forward, avoiding all of the Grimm he could. He made it down a stairwell that led toward the airship docks. He grit his teeth when he saw the last one leave, with people clinging onto the landing gear. He glanced down, seeing just how high he was from Vale. The young man bit his lip, swallowing the lump that had formed in his throat. "Mom, all the ships left. I'm gonna have to jump."
"Shit, that might be a little high. Do you think you can make it?"
"I can, I have my glyphs, I'll just use them to soften the blow. The thing is, I'm too far from Beacon, I won't be able to meet up with you," he said, glancing back down at the city, seeing several explosions in the distance. "Mom I…"
"Don't… you need to do your job as a huntsman and help the people. If you can't find your team and you can't contact them, then that means they are fighting. Remember that first and foremost, your job is to kill Grimm and help the weak. Go to Vale, help evacuate as many people as you can." Terra said, making him frown.
"I… I understand, Mom. I'll do as you ask but… I just want you to know that I love you okay? If anything were to happen to you, I don't know what I would do." the faunus boy said, earning a giggle from his mother.
"Silly boy, nothing is going to happen to me. Focus on your duty, we'll meet once this shitshow is over. And if you find the one who did this, leave some teeth in their mouth for me to kick." the woman said, ending the call.
Another explosion rocked the arena, causing him to stumble. He shifted his weapon into its travel mode, sliding it back in its holster. He took a deep breath, jumping off the edge of the colosseum, he grit his teeth, feeling the cold wind on his face, his ears practically bending back from the forces.
"Don't worry, I'll be sure to save as many as I can Mom. That's all I can do for now."
xxx
The engines let out a hiss as they slowed to a stop, Levi briefly glanced back at the ship, almost wanting to run back to it. His eyes scanned his surroundings, taking in everything he was seeing. The high vaulted ceiling of the ship docks reminded him of that fateful day, the day that Vale was attacked. He spotted the area where he had jumped down to Vale, shuddering a bit as he remembered the wind and cold of that night. The others started walking forward, following General Ironwood, Winter, and the Ace-Ops. He felt someone tug on his hand, making him look back, seeing the comforting smile on Weiss' face.
"Hey, it'll be okay. I'm right here."
"I know… I know," he mumbled, finally moving forward. He focused on the mechanical sound coming from his prosthetic, the other's footsteps, anything. He was glad that Weiss was with him, but he still felt the need to run.
The General must have noticed how he was acting, because he glanced back, looking directly at the former Beacon students. "I understand returning here will dredge up some awful memories. If it were up to me, I wouldn't make you come back here. However, it is imperative that you return, for your sake as well as the sake of the many who lost their lives here."
"The General is right. This colosseum was once used to bring the kingdoms together, and with this communication tower, it will do it once more. Facing the past is worth all of that, wouldn't you agree?" Winter added, earning nothing but silence from the others.
"I… I think you two are right. We've been a bit complacent about what happened, it's a demon we need to face. If anything, being back here reaffirms our mission, to bring down Cinder and Salem." Ruby said a smile on her face. "We've got what it takes, we've faced worse before."
"Agreed, if we can survive fighting Adam and almost being killed by the Apathy, I believe coming back here to Amity is a cakewalk." Blake added, glancing back at Levi, who had kept looking at the floor. "Hey, Levi?"
"Huh? Did you say something?"
"We're here for you, it's okay to be nervous."
"Tch… I don't know what all this skirting around is for," Harriet said, hands behind her neck as she walked. "People died here, it's true. It was something terrible, but it's been over a year. The time for grieving is over, it's time to act, so we can stop that from happening again."
"You call the violent dismemberment of humans and faunus 'skirting around'?" the miqo'te said, making the woman look at him. "Because I don't call it that. You weren't there, you didn't walk these corridors on that night. You didn't see a Beowulf tearing a person in half, you didn't see an Ursa biting a kid's head off! You weren't there to see the people that fell to their deaths clinging onto overcrowded airships trying to avoid being killed by a herd of Boarbatusks. So don't you dare label this as 'skirting around'!"
"Levi," Ruby said softly, a look of sadness on her face.
"Yeah well, I might not have been there but that doesn't mean we didn't fight. The shit hit the fan everywhere on Remnant, kid. I was fighting down in Mantle, I lost friends too. I've overcome that weakness, it's time for you to grow up."
"Harriet." Ironwood snapped, causing the woman to cringe. "We all process and grieve at our own pace. Mr. Athan lost more than just friends on that night, and you don't have the right to comment on it. Let him process his return to this arena in his own way."
"Yes sir, I apologize for misspeaking." the woman said, zipping her lip shortly after.
"There is still some time before we make it to the main arena. There are a few things we would like to show you. Miss Schnee, Mr. Athan, feel free to take a breather. Penny, if you'd be so kind as to guide them to the arena in 10 minutes, I would appreciate it." the general said, earning a salute from the young woman.
Levi ignored the glare Harriet gave him as the others kept walking ahead. He glanced at the wall, gritting his teeth in anger. His ears were flat against his head, face contorted into an expression of grief. "I thought I was stronger than this, guess I really wasn't ready to come back here."
"You shouldn't take what Harriet says to heart, she's a bit headstrong, but she means well," Penny said, giving the young man a smile. "It'll all be alright."
"I… how can you be here?"
"Hm?"
"Don't you remember being sliced apart by your own weapons? Isn't it traumatic being back here, in this place?" the young man asked, causing Penny to tilt her head.
"I do not recall those moments, they may have been purged from my memory. I don't have a first-hand account of what happened after my previous incarnation was terminated. I haven't exactly lost anyone so I do not know how that is supposed to feel." she replied, a look of confusion on her face. "But I do understand that losing someone hurts. I also understand that you have lost a lot during the past year and several months. I cannot pretend to understand, but I am here to speak with you if you need me to."
"I'll be here for you too, Levi," Weiss said, giving his hand a squeeze. "We all lost something important that night. Being here is just a means to come to terms with that. Remember all we have been through, this will just make us stronger."
"I appreciate it, thanks," he said, glancing back at Penny. "And thank you too, Penny. I know we might not know each other, but I'm glad you are here too."
The robotic girl gave him a genuine smile. "I hope we can become great friends in the future, Levi! If you are a friend of Team RWBY, you are a friend of mine! For now let us head to the battlefield, the General has quite a lot of things to share with all of you."
The young miqo'te swallowed the lump in his throat as he walked. Looking around, the corridors looked exactly the same as that night. He could feel his heart beating hard beneath his ribcage. His ears twitched a bit as he listened to his surroundings. He could hear the soft whirring of Penny's inner workings as she walked, he could hear Weiss's heartbeat, he could even hear voices in the distance. His head snapped around, glancing over his shoulder almost expecting an Alpha Beowulf to jump at him. He shook his head, taking a deep breath.
"It's okay, there's nothing here. We're in Atlas, we're safe in Atlas. Just keep moving forward." he thought to himself. He hoped those words served to keep him calm.
xxx
Seeing the arena again after such a long time was a surreal feeling. It looked exactly the same as when he had last seen it. Though the large gashes left behind by the attacking Nevermores and all the destroyed parts had been perfectly repaired. Looking around, it didn't seem as if a massive attack had even taken place. Even the craters left behind by the rocket-powered lockers had been patched. The seats were empty, never to receive spectators again. The mechanism operating the large Hard-Light Screens were slowly moving above them, the spotlights shining down on the field.
Levi swallowed hard as he looked down, his foot brushing over the Emblem of the Kingdom of Vale. He hadn't seen that emblem in a long time. It was almost foreign to him. How long had it been since he had walked the halls of the Academy? How long had it been since the fall? He couldn't exactly remember. So much had happened in such a short period of time that it was hard to keep track of. He gripped his mechanical arm tightly, flexing his fingers a bit. He stared at it longingly, wondering if the old him would even recognize the person he was now.
Would his mother even recognize him? He doubted she would. He continued walking forward, ears flat against his head as the General looked up, giving him, Weiss, and Penny a welcoming smile.
"I do hope you were able to gather your bearings, Mr. Athan. I understand being here is rough, for more reasons than I can imagine."
"I'm doing better, I appreciate the break, General. I'll try to control my emotions while I am here, I don't intend to cause issues for anyone. It's about time I deal with the past." he said, standing firmly before the man. It wasn't long before the rest of his team, along with Oscar, Alto, and Neo stood by him.
The General nodded, standing by Winter and Penny, who seemed very excited. She was holding a large tablet-sized scroll in her grasp, a model he only saw Teachers using. He couldn't see what was on it, but he was certain he was going to find out.
"It goes without saying that this arena holds significance to all of us. It is only fitting that we should be able to reconvene here. Now. When the world needs to be brought together more than ever. The road you traveled from our first meeting hasn't been easy."
The man paused for a moment, glancing at Penny, who was being kept in place by Winter. He suppressed a smile, his expression remaining firm. His gaze fell upon the young men and women once more, taking in their appearances. They had changed far too much for his liking, but given the state of the world, there was no way they would remain as naive as they once were. He cleared his throat, resuming his speech.
"You fought for your school and for your friends at Beacon. You fought for the world and the innocent at Haven Academy and beyond. You faced down terrors people can't even fathom. That's not the behavior of students. It's the behavior of…" he paused, almost as if for dramatic effect, gesturing to Penny to join him which she immediately did. "Huntsmen and Huntresses."
Levi's ear twitched a bit as he heard a muffled beep. Glancing at Ren, he reached for his scroll, looking at it for a moment. His eyes widened after a second, his gaze falling back onto the General.
"Wait… what is this?" he queried, his question followed by several beeps. The miqo'te faunus withdrew his own scroll from his pocket, flicking it open. He saw his profile had changed, no longer did his Identification say "Beacon Academy Student". Now it said something else.
Something he never thought he would see, at least not at the moment.
HUNTSMAN LICENSE: ATLAS
Name: Athan, Levi
LN: 63800-30415-01912
Place of Issue: Atlas
Authority: Atlas Academy
Restrictions: Class C
"You are being granted your Huntsman licenses, today," Winter announced, as if confirming what was happening. Levi finally looked up from his scroll, glancing at the others seeing the myriad of emotions on their faces. Neo looked at him, giving him a smirk and a wink as if pleased by what was happening.
"I know this is coming a little ahead of schedule, but… Brothers know you deserve it. I only regret that I couldn't do something a little more ceremonious for the occasion." the General said, slight disappointment in his tone.
"C-ceremonious? I mean… I don't know, I wasn't expecting this to happen." Alto announced, still staring at her license. She had been out of practice for a while and had been relearning everything she had forgotten. Her armor hadn't even been reforged and yet here she was, holding her own Huntress License in her grasp. "I don't know how to feel, honestly."
"Your sister would be proud, Alto. It's a momentous occasion," Oscar said, trying to be cheerful.
"He's right… General Ironwood, we're honored, truly. But this… you don't have to do something like th–"
"Please," he said, holding his hand up. "With the threat of Salem still out there and tensions rising in our Kingdom, I certainly could use more trustworthy fighters by my side."
"Trustworthy fighters, huh?" Levi thought to himself, ears flattening against his head.
"Salem can't be killed."
The silver-haired man shook his head, pocketing the scroll. He couldn't think about that right now.
"I should be so lucky to have all of you," the General continued, standing in front of them with a minuscule smile on his features. "It's okay, it's a big moment, and what better way to celebrate than here? When this tower is ready and communications are back up and running, we'll tell the world about Salem. We'll face down whatever comes after that, together."
The weight of that statement hit all of them like a runaway Megolioth. Levi's arm shook a bit, though he was quick to steady it. His heart was beating harder than before. Thinking back on everything that happened in Mistral, the fight against Cinder, the fight against Adam, learning the truth about Salem, and getting to Atlas. It was beginning to crush him. His eyes scanned his surroundings, struggling not to go back to over a year ago when those seats were filled with people and Grimm were running around.
Clearing his throat, the stoic General adjusted his tie, glancing at his watch. "Well, that's just about all the pomp I have in me. If you'll excuse me, I have to get back to running this operation."
He paused briefly, glancing around for a moment. "Uh well then… enjoy the cake."
Unceremoniously, the man took his leave. Penny giggled, holding her arm above her head and giving him a wave. "Your speech outros are improving, sir!"
The quiet lingered for another few moments, broken by the normally boisterous blonde brawler, who was still staring at her scroll. "You know, after everything we've been through, I almost forgot this was what I wanted."
"Hm… when Beacon fell, I honestly didn't think this would be possible… but here we are," Blake added, still in disbelief.
"It's almost trivial now. I mean, we were essentially acting like Huntsmen and Huntresses when we were in Mistral. Having it be official doesn't change anything," the former heiress added, glancing toward Levi. She gave him a smile, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Y'shtola would be proud of you, Levi."
"Would she? I'm battered and broken and on top of everything, I'm unsure of the future. A huntsman doesn't hesitate, a huntsman knows when to pull the trigger, yet here I am… shaking in my fucking boots." he replied, closing his eyes. He took a deep breath, glancing at his friends after a moment, all of them giving him looks of concern. "I'm fine guys, really."
"You know, despite everything that happened to you and to us, we are alive. That counts for something right? You, me, and Weiss clawed our way out of Mistral stronger than ever. Things are rough, but we'll be fine." Neo's scroll chirped, in a peppy tone, matching the grin on her face. Ruby elbowed her, giving her a giggle.
"Damn right, Neo. Not only that but now you are legally one of us."
"It could have been worse I guess," Qrow said, clearing his throat as he looked back toward the table containing their cake. "Come on, lighten up a little. Enjoy yourselves for a change, you've earned it."
"Finally!" Nora cried, holding her arms above her head. "Someone said it! Let's kill some cake, huh?"
In typical fashion, she bolted forward, somehow cutting two perfect slices and holding them up, a grin on her face. "Because I can eat two slices before Ren can even eat one! Who says I can't? Who said it, huh?"
"Nora, no one is arguing this." Ren dejectedly said. He rolled his eyes after she held one of her plates toward him.
Though it was meant to be a happy moment, Levi was anything but happy. He stepped away from the others, not knowing how to feel or what to even say. He stared around for a moment, gaze shifting up toward the ceiling. He remembered the large hole that had been torn through the Hard-Light forcefield, by all of those Nevermores. The screams were audible to him, as hundreds of thousands of men, women, and children struggled to find an exit.
"It's okay… that moment passed, you have to move on, Levi. You've been through worse."
"I would certainly say so~"
His head snapped to the battlefield, seeing a familiar girl prancing around it. He grit his teeth, watching as she danced around with grace and poise. She paused her movements for a moment, turning to face him. "Congratulations on becoming a Huntsman, Levi. I'm so proud of you."
"Screw you."
"Oh, that's not very nice… you know I would be standing there with you too… if you hadn't had that argument with Aria. I would still be alive, and I would be a Happy Huntress just like those little bitches you've replaced me with."
"Aren't you gonna have any cake?"
Levi jumped a bit, whirling around to face Alto. She shied back a bit, ears folding down. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you."
"No no, it's alright. I'm in my own world at the moment…" he said, clearing his throat. "I'm not really in the mood for cake. Maybe later."
She pursed her lips a bit. "Levi, do you want to talk? About what happened here?"
"Why would I wanna talk about that?" he snapped, cringing a bit from his tone. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"
"No, I'm sorry. Gods, this is a sensitive topic for you, I shouldn't even be toying with the idea," she replied, sighing. "It's odd, you know… being in the same place where I saw my sister fight… passing by the corridor where your fight happened, seeing the ports where those ships left. It's surreal…"
"I can hear the crowd," he admitted, glancing towards the bleachers. He could almost picture those seats filled with people. "The people… all screaming in panic, trying to get out alive, drawing those Grimm in. People know fear draws them in, but telling them not to panic while a giant bird is clawing people apart is… challenging,"
"I'm sorry you had to go through that, Levi," Alto said, forcing a smile onto her face. He looked away, his mechanical tail drooping a bit.
"I'm not," he said, staying quiet for a moment before glancing at her. "It puts into perspective what a Huntsman needs to do. You can train and train all you want, but you won't ever be ready. I think all of us were too naive. Like it or not, something like what happened here was bound to happen… it needed to happen, so that the ones that made it out alive learned what was at stake."
"That's… an awful thing to say, Levi."
The disappointed look on Weiss's face told him everything. Perhaps he had overstepped his boundaries, but it was hard to put what he was feeling into words. He looked away from her, ears still flat against his skill. "Sorry, I'm not trying to be a Negative Nancy."
"Negative Nancy? You straight up just said you were glad people died here, my guy." Cadence said, appearing beside Alto and Weiss. She had a sneer on her face. "You are glad that things went down the way they did. You are happy that we died, you are happy that it put you down this road of self-destruction… I mean look at yourself, broken, battered, and emotionally stunted~"
"Levi, maybe you should sit down, you've been up since early in the morning without a break. We did just clear that mine after all." Weiss suggested, gesturing to one of the seats. "Alto, would you mind getting him something to drink?"
"Not at all, Weiss. I could use a drink myself, actually." she cheerfully replied, heading back toward the refreshment table. Levi watched her go, seeing how happy she got when Oscar approached her.
Yang was busy snapping pictures with Blake, and Ruby and Qrow were chatting about something. Nora was putting down the cake while Ren and Jaune spoke with Penny. Neo was, of course, hanging out by herself, though she kept staring at the Ace-Ops every so often. They seemed happy, and he was glad they were. After everything they had gone through, they needed this.
"Levi, would you look at me?"
He didn't say anything, shifting his gaze across the stadium. Weiss, of course, wasn't one to sit still. She placed a hand on his face, slowly making him look at her. He stared into her eyes, sapphire pools filled with worry. He held her gaze for a moment, knowing if he moved it, she'd likely lash out at him. The last thing he needed was one of his best friends to yell at him. He slowly moved his hand, mechanical fingers flexing a bit as he rested his palm over the back of her hand, holding it in place.
"Tell me what's wrong, Levi."
"Yeah, Levi. Tell her what's wrong… tell her how you are glad that Aria and I are dead!" Cadence added, grinning. "I'm sure she'll love hearing your explanation~"
"Nothing is wrong, Weiss."
"Bullshit, I know you, Levi Athan, and I know that you like bottling some of your emotions up. I told you, I am here for you and so are the others. Do you want to talk about what happened here? All of us need closure, no one would be opposed to it."
"Dredge up painful memories just so I can feel better about being alive while my teammates aren't? Why would I wanna do that?" he sarcastically replied, brushing her hand away. "Sorry Weiss, but I don't wanna do that. Go, your team needs you, I'll be fine."
"Did you forget what I said not that long ago? I'm here for you, Levi. We all are, we're on the same team! I know it hurts being here but for fuck sakes, don't just bottle it up." she snapped, reaching for his hand. He pulled it back, stumbling a bit before he caught himself.
"Don't… I just… I need some time to myself, okay?"
"Why? So you can just fester in your own mind? That isn't healthy, Levi." she replied, concern lacing her voice. "Let's at least sit down, we don't have to talk, we can just… sit."
"No, I'm fine."
"Oh come on, Levi… go ahead and sit down! There are plenty of seats available… say, why don't we go to Beacon Academy's sitting section. Row 14, Seats 19-22! I think I left some gum stuck to the bottom of my seat, I wanna see if it's still there!" Cadence's apparition added, causing his hand to shake.
"But Levi, I-"
"I said no, Weiss. Please just leave me alone."
"Don't be like that, Levi… come on, she wants to spend time with you. You know there was another girl who had feelings for you… you should have spent more time with her before she ended up dying." the ballerina added, tilting her head a bit. "What was her name again? Oh yeah… it was Aria Blaze… your team leader…"
"Just stop."
"Huh? But I didn't say anything." the former heiress said, confusion racing across her features.
"Remember that argument you guys had? It happened right over there, you know. Why don't we go check it out? Go relive it… the moment where you told your leader, the girl who loved you, that you wished she was dead… that no one would miss her if she died…"
"I said stop." he hissed angrily, stepping away from Weiss, who reached out to him.
"Please Levi, let's just talk. About anything! Even those smutty books you and Blake like reading. I just wanna get your mind off of things," she said, glancing over her shoulder. Blake had taken notice, likely at the mention of her own name. She said something to Yang who hurriedly looked away from her 3rd slice of cake, noticing what was going on.
"Oh! Oh! Me! Me! I wanna talk! I wanna talk about how Levi left us all to die! How he prioritized strangers over his friends and teammates! It's because of you I'm dead, Levi! It's because of you Aria never got to experience love! It's because of you that Sonata is a broken toy soldier with more steel and plastic in her than a vibrator. It's all your fault~"
"God, have you never learned to shut up?!" he snapped, glaring at the apparition, who had nothing but a grin on her face. "All you ever do is talk, talk, talk! No one wants to fucking hear you. Just leave me the fuck alone already!"
By now, the others had heard his outburst, wondering what was wrong. Neo pushed herself away from the wall, steadily walking toward him while Yang and Blake were by his side, looks of concern on their faces.
"Hey, Levi, whatever it is you're seeing, it isn't real. Remember, it's just your mind fucking with you." Yang said, trying to calm him down. He grabbed his head tightly in his hands, fingers digging into his scalp.
"I know it isn't real."
"Yes, I am. I'm right here…or well I could be, but I'm not. Because a Nevermore carried me off and killed me. And it's all because of you~" Cadence said in a sing-song voice, giggling as she danced around them.
"I know it's my fault, stop reminding me already. You fucking died, I get it! I'm a piece of shit for starting that argument. It should be me and not you but it doesn't work that way, does it, sweetheart? All you ever did was stand there and do nothing while Aria treated me like garbage. Some way to show someone you love them, huh?"
He balled his fist, which shook heavily with every breath he took. "I might be battered and broken but I'm not fucking dead. We all made a choice the day we went to Beacon, you can't hold that against me!"
"Hey, hey look at me."
He felt his gaze shift again, back toward Weiss, who was holding his face tightly. She brushed the tears away from his eyes, giving him a firm look. "She's not real, Levi. She isn't here, she isn't here."
"Why did it have to happen?" he asked, almost coldly as he closed his eyes. He felt the heiress hug him tightly. It wasn't long before Neo joined in, holding him in an almost bone-crushing embrace.
"Sometimes things happen for a reason, Levi, but this happened because that evil bitch got her way. All it takes for evil to win is for good men to do nothing. We are not going to let that happen. We are going to fight together and make sure Salem doesn't hurt anyone ever again." Yang said cheerfully. "You got a family now, and we sure as hell aren't letting you fight alone, don't let that pesky ghost win."
"Yang is right, she's not the real Cadence, she's just something your psyche made up. The real Cadence wasn't like that. Don't let that fake taint her memory," Blake added, earning a nod from him.
He took a few deep breaths, finally calming down. When he looked back to the Arena, the apparition was gone. "She's gone, you guys."
"Good, just remember, she isn't real. Don't be scared to talk to us, Levi. Like Yang said, we're your family now, you're not alone." Ruby said, trying to sound cheerful. He merely nodded, taking a couple of steps back.
"I know… I'm sorry, I'm an idiot for not speaking. Guess being too stubborn to die isn't the only thing I inherited from my mother, eh?"
"Hey, PTSD is something we all carry with us. I should know given how much longer I've been doing this shit." Qrow said, giving the young man a pat on the shoulder. "Don't you for one second think that you gotta handle this shit alone. You're a Huntsman now, and that means working together with your close friends and partners to get things done."
Levi merely nodded, sniffling a bit. "God, I'm so sorry. I must seem like a big dumbass, huh?"
"Of course not, man. You aren't the only one here who is experiencing some terrible memories." Jaune said, looking away from him. "Whenever I look at that battlefield, I see Pyrrha battling against Penny, and I see what happened afterward. But I know Pyrrha wouldn't want me to only remember that, she'd want me to be strong and hold my head up high."
"Indeed, battling in a war by yourself is an easy way to die. But when you battle with comrades, things flow smoother. You can't do things alone, after all." Ren said, sounding almost like a sage as he spoke.
"Heck yeah! Next time you see that bitchy ghost you tell me where she is, I'll break her ghost legs so she doesn't follow you anymore!"
"Nora, I don't think that's how it works," Oscar added, making Levi laugh, a genuine laugh that reminded him he wasn't alone.
"Thanks for being here for me guys. I know it might be hard for me to show it, but you mean more to me than you think," he said, glancing at Alto, a slight frown on his face. "Sorry about what I said before, it was pretty heartless."
"It's okay, Levi. You've been through some heavy shit, we all have, par for the course really. Just promise me you'll talk before you start shouting, kay?" she said, handing him the drink she had been tasked with receiving. He gingerly took it, giving her a nod.
"Thanks."
"Hey, kids! Not to rain on your parade or anything but we brought something you might wanna check out!" the voice of Elm said, causing the group to look in her direction. She, Penny, and Marrow were standing by a large holographic board, which was filled with several icons.
"Is that… a Mission Board?" Ruby questioned, bursting forward in a wave of petals. The others followed suit, with Levi drying the last of his tears, hastily finishing his drink.
"Hey, are you okay?" Weiss asked, matching his pace. He gave her a nod.
"I am… thanks for that, by the way. I'm happy you stuck by me during that episode," he admitted, a flush on his cheeks.
"I told you, I'll be here for you whenever you need. Though if I'm being honest, I feel like it's important to seek some medical expertise. PTSD is awful but you can't risk having another episode like that in the middle of a fight." she said, sounding concerned.
"Y-yeah… I should go find a Shrink somewhere, huh?" he added, chuckling. "God, what a shit hand to be dealt, huh?"
"Could be worse, you could be dead, and it won't be fun being dead." Neo's scroll said, causing him to look at her. She gave him a wink. "I'm not a therapist or anything but we can talk in-depth about your problems. I used to see Roman a lot too, you know."
"Something tells me you'll drive him even crazier, Trivia," Weiss said, causing the ice cream-themed girl to feign a heart attack. She brushed her hands, crossing her arms and looking away in annoyance. The white-haired woman bumped her hip, giving her a smirk. "Don't be so melodramatic, it was a joke~"
Levi smiled a bit, happy to have finally felt relaxed. He was honestly happy no one else had been with them during his episode. If the Ace-Ops had seen him, it would be more than likely he'd be forced into some Military Hospital and that was the thing he wanted the least. He wasn't going to let some apparition dictate his life. She didn't exist and she wasn't going to be the cause of his demise.
"I'll be fine. I'm not alone and I need to stop thinking that I am. She isn't going to bother me ever again. It's time for you to rest, Cadence." he thought to himself.
"So, what's it like being a Huntsman? Is it everything you were hoping for?" Weiss queried, causing Levi to shrug.
"Dunno… I'm still getting over it. I think that's what triggered it all, the fact that I got that license so easily. I know circumstances are dire and all but I don't feel like I earned it."
"Well you most certainly did, I think helping save Haven Academy, surviving being attacked by Apathy, and killing a crazed lunatic hellbent on murdering the richest family in Remnant, greased the wheels a bit." the former heiress said, crossing her arms. "Though even if you didn't get it, I'd give the General hell until he approved it."
"I don't think that's how it works, Weiss. You can't just annoy the General because your sister is his right-hand woman."
"Well if you asked me, being a Huntress is a bit much but it's a title I am happily going to accept. After years of pretending I was one, I can finally, truthfully, say I am one. I'm sure Roman is laughing his ass off wherever he is, oh the irony," Neo's scroll said, causing the pair to chuckle.
"While I don't exactly agree with most of what he did, I'm certain he's proud of you, Trivia. Now it's up to you to uphold the values of being a good Huntress." Weiss said, causing her to frown. She rolled her eyes. "You can still be mischievous, just be careful, we can't bail you out if you get arrested… or well I can't, I'm kind of broke at the moment."
Neo clapped happily, pausing in time to see Ruby zooming around like an excited puppy. She stopped in front of the giant screen again, her silver eyes reading every word at a blazing pace.
"Oh oh! Can we ride a Megoliath? Stop an underground crime ring? Oh oh!" she paused, grabbing the edge of her cloak and holding it under her nose like a stereotypical villain. "Will we have to go… undercover?"
"Maaybeee~" Penny replied, sharing the girl's enthusiasm.
"Ohoho~ Would you look at that, Elm?" Marrow said, taking a whiff, tail happily wagging back and forth. "Smells like fresh meat!"
Vine tilted his head, narrowing his eyes. "How odd, I don't smell meat."
"Neither do I," Ren added. Levi gave the faunus a quizzical look, ears twitching slightly as he looked at him.
"Smells like cake to me, bro."
Marrow took a deep breath, sighing audibly with a defeated look on his face. "You know what? Nevermind."
"So let me get this straight," Elm began, looking at the small group before her. "You've only been official for an hour and you are already looking for Huntsman work?"
"Well actually-" Weiss started, holding her scroll up. "We've officially been Huntsmen and Huntresses for a whole… 58 minutes… hm…"
"I'd like to remind you all that our primary focus is the launch of this communications tower," Vine said, only for Ruby to speak.
"Well yes, but we'd like to keep training and improving by helping out where we can. There are a lot of things I'm sure we can't do here. So while the construction continues and we await further orders, we'd like to alleviate the strain Mantle is under." she said, a bright smile on her face. Elm looked at her with pride, hands on her hips.
"Haaah… the enthusiasm of youth!" she cried, slapping her hand on the mission board. "I'm sure you'll do just fine out there!"
"Hard to argue with that, given all you've faced until now. Okay! Let me show you how it works." the dog faunus said, stepping up to the board. "It's really simple, the mission board updates frequently but you can access it on your scroll as well. You can only take missions that fall within your Class. Since you are all Class C, you'll be able to take missions up to B Rank. With authorization and a trained individual, you'll be allowed to go on A and A++ Missions. But the S-class missions are a no-go. Not even Special Operatives are allowed without the express approval of the Council and the General."
"Just so you know, clearing that Dust Mine as well as supervising the launch of Amity Tower is an S Rank Mission. All of you have been approved due to your connection to the relics as well as your efforts. Don't let that go to your head, however, this is a special case." Vine added, earning nods from the assembled group.
"Hm… interesting, but I still don't know about being a part of the Atlas Military, or its benefits. Care to explain?" Neo asked, the tone of her scroll betraying the cheeky look on her face.
"Ah, right right, how could we forget? Allow me to tell you all about being a Military Huntsman. We are a distinct group hand-picked by the General Himself. If you are chosen for Operative Training it is quite the honor. Those who swear their loyalty to the military will not only be well taken care of, but even their families will benefit from it. You will live a comfortable and lavish life while being a hero to the people of Atlas, Mantle, and the world!
At the moment, things are dire, but soon, once this mighty and magnificent tower is launched, we will tell the world about Salem. The Atlas military will be granted the pleasure of grabbing her by the balls! And then proceed to crush, said nuts." Elm said, squeezing her hand for emphasis. All of the men cringed, subconsciously feeling pain. Neo nodded, a satisfied look on her face.
"I see… well sign me up, Chief~"
"Excellent, then let me be the first to say to you all… Welcome, Teams RWBY and ORNJ, to Hell on Earth!" Elm excitedly said, causing Alto to shudder.
"That doesn't sound safe," she quipped, only for the woman to laugh again.
"Aha! Here we go, some interesting missions! Who wants to volunteer?" Marrow announced, causing most of them to raise their hands. Levi quirked a brow, arms crossed as he read the mission that Marrow had selected. "Excellent, we need someone to escort children to pre-primary school down in Mantle. There's not actually any danger but the parents fret, that causes fear and fear attracts Grimm."
Everyone but Jaune lowered their arms. He looked around, jumping a bit in surprise. Marrow grinned, giving him a nod. "Perfect! Thanks… uh… Juan, Jwan… Jim?"
The blond teen sighed, rolling his eyes. "Close enough, I guess. But wow… my first Huntsman mission!"
Elm pushed Marrow out of the way, swiping her finger down on the screen before slamming her hand onto it, stopping the hasty scroll. "Now then, on to the big boy missions! A massive Sabyr is loose in the Mantle Sewers! We need two brave warriors to flush it out!"
Everyone cheered in excitement while Jaune looked defeated. "Why didn't I get a choice for that one?"
Levi chuckled, patting his shoulder. "It's okay man, you'll get a cooler mission at some point."
It wasn't long after that everyone got some missions. Yang and Blake ended up taking the Sabyr Mission while Nora and Ren took a Patrol mission at the northern border. Neo took a solo mission, Levi of course knew she was going to use the chance to seek information. Alto and Oscar opted out since the wolf faunus still didn't have her armor and weapons ready and Oscar didn't feel ready to take missions. That left Levi and Weiss, still searching for their own, that is until Elm got the chance to select another one.
"Oh, this one was just posted. I'm sure you've heard all about the murders going on in Mantle. Well, as it turns out, the local police department needs a little firepower for their investigation. Are there any volunteers willing to handle something as serious and as delicate as this?" she asked, glancing at Levi and Weiss. "What about you, you haven't picked anything yet."
"Sure, I don't mind. In fact, I've been rather interested in this since our arrival in Mantle. I don't know why it is, but something tells me this case might become worse the longer it remains active." he said, reading the description. "What do you think, Weiss? I wouldn't want you to get squeamish or anything, we are dealing with a murderer."
"Have you forgotten? We've dealt with murderers before, this is par for the course," Weiss said, giving him a smile. "It would be great working with you."
"Fantastic! I'll send the information to your scrolls, you'll need to be up early tomorrow morning to speak with the Chief. So don't stay up late making out or playing video games, okay?"
"M-making out? Wha?" the former heiress called out, her face heating up. Levi tilted his head, trying not to blush.
"How'd you come up with that?"
"What… I can see the looks you give each other. I wish I had someone like that… anyway, now that you have your missions, get ready! Your hard work begins tomorrow!" the woman cried, pumping her first high into the air. Levi sighed, shaking his head.
"So much shit has happened in such a short amount of time. What a crazy long-ass day," he thought to himself. "Maybe keeping myself busy will make things easier on me."
His scroll beeped, causing him to reach for it. The mission details had been sent to it, allowing him to access the file. He'd look at it later, for now, he wanted to relax and enjoy whatever was left of their celebration. The more he distracted himself from what happened earlier, the better.
xxx
Location: Schnee Manor
Jacques was absolutely furious, how dare General Ironwood speak to him like that? And his daughter… that rebellious little girl needed to be disciplined. He clutched his glass tightly in his grasp, ice rattling as he thought back to what had happened an hour ago.
"That bastard brainwashed her just like he did with Winter. How dare she speak to me like that, and that… that damned dog! How the hell is he to threaten me and speak to me like that? He is like I didn't have my branding iron. I would have dealt with him swiftly and how he deserves!"
There was a knock on the door, causing him to look over his shoulder. "What?"
The door slowly opened, revealing his young son, Whitley, his spitting image. The blue-eyed teenager shook slightly as he stared at his father. "Um… Father, I am terribly sorry to disturb you. There is someone here to see you."
He slammed the glass on his armrest, glaring at the boy who shook in his spot. "I thought I told you I didn't want to be disturbed. Why did you let them in?"
Whitley swallowed hard. "Um… I uh… I didn't. He… let himself in."
Jacques looked at him, perplexed for a moment only for the door to be wretched open. The low lighting accented the man's tall, almost lanky figure as he stepped in, his face being lit by the roaring fire.
"A spitting image of you, this lad, Jacques… creepily so~"
He looked around the office, taking in every single picture, accolade, knick-knack, and book. He paused for a moment by the window, grabbing the lone picture that was facing away from the others. He stared at the image, which showed a beautiful young woman, with flowing white hair, the only blemish marring her face being the scar across her eye. He looked up from the picture, staring at the flabbergasted businessman.
"Lovely daughter too… they've certainly inherited your… affect."
Jacques opened and closed his mouth for a few moments, struggling to formulate words. Everything he knew about this man flashed across his mind. How he had apparently died, how his body was never found. He shook his head a bit, slowly rising to his feet. "A-Arthur."
The man merely tipped his head in greeting. Jacques adjusted his suit, looking at his son for a moment. "Whitley, leave us… and shut the door."
The boy remained silent for a moment before nodding, closing the door tightly behind himself. Normally he would stay back to listen but he was far too frightened to even bother. The white-haired businessman shifted his curious gaze back toward the man who had entered his home, lower lip twitching slightly.
"You're supposed to be dead."
"Hm… that is what I wanted people to think. You're right," he said, holding back the urge to laugh as he rolled his shoulders. "However, I've heard things about you too, Jacques. Namely, that you have an Ironwood problem."
"Heh… problem? That bastard is costing me more and more money by the day. My dealings have been hindered and this fucking embargo is giving me a headache. I'd lay off every employee in Mantle if I weren't trying to get their goddamned votes for this Council Seat."
Arthur chuckled as he sat down, across from Jacques's chair. He gestured for the man to sit down, reaching for the decanter and an empty glass. "What if I said you could have your cake… and eat it too?"
Jacques quirked a brow, leaning forward in his chair. "I'm listening…"
Location: Atlas Academy
Levi remained silent as they returned to Atlas Academy. Though everyone was excited, they were equally tired. Their first mission had been completed and things were in motion. He was still shocked that he had gotten his license, not having expected to earn it so easily. His thoughts drifted back to his outburst back in Amity Colosseum.
It all felt so surreal to him. One second, he was fighting against Grimm and doing his job, and the next, he was an emotional wreck. So many things had happened so fast that he still didn't know how to process things. If it hadn't been for his teammates, for his friends, he likely would have done something stupid. He had been pondering Weiss's suggestion for a while now. He needed to speak with someone about everything, but he couldn't speak with the General. The last thing he needed was to accidentally spill everything he was bottling up.
The General deserved to know the truth about Salem, but that was something that only his team leader could do. It was just another thing he was going to keep to himself. Like the hundreds of other things, he was keeping to himself. He doubted he would ever be normal, but after everything that happened to him and his friends, no one would be.
He felt someone tap on his shoulder, pulling him out of his thoughts. He caught the worried look on Neo's face, making him frown. "What's up?"
"Do you think we could talk?" she signed, trying not to catch the attention of the others. He gave her a no, glancing back at the others.
"Hey guys, we're gonna head to the library for a bit, Neo wants to check out a few of the books," he said firmly.
"Kay, don't stay up too long. You and Weiss have to head out early in the morning," Ruby replied, giving the pair a wave. He merely nodded, returning her smile with one of his own. They headed down another corridor, stopping by one of the nearby windows.
"I'm sure you have lots of questions about what happened earlier?"
She crossed her arms, giving him a stern look. It was one he was quite familiar with, a look that conveyed annoyance, anger, and sarcasm all in one. He frowned, looking away from her. "Alright, I'm about to get a verbal lashing, so go ahead."
Neo pointed at her throat, scowling a bit. He chuckled, sighing. "I'm sorry, you know what I meant."
Her expression softened a bit. She reached for her scroll, hastily typing on the screen, holding the device out to him. "I'm not going to pretend to understand what you were going through, but you need to convey your feelings better. Not only that but… I'm sorry."
"Sorry… what for?"
"Because I participated in that attack because Roman accepted to work for that damn bitch. Like it or not, it's partially my fault that shit went down in Beacon. No amount of pretending my hands are clean will make me forget. I might be an official huntress now but I hardly deserve that title. Not after all the lives I've taken."
The miqo'te faunus frowned, ears twitching slightly at her words. He kept his gaze firm as he placed a hand on her shoulder, a slight smile flashing on his face. "Trivia, you know I forgave you for that, right? That is all in the past, you are a new person now. Besides, all of us know that you were just following orders, that was a different you."
"It's still me," she mouthed, looking away shamefully.
"It isn't. The Neo that did those things was someone else, the Neo that stands in front of me is a kind and caring friend. A mischievous little minx that protects those she cares about. You are loyal, you are caring and you fight for what is right. What you did in the past was what you perceived was right. Now that we all know the truth, I know that you'll be able to do whatever it takes to right what is wrong."
He took a hold of her hand, squeezing it tightly with his own, looking back into her eyes. "Because the Neo that stands before me, the Trivia Vanille that stands before me, is a Huntress. She is a hero, she will do whatever it takes to make sure Salem doesn't win, even if it takes hurting those she holds dear. And I will be here as your friend and partner. I made Cinder a Promise after all, and I intend to keep it. I just hope that you'll be standing beside me when I plunge my blade through her chest."
A silent giggle left her lips, a bright smile on her glossy lips. "As if I'd miss that," she mouthed, causing him to grin.
"Then we'll do it together, with the rest of our new team. We'll fight the good fight and once we stop Salem, we get to live in peace. That's the Trivia Vanille that Roman would be proud of, that is who you are, Neo."
She didn't say anything, rather she let her actions speak for her. Leaning forward, she gave the young man a firm kiss on the cheek. His ears stood straight, as did his mechanical tail. His cheeks flushed, rapidly heating up. Neo backed away, giving him a wink, tipping her hat with a look of mischief on her face.
"You're a good man, Levi. Your mother would be proud of you," her scroll chirped, stepping back from him. "You're a Huntsman now, you have to play the part now."
"I know… I'm gonna go find myself a therapist to talk to. The last thing I need is that damn ghost to keep following me around." he said, sighing audibly. "What a pain in my ass. My scumbag brain is trying to fuck with me in the worst ways possible."
"Well, if you ever wanna talk about anything, I'm your gal. Just buy me some ice cream first," she said, brushing past him. She looked back at him, hands behind her back as she gave him a grin, gesturing for him to follow.
"I don't like that look you are giving me. That usually means you are about to do something bad."
She rolled her eyes, giving him an expression that practically said 'Lighten up'. He shook his head, following after her. Now that they were Huntsman, he needed to make sure she didn't get into too much trouble. They weren't in Mistral after all, though something told him things were going to get much harder and much more interesting for him. He just hoped things got better before they got worse.
A/N: Well here is the new update. This one was an interesting one to write, I didn't really know how I was going to start it, but going back to Amity during the attack on Beacon was the perfect place. For better or for worse, that's where Levi's story began. Being back there and facing that demon was something he needed to do, yet despite that, he clearly wasn't ready for it. If he had been there alone, he likely wouldn't have made it out fine, but thankfully, he wasn't alone. He faced his demon head-on, and he was ready to face the future.
And from here on out, we begin the next part of this arc, one that I was excited to work on. I didn't want to just do a time skip or something like that. I think using too many of those hinders the story. So, why not add something original to it to further flesh out the plot? Well, that's what this next arc will be. It was rough to get it all to work, but I think I got it down just fine, all things considered. I hope you all look forward to it.
Well... that'll do for now. Peace~
