RWBY: Team CRML
Chapter 29
Shadow
A few weeks earlier
Standing in the hall, Shadow stared out of the window. His arms were crossed as he thought about his brother.
Hearing the door behind him open, Emerald poked her head out. "Salem wants to see you."
Without replying, Shadow walked inside the massive room. Salem was sitting at the far end, tending to Cinder's left arm. "Mom." Shadow said softly.
"Shadow." Salem sat back in her chair. "How's Mist's recovery?"
"It's going well." Shadow replied.
"That's good to hear." Salem smiled. "Now, I'll cut to the chase, I'm sending Tyrion after that silver-eyed girl. I want you to go with him."
"Don't trust him?" Shadow asked.
"Marek is with her." Salem replied. "I want you to focus on bringing him back here. Let Tyrion take care of the girl."
"As you wish, mother."
Marek
Present day
As the five young huntsman and huntresses walked the path, Jaune held onto the map, making sure they didn't get lost. Looking ahead, Marek noticed a few buildings in the distance that looked destroyed. "Guys?"
"That's... strange." Jaune checked the map. "I didn't think we'd be hitting another village for a few days."
"Are those buildings... damaged?" Nora asked.
"We should search for survivors!"
Jaune drops the map and all five go running into the village, with Nora leaping onto the wall and to a rooftop from there. They discover the town to be empty. Ruby lifts a fallen plank of wood to find only plant outgrowth underneath.
"Anything?" Ruby shouted.
"Nothing over here!"
"No one over here, either!"
"It almost seems like... the town was abandoned." Ren pointed out.
"Hey, I got something!" Marek said. He approached the town side and moved the overgrowth to the side.
"Oniyuri? Never heard of it." Nora said.
"Me neither."
"I have." Ren said. "You might think of it as Anima's Mountain Glenn, had it never been completed. Years ago, the richest members of Mistral were unhappy with how the Kingdom was being run. Frustrated with the council, they pooled their resources together to build their own city, with their own laws. They hoped that one day, it could maybe even become its own Kingdom. Many thought it would be the future." Ren paused. "I know my parents did."
"What happened?"
"What always happens." Ren replied.
"The Grimm."
"Not just any, one." Ren corrected.
"One?" Ruby asked.
Marek had walked away from the group, crossing his arms as he looked around at the buildings.
"Come on. Let's just get through here. This place gives me the creeps." Jaune said.
Liam
Laying down on his bed roll, Liam stared at the ceiling of the tent. He was thinking back on what had happened a few hours ago. Hearing the flap of the tent open, Liam sat up to see Vernal walk in.
"Hey. I wanted to talk." she said softly. "About what happened."
"Sure." Liam got to his feet and moved to the table. The two of them sat across from each other.
"I wanted to apologize." Vernal said. "I should have asked first."
"It's fine." Liam told her. "If anything I should apologize. I probably gave off the wrong impression. It's just... I have a feeling that I'll see her again."
"Your girlfriend from Beacon?"
"Yeah." Liam nodded. "I mean, sure it's been months, but I just have this feeling that we'll meet soon."
"Yeah, no, I understand." Vernal said.
"I hope this doesn't cause any awkwardness between us." Liam told her.
"It doesn't have to if we don't let it." Vernal replied.
"Alright."
Vernal nodded as she got to her feet. "I'm gonna go patrol around the camp. Make sure there aren't any Grimm stalking nearby." Liam watched as Vernal walked towards the exit. Before she left, she looked back to Liam. "See you tomorrow for another spar?"
"Yeah, of course."
"Alright." with that, Vernal left.
Marek
Making their way out of Oniyuri, Ren suddenly stopped, putting his hand out to stop the others as well. He drew his weapons and the others did the same as well.
Suddenly, a man jumps over the wall of the village, rushing towards Ruby. Ren stops him and the two trade blows before he knocked Ren away.
Turning to Ruby again, Marek quickly moved in the way, using his sword to block his. "Tyrion!" Marek growled. "The bitch sent you, huh?"
Tyrion laughed maniacally as he broke the lock and kicked Marek away. Jaune tried to attack, but Tyrion just climbed onto his shield. Grinning at him, Nora went for an attack but Tyrion jumped away, bursting through the wall of a building and holding himself up with his feet on wooden frames to either side of him.
"We're not looking for a fight!" Jaune shouted.
"Who are you?"
Tyrion dropped to the ground below in a front flip, landing on his feet. "Who I am matters not to you." he pointed to Ren. "Or you." he pointed to Nora. "Or- well...you do interest me." he pointed to Jaune. "No. I only matter to you." he pointed to Ruby.
"Stand down, Tyrion!"
"Shshsh!" Tyrion hushed him. "I'm not here for you either, my prince."
"Prince?"
"You're here for me?" Ruby asked.
Tyrion began laughing at this. "You, you haven't the slightest clue, do you? Oh, how exciting this must be."
"What do you want?" Ruby growled.
Tyrian begins acting dramatically in response to her tone of voice. "Oh, the rose has thorns! My little flower, I'm here to whisk you away with me!"
"Well, what if she doesn't want to go with you?" Nora stepped in front of Ruby.
He stares for a moment with his lips scrunched up before answering. "Well, I'll take her."
Jaune walks over and stands between him and Ruby, his shield held in front of him. "We're not going to let you do that."
Tyrion smiled. "Good."
Tyrion rushed behind Jaune, pulling his arm back to attack. "Jaune!" Ren shot his shield, the bullets ricocheting and forcing Tyrion to raise his arm to block the shots.
Marek went to attack, but he was knocked away by something else. Rolling to his feet, Shadow walked over, his weapon resting on his shoulder. "Hey, little brother." Shadow said to Marek. "I think it's time for our rematch."
End of chapter 29
