V3E13: All-In, All or Nothing
Motorcycles have always been Hope's favourite way to travel. The feeling of the wind rushing by his ears, of his hair flowing in the current and just the badass factor of a really cool bike. He used to ride one, long ago when life wasn't as complicated and morbidly depressing. Just for a moment, he went back to those more carefree and exciting days. Of daring escapes from rival Shadowrunners and people Hope had no business pissing off.
He also went back to those times when he got caught and got the shit beat out of him.
It was stupid really, a trip wire attached to street lamps. A simple trap, but extremely effective. The bike flew through the air, spinning head over tail and sending Hope careening into the rough asphalt. Satan gasped as his grip slipped and became separated from He Called Hope. The devil tried to crawl but the call of Hell had rung and his time was up. The devil looked downcast as Hope lay with a pained cringe so close to him. Hope smiled despite Satan's desperate effort to resist Hell's pull.
"It's ok, Satan." He reassured. "I'll live. Please go back before reality corrects itself."
Hope looked to the skies as the blue light further dimmed. He could discern the shape of the beautiful, motherly seraph that had been looking over Vale on his demand. She too looked vexed and miserable, as her time in this world was up as well.
"You too, Zadkiel. Please don't injure yourselves for me."
The two aspects of Pride and Mercy bit their lips bitterly as tears formed in their eyes. They wanted to help him win, they wanted to remain just long enough to give him that edge. They wanted to see his righteous dream come true and help him achieve it. They wanted to help the preyed-upon people of Vale.
But such a thing would not happen. It couldn't, for they were Seraphs and Devils. The celestials of Eden, not Remnant. And as such, they would have to follow the rules of the Cosmos and depart from this alien earth and return to the land their Creator wrought.
"Thank you, beloved Zadkiel... Thank you, dear Satan... I couldn't have asked for better aid in this, our time of need!"
Satan closed his hands and balled them into trembling fists, clawing and leaving hellish marks on the pavement. He nodded as he let himself dissipate into a warm, ominous wind that smelled of brimstone. The Lady of Mercy gazed around, the land her dear Hope had sworn to save still a ruin bathed in evil and darkness. Her soft eyes watered in shame and sadness, her crystalline tears like rhinestones falling from the sky. Zadkiel's tears fell to the ground in a soft shower that covered Vale as her light finally disappeared along with her gentle form. Her tears landed on Hope, her final gift to him. He soaked in the Seraph's tears and felt his wounds close and hiss. He was still fragile and the pain didn't go away, but at least he wouldn't have to worry about opening his wounds again. Hope crawled to his knees until a rough boot pushed him in the ass and back to the floor. He heard a nasal chuckle full of bile coming from the supposed kicker.
"Looks like we caught another one, boys."
Hope sighed exasperatedly as he rolled unto his back. Four men in heavy protective hooded jackets and white masks, all armed with badly designed weapons made by people whom Hope was certain were fanatics for paste. One had giraffe stubs on his head and the tallest.
"Seriously, when will you idiot humans understand that driving in our streets is subject to taxation!"
Hope scoffed.
"Right, so that means you're finally gonna fill the potholes on the road?"
The giraffe shrugged with a shit-eating smile.
"Nah."
One of the grunts, whose lion-like mane poked out of his hood, pulled out a large skinning knife.
"What do we take?" He asked nasally. "He looks like he has nice teeth."
Hope grinned widely, showing off his teeth mockingly. The giraffe tilted his head and roughly shoved his fingers in Hope's cheeks. He spread them away, revealing Hope's golden molars.
"Holy crap!" The lion exclaimed. "He's got golden teeth!?"
"Ah hath bah mouh hyheen bahgh hurin hrihary school."
The giraffe backed off, finally pulling his hand out of Hope's mouth. He spat on the floor, the taste of the giraffe's fingers being unbearable.
"God! Did you shove your fingers up your ass or something?!"
"No," The giraffe smirked. "In someone's guts."
The giraffe snapped his fingers and the lion approached, dressed with his evilest smile. He straddled Hope and held his jaw in place. The lion held his knife in front of Hope's field of vision. For a reason known only to him, he wasn't struggling.
"You're awfully lax for someone who's gonna miss his jaw." His sick smile grew. "No matter, you'll start screaming soon."
Hope couldn't help but roll his eyes.
This fucker is so corny I feel like if my eyes go further up, I'll see my brain.
Just as the other Fangs began settling in for the bloody spectacle, a large blade crushed their leader in a single swipe, sending him flying into a building where he went through a wall. The other three looked back, baffled at what just transpired. What they saw made them shit brick as an absolute unit of a man stood right behind where the giraffe was like a batter having hit a home run. Soon enough, they were pounced on by the rest of the giant's Team and thoroughly decimated. Hope rubbed his jaw as a friend-shaped bunny tackled the lion away to bash his skull in with her toque. Hope looked up as a hand appeared in front of him, inviting him to take it. He smiled.
"Just in time." He praised as he took the hand.
The ever-stoic Yatsachi smiled back as he helped Hope to his feet.
"For all our faults," Fox commented as he held one of the grunts by the collar. "We are very punctual."
He grunted as he repeatedly punched the grunt in his hands like a speed bag.
"IN SPITE OF A CERTAIN SOMEONE!"
Coco dusted her hands after dumping the last grunt in a garbage can. She clicked her tongue.
"Boyo, you can't rush perfection!" She clapped back.
Hope chuckled as the blind warrior's eyes swivelled to the back of his skull. A repeated meaty thwack began to arouse suspicion within Hope's mind. Once faced with the source, he cringed as Velvet was very likely to kill the sadistic lion. She grunted with every strike like a lumberjack cutting a trunk down to size. He couldn't see her face, but he was ready to bet that the expression wasn't pretty top behold. Hope walked over and heard her previously inaudible complaints, each word accompanying a strike.
"You! Stupid! Godsdamned! Hypocrites!" She cursed crassly. "What! Do! You! Think! You're! Accomplishing! By! Doing! All! This!?"
She raised her toque once more, now wet with blood and spit, and readied to slam it down again until Hope locked his arms around her raised arms.
"Enough, hun." Hope calmly begged. "You don't have to kill him."
Velvet kept her arms up, her eyes full of angry tears.
"Why?! Why shouldn't I?!" She begged for an answer. "You said so yourself, they're just rabid animals! And rabid animals have to be put down for their own good!"
"And I get that, but you still shouldn't do it."
"Why not?!" She bellowed.
"Because you're doing it the same way they would."
Velvet breathed heavily as she looked down at her handy work. The lion's face had practically caved in, what with the shattered nose, snapped jaw and broken teeth. His breathing was wheezy and haggard, almost uneven. He had to breathe through his mouth since his nose was completely broken. Velvet jumped off of him, in shock at what she'd done. He'd need heavy surgery and even then, he might never recover from what she did to him. She looked at the toque containing her weapon, the bottom half of which was drenched in blood, spit and snot. She dropped it as she began trembling.
"I... I..." she bumbled.
Fox winced as he scried Coco's mind for what Velvet did, the fashionista's reaction being much the same. Yatsuachi, seeing his partner's distress, approached gently before holding her.
"Why did I..." Velvet mumbled, still in shock at her savage action. "How could I do something like this?"
"Righteous indignation, when let loose without a shred of restraint, can lead to the same end as that which caused the indignation to begin with." Hope quoted. "You saw something you didn't like, so you replicated it on those who offended you in the first place."
Hope spat at the now unconscious body of the man who was about to torture him to death.
"I don't blame you, these guys are scum. They deserve it, but that would set a bad example and a bad precedence."
Hope approached the still shell-shocked Velvet and slapped her across the face a few times. The velvety rabbit blinked a few times before nursing her reddened cheeks.
"You good?" Hope asked.
She looked back down at the man she probably permanently disfigured and felt sick to her stomach at what she's done.
"No." She admitted. "I feel nauseous."
Hope nodded, holding her chin up to look at him.
"Remember that feeling. And imagine how much more worse it would be if you went through with it."
Velvet winced, her stomach rumbling unsettlingly. She clutched her gut, feeling her throat constrict in preparation for her heaving up her dinner. Hope rubbed her head and hugged her, sandwiching her between him and Yatsuachi.
"Don't cross that line, you'll regret it."
Velvet looked into his eyes, fearful of the answer to the question that burned on her tongue.
"Did you..."
"I have, thrice." Hope admitted, his voice tinged with guilt. "Only one doesn't keep me up at night but still, I remember every detail."
He caressed her sore face, looking deeply into her eyes with a serious and melancholic look.
"It's not something I recommend to righteous folk like you. For all their crimes, the Fang are still people. Staining your soul with sins as heavy as murder... It's not a burden I want you to carry, any of you."
He let go, as did Yatsuachi.
"You guys are Huntsmen and Huntswomen, you're the heroes that this world needs. The untainted, unstained shining beacons in the dark. You must be the better person, or else others will see the difference between murders and huntsmen to be slim."
Coco frowned.
"You don't sound opposed to killing, but you don't want us to do it?" she asked, confused.
Hope nodded.
"I'm already damned, Coco. I've already done the unforgivable." Hope self-condemned. "But not you guys. The best thing I can do now is spare you the nightmares and the regrets."
CFVY looked downcast, their mood soured. Coco groaned soundly, rubbing her eyes in frustration.
"Fuck! Why does everything have to be so damned complicated!?"
"Such is life, the complex, nuanced cunt that she is." Hope shrugged.
The fashionista sighed.
"What are you doing here in the first place?" She questioned. "Shouldn't you be back at the Police HQ dolling out orders?"
In the distance, a loud roar shook the air. The Jabberwock flew all around Beacon's campus, seemingly looking for something or someone. CFVY looked up in shock at the massive frame of the wyvern Grimm. Hope pointed up at it with a sharp and deadly gaze, like that of a big game hunter with his prey in his sight.
"I want to take that son of a bitch out of the sky." He revealed while pointing back at Beacon with his thumb. "But I need my AMR to tear that fucker's wings from its back."
Yatsuachi's eyes opened wide.
"What?!"
Velvet was equally baffled by his goal.
"Are you out of your mind?!"
Hope glanced at his velvety friend dumbly.
"Yes!" He yelled as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Who else do you know that has a gun that can punch through 30 to 32 centimetres (11-12 inches) worth of steel armour plating?!"
Coco's shade slid down her nose.
"Wait, you have a gun that can punch through steel plates?" she asked in incredulity.
"Ruby made it to my specifications." he bragged. "What the fuck do you think I was using when Torchwick was being a dick in that big fucking mech suit?"
"...Oh," she exclaimed mildly.
Fox rubbed his chin, skeptical.
"Do you really think you can down that thing with it?"
Hope grinned.
"With a proper line of sight, I bet I could snipe that fucker right in the heart."
CFVY shared a look amongst themselves. They had no clue why he had such a huge gun handy but the fact that he did was a huge boon. They also knew about the damage it could do, seeing as the damages inflicted on the stolen mech as been public knowledge since the incident. A Grimm's armour was bone-like and usually quite dense, but with that kind of firepower, no Grimm stood a chance.
Except maybe the Jabberwock, but no one had a clue how strong its bone plates were seeing as it is a borderline unique specie. They would have to chance it.
Coco nodded.
"Gotcha."
She took out her bag and unfurled into her signature minigun, Gianduja.
"Let's go, Team!"
Yatsuachi nodded, shouldering his huge zweihander Fulcrum.
"I'll guard the rear."
Coco nodded.
"Vel, stay close to Anon." She ordered. "Fox, you go ahead and scout."
Fox saluted before blades shot out of his knuckle dusters. With his razor-sharp Retribution pocking out, he ran like the wind into the penumbra before vanishing.
Hope couldn't help but pause.
"You sent the blind guy to do recon work?"
Coco blanked for a second.
"You know, I always forget that fact." she shrugged. "Well, whatever, he's never let me down."
She slapped his ass and Velvets, much to the latter's surprise.
"Now c'mon, lazy butts." She grinned. "We got us a BFG to pilfer!"
Hope rolled his eyes before groping Coco and squeezing very hard.
"OW!" She exclaimed. "Why you little!"
"I'm taller than you. Also, bitch please."
He grinned maniacly.
"Big fucking gun doesn't even begin to describe that goddamned canon!"
The halls of Beacon Academy, once bustling with light and life as students littered the hallways, now lay empty and darkened. There always was this ominous sense of loneliness when the halls were quiet, but now, this feeling became awfully fitting. CFVY and Hope stalked halls with weapons drawn and at the ready. For all they knew, Grimm may have made their home here, or fangs could still be lurking. But despite their caution, there was nothing. Not one soul remained here in the empty halls of this once prestigious place of learning, not Fang nor Monster. Still, this place was quiet and creepy enough that they didn't drop their guard.
They arrived in the dorm building and quickly made their way to Hope's room. The door opened and a deafening cacophony threw everyone in Team CFVY to their knees. Fox took the worst of it as his fine hearing, honed to compensate for his lack of sight, turned against him. He clasped his ears, screaming in pain.
"PLEASE, FOR THE LOVE OF LIGHT, MAKE THIS NOISE END!"
Hope, unaffected, ran to his desk. There, the unsheathed Shatterslash cried out a dirge of pure anguish as it sensed the darkness that took over Vale. Without its wielder close and with so long without seeing him, it couldn't help but fear the worse and let itself wail its despair.
And thus, Hope took hold of it, cradling it softly.
"I'm here." he shushed. "I'm here now."
The cacophony gradually grew quieter until the blade's shot voices let out a pathetic whimper and cry. CFVY slowly stumbled back to their feet, their ears still ringing from Shatterslash's audio assault.
"W-what was that?!" Velvet asked, still clutching her bunny ears.
Shatterslash kept whimpering until a soft song escaped its metal frame. One of calm after a storm of unknown emotion, and the resulting distress said storm caused. Hope sighed.
"Please don't do that again," he told his blade. "Could you promise me you won't do it unless I ask you?"
An affirmative low whistle came from the blade. It clearly felt guilty and that was enough of a punishment in Hope's eyes. He strapped his blade to his hip where his gun was. CFVY glared at their friend in absolute confusion.
"Care to explain what just happened?" Coco demanded more than suggested.
Hope ignored her for a moment before slamming open his closet, where a huge ass gun case rested. He pulled it out of the closet and laid it on the table before fiddling with the case's combination lock. During this, he finally answered her question.
"Simply put, Shatterslash has an ego of its own. What happened was separation anxiety coupled with the massive shitstorm happening outside made it go into a full-blown panic attack. So just in case it might get nicked again, it started screaming as loudly as possible to tell everyone to stand the fuck back."
Coco and the rest of her team kept blinking incredulously.
"What do you mean your knife has an ego?!" Fox questioned, his ears still hurting. "How?! It's a big freaking chunk of forged steel, how can it have a personality?!"
Hope spluttered as he cracked the lock and the case's latches unlocked.
"Ask that to the Daemonsmith who made it."
"What's a Daemonsmith?!"
"Someone who smiths Daemons."
The case's lips parted, revealing a treasure trove of ammunition, cleaning supplies and the disassembled form of the biggest gun CVFY had ever seen, barring Gianduja. Coco purred as she crouched next to Hope.
"Geez, now I get what you meant by canon!"
Hope silently pulled out Morrigan's constituent parts and began to inspect it. The scratches it had gained from the fight on Highway 17 had been buffed out and recoloured but despite plenty of time having passed, it still lacked the scope that Hope had been promised. He clicked his tongue as he systemically rebuilt his handheld canon and flipped the Barrett-style iron sight up. He latched in one of the five-round mags and at last, Morrigan was whole once more. Coco whistled with a stupid smirk.
"Compensating for something?"
Velvet couldn't help but cough.
"I doubt it."
Her leader grinned ear to ear.
"Well, seeing as the expert says so!"
The velvety bunny tugged on her collar, letting a little bit of steam out. Hope looked back at the first team he met, the first people he had truly become friends with since coming to this world...
And knew that this was where the path of their stories had part.
He sighed, worrying the team.
"Is something wrong?" Yatsuachi asked, concerned.
"Well, apart from this whole shitshow outside... I think it's time for you guys to go back."
Coco nodded, unknowing of Hope's plans.
"Yeah, we got what we came for. I think it's time we bounced back to HQ and help with the evacuation."
They all nodded, though they looked around one last time. They knew that this was the last time they would be in Beacon. Coco smiled bitterly.
"And here I thought I'd be here for a few more years..."
Hope nodded and walked over to the fridge, throwing each member a can of beer. Fox chuckled.
"A farewell toast?" He noted. "I didn't think you'd be sentimental about this place."
Hope nodded, being the only one who didn't hold a can.
"You guys made way more memories here than I have." He explained. "The only thing I got out of this place was meeting a lot of friends and getting the shit beat out of me. This is for you, not me."
They all nodded soberly. They had been through a lot during their time at the academy. Heartbreaks, hardships, friendships, moments they wouldn't forget. Moments that Hope wasn't privy to. Velvet cracked her beer open and raised it high.
"To the memories we made here, at Beacon Academy."
Coco cracked it open one-handed.
"To the people, we beat up and hope to spar with again!"
Fox was next.
"To the seniors who showed us how it's done."
Yatsuachi smiled, his eyes opened.
"To our friends, whom we hope we'll see again."
They clinked their cans together with a loud cheer... Before holding their cans upside down and letting them empty all over Hope's nice rug. The owner glared with a lidded stare.
"On my fucking rug? Really?"
Coco shrugged as she threw her can over her shoulder.
"I only drink hard liquor, sorry."
The rest rubbed the back of their heads, looking away guiltily.
"I kind of went with the flow..." Yatsuachi admitted.
Hope shook his head as he sat back at his desk and slouched in his chair. He stared at the ceiling emptily.
"You guys go ahead. I have to put some finishing touches on a few things."
Velvet frowned.
"You sure?"
Hope nodded, his sore body somewhat agreeing with him for the first time since the Breach.
"There's no one here, Vel. and unlike last time..."
In one fluid motion, Hope pulled out his Singing Blade, its unnaturally sharp edge glimmering maliciously.
"I won't be caught off guard as easily."
Velvet nodded slowly.
"I really don't like this..." she admitted. "But... I can't stop you, can I?"
Hope jumped off his chair and took her hands, catching her off guard.
"No, but I won't let this night take me without a fight."
His eyes glimmered like two sapphires in a housefire. The imagery didn't help the bunny's unease, but she knew he wouldn't back down.
"Promise me..." She mumbled. "Promise me that you'll come back... To me."
Hope paused before hugging her.
"...I will."
Velvet didn't have the heart to hug him back but she let her lips plant themselves on his mouth. Hope let go of her and she wandered out of the room. Coco punched him on the shoulder lightly. She smiled but Hope could see the unease behind her bravado.
"You're a hard bastard to take down, but still. Take care of yourself, for goodness sake."
Fox held out his fist, one that Hope bumped.
"Good luck, and make them pay."
"Aye aye."
Yatsuachi and him shared a look and a nod. No words were needed, not in this instance. CFVY filed out of his room to rejoin their bunny comrade, leaving Hope alone. Hope felt his heart squeeze. He never liked to flat-out lie, but somehow, he knew that she had realized what he meant when he said he'd come back to her. Hope had no illusion that his time might be coming to an end and that the only way he'll come back to everyone, was in a body bag.
He looked back into his closet, where his restored investigation outfit rested. He took it and entered his bathroom. He stared at his reflection in the mirror.
Bruised, dirty, scraped up...
Yeah... Nothing changed since back then, hasn't it?
He took off his hospital clothes and undid his bandages. He looked back again, his skin now a tapestry of bite marks, claw scars and skin graphs with multiple golden threads still embedded in his now healed flesh. he smiled softly, glad that Zadkiel went above and beyond for him. Even if his body was still sore, Zadkiel's gift would be the edge that took him away immediately getting bodied if he were to fight.
Emphasis on immediately. He had no illusions that he was in for a death sentence.
He checked the time on his scroll, Cinder must have already turned Amber into a girl kebab and Ozpin into vacuum cleaner bait. With some luck, Ruby's far, far away. All he had to deal with was the Jabberwock and maybe Cinder if he was really unlucky. He knew that the best vantage point to shoot the wyvern down was Ozpin's office. With good timing and some luck, he'll be able to shoot it down before Cinder can come.
He hummed I May Fall to himself as he changed into his personal favourite outfit. As he put on his gloves, he stared at the accessories that sat neatly on a small tray on the sink. He took his mother's ring gingerly before slipping the lioness on his right pinky, as opposed to the left where he usually put it. Likewise for his personal signet, slipping the raptor unto his right middle finger. He glared emotionlessly at the golden, ruby-encrusted ring before sighing.
"Guess I really can't let you go, can I?"
He grabbed the ring off the tray before putting it in his pocket. He readjusted the necklace that never left his side, hiding it under his shirt collar. Lastly came the one thing he would never take off willingly, the one thing that he would never forgive himself for losing or damaging. He safely tucked his handmade bracelet under his left glove, making sure that come hell or high water, the bracelet would never be in danger.
He looked back in the mirror and smiled at his reflection, grooming his messy hair into something more fitting for his choice of outfit. Hope couldn't help but chuckle.
"I'd get fucking laughed at if I wore this shit anywhere else."
A rogue cowlick stood up on its own on top of his head. Hope tried fruitlessly to put it down but the bastard was way stiffer than even he imagined.
"I guess I really have turned into an anime character, haven't I?" He grinned. "Ahoge it is then!"
He let his ahoge be before walking back into his room. First on the docket, crush a can of Monger Energy in ten seconds. Next was taking as much ammo as his belt holster could fit in them plus as many of Morrigan's magazines as he could stuff in his jacket pockets. He strapped the AMR to his back and walked out into Beacon's silent halls.
"All or nothing." He mumbled. "Let's gamble one last time."
He never liked the idea of being a hero. It never felt right for him, someone who's done so much wrong to others, to assign himself that descriptor. But for once in his sad life, Hope would play the part without hesitation. He lit himself a cigar, letting the smoke billow out of his mouth.
"Let's go wyvern hunting."
A quick jog led him from the courtyard to Beacon Tower, its entrance a complete mess. Bodies of Atlan Elite Soldiers slumped limply against the wall, their bodies pinned in place by volcanic glass arrows. He clicked his tongue as he crouched to inspect the corpses and close their eyes.
"Cinder's been here already..." He mumbled. "Shit, looks like they've been here for few minutes... Amber's probably gone."
Probably killed Oz too.
The elevator whirred to life, startling Hope. Quickly, Hope took cover behind the wall separating the tower's ground floor from the outside. Just in case it was a full Maiden Cinder, Hope shouldered Morrigan, as to blast her to pieces at point blank. The elevator dinged and its doors parted. Hope held the grip of his cannon tightly and rubbed the trigger in anticipation. The hurried steps he heard weren't the click of high heels on the marble floor, but the dull thud of thick-soled boots.
"No... I can't let her." A familiar voice swore. "I won't let her have you!"
Hope let the breath he held in out and rested the barrel of his AMR rest on his shoulder as Ruby sped out of the entrance.
"Have who?" Hope questioned rhetorically.
"Wha-"
Ruby skidded to a halt before faceplanting from a misaligned tile. She curled into a ball, clutching her now reddened nose.
"Owie!" She rasped, rubbing her nose.
Hope walked over and dropped to one knee.
"You ok, Ruby?" he chuckled.
She sat up suddenly, glaring at him in a panic.
"ANON?!" She exclaimed. "What are you doing here?!"
Hope lifted Morrigan against his shoulder.
"A have a problem in need of a drastic solution."
"No! I mean, why are you here?! It's dangerous and you're hurt!"
She noticed the cigar, it's smoke billowing from his mouth.
"IS THAT A CIGAR!?" She screeched "Why are you smoking?! You're still healing! Take that out right now!"
Hope lifted his shirt, revealing that he was healed. Ruby blinked as she stared a bit longer than she should have. her cheek became rosy in tint.
"W-why are you so damn fine!?" She mumbled.
Catching herself staring, Ruby shook her head to clear it.
"I-I mean... How, how are you fine... Is what I meant..."
"Literally by the grace of Heaven." He explained while drawing a cross over his chest.
Ruby blinked several times before sighing. Logic didn't seem to apply to Hope... But it was good that he was in better shape, despite her not understanding why.
"Nevermind that, we need to get the hell out of here!"
The Jabberwock roared once more, its patience wearing thin as it descended into the farthest corner of the campus. Hope clicked his tongue, making the mental calculations that it would still be in range if he went to the top of the tower. He would just have to really concentrate and for it to stay really still.
Yeah, not fucking likely.
"I take it Oz is gone?" He asked to get his mind off his dangerous prey.
Ruby nodded frantically.
"Yes! And- And the Autumn maiden too!"
Hope hummed pensively. Now he really didn't want to see Cinder, but knowing his luck and how things are going, a face-off seems inevitable.
Just need to keep everyone away, that bitch is too much for me let alone them.
"You need to get out of here, Beacon's lost and you have to regroup with your team."
Ruby hummed out an agreeable, if pitiable, noise. Hope couldn't help but want to cheer her up but as of now, there's very little he could say that would encourage her. The earth shook as the Jabberwock began rampaging around its corner of the campus. Animated by aggravation and a thirst for destruction, the dark beast destroyed the very floor it walked on and barreled through walls. Hope growled with a hateful glare.
"Just you wait, motherfucker." He threatened quietly. "I'll break your back in just a second."
Ruby stared bug-eyed at her friend.
"What are you on about?! You can't fight this thing!"
Hope pointed to the Jabberwock stampeding in the distance.
"That fucking thing is gonna cause us a lot of grief in the future. If I take it down now, we're gonna have a whole heap of a fuck better chances of taking this fucking academy back once we return."
He then tapped Morrigan, bringing attention to it.
"Besides, I'm not gonna fight it." He corrected. "I'm assassinating it."
Ruby crossed her arms angrily. Her frustration didn't come across immediately, her arched, anxious brow betraying her true feelings.
"And how are you meant to do that?"
"Ruby, it's a big fucking lizard and I'm next to a tower with direct access to the fucking roof. I could literally snipe his ass from across Vale if I had a scope."
"But what if you m-?!"
Hope shoved a finger to her lips.
"Don't jinx me, you fucking adorable thing."
Ruby went red but shook her head frantically. Now was not the time to get embarrassed.
"Didn't you listen to me? Cinder is in the tower! She's waiting for you!"
Hope paused, a twitch in his eye.
"Say what now?"
Ruby rubbed her arm, the carnage of the subbasement probably was probably going to stay with her for the rest of her life.
"She said... that you were a threat, to her." Ruby hesitated, knowing that what she was about to say might spur Hope on. "And that... And that she couldn't wait for you to see her."
Hope rubbed his eyes tiredly, completely done with that crazy, pyromaniacal asshole.
"Why is it always the crazy ones..." He sighed with a sob.
He took a drag out of his cigar before blowing the smoke away.
"Well then." He exclaimed wearily. "Best keep her waiting, good thing I have that fucking Dragonoid to hold me over."
"Anon, you can't! That's exactly what she wants, she wants to draw you out! You don't think that she'll be waiting for you at the top?"
"I know, and that's why I'm gonna completely ignore her and kill her pet lizard."
Ruby groaned in exasperation. This was what she had feared, arguing with the most stubborn person she knew.
"You can't be serious!"
"I am, which is why you need to go and warn everyone else!" Hope countered. "Listen, Beacon is lost, half of Vale is in ruin and the rest is in bad shape. We need to regroup and consolidate our assets. We're taking back Amity and the Honourbound and the Fang are getting their ass pounded. We're in the process of equalizing the scale but for us to not get thrown off, our forces need to be warned about Cinder."
"Why can't it be you?" she asked, trying to dissuade him. "Why does it have to be me?"
Hope looked at her like she was an idiot.
"Ruby, you can move faster than sound if you try hard enough. You're literally the ideal courier."
He slung his AMR over his shoulder.
"As for me, I decided that I was on extermination duty."
She slapped the sides of her legs limply, beyond vexed by Hope's recklessness.
"What about Cinder? You know she's going to find you. If you fight her, you'll lose!"
"So would you!" Hope retorted pedantically. "So would your entire Team! As we are, not one of us can win. But what you can do is warn everyone and help with the evacuation."
"So you want me to just run and leave you to the wolves?!" She accused.
Hope maintained his stare as Ruby's eyes began to water with emotion. She already knew what he was going to say and did not want to hear one syllable.
"Yeah." He admitted. "Let me do what I can, whilst you do what you can."
She shook her head.
"No."
"This is not up for debate, Ruby."
"I won't let you do that." She declared. "You stopped me from getting killed, So I'll do the same! I REFUSE TO LET YOU GO OFF AND GET YOURSELF KILLED!"
If the situation wasn't so cruelly dire, Hope might've smiled. But as things are, he had to rid the world of yet another monster. She stood in his way, her love for him too strong to let him throw himself into what would assuredly be his ignoble end. It didn't surprise him that she would try to stop him but it still warmed his heart. She really did care about him...
But unfortunately for her, so did he. And he wasn't afraid to play dirty.
He put a hand in his pocket and requested an emergency rocket locker to fly for his position from his scroll. Ruby walked over, taking his other hand. She looked so miserable and afraid, her big silver eyes wet and on the verge of tears.
"Please... Don't go into the tower..." She begged. "I... I can't lose you too..."
His heart squeezed painfully for the first time in so long. Last he could remember, he was still on the fence about helping Jaune with Cardin and changing the storyline. Hope's lips quivered, his own eyes watering. He took her hands and locked her in a hug, one that restrained her arms between his torso and hers. Ruby gasped and looked to the side as Hope buried his face in the crook of her neck.
"I... Don't want to lose you, either..."
Ruby snuggled closer, her tears falling. A distant noise slowly came closer.
"I don't want to lose someone like this again..." She whispered, her voice straining under the emotion. "I don't want to bury you too."
"Me neither..."
The strange noise became clearer and came closer.
"Which is why I have to do this"
Ruby looked aside at him, confused and afraid, only for something really heavy to crash right behind her. She let out a quick shriek as she looked back, still restrained by Hope's hug, and her pupils shrunk. Before she could struggle, Hope threw her into the rocket locker and closed the door, locking it with a quick flick of his scroll. The space was too tight for her to take out Cresent Rose and cut the door off but it didn't matter. Ruby threw herself against the door, hitting it with all she had.
"ANON!" She screamed with tear-flooded eyes, slamming her fists into the glass.
Hope leaned against the door, his face hidden from her.
"DON'T DO THIS!" She begged desperately. "PLEASE!"
Hope didn't answer, his throat had closed up. He looked up, staring into Ruby's eyes. Hope was crying, his eyes like waterfalls.
"I love you..." He confessed with a small, constricted voice.
Ruby stopped banging against the glass, panting.
"You, Yang, Blake and Weiss... JNPR, CVFY, SSSN... Glynda and the other teachers at Beacon... I love you all so much... You gave me so much... You made me love life again. You... You saved me. Every day with you all was like a long, beautiful dream..."
He looked down again, sobbing as his hands curled against the glass. Ruby fell down into a squat, full-on weeping.
"Don't go... Don't leave me..." She implored.
Hope took out his handkerchief and dabbed his eyes before slipping it in between the air vent of the locker. Ruby caught it and held it to her chest.
"Don't... Please, don't..."
Hope took out his scroll and set the locker's next coordinates to the Vale Police Headquarters.
"I just wished..." Hope murmured. "I just hoped that this dream could have lasted longer."
Ruby took a deep breath, the locker's engine whirring.
And screamed his name as the locker launched into the skies.
"ANOOOOOOOOON!"
Hope looked up at the locker as it flung itself over the horizon and into the city. His heart felt like it was crushed and the tears kept flowing like a broken faucet. He turned back toward the tower of Beacon and departed for it.
He returned the bodies of the Atlan elites to check if they had anything that could help him in his upcoming struggle. He noticed that one of the Elites was much more heavily armoured. At first, he thought that maybe he had a larger gun and was the team's dedicated heavy assault trooper but after finding a whole host of demolition charges stuffed in a backpack, his role became quite clear. Hope thinned his lips and looked around the insides of the tower. He paused as he looked back at the explosives.
...Could I... Couldn't I just blow this place up with Cinder in it?
He shook his head. Not only did he still have to take the Jabberwock down and that then best vantage point was the tower roof, but he remembered that Cinder could just fly. All she'd need to do is blow out a window and float out of the crumbling building. He sighed out a chuckle.
No way out, huh? I guess I can guarantee that she won't win at least...
Having set his mind on his plan of action, Hope began to set up the explosives around the base of the tower in a manner to create a controlled implosion where the tower with crumple unto himself. Having no experience in demolition work, he had to consult his phone and make some educated assumptions based on the tower's dimensions and the strength of the charges, which he assumed were similar enough to C4. Once done, Hope walked through the elevator door with the detonator safely in his jacket. To his pleasant surprise, the elevator was intact, sparing him the gruelling ordeal of having to walk up the stairs. He looked at the key panel and saw that it had been completely torn off, revealing the usually hidden subbasement button. With one press, Hope was gone, and then into the dark underground of Beacon's tower.
...
The descent halted after what felt like minutes and the doors opened to a sight out of a snuff film. Corpses were littered by the entrance and further ahead, leading to a pile of ash surrounded by blood platters and a high-tech coffin holding the corpse of a burn victim. No signs of the perpetrator, meaning that she had left when Hope was busy sending Ruby away. Hope walked over to the Elites, closing their eyes as he had done their comrades above. It was difficult, considering some of them had their faces completely disfigured, one such had a busted open skull and missing their brain. Hope groaned, holding back a retch as he quickly finished up. He walked over to the big illuminated platform that contained Amber's life pod. At its base were what Hope assumed were Ozpin's ashes, if their proximity to the cane was any indicator. Hope clicked his tongue as he took the cane, its heft and density momentarily surprising him.
"Looks like things went about as they should." He glared at the remains. "And look at you now, nothing but dust in the wind!"
He emphasized the word 'dust' by kicking the pile, scattering the ashes in a cone in front of him.
"Fucking idiot." He cursed quietly before sighing. "Now Oscar has to pay for your arrogance. You couldn't have just avoided responsibility by dying but you had to rope in a goddamned child as well!"
He held the cane up before strapping it to his sheath.
Won't be needing this anymore, probably save Qrow a trip back into this hellhole.
He left the pile behind and walked to the girl he never had the chance to meet. Hope looked at Amber through the glass. She reminded him a lot of Ruby, young, beautiful, full of potential...
Dead, caked in her own blood.
But Hope knew that her doom had been spelled by her being left in Oz's hand. Luckily, Ruby wouldn't follow in her steps, even if it might have been unwitting in Amber's case. Hope opened the pod, the doors lifting up and breaking the arrows that were stuck between her and the glass. Hope gently lifted her out before laying her down on the cold floor, closing her eyes. He knelt and joined his hands in prayer, closing his eyes.
"Forgive me, for I couldn't save you... Forgive me, for I couldn't have prevented your tragic end..."
He opened his eyes, his tears having finally dried.
"I may not have been able to save you, but I can at least avenge you and bring you peace."
A dark presence emerged from the shadows, its eyes red like blood, its head crowned with four horns and a sharp tail poking from its backside. The form solidified into a massive mass of darkness whose eyes were set squarely on Hope. Hope immediately recognized the Archduke of Wrath, Belial. Hope bowed his head to the Devil who stood before him, with the Hell Lord doing the same. Belial knelt next to Hope, over his shadow, and whispered into his ear what it had been up to ever since Hope called on him to be his witness. Hope nodded, now aware of what Cinder's wishes are.
"Good thing I sent Ruby away... Now, I just have to finish this before she brings anyone else here."
Hope nodded to Belial, and with a bow, the Lord of Wrath merged with the seer's shadow. Hope stood up, in the process noticing something strange. Beyond the life pods, way into the darkness, was a strange golden light. Hope walked into the pitch black of the unilluminated room, coming closer and closer to what should have been obvious from the start. He took another step forward and a large circle of yellow light lit up under him. Similar circles lit his way, giving off enough ambient lights for him to see that he was walking on a suspended platform reminiscent of the Haven Relic Vault from Volume 5. At the end of the path was a rocky archway with a large red maple tree growing through it, framing a golden door with a large seal placed over the top of it. Hope caressed the seal, an emblem of a blazing fire engraved on the surface of it.
"So this is where Choice was all along..." he noted, in awe at the magical architecture. "Fuck me, this place is much more impressive in person than on screen!"
The emblem didn't react to his touch and didn't seem like it was going to lift itself anytime soon.
"Figured. Well, at least I know where it is..."
He began thinking about what stood before him, a frown slowly creeping onto his face. He took out his phone and double-checked a certain detail that slipped past him.
"Wait... I thought Ozpin hid Choice differently than the rest?"
Surely enough, the lore article on the Relic of Choice revealed that Oscar, upon being captured, revealed to Salem that Ozpin hid the Relic differently than the other Relics. Hope could only scratch his head in response.
"This makes no sense. Cinder was just here and she didn't see the golden fucking light in the darkness?"
Either or, Hope would be able to find out the truth now that his Ozpin was dead and gone. He'd have to ask him when he comes across Oscar. He let go of the seal and walked away, the weight of his cannon reminding him of his current objective. He looked back at the bloodstained subbasement before entering the elevator and disappearing.
The caravan of Bullheads leading out of the Police Headquarters began to slow down, the flow of civilians slowly but surely drying up. Over half of the city was overtaken, but luckily, most lives had been saved and had been evacuated to the edges of the city where it was safer. Some were lucky and had family elsewhere in the world so that they could leave the invaded Vale behind, others did not have that chance and were stranded with nowhere else to go. Still, the armed forces of Vale and Atlas did what they could to clean house while they still could and sent orders to prepare for a full occupation of Vale's safer half. While the entire city was victim to Grimm attacks, the horde's source mainly came through Forever Fall and the Emerald Forest, therefore they would distribute their forces along affected district lines.
One of the Bullheads landed on the helipad with a whole squad of medics waiting for them. The doors unlatched and an entire strike force of Atlan soldiers and Valean Special Tactics left, more or less worst for wear than when they left. Some left on stretchers, others in crutches.
A few, in bodybags.
The last to leave were those who were still in one piece. Included amongst them were Weiss and her Team, toating behind them a twin bed-sized anti-gravity slab. A large sheet covered most of the slab, leaving enough of the content uncovered to see Penny's head. She looked as if she was sleeping, the only noise coming from her being her whirring core. A pair of medic looked over the team and after finding minimal issues, save partial exhaustion, they moved on to other, more dire pastures. Arriving from behind the medical squad came Ciel Soleil. The special class student was still nose deep in her scroll, coordinating (micromanaging) with deployed huntsmen teams. She looked up from her work to greet her superior.
"Specialist Schnee," She saluted. "Welcome back."
Winter bowed her head, acknowledging Ciel's respectful welcome.
"Cadet Soleil."
Ciel looked over Winter's shoulder, her face hardening with an emotion Ciel did not understand.
"I see your mission has been completed successfully."
"Indeed. I trust that I can leave Penny in your capable hands?"
Ciel bowed her head, accepting the assignment. She approached the body of her partner, holding her hand over the robot's face.
"You'll be home soon, Pen-pen," Ciel mumbled quietly, her eyes damp. "I've already prepared a message for your father once we get a signal. We'll..." She sobbed quietly. "We'll fix you up, just... Just hold on..."
Winter frowned sadly as she saw the usually stoic and frosty cadet convulse slightly as unfamiliar emotions took over her. She began sniffling as she carted the unresponsive Penny away. Winter turned back, the team she was assigned to looking on and feeling bad for both parties.
"I have to admit," Winter said, eager to change the topic. "You've all done quite well. I see now why my sister has so much faith in you all."
Yang spluttered.
"C'mon, did we really look that unreliable?"
Winter blinked slowly.
"Well, screw you too." Yang flipped her off.
The specialist let a chuckle slip.
"As I expected. Plebian but reliable."
Yang grinned.
"Damn straight."
Blake nodded.
"It was an... Enlightening experience. To work with a professional soldier."
"Happy to be of service." She bragged stoically, a few stars twinkling next to her as she pulled some rogue locks out of her face. "I hope that what you have learned be of great use to you."
Winter turned to her sister, who looked back expectantly. The specialist rubbed her chin, thinking of an appropriate grade to give her little sister.
"Your performance was..." She smiled. "Adequate."
The snow princess pouted at the ice queen.
"Well, sorry I was just adequate."
Winter's smile turned into a grin as she locked her sister in a tight hug.
"You'll do better next time, that's just the type of girl you are."
Weiss rolled her eyes as she returned the embrace.
"Yeah, yeah..."
Winter's smile disappeared as she squeezed her sister a little tighter.
"I'll probably be sent back to establish a proper chain of command at Amity while General Ironwood takes command of the Honourbound. We probably won't see each other again for a while."
Weiss hummed sadly, focusing on her older sister's warmth. Winter let go, rubbing Weiss's face one last time.
"See you soon, Snowflake."
Weiss smiled.
"Later, Snowplower."
"That's a new one." Winter snorted.
It was time for Winter to leave for as soon as she said that, duty called her on her furiously buzzing scroll. She waved one last time to her dear family before disappearing into a crowd of soldiers. Weiss sighed sadly now that her sister was gone, a sentiment that Yang understood far, far too well. The blond bombshell held her sister's partner's shoulder in support. Weiss smiled.
"Thanks."
"No problem, Snowy."
Weiss groaned at the new nickname. Yang's naming scheme was really not to her taste.
"Really?"
"Hey, if the hat fits!"
"Let's just go find Anon." She frowned. "With some luck, he'll know where Ruby is by now."
Yang's smile soured.
"Yeah, let's hope..."
Blake walked ahead of her partner, looking unbothered.
"Your sister's fine, you know better than us how tough she is."
"Yeah. It's just... I got a bad feeling something happened."
As soon as she said that, something fell out of the sky and landed in the courtyard where the refugees camped. A panicked cacophony reached the Teams ears as everyone scrambled to get to cover, in case more things were to fall. Yang let out an aggravated sigh.
"Me and my big mouth."
Weiss looked to her teammates and they all nodded, bolting towards the courtyard. Upon arriving, they were witness to a fearful crowd slowly surrounding what everyone now realized was a rocket locker. The locker was making an awful racket as something inside it was banging on the door, desperately trying to get out. Blake squinted at the door panel and saw a tuft of hair with red tips sticking out in front of the glass.
"Is that?" Blake questioned, pointing at what she saw.
Yang's eyes widened before barreling through the crowd. At the locker, Yang wasted no time tearing the door off the locker. The rest of team RWBY rejoined their teammate just as their leader tumbled out of the rocket locker. Ruby coughed and hacked, partially hyperventilating as her face was covered in tears.
"RUBY!" Her team exclaimed in unison.
Yang locked her little sister in an embrace.
"Oh god! I'm so glad you're ok!"
Ruby pushed Yang off deliriously, absolute panic animating her usually soft features, before stumbling forward.
"Nonononono."
Weiss dropped to one knee in front of her leader, holding her up by the shoulders.
"Ruby, what happened?" She asked. "Why were you in the locker?"
Ruby pushed Weiss's hands off bruskly before grabbing her by the collar.
"We need to get to Beacon NOW!"
"What happened?!" Weiss demanded to know. "Why are you-"
"It's Anon!"
Ruby's team gathered around her, now at full attention.
"Anon did this?" Blake asked. "Why is he at Beacon?"
Ruby's breath hitched as she sniffled, trying her best and failing to regain her cool.
"H-he went to get his stuff and- and he decided to go and kill the Jabberwock alone in Beacon tower!"
"WHAT?!" Weiss shrieked.
"I thought he just went to get his gear and come back to get us!" Blake exclaimed.
"That's not the worst part!" Ruby continued. "Cinder, she in the tower!"
Her teammates paled.
"She..." Ruby sobbed "She killed Ozpin and a bunch of Atlas soldiers! She's after Anon!"
Her team stood there, flabbergasted, as their leader broke down into a full panic attack. Yang was the first to act, encircling her sister in a warm hug. Her lilac eyes turned red, the thought of Cinder getting her filthy murderous hands on her best friend boiling her blood. Ruby's breathing began to even out and calm down, a sob still on her breath. Blake was about to march out, only held back by Weiss.
"Let me go." She demanded.
"You think that going alone's going to help?" Weiss scolded.
"I don't plan on letting the man I love die to some scheming bitch if I have anything to say about it!" She snapped back.
Ruby froze. Wait, Blake loved Anon? Since when? Weiss ignored Blake's protest, still calm enough to think rationally.
"You're not going to save him by throwing yourself into the beast's maw!" Weiss retorted. "Think for a second!"
"I can't just sit here and do nothing!"
Yang let go of her sister, who looked up as her sister walked past her. The team's bruiser stood between the two, looking into her partner's eyes.
"You won't do it alone." She said, determined. "We're a team, one goes, all goes."
She turned to her younger sister, her eyes pleading. Ruby looked down, her tears staining the ground. She was so afraid. She was afraid of Cinder, She was afraid of the Jabberwock. She was afraid that her team might bite off more than they could chew by trying to battle either or worse, both. She had never been more afraid in her entire life.
But she was also afraid to lose Anon. To lose her first best friend, to lose the man she fell in love with.
Her heart ached so badly, but it also burned with desire. A desire to act, a need to act. To do something, anything, to help Anon and save him from a bad end. Ruby rubbed her sleeves against her eyes and pushed herself off the ground and looked back at her sister. Yang, Blake and Weiss looked to their leader, Whose puffy eyes looked back at them with definitive intent.
"Yeah. Let's go get our Anon back!"
V3E13: END!
NEXT ON PLAYLIST: V3E14 - PLAY?
