Chapter 24: Escape
"A security threat has been detected in the compound, status alert, level 3: Red. Lockdown initiated. Authorization granted to handle ANY threats with Lethal Force. And if anyone spots Athan, shoot his leg off."
"That bastard," May muttered under her breath. All around them, the blue lights turned bright red, alarms ringing through the compound. She activated her semblance the moment the command center doors opened, several soldiers pouring out of it. "Hey kid, let's not waste his opening."
"We must be careful, the pneumatic tubes have been closed off. We are all trapped here," Penny announced, making the girls frown.
"We can find another way out of here, Levi is risking his ass for us, let's not waste it." Blake said, earning a nod from May.
"We passed by a hanger earlier, I'll get us a ship. The second we get passed Command Central, you guys are on your own. Can you handle it?"
"Of course, we can, thanks, May," Ruby said, giving her a smile.
"Kay, let's move."
They waited for the doors to open, another soldier darting out of the command room. They raced inside as quietly as they could, pressing themselves against the wall. Though most of the room was empty, all of the essential workers had remained behind. They were moving around the room, handling the red alert, giving orders, and keeping their eyes on the cameras. Weiss glanced at the security camera panel, spotting Levi in the feed, only for the camera to go offline, several others had been offline as well. Her heart raced in her chest as she watched him, worry spreading over her face.
"Hey, he'll be fine," Blake reassured, making her friend sigh.
"I know, he's just… such a dunce."
"Alright, what do we do now? I can't go with you from here on out," May hissed, her eyes darting around the room. Nora smirked, giving the others a wink as she approached the edge of their invisibility barrier. She waited for a few seconds, sticking her foot out, tripping a man who was walking back.
"Whoa, what the-"
He fell forward, spilling the contents of his coffee cup over a module, the mug landing on a man's waist. He let out a scream of pain as he shot to his feet, running around like a chicken with its head cut off. The woman turned to him, a look of anger on her face.
"What the hell, Bill? How many times do we have to tell you to follow the rules?"
"You do this every goddamn time, there are no drinks allowed next to the modules!"
"Why don't you ever just pay attention?! You're in here late all the time, your coworkers are annoyed with you.."
"You ate my hot pocket!"
"You put Salmon in the microwave!"
Ruby took her chance, grabbing Blake's hand. Nora, Weiss, and Penny did the same, all of them turning into a massive swirling blur of petals. They moved through the command room at blazing speeds, thankfully, not being spotted by anyone. Ruby let out a sigh as she made it across the room to the next corridor, panting a bit as she gave May a salute.
"Hoo, I did it!" she cheerfully said. Blake hung onto the wall, legs shaking as she tried to hold the contents of her stomach in.
"Something else I never wanna do again."
Penny turned around, scanning the hallway for a moment. She gestured for the others to follow, heading toward a nearby door. They slid open, revealing a long, raised walkway. The entire chamber was deserted, not a single soul in sight. The five girls took everything in, that nervous feeling returning. Their footsteps echoed as they stepped through, reaching an electrified door at the end of the corridor.
"Stand back, please," Penny said, slipping her finger into the panel. The girls drew their weapons, getting ready to fight. The second the electricity went down, they took their stances, about to leap into action, only for the doors to open, revealing an empty room.
"Uh… where is everyone?" Ruby asked.
"This is a highly classified area, only a few people are allowed here," Penny replied, stepping into the room. That didn't make them any less nervous. Ruby walked in after Penny, with Blake following after. Nora and Weiss were the last ones in, glancing back at the route they had come in.
"He'll be fine, you know," Nora said, giving her friend a smile. "He's been through a lot already, raising hell inside this compound is something he can handle."
"I know, I just can't help but worry about him. We've been through hell already," she said, glancing at her arm. "I thought he'd be upset when he saw it, but he was so loving. It still feels weird, not natural."
"I don't think he would ever judge you, Weiss. He's in love with you, not only that, but he has his own prosthetics. Why would he judge you over them?" the orange-haired girl asked, causing Weiss to sigh.
"I dunno, insecurities I guess. A lot of people back at Beacon said I was broken goods because of my scar. Hearing those comments hurt, but I didn't let them bother me, I was focused on schoolwork. Eventually, I got over them, but now…" she paused to look at her hand, opening and closing it a bit. "I can't help but think those comments might actually hold weight."
"Well, they don't," Blake said, wrapping an arm around her friend, patting her side. "You are still Weiss Schnee, metal arm or not. Just like Yang is still Yang and Levi is still Levi. If I'm being honest, I'm starting to get jealous. All my friends have cool limbs and I got boring old human ones."
"Don't say that! You should be glad you are still in one piece!"
"I know, just a joke," she said, glancing over her shoulder. "Hey, Penny, are you ready?"
"Almost, I just need to make sure none of these terminals have been locked down." she said, continuing to check things over. After a moment, she sat down at the man one, holding her hands over the keyboard. "Hey, Dad? I'm ready."
The robotic girl slumped a bit, her eyes glowing a bright yellow as she straightened up. "Ahem, this process is a little complicated. So I'm remoting into Penny from Amity Colosseum."
Ruby, who had been stunned by this, just nodded. "I… see."
"Don't worry, Ruby. This won't affect her, she's still with us, just in the background." Pietro said, hands flying over the keyboard. "And… they've changed some of the processes, excellent. Guess that scroll Levi gave me will come in handy. Standby for now, Girls, it's going to take me a while to get into this."
They shared a look, deciding to sit down at the empty modules. There was nothing they could do, so for now, they would let the doctor work. They just hoped things didn't go south for them.
xxx
Levi panted for breath as he leaned against the door frame l. He held his pistol tightly in his grasp, ears twitching as he listened to the movement in the corridor. He had run around most of the compound, throwing the soldiers for a loop every single time, all while taking down the cameras. If his friends were going to get out, he needed to ensure every route was secured. It helped that he had Sonata's communicator, listening to the chatter was both a motivator and a hilarious experience.
Once the five soldiers who were after him had gone, he slipped back into the hallway, glancing over his shoulder every other second. He knelt down at the corner, looking both ways before darting back, heading in the opposite direction he had run. He did his best to muffle his footsteps, relying on his base feline instincts. If not for his faunus senses, he doubted he could have gotten away for so long. He made it to another corner, pressing himself against the wall, narrowing his eyes a bit as he saw a pair of soldiers at the end of it. He stood straight, pressing his finger against Sonata's communicator.
"Come on, where the hell did he go? He couldn't have gotten that far!"
"I'll admit, that kid is fast, probably because he's a damn cat."
"Well actually, he's a miqo'te, a rare breed of feline from a country that-"
"I don't give a shit, Hannah."
Levi held back the urge to laugh, glancing back at the corridor, noticing the soldiers were walking in his direction. He shimmied toward the nearby door, scanning his pilfered scroll on the E-Reader before opening the door, closing it just as the men turned the corner. He pressed himself against the door, a glowing vermillion glyph forming in the center of the door. He closed his eyes, waiting for them to pass, fingers crossed tightly together.
"He isn't here, let's double back to Central Command, he might be over there."
He let out the breath he had been holding, letting his glyph disappear. He waited for a few more moments before opening the door, stepping back into the corridor. He turned back toward where those men had come, racing up the empty corridor. He pressed himself against the wall, peering around the corner for a moment, his eyes widening. He smirked as he read the sign above the door frame.
Atlas Military Research and Development Department
"Well well well, looks like I found the place where dear old General Jimmy keeps his toys. I don't think he'd mind if I took a few for myself." he thought as he darted toward the door. He stopped in front of the scanner, holding Sonata's scroll to it.
"Identification verified, Welcome, Special Operative Piccolo."
The doors slowly opened, allowing him to dash inside. The whole department was empty, the lights were glowing red due to the code that the General had issued. He looked around for a moment, trying to spot any cameras, but there weren't any in the room. Likely to keep what was being worked on confidential. He scanned the room, aiming his pistol in all directions, keeping Overture trained on the door as he moved toward the center. All around him, large holographic screens were glowing, displaying a myriad of things to him.
There were design plans for the Chevalier Armor that Amoncio Glass had used against them, along with the Thanatonium Charges Trivia had mentioned. There were blueprints for new Atlesian Power Armor, as well as the design for the Advanced Atlas Knights, the T-800 series, which would be the first to look like humans. It was something straight out of a science fiction film. He holstered Overture after a moment, moving toward a nearby table.
There was a finished prototype on it, what looked like a glove. It had an odd mechanism running through the middle finger and thumb. Each of the points was glowing violet, he could sense the gravity dust within it. When he touched the panel, the screen lit up, showing him what it was.
"Graviton-Conductor Unit, allows the user to generate a small field of zero gravity around their body. Useful for soldiers who are forced to leave their ships. Will assist in perfecting landing strategies."
He grabbed it from the table, slipping it on his prosthetic hand. He snapped his fingers, a field of gravity washing over him, causing him to float. "Whoa!"
The silver-haired man quickly deactivated it, falling hard on the ground. He was quick to stand up, snapping his fingers, this time with a bit more control. He jumped into the air, chuckling a bit as he floated for a few seconds. He backflipped off of the module, sending himself back toward the wall, which he kicked off of. He deactivated it in mid-air, rolling across the floor, simultaneously drawing his weapon. He rose to his feet, nodding to himself.
"Keeping this one for myself," he mumbled, glancing toward a nearby table. He moved toward it, seeing a box of grenades on it. "Hard-Light Grenades, a quick deploying single-use shield. Don't mind if I do~"
He strapped a few to his holster, making sure the pins didn't get pulled. He looked around for a few more minutes, a few other things catching his interest. Sadly, they were far too heavy for him to actually take. He did find another Graviton-Conductor Unit, which he decided to pocket for Weiss. His pockets were still filled with Dust vials, so he was running out of room. He sighed, turning to leave when something else caught his attention, a smirk forming across his lips.
"Oh yeah… I am not leaving you behind."
He heard a beep in his ear, causing him to reach for his communicator. "Yes?"
"Kid, have you heard anything from your friends? I managed to make it to the hangar and secured our escape vehicle. But there are a lot of soldiers here. I'm not sure if I can keep hiding for much longer."
"I haven't heard anything yet, May, but I'll make sure the hangar is clear for our departure. I made it into the R&D department, and let me tell you, there are a lot of super fun toys to play with," he said, chuckling to himself.
"Just don't blow yourself up, will you?"
"No promises! Hang tight, I'll start a diversion and make sure you are clear. Over and out." he said, ending the call. He finished securing the final item on, darting toward the exit. He took a deep breath, drawing his pistol once more. "Time to raise hell."
"Special Operative Piccolo, come in."
He stopped, eyes widening a bit as Ironwood's voice filled his ear. He reached for the scroll he had taken, seeing the open communication. Within seconds, another voice filled his ear.
"I'm here, General."
"I want you and the Ace Operatives to head to the Amity Colosseum launch terminal. Seems our intruders have made their way there. Someone is using Doctor Polendina's credentials, and the only one who can do that is Penny. I want you to neutralize her and bring her back, is that understood?"
"Yes sir."
"General Ironwood, this is Harriet. What would you like us to do with the others?"
"Apprehend them, and show them no mercy. Keep your eyes out for Athan, he still hasn't been found. He hasn't tapped into his true potential yet but do not take him lightly. At any moment, he could unlock the full strength of his semblance and take you all down."
"Hah… as if I'd let some dumb alley cat beat me. You should tell that to Sonata, given that she got her ass handed to her by him."
"Need I remind you to respect your superiors?"
The call ended shortly after, making Levi frown. He stood up, hand to his ear. "May, can you hear me?"
"I'm here kid, what's up?"
"There's been a change of plans. The Ace-Ops are going after the girls, I gotta get down there to back them up. Do you think you can handle the distraction on your own?" he asked, earning a sigh from the woman.
"I think I can. Just hurry it up, we got at most 13 to 15 minutes before my aura is fully spent. And let me tell ya, masking an entire ship is a lot harder than it looks." she replied.
"Don't worry, I'll make sure we're there within that time slot. Over and out," he said, leaving the R&D department. He looked at the map of the compound on Sonata's scroll, quickly finding Central Command. He needed to go to the hallway just beyond it, meaning he'd have to go through central command to get there. That was too risky.
His ear perked up, spotting a soldier walking down the hall, staring at his scroll. He could hear the familiar Tetris theme playing from the speakers, clearly, he wasn't paying attention. Levi smirked, snapping his fingers.
xxx
"I hope the others are okay. I've never seen Yang and Ruby fight like this before," Blake said, leaning back against her seat. She had her arms crossed behind her head, staring up at the ceiling. "It just… felt different this time,"
"Don't worry, they're sisters. Sometimes, sisters just have very different ideas about what's right," Weiss added, glancing at the floor. "I think I know that better than anyone."
"They'll be fine. Jaune's a great leader, Oscar has grown a ton and Alto? She's gotten super strong too. She's taken Pyrrha's style and not only improved it, but brought out the best of her weapons. She's told me she feels like she's replacing her, but we've told her that isn't true, Pyrrha would be honored knowing she inspired someone to fight like her. Yang is there too, she's capable of protecting everyone,"
Nora frowned after a moment, closing her eyes. "And Ren is… I don't know what Ren is. Every time I think the two of us are making progress, he… We've been together our whole lives but I feel like I understand him less and less, now more than ever. And I don't know if it's his fault or mine."
"It isn't your fault, Nora," Blake said, trying to reassure her. "When you've been at someone's side for so long after a while they become a part of you. But that's just it, they're only one part of you. Don't forget about the rest."
The girl let out a dry laugh, her arms falling limp at her sides as she moved in her chair. "I don't actually know who I am… without Ren. Pretty sad, huh?"
"Well, maybe take this opportunity to find out? Do something only Nora can do." Weiss said, causing her to frown.
"Like what? Make jokes be strong, and hit stuff?" she asked. Weiss knelt down next to her, taking a hold of her hand.
"That isn't the only thing you do. You keep things around us lighthearted but aren't afraid to get serious when you need to. You are a pillar among us, there are a lot of times we would have failed if you hadn't been there for us. You'll be okay."
"I sure hope so."
"Ah… I almost got it." Pietro announced, causing them to jump to their feet. They moved toward the terminal, watching as Penny continued typing. She hit a few more keys, the screen turning green. "There! Downloading the cloned imprint now. When Penny gets to Amity, we'll run the launch sequence. Amity's computer will try to connect to the General's terminal but it'll get Penny instead."
Her eyes returned to their normal green, her smile returning. "And once we launch it, I'll return to help you with the evacuation!"
"Erm… about that. Penny, I think when Amity goes up, you should be here with Maria and I."
Her smile dropped, shoulders drooping. "But they need me here… right?"
"Well, if you stay out of Salem's reach, then she can't open the vault, she can't get the Relic. Soo…"
"I know it's unfair, Penny, but it's for the best," Weiss said, trying to reassure the girl, who merely sighed in disappointment.
"We should… probably head to the hangar, we've been here for far too long already," Blake said, gesturing to the door. Penny stood in front of it, staring at the electrified barrier.
"I suppose we all have to do things we would rather not."
A crackle filled her ear as she placed her finger into the interface. She focused on it, eyes narrowed a bit. "Hello?"
"Penny! Finally, I got through! Be careful, the Ace-Operatives are on the way, they want to take you by force!" Levi cried, causing her to gasp. She pulled her hand free, the door opening, revealing the 4 people in question. It wasn't just them, Sonata was with them as well, a look of disappointment on her face.
"Hey, Guys."
"Hello, Sona," Weiss replied. Her voice was devoid of emotion, their greeting being more of a formality than anything. "So… you're their leader now?"
"Mhmm… Clover was… murdered. I was ordered to take over,"
"It was her uncle that did it," Harriet snarled, glaring at Ruby. The red-clad girl didn't say anything, bending her knee slightly. She looked at Penny, a firm look on her face. "It's time to come home, Penny."
"Hah! So, your first time losing to us wasn't enough, so you've come back for more?" Weiss asked, drawing her weapon. Blake, Nora, and Ruby did the same. The Ace-Ops didn't hesitate to brandish their own. Sonata held her arm out, stopping them from moving.
"Wait. We can still negotiate, don't be hasty," she said firmly.
"Why should we keep talking to them? Clearly, they don't want to negotiate with us!" Harriet snapped angrily.
"Besides, we were holding back, we had orders to arrest you, not use lethal force." Marrow said, cradling his rifle in his grasp, earning a scoff from Weiss.
"We have all said some things we regret, but please, hear me out," Vine said, standing between them. "I know you thought what you were doing was right when you left with the Maiden Power, but Salem is here now. Things have changed."
"If General Ironwood still plans on abandoning Mantle, then things have not changed," Penny said. Vine sighed, looking at her in disappointment.
"I thought you were supposed to Protect the People, not hurt them."
"I would never hurt anyone."
"Well, Winter's in critical condition, because of you," Elm said, making Penny frown.
"And you repaid her by stealing the power that was meant for her."
"Shut up. You weren't there to see what was going on. My sister did her best to fight back against Cinder, but Penny had no choice but to take that power. Both of us were hurt and without an aura. Look at what that bitch did to me." Weiss said, holding her mechanical arm out. Parts of her burned skin became visible in the light, making them all cringe. "That woman would have stopped at nothing to take that power, what Penny did was a kindness."
"It doesn't matter if she did a kindness or not. By refusing to do the right thing, people in Atlas and Mantle are going to die!"
"You could stop all of this Penny," Marrow cut in, standing in front of Harriet, a hopeful look on his face. "Just open the vault, hand over the relic and you'll save Atlas."
"But it won't save Atlas. Salem will find her way to the Relic no matter where you go. Once Ironwood opens the vault, the Relic is-"
Harriet stepped forward, eyes sparking as she glared at Ruby. "One more word and I'm throwing you in jail right next to your uncle, Runt."
"Harriet, that is not how we handle a situation," Sonata said, glaring at her.
"Who's side are you on here? Oh, I get it, you wanna side with them because they went to Beacon just like you! You wanna side with the people who betrayed Atlas, with your former partner who is running around, breaking our equipment without a care in the world. Is that it?"
"I am here to do my job! Something that is expected from each and every one of you. I will not stand here and be treated like a child by emotional soldiers with far too much freedom. You will do as I say when I say it. Is that understood?" Sonata asked, glaring at Harriet.
"Oh, and what will you do about it? Do you think you can give us orders? You are nothing like him. You might be his replacement, but you will never stand with us, not like he did." she said, shifting her gaze back toward Penny. "And as for you, you better do as we ask, or else I am going to hurt all of your friends, starting with that mouthy runt."
"Leave. Ruby. Alone."
"What are you going to do about it, Tin-Can?" the woman asked, giving her a toothy grin. Penny balled her fist, stepping forward.
"Penny no!" Ruby cried, trying to grab her hand only for the door to close. Penny looked at the closed door, her eyes shifting back to Harriet, who had a remote in her grasp. She narrowed her eyes, looking at each of them.
A brisk wind picked up, ice and snow forming around them. With a blast, she sent the 5 flying back. Elm slammed her feet onto the ground, using her semblance to hold herself in place. She pulled her hammer back, catching Marrow with it, flinging him back to the ground. Harriet tried to run forward, but the wind was far too strong for her to move. Sonata growled as she stabbed her knife into the ground, the blade glowing a bright orange as the metal began to melt.
"Vine!" she cried, urging the man forward. He flung his whips upward, slinging himself over Penny, landing behind her. He drew his weapon, about to strike her only for her to turn around, throwing a kick to his side.
"You will not hurt my friends!"
The panel on her back opened, her Floating Array spreading out behind her. She swiped it at Vine, who dodged it with ease. She heard Harriet racing toward her, causing her to turn around, using her momentum to throw a kick at her, which she easily avoided, throwing several hard strikes at her back, sending her flying forward. She let out a growl, using her array as a shield to block her attacks.
She flung Harriet back, directing her swords up, charging energy, only for a rocket blast to send her off course. She growled, turning to Elm who was running toward her, pulling her hammer back. She redirected her array, summoning a strong gust of wind to blow her back. She fired hundreds of ice shards at them, causing them to block them as best as they could.
Sonata flipped her weapon around, blowing into it, sending a shrill note echoing through the chamber, causing Penny to groan as her sensors were overwhelmed. The ice storm stopped, allowing her to dart forward. She leaped into the air, swiping her knife to and fro, with Penny moving from side to side, dodging each strike as best as she could.
She swept her Array toward Sonata, who flipped over them with ease, landing on the railing. Using her aura, she shot herself forward, landing a powerful electricity-infused slash on her shoulder, causing her to cry in pain.
"Vine!"
The man nodded, running behind Penny, using his Semblance to wrap his vines around her. Her Floating Array fell to the ground, the cybernetic girl struggling against the man's grasp. She let out a growl, her eyes flashing brightly as a cold swirl of wind whipped around them. She formed several swords of ice, shooting them at the man, who had no choice but to let her go.
Penny rapidly called her Array, about to strike the man, only for Elm to swing her hammer, sending her flying over the railing. She panted a bit, looking at her friends. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," Vine replied, gaze shifting toward the broken railing. Penny shot into the air, hands outstretched as her Floating Array started charging energy. Marrow was quick to react, snapping his fingers.
"Stay!"
Penny gasped, her eyes moving in all directions as her body froze in place. Vine wrapped his aura vine around her leg, slamming her against the bridge. He let out a sigh, shaking his head in disappointment.
"I had hoped it wouldn't come to this, Penny," he said, drawing the Gravity Bolas from behind his back.
"General Ironwood, Penny has been neutralized, we have her in custody and will return soon. The rest of her friends are trapped within the console room. Send reinforcements." Sonata announced.
At the same time, Weiss was doing all she could to break down the door. Her Armored Knight pulled his sword back, striking the door, only for the electrical shock to destroy him, making her groan in pain. She placed a hand on her forehead, glaring at the door.
"5 versus 1? What cowards."
"Penny's the Winter Maiden, she'll be fine by herself for a little bit," Ruby said, trying to stay hopeful. She bit her lip, hoping her friend was doing alright.
Levi grit his teeth as he ran forward. He managed to get through Command Central with ease, at least until someone had noticed his odd behavior. He had been forced to fight the soldier, not wanting to raise any more attention. He took the armor he had borrowed off as he ran, holding his hand to his communicator.
"Penny, I'm on my way, don't worry!" he cried, hearing no reply. He grit his teeth in anger. "Ruby, Blake, Weiss, Nora, do you hear me?"
Again, no reply. The armored doors were likely keeping the signal from going through. The only reason he had managed to get through was probably because the doors had opened for a brief moment. He shook it off, finally reaching the end of the hallway. He slowed to a stop, scanning Sonata's scroll on the panel, the doors flying open. He held his hand up, ears folding back as a cold breeze blew out of the room. He forced himself inside, the doors closing after him.
"Penny!" he shouted, causing the Ace-Ops to look at him. Harriet smirked, snapping her arms to the sides.
"Well if it isn't the feral feline shooting down our cameras. You wanna go too? You'll end up just like your friend here." she said, making Levi growl.
"You know, from the moment I met you, I've wanted to punch you in the face. Never have I met someone so unbearable in my life, and I have lived, goddamn it," he said, drawing Overture from his holster. "Let Penny go right now, or else…"
"Or else what?"
He snapped his fingers, leaping forward with great speed. Harriet broke into a sprint, meeting him in the center. She threw a punch at him which he easily blocked with one of his glyphs. He threw several swift strikes at her chest, using his Grav-Con unit to duck out of the way of her punches. He ducked and weaved, placing his hand behind his back as he blocked and deflected all her strikes. He narrowed his eyes, moving back in time to avoid a punch, rapidly spinning, throwing a powerful, Aura-infused kick into her side, sending her flying back toward the railing.
"What the hell? Why is he glowing like that?" Marrow asked, only for Elm to frown.
"He's using that prototype Graviton-Control unit, he must have stolen it from R&D."
"Handle him, I've got Penny!" Sonata cried, placing her knee on her back. She struggled a bit, trying to fight back.
"Levi!"
The miqo'te faunus kicked off the railing, flipping over Elm who had swung at him with her hammer. He landed behind her, firing two Energy rounds at her back, turning around in time to deflect Vine's flying disc. The man threw several punches at him, aiming to restrain him with his vines, but Levi was quicker, flicking a Black Glyph to the floor, smirking as the whole bridge became covered in thick black smoke.
"He has a smokescreen?" Marrow cried, only for Elm to disperse the smoke with a swing of her hammer.
"Above you!" Sonata cried, causing the three to look up. Levi flung himself downward, aiming a piercing stab at Elm, who jumped out of the way just in the nick of time. Marrow snapped his fingers, looking straight at him.
"Stay!"
The miqo'te froze in place, sword still aimed down. Marrow panted a bit as he held him in place, narrowing his eyes at him. He caught the smirk on Levi's face noticing his eyes were closed. Marrow's eyes bulged from his skull when a canister fell down in front of them. "Oh shit!"
It exploded, filling the room with a bright flash of light. Feeling himself being able to move. Levi quickly righted himself, darting straight toward Sonata, who rose to her feet, twirling Carolloo in her grasp.
Levi snapped his arm back, casting a bright green glyph before himself, a thick thorny vine shooting from within. It wrapped around Sonata's body, taking her by complete surprise. He pulled her back with all his strength, pulling Overture's trigger, sending himself into a spin as he slashed her across the chest, sending her flying behind him. He panted a bit, legs shaking a bit as he grabbed his side.
"Dammit, a piece of that grenade must have hit me as it detonated. Even though my aura took the hit, it still hurts." he thought, eyeing the Ace-Ops. "You guys are a lot stronger than I gave you credit for, that's for sure."
"And you are certainly a crafty one. Using prototype weapons, wearing that armor. You certainly did earn your title as a Special Operative. Such a shame we won't be able to see your true potential." Vine said, bowing his head.
"So long as General Ironwood continues his madness, no one will have any potential. Don't you see what he's doing is wrong?"
"God, I am so tired of you pretentious little shits. All of you think you are right but no one sees the bigger picture. You don't know shit, kid, someone who hangs onto the past will never be able to face the future!" Harriet said, earning a laugh from the miqo'te.
"It's because I don't let go of the past that I can face the future. My past has hurt me, I have lost people dear to me, and I have given into emotions no person should. I have experienced hurt and loss, but I've also lived through joyous experiences. It has changed me into the man that I am today. I promised I would protect my friends, and I will." he said, rolling his shoulders a bit.
Harriet growled, her body crackling with electricity as she shot forward, followed by the others. Levi's ears twitched momentarily, a smile forming on his face. Rather than attack, he just let himself fall back to the floor, tucking himself down as best as he could.
Back inside the locked room, Weiss was still struggling to break through the door. All of her constructs continued being destroyed, causing her to grow desperate. "Everything I try fails! We need to do something!"
"Just stay calm, Weiss. We can get through this, Penny will be okay." Blake reassured.
"It's all my fault," Ruby said, cradling Crescent Rose tightly in her grasp. "I knew this was a trap, I knew she was being taunted, I should have stood in front of her."
"It isn't your fault, Ruby. Those guys knew what buttons to press, we just have to hope she can hang in there while we find a way out of here."
Nora looked around for a moment, narrowing her eyes as she watched the electricity moving through the door. She drew her hammer, holding it tightly. "Be strong… and hit stuff."
"Nora, wait!" Weiss cried, trying to stop her friend.
She was too late, the orange-haired girl slammed her hammer into the electric current, screaming in pain as it flowed into her body. Her eyes sparked as the electricity coursed through her body, making her skin glow bright pink. Weiss pulled Blake and Ruby away, just as Nora swung her hammer, shattering the door with a single hit, sending it flying outward.
Levi shuddered a bit, eyes wide as saucers as he sat up. The door had flown a mere inch from his face, almost taking his nose with it. He looked back, seeing Nora at the edge of the door, pink sparks running through her body. He noticed the glowing pink marks on her arms and legs as she stumbled forward, holding Magnhild tightly in her grasp.
"That was… pretty awesome!" she said, slumping over, aura shattering.
"Nora!" Penny cried, catching her friend before she hit the ground. She held her close, reaching for her hammer, hissing as the surge of electricity struck her hand. Levi forced himself to stand up, grabbing Overture from the ground, loading some rounds into it.
Ruby, Blake, and Weiss stepped forward, weapons at the ready. The Ace-Ops only glared at them.
xxx
"Dammit!" Ironwood shouted, slamming his fist into the table. Stella jolted a bit, looking over her shoulder at the man. "That was our only shot. I need all available squads to converge on-"
"Wait-" Arthur said, swiveling in his chair. He smirked, leaning back as he looked at Ironwood. "I have a message for your operatives."
"Oh?"
"Tell them to bring back one of Polendina's swords. If we want to remotely control her, we're going to need an access point," he said. Stella narrowed her eyes, glancing back at the design plans for a moment, sighing.
"He's right, hacking into her remotely isn't going to work, you'll need direct access if you want to do that."
Ironwood nodded, raising his hand to his communicator.
xxx
Penny lay Nora down, turning to the Ace-Ops, slowly lifting herself into the air. She recalled her Floating Array, her swords gleamed brightly as she prepared to attack. Levi glanced at his friends, giving them a nod as he prepared to fight, a crackle filling his ear.
"Ace-Ops, forget capturing her, I need you to recover one of her swords."
"But General, we-" Harriet began, only for Marrow to cut her off.
"We understand, sir."
The girls were about to run forward when Levi held his arm out. "They want one of her swords."
"What? Why would they want that?" Weiss asked.
"Don't know, but we can't let them take one. Penny put away your Array, we need you to support us instead," he said, his voice becoming serious. Penny opened her mouth to protest but said nothing as she recalled her Array.
The Ace-Ops shared a look but said nothing as they darted forward. Levi summoned several glyphs above them, shooting rock spikes at them. Vine and Marrow dodged them, jumping over Ruby's scythe. Vine used his semblance to grab Ruby, throwing her at Weiss and Blake, sending them over the edge of the railing. She screamed as she stabbed Crescent Rose into the metal span, catching Blake's hand before she fell. Weiss had done the same, her eyes growing wide as she looked below her.
Levi slid his fingers over his blade, casting a Time Dilation glyph beneath him and Penny, the energy flowing through them. He dashed forward, throwing a series of speedy slashes at Harriet, who met him blow for blow. He deflected another strike, throwing a solid punch to her face, leaping back just in time for Penny to throw a kick, sending her tumbling back into Marrow.
Ruby, Weiss, and Blake finally returned, petals swirling around them as they landed on the metal bridge. Levi looked around for a moment, his mind going a mile a minute as he searched for an opening.
"Kid, I don't know if you can hear me, but we need to get the hell out of here. My aura is close to running out!" May said, making him grit his teeth.
"Ruby, take Weiss and Blake. Penny take Nora, you go with them."
"But-"
"Just go!" he said, snapping his fingers, leaping forward Penny shared a look with Ruby, who followed his order without hesitation. Harriet growled angrily as she ran forward, throwing a punch only for him to avoid it. He brought his blade down on Elm, who cried in surprise as she was forced to deflect it.
Vine grabbed a hold of his arm, flinging him over the edge, his body flailing a bit. He smirked, pressing the button on his pauldron. A pair of holographic wings shot out of the pack strapped to his back, rocket thrusters kicking on. He spun himself around, catching himself with a vermilion glyph before shooting back up to the bridge.
"Vine, Grab him!" Sonata shouted.
"I'm trying, but he's moving too fast."
"Then I'll slow him down! Stay!" Marrow cried, aiming his finger at Levi. The young man blasted forward, avoiding Marrow's semblance entirely. He swung Overture, sending several hard-light blades downward, slicing the bridge apart.
"Harriet!" Elm cried, pulling her hammer back. The speedy woman darted toward her, leaping at her hammer as she swung, shooting her up into the air. She pulled her fist back, throwing a punch at Levi. He swiped his arm, forming a Hard-Light shield before himself, which shattered from the impact.
He used his airstep to flip out of a second strike, summoning four glyphs, two ice, and two rock, firing a myriad of ice and rocks at the woman, who did her best to guard against the attack. He felt something wrap around his ankle, causing him to look down, seeing Vine had grabbed him. He growled, increasing the boost of his rocket, pulling the man off the ground.
He spun his rifle around, firing a fire bullet at him, nailing him right in the shoulder, causing him to let go. Levi snapped his fingers, forming a large black glyph beneath their feet, willing it to explode, filling the room with smoke. He shot downward, flying past Marrow's gunshots as he exited the room, pausing only to seal the door with ice.
"Penny, which way to the hangar?" he asked, eyes still on the door.
"Down the corridor, left, right, straight, right, down, left!"
He nodded, flying away from the door, following her directions as well as he could. He heard his jetpack start fizzling, checking his scroll to realize it had taken damage. He quickly landed, discarding the device, frowning that he didn't get to use it for much longer. He looked around for a moment, spotting the hangar at the end of the hall. He sprinted forward, forcing his remaining aura onto his legs, adrenaline carrying him forward as he finally made it.
"Hurry it up, or we'll leave your ass behind!" May cried as she started the engines. He didn't slow down, leaping up into the ship, aided by a combustion glyph. He let out a groan as he sat down beside Weiss, his aura breaking shortly after. "Damn kid, what the hell were you doing?"
"Fighting for my life. It's one thing to take on Ironwood's best team with the rest of your team. It's another thing entirely to take them on by yourself." he said, sighing. "But we made it."
"Speak for yourself," Weiss muttered, crossing her arms in annoyance. He was going to say something, only to see Nora's unconscious form between her and Blake.
"Is she okay? What happened to her?"
"She used the electricity from the door to supercharge herself, that's how she was able to blast that door out," Ruby replied, brushing some hair out of her face. "She's got a fever and she isn't doing too well. She told me once that she could absorb lots of electricity and not get hurt but this was too much!"
"She'll be fine, Ruby. This is Nora we're talking about, she'll shake this off." Blake said, trying to be hopeful. May didn't say anything as she guided the ship through the hole that had been blasted out. She zoomed away from the Military Compound just as fast as they could.
They remained silent for a few moments, the tension in the air being thick. Penny sat up a bit when she heard her scroll beeping, noticing it was a message from her father. She turned to the others, giving them a frown. "It's time for me to go, isn't it?"
"It is, but we'll see each other again soon. Don't you worry, once Amity is launched and help is on the way, we won't have to stay separated? All of Remnant will help to protect you and all of Atlas." the silver-eyed girl said cheerfully. She gave her friend a hug, not wanting to let go.
Levi sat up a bit, holding his hand out to Penny. "When this is over, how about you and I play some Super Smash Sisters? Ruby taught me this sweet combo to pown noobs with and I've been dying to teach it to someone."
"That sounds… fun," she said, low-fiving him. He closed his hand, bumping fists with her as May opened the windshield. She stood at the edge of the ship, giving her friends a salute before flying off toward Amity. Weiss took the empty front seat, giving May a firm look.
"I know we agreed on returning to Mantle, but we can't do that, Nora is too injured."
"Where do you suggest we go? We can't exactly take her to Atlas General Hospital, we'll get arrested," she said.
"There aren't a lot of places in Atlas for us to hide either, but we can't bring her back to the Crater. Ugh… why did this have to happen?" Blake mumbled dejectedly.
"I got an idea, why don't we invade Weiss's house? The General likely expects us to head back to Mantle. If we head to Schnee Manor and lay low there, we might be able to think of a good plan. We have more resources here than we do down there." Levi said, ears twitching happily as he leaned back in his seat. "Also, I'd like to have a chat with Weiss's mother about something."
"Asking for Weiss's hand in marriage already, I see."
"No, Ruby." he deadpanned, shaking his head. "It's about business, you wouldn't understand,"
May sighed, shaking her head. "Whatever, I'll change our course for Schnee Manor then. But we can't stick around here forever."
The woman activated her semblance, cloaking the ship as they headed down into Atlas City. Though they tried to remain hopeful, they knew the next few hours were going to be the hardest ones yet.
xxx
"I'd like to know something," the General said, as he stood before the Ace-Operatives. "How is it that 5 of my best-trained soldiers allowed four rookie Huntsmen and a cybernetic girl, escape."
"Sir, we tried our best, but we were completely overwhelmed. Not only that, but Athan seemed to know what we were after," Harriet said firmly.
"She's right, I heard him tell Penny that we were after her swords. There is no way he could have heard our conversation with you, it was in our ears after all." Marrow said, pointing to his communicator.
"Well, he must have heard it somehow. You heard him tell Penny about her swords, it's likely he heard our communication. He is a faunus." Elm pointed out, only for Vine to shake his head.
"I do not believe that is the case. It looked as if he received the message directly through his own communicator. But that wouldn't have happened unless he tapped into our communication, which is entirely possible given the scroll he gave to Doctor Polendina." he replied.
"Actually, all of you are wrong," Arthur said, chuckling as he turned in his chair. He flexed his fingers for a moment, placing his hands together as he stared at Sonata. "The toy soldier beside you holds the answer to your queries."
"What are you talking about?"
Arthur turned around, pressing a key on his module. Stella looked away from hers, narrowing her eyes as she read the prompts on screen. She frowned when she saw a video of Levi entering the Research and Development Lab. Arthur paused it, just as the miqo'te faunus placed a scroll over the panel.
"Mr. Athan used someone's credentials, and they weren't Doctor Polendina's," he said, pulling up the Identification on the Scroll that had been used. Sonata's huntress license appeared on screen, making her gasp.
"Care to explain this, Miss Piccolo?" Ironwood asked.
"I… I-I don't know how he could have gotten it. I-"
"You gave it to him, didn't you?" Harriet snapped, standing in front of the shorter woman. "You felt pity for him because he was your friend, and when you had the chance, you gave him your scroll!"
"What? When the hell would I have done that? I've been here next to you the whole goddamn time. When did I hand him my Scroll, hm? In the middle of our fight with Penny? Or maybe when he was down in fucking Mantle, miles away from me?" she screamed back.
"Oh sure, likely story. It's possible you snuck it to him while he was running around the compound!"
"Again, I was with all of you, so no. I didn't."
"Wait-" Vine said, separating the two. "-Harriet, do not jump to conclusions. Miss Piccolo is innocent. I distinctly remember her having possession of Marrow's scroll when we reawakened in the General's office. Athan must have taken it while she was unconscious."
"Likely story!"
"Stella!" Sonata cried, causing the silver-eyed woman to jump. "Pull up the video from the General's office."
"I… okay," she muttered, turning back to her computer. She quickly accessed the security logs, moving through them until she found the video cameras within the General's office. She pulled up the video feed from the previous two days, fast-forwarding through it until she arrived at the video feed from Team RWBY's fight with the Ace-Ops. She kept tapping the spacebar, scanning the fight between her and Levi.
Near the end, she saw Sonata being blasted back into the General's desk by Weiss, who was holding Levi's rifle in her hand. She dropped it onto his face and he quickly scrambled to his feet. The office was empty for a few moments before Levi raced back in, looking through Sonata's pockets. She stopped the feed, right when he opened her scroll.
"Well, there you have it. Levi took her scroll, Sonata's totally innocent." Stella said, swiveling around to face the General. She smirked at him. "Guess you weren't expecting him to be that smart, eh? Perhaps you made a mistake, James. Team RWBY should be Ace-Operatives, not these chucklefucks."
"Grrrr…" Harriet closed the distance between her and Stella, grabbing a hold of her shirt, pulling her off her seat. "Say that again, I'll knock your teeth out."
Stella flicked her fingers, summoning a hard-light sword which she rested on Harriet's neck, looking straight into her eyes. "Do it, bitch. I sure hope your Semblance is faster than mine, or else you'll be choking on your own blood faster than you can blink."
"That is enough," Ironwood said, glaring at Harriet. "Stand down, Harriet."
She pushed Stella back into her chair, eyes sparking. "You are lucky the General is here, or else I would break every bone in your body."
"Try me bitch, I know my way around a fight. You are far too hot-headed to be a part of any team. The way I see it, you'll be the linchpin that leads the rest of you to your downfall."
"Miss Silverstein, I brought you here so you could hack into Penny, not so you could insult my team. Now shut up and get back to work," The General said, earning a growl from the woman. Arthur let out a chuckle, shaking his head.
"My, James, I didn't think you'd keep failing like this. Here I thought you had things handled, maybe Atlas is doomed after all." the man said with a chuckle. He stiffened a bit when Due Process was pressed to his face. "But, I have a solution to our Polendina problem. While I wasn't able to get my hands on one of her swords, I did find something interesting out."
The General gestured for him to continue. "It seems the launch codes for Amity Colosseum were cloned into her system. When it asks for your approval, it'll connect to Penny instead. If we cannot hack Penny herself, then we can hack Amity Arena instead."
"No, I am not going to let you do that, Watts."
"Relax, I don't plan to bring down your little satellite. After all, it doesn't matter to me if you get the message out. Salem will destroy you all regardless," he said, chuckling nervously when the man pressed his gun harder into his face. "As I was saying, I can implant a little bug within Amity Arena, the second they launch it and it connects to Penny, that bug will travel into her system."
"And what exactly would this bug do?"
"Anything we want," he said firmly. Ironwood narrowed his eyes for a moment, nodding.
"Do it. Ensure that Penny is under our control, Silverstein, I want you to monitor what he does so he doesn't add anything extra to that bug. Oh and if either of you pull anything, consider yourselves done."
"Tch… I got no reason to go against you, James, not when you have a massive missile pointed up my ass." Stella retorted, snapping her gum as she turned back to her computer. "I'd take this time to discipline your "Greatest Team" because they certainly need a stern talking to. Starting with that angry Mohawk."
"I will discipline my team how I see fit. You do what I brought you here to do," he said, gesturing for the Ace-Ops to follow him. Once they were outside, the man let out a howl of anger, slamming his fist into the wall. "Goddamn it, how do we keep failing?"
His fist shook as he paced around, his eyes wide and filled with rage. "We try and try and try, but we keep getting made fools of by kids!"
"We tried our best sir, we weren't expecting Levi to have those stolen-"
"It isn't just that!" he snapped, silencing Marrow. "It is everything, we have worked hard to prepare for this day, and all of our plans fizzled out. I shouldn't have trusted them, I shouldn't have made them Huntsmen and Huntresses! I thought I had their trust and they are leading Atlas to its downfall."
"The only one leading Atlas to its downfall is you!"
Ironwood straightened, eyes falling on Sonata, who was glaring at him. "You keep complaining and blaming others when you are the one who is acting like a tyrant! Penny wouldn't be opposed to helping us if you hadn't abandoned Mantle! Levi and his friends wouldn't be fighting against us if you hadn't made them fugitives! Ever since you ordered their arrest, things have been going to shit, and it's all because of you!"
"Where do you get off talking to your commanding officer like that, squirt?"
"You shut the fuck up, Harriet. I am so sick and tired of you! You think you have what it takes to take on the world, but you don't! You are a sad frightened little girl who thinks she can do whatever she wants. But you are just like him, following heartless orders, ignoring the people that need you the most. You are the reason people in Mantle will die, and you'll be one of the many to blame for the downfall of Atlas!"
"I am doing everything I can in order to keep Atlas safe! I have no choice!" Ironwood shouted, clutching his head. "Do you think I want this? Do you think I don't feel the effects of what I am doing? Every hour, every minute, I can't help but think of those people we abandoned. Their screams of fear, of panic, their tired faces, their shivers as the cold set in! But I don't have a choice!"
"But you do have a choice, James. You do! Talk to Ruby and her friends, authorize those ships to pick up the people from the Crater and bring them up to Atlas! It isn't too late to do the right thing, to work together!" Sonata said, a pleading look on her face. "I still have faith in you."
"Faith? Hah… that's what he said to me," he muttered dryly. "I'm sorry, Miss Piccolo, but we are far beyond the point of no return. Salem is out there, watching us, waiting for the right moment. We do not have the time to rescue anyone. Even if they launch Amity, by the time help arrives, it'll be too late."
"But we can try, right? Save as many as we can? Didn't Levi say they were gathered in the Crater? We gotta at least try," Marrow said, trying to sound hopeful.
"If we split our focus into evacuating Mantle, Salem's forces could attack, and if they attack, then half of our ships would be stuck down there. We can't take that risk. We need all of our soldiers here."
"Then send the drones. Hell, I'll pilot one of those ships myself if it means I can save more lives,"
"I need you here, Sonata. Your responsibility is to the people of Atlas."
"My responsibility is to the Kingdom of Atlas, and that includes Mantle," she said, glaring at the man. "Why can't you understand?"
"I do understand, and it's clear to me that your mind is occupied with other matters. If you cannot see things from my perspective, then we have no room for you here," he said, snapping his fingers. "Arrest her."
"What?" she exclaimed, taken aback by this. She looked around, only for Harriet to pounce on her, pulling Carolloo from her holster. "James, are you insane? What the fuck are you doing?"
"Stop moving, it's about time he made this call. I've been wanting to do this ever since you sided with that alley cat!"
"He's not a cat, he's a miqo'te!" she growled, slamming her head into Harriet's nose, causing her to cry in pain. She scrambled to her feet, only for Vine to wrap his vines around her, holding her in place. "Vine… come on, can't you see what he's doing is wrong?"
"It doesn't matter if it's right or wrong, we only follow orders, that is all."
"Elm, please, you agree with me, don't you?" she asked. She looked away, not wanting to meet her eyes. "Marrow, you can stop this if you want to. Use your Semblance, do what's right!"
He frowned, tail drooping as he closed his eyes. He reached behind his back for some Gravity Bolas, twisting them open. "Sorry, Sona."
She growled, eyes shifting around the hallway, darting in every direction. She knew if she was arrested, there would be no way she could stop the General. She needed to escape. She smirked, taking a deep breath. Ironwood's eyes widened in realization, reaching out for her.
"Sonata, don't!"
She let out an ear-piercing scream, akin to the ones her former leader let out, amplifying it with her Semblance. Vine released his grasp on her, blocking his ears, the others doing the same. Sonata darted toward her fallen weapon, spinning around in mid-air, blowing into it, a frozen C-sharp exploded from her piccolo, freezing their legs in place. Ironwood drew Due Process, aiming at the girl, but she darted into the opposite corridor before he could shoot her. His hand flew to his ear, a look of anger on his face.
"Attention everyone, there is a security threat within the compound, level 5, status, Blue. I want everyone to find and apprehended Special Operative Sonata Piccolo and place her in the holding cell. She is not to leave this compound, and if she resists, use Lethal Force."
From the Medical Bay, Winter sat up, her eyes growing wide as she reached for her scroll. The lights began pulsing a deep blue as an alarm rang throughout the compound. She flicked the device open, seeing the Wanted Message on screen, along with Sonata's mugshot. She threw the covers off of herself, forcing herself to her feet.
"Just what the hell did you do, Sona? What is going on?!"
"Winter, I need you to get dressed immediately. I know you are still in recovery but I need my best Operative by my side. It seems a lot of our allies are turning against us." Ironwood said, causing her to frown.
"What exactly did she do?"
"She went against my orders, her priorities lie with Mantle. I will have her arrested, Winter, of that I am certain. We have no room for error, and we cannot waste resources on them. Our priority is Atlas. You agree, right?"
"Of course, sir." she merely said.
"Good, then prepare yourself. As of now, you are the sole Operative in charge of the Ace-Ops. They will follow any and all orders you give, and if any of them fall out of line well… I'll let you decide how they'll be punished."
"Yes sir," she said, the call ending. Her hands shook a bit as she looked at the floor. "This is wrong… all of it is. Choking Mantle like this, distrusting our allies… this is not the actions of the General Ironwood I swore my loyalty to."
She thought back to her sister and her friends. Perhaps they were right all along, she remembered her conversation with Penny, about her personal feelings and how they didn't matter. She swallowed the lump in her throat, forcing herself to stand up.
"I can't give in, the second I do is the second Atlas falls. We mustn't let that happen… I mustn't let that happen. No matter the cost, I will save this Kingdom. Even if it takes the lives of millions to do so." she said to herself. If only she believed in those words.
Location: Schnee Manor
A knock echoed through the foyer, causing young Whitley to groan. With everything that was happening, he hadn't gotten much sleep. There was a force of Grimm outside of the Kingdom, his father had been arrested, and his mother was binge drinking. All of the staff was gone, and he felt more alone than ever. Even video games hadn't appeased him. He just wanted the nightmare to end. He grabbed the door handle, pulling the door open, his face turning into a scowl the second he saw who had been knocking.
"You again?"
"Me again." Levi parroted, holding back a laugh. "Look, I know you don't like me, but we have an emergency."
Whitley opened the door further, eyes falling on his sister, who was looking at him, arms crossed. He looked past her, seeing her friends, along with what looked like a stolen Atlas Manta. He also saw the unconscious Nora in May's arms, his scowl turning into a frown.
"What the hell happened to her?"
"Things went sour for us, we need a place to stay, so move aside," Weiss snapped, causing him to frown.
"So let me get this straight, you want me to let you, a bunch of fugitives, in our house? Things are bad enough after what you did to Father. We have a reputation, you know."
"What's what you're worried about?" Blake snapped, glaring at the boy. He crossed his arms, looking away from her.
"I have no idea where you are coming from or what you did, and-"
"Whitley please, our friend is hurt, we just need a place to lay low and rest for a while, then we'll be out of your way, okay?" Ruby said, causing the boy to look at her. He gave her a once over, gaze shifting back toward Nora, sighing.
"Fine, I'm not that heartless," he said, allowing them entry into the mansion. May moved forward, looking around for a moment.
"Haven't been to his place since before, still feels just as cold as it did then."
"You've been here before, May?" Levi asked.
"Mhmm, I was once a part of the Marigold Family, you've probably heard of them. They're Atlas high society folks, the worst kind of people to be around," she said.
"Ah, if I remember correctly, Weiss once mentioned a man named Henry Marigold, a total rich arrogant douche-nozzle who tried hitting on her. He was only here for the free food and drinks."
"Yep, that's Henry alright. I haven't seen him in years, probably wouldn't recognize me if we did meet. I'm not exactly the same as before," she said, looking away from him. She turned to Weiss, a firm look on her face. "Where should I take her?"
"We'll take her to my bedroom, upstairs to the right, third door on the left," she said. May nodded, heading slowly up the stairs. The former heiress turned to her brother, who had been staring at her prosthetic arm for a while. She followed his gaze, hiding it behind her back for a moment.
"What do you want me to do?"
"Go to your room," she said, pointing upstairs. He looked at her for a moment, deflating as he headed up the stairs. Levi watched him go, frowning as he took his leave.
"You shouldn't treat him like that, Weiss."
"He'd just get in the way. Besides, the less interaction he has with us, the better. That way, if anything happens, we can get away and he won't get in trouble." she replied.
"If you say so. Think you can take me to your mom now?" the young man asked, earning a sigh from his girlfriend.
"If she isn't passed out, then yes. I'll go check on her, no promises though," she answered, heading up the stairs. Levi turned around, seeing Ruby closing the large doors, making sure they were locked.
"Well, we made it. All we have to do now is wait until Dr. Polendina launches the tower." Ruby said cheerfully.
"I suppose but… how do you think Yang and the others are doing?" Blake asked.
"I'm… not sure."
"Should we call her?"
"That's the thing Blake, I did," Ruby said, showing her scroll to Blake, an outgoing call in progress. Levi pulled his scroll out, about to dial Jaune's number when an alert was sent to it.
"Attention Citizens of Atlas, Special Operative Sonata Piccolo has escaped Atlas Central Command. She is Wanted for Treason against the Kingdom of Atlas. If spotted, detain her at all costs. A bounty of 1,000,000 Lien has been placed on her head. Should anyone capture her or any of the other fugitives, contact the Atlas Police Department immediately."
The silver-haired miqo'te stared at the screen silently. He looked up at Blake and Ruby, similar looks on their faces. He shrugged, pocketing the device. "What?"
"Aren't you worried?"
"Why should I be? Sona is a big girl, she can handle herself. We have our own problems to deal with. She made her choice initially, this is just fate biting her in the ass." he replied, turning away from the two. "That's just how things go."
Ruby and Blake shared a look, not knowing what to say. So many things had happened in such a short time. They were tired and in need of some serious rest. They decided to leave the situation alone, they had too much on their plate already.
A/N: Well with the posting of this chapter, I can happily say we are past the halfway point of the arc. Shit goes down from here on out so I hope you look forward to it. As you can see, the way Penny is taken over is going to be different in this story, for personal reasons that I'm sure you'll find out later on. We also have a bit of dissonance between Sona and the General. She's been very vocal about things for a while but now well, things aren't going swell for her or for Stella at this point. It is what it is.
We are slowly approaching one of my favorite parts of the series, the Schnee Mansion episode. That episode in its entirety was really well done, given the monstrosity that is after Penny, the fact that it's a silver-eyed warrior, and that Salem has been doing this to people for who knows how long? That revelation is enough to demoralize anyone. Especially after the passionate speech that Ruby gave to the world. It's hard for people not to find the motivation to keep doing after that, but somehow, they have to move forward, because if they don't fight, well then the world is gone. I look forward to the day that particular chapter gets posted!
Finally, I wish to address my latest Guest reviewer. I'm not sure if you are reading the story or not, but I'd like to ask to stop asking me to continue that Ever After High story. As I stated in my profile, all stories prior to 2018 with the exception of Those Who Walk Among the Dead cannot be continued because I lost all of my files when my old computer fried itself. That includes an entire story arc for that specific story, along with each chapter that would have ended a particular spin-off. This includes my Persona story, my Pokemon stories (With the exception of Masters 8, that's a new one) Fairy Tail, Danganronpa, and everything else. I cannot recover it, thus I cannot continue it. I know you really wanna see the ending of that story but after losing all of that information, I've just lost the spark to finish it. I worked on that entire series during a very dark moment in my life that I don't wish to return to. So, as it stands, I am not going to continue that story or any of the related stories for that series, I cannot because of the loss of information. I'm sorry of this isn't what you want to hear, but I'd like to focus on the newer stories that I can update whenever I get the urge to continue them. It's been hard finding the motivation to write much of anything as of late, and even starting new things. So I want to focus on those stories. Again, I'm sorry, but I will not continue them. If you'd like to PM me so we can discuss it in more detail, my PM's are open. But again, I'd like for you to stop leaving those reviews. Keep the reviews relevant to their specific stories, it is all I ask. Thank you.
With that being said, I shall sign off for now. Chapter 25 is going to be a fun time. For sure. See ya when I see ya.