Volume CRBN!

by Dancesnapple

Four individuals. Four different people of different walks of life resulting in an adventure. Hopefully, a bond that can last. Team CRBN (carbon). Features: OC Main character, main team has two OCs alongside a lovable crime duo, and some family drama on all sides. Features a 'soundtrack' element for the fic. ENJOY! Story begins on third listed chapter. Very slow start.

17. 15 Reunions

This is the longest chapter by a moderate deal. I couldn't bring myself to cut it in two. Enjoy, Favorite, Follow, and Review!

Chapter Fifteen: Reunion

Qrow sat, perched on the corner of a roof top. The boy and strange orange haired guy have been in that auditorium for quite a while. His eyes remained on the outside guard. A few men on the roof and several at all the ports of entry.

Another slosh of his flask accompanies another round of debate within his head. Go on in or wait. The man sighs. "Kid's gone and gotten himself into something too big." His sarcastic drawl ends with a chuckle and upturn of his lips. "Why do I feel like deep down this is Summer's influence?"

As he takes a long drink, his thought train continues. Considering the boy's father, it's very much clear why he'd fall into some grand quest. Granted, what did he even know. Unlike Tai, Qrow never truly held anything against the kid. Things hurt, but the kid was so much more terrified of the Team STRQ member than the drunk ever felt resentment towards him.

Tai's meeting with the kid last year was a nice surprise to learn about. The blonde chuckle head was finally truly back to himself in a way. Although, Tai mentioned the... difficult things to hear from his conversation with the boy.

The huntsman puts his flask away, sighing. "Maybe meeting the girls would help him? But... the girls are in a good place. A delicate place, though. Meeting him wouldn't help them at all right now."

He groans, rubbing the back of his neck and rolling it to a pop. Here's hoping someday change will come for the better. For now, however, life seems intent on remaining complicated.

BOOM!

Qrow's eyes lock onto an explosion through the roof of the auditorium. The building seems to crack at the sides, but all the entrances suddenly lock down...

The huntsman quickly leaps from the rooftop, disappearing from view before a large black bird flaps into the sky...

. . .

Two Hours Prior. Inside Silver Auditorium.

"I... But-... I can't..." Carmine's mouth hung open slightly, the clapping of the crowd drowning out his verbal utterances. "That's AZRL's leader?" He said, openly baffled. "It's just... disappointing."

Beside him, Roman chuckles darkly. "Don't take him lightly for it. I understand, but it's a mistake." His grim frown twists up to a genuine smirk as his chuckles shakes his shoulders. "But, he's still so freaking fat! He couldn't get liposuction at least?"

On the grand open stage, the curtain up, the lights on, and the people clapping, stood a man. A man no taller than 5 foot five inches, in a pristine white suit, packing on twice the necessary body mass. He was clean shaven with a rounded face, glasses, and large violet eyes. His dark blonde, almost golden hair, was buzzed at the sides, and long swept to the side on top. Within his hare were multiple streaks of black.

He looked like an immensely kind built person if not for the... creepiness... of his wide toothy smile. His eyes shimmered with barely contained glee as he took in the crowds. In fact, the more Carmine looked, the more he felt something... off about the man's eyes.

The crowds settled, a polite calm coming over as the man fixes his glasses. "Well, well..." He starts, voice surprising a touch high pitched, enriched with giddiness. "Here I was under the impression the largest thing in the building was myself. Yet, your excitement trumps it! Give yourself a round for being here!"

The crowds gave another round of applause, Roman rolling his eyes. "Damn guy goes and makes the joke himself, ruining the bite." He relaxes in his seat more. "We got a minute before we gotta care about any of this."

Carmine frowns, eyes still on the large man. "Who is he?" Roman then speaks, in a mimicked high pitch, at the exact same time as the large man on stage.

"For those who I've only now had the pleasure, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Aline Zandril, leader and founder of Avored Zenith of Remnant's Legacy." He stops to chuckle to himself. "Also known as AZRL, to follow the Hunters naming quirks." A few chuckles sound through the crowd. The man closes his toothy grin to a traditional smile, all the sudden coming off awful smug. "And, of course, my friends may simply call me Zan. I will also accept the title of the Zan Man."

His ending chuckle and wink gets some more laughs and light clapping. The man continues. "But where, oh where are my manners? This event isn't about me! It's about you! Your future with these lovely children."

He steps forward on the stage, off the railing leading to the cells below. Moving closely to the edge, he clasps his own hands together. "And I hope you're as excited as I AAAAAM! Tonight, we have a wide selection of bright young minds, willful bodies, and skillful lads and lasses to suit any need. No matter how... shall way say... frowned upon it may be."

Carmine's grip on his seat's arm rests tighten, teeth clenching. This. THIS was the type of man that Killian tried to bring him to? THIS little man who was already speaking of people like they were PROPERTY!

Roman notices the boy in distress, but so long as he doesn't outburst, the conman simply rolls his eyes lazily. "Don't get worked up this easily. You'll die young."

The boy cracks his glare to direct it at the man. "How can you just listen to this and not get angry?"

"Because this world is a collective bag of existential garbage, and that man is just more of the same." Roman answers easily. "Get angry if you want, but if you get this worked up every time someone's a rotten bastard, you'll have a heart attack by 20."

Upon the stage, Zandril walks to a podium set up at stage left. Stepping at the podium, he grins at the papers set as he straightens his glasses. The light gleams off the lenses, the shine blocking sight of his eyes. "Now then. To start this event, let us go with a bang, shall well?"

On the stage, one of the barred sections of flooring slides open. A mechanical whir sounds faint as a dark skinned boy rises, older than Carmine. He wore black gloves, pants, boots, and a tan tank top. A strap of material could be seen around his neck.

Zandril grins. "Our first lineup of the day is Series Black: Number 2685." With a giddiness, the man reads off. "Five foot eleven inches, this young seventeen year old male has been trained for four years. His specialty is firearms, and his semblance is charmingly referred to as Mirror Mirror. It creates a one way illusion wall that reflects light like a mirror on one side while his side sees through. Combat score is rated at 56."

The man turns a smile to the dark boy, waving warmly out behind the male. At the back of the stage was a long stretching table with an assortment of weapons: Handguns, chakrams, swords, hooks, snipers, hammers, grenades, literally everything. "Please, demonstrate your skill, Number 2685."

From above, several highlighted electronic targets drop from ceiling. The targets float through the air as the boy back flips to the long table. Immediately snatching a rifle, an illusory wall appears between him and the table, allowing him to look behind himself as he loads the weapon. Immediately upon turning, he begins firing upon the targets.

In the crowds, Carmine watches curiously. "Series Black?"

Roman hums for a moment, seemingly disgruntled to explain. "Each child within the organization is placed in one of three categories. Each category is simplified to a color." The man's green eyes track the boy on stage. Not bad shooting. "That color is also used to tattoo their number into them. Easy classification. That's why you can have a Black 1400 as well as a Red 1400."

"Black is used for the Operative branch. They typically already have their aura unlocked. They then get training similar to that of the Hunters, honing skills to benefit militant or ambitious partners. They're made to be weapons." Roman chuckles loudly. "Red stands for the Labor branch. Blue stands for the Livelihood branch. More standard stuff with them."

Carmine felt sick at the explanation. "Wait... that means they've trained over 2685 people JUST as... mercenary slaves?"

"More than Double that number for the failures that get numbers recycled, but more than 2685 successes, yes." Roman does actually grimace. "Both the Red and Blue classifications are in the five digit territory, though they have far less recycling of numbers and failures."

In the back of Roman's mind, his thinks to himself. "Granted, last I was aware, their numbers hadn't exceeded 1500. They've really expanded to get their numbers this high..."

The boy stares at the man, eyes widening as he spoke. "How... How do you know all this?" The conman simply puts a finger up for silence, pointing at the stage.

The last target bursts from a dust shot, clearing the stage as the crowd claps lightly at the boy's performance. Zandril smirks, turning to the crowds. "Definitely a fun man to bring to the gun range, am I right?" Chuckling to himself, he states plainly. "Bidding will start at 100,000 Lien."

"100,000!" A suited elder man to the right of the stage raises a number tag with the label '214'.

"110,000!" A faunus with wild hair and an exotic dress on the second level balcony raises a label '063'.

Ice. That's what Carmine's veins felt as he heard further numbers. 130,000. 150,000. 180,000. His gaze began to fall as he listened further and further. These... these people are monsters. Vaguely, he catches the celebratory chant. "SOLD for 213,000!" Zandril shouts out.

The elder teen boy steps onto the platform he'd risen on, the floor below his feet lowering, the bars sliding closed once more. Mild clapping sounds as Zandril points to the lucky buyer in the upper balconies. "Please allow yourself to be escorted by my lovely men to the lower levels to finalize things. It's lovely to do business with you."

Carmine felt cold... he was already seeing red. "Just..." His start gets Roman's attention, but the boy chokes trying to speak. He growls out, eyes downcast to the floor. "Just get one so we can wreck this place."

"We're waiting." Roman answers coolly. The boy's heated glare snaps up, but the conman is unaffected. "Acting too quickly can give yourself away. Plus, people will remember the first faces. We let the night go on a bit and make our buy closer to the end."

Thus begins a very, VERY grueling period for the boy...

. . .

The blonde raises a brow, taking a drink of water. She vaguely catches the sound of footsteps. Internally, she was already screaming. Knowing who it is, she chooses to speak first. "So, that's the leader of AZRL? I expected someone taller. Who is he?"

Spyyra's face lights up, mouth gaping with a shine to his expression. "She's engaging me first?" He speaks lowly to himself, then chuckles. "OH! Well, yeah. I was surprised the first time I met him myself. Suppose most people expect someone authoritative and imposing."

"Sold for 65,000 Lien!" The excitable Zandril squawks off from on stage, selling a girl with glasses. A Blue Series number who apparently was fantastic with organization and numbers.

"Who IS he though?" She presses, slight irritation starting to bleed through.

Spyyra finally sits at the table with her, taking a glass of wine as he observes the sale with a smile. "He's the Zan Man, and that's all that really matters." He excuses nonchalantly with an easy smile. "Being a city girl, I'm sure you'd be surprised how many rich people keep themselves very well hidden. He's just the guy who had a goal and resources once upon a time."

Blair raises a brow, huffing. "Sounds like he's begging to be killed by his partners." Her snide comment gets a barking laugh from the man beside her.

"You're the doctor, Miss Gale. You tell me why no one would dare." The man turns his starry eyed gaze to the blonde. "But, I'd much rather talk about you. Did you accept the assignment for Vaterra? It'll finally get you out of this city."

She chokes down the growl building from the interaction. "I have not yet decided." Giving him a side glance, she narrows the gaze. "If you're going, then the answer's a definite no."

. . .

"Sold for 20,500 Lien!" The clapping echoes lowly down the walls of the girl's cell. Neo's pink eye twitches as she paces back and forth. Stopping, her head hangs back, eyes closing. Breath goes in through the nose, chest puffing with the deep inhalation. Then out through the mouth.

Despite her smile coming on, she still feels irritation bubbling. Doing her best to not think about the crowd, Spyyra, or anything, she focuses on her plan. She knew exactly what to do once she got up there...

She rolls her shoulders, cocking her head to feel silent pops pull at her joints. Her shoulders roll in a circle as she bends down, planting her hands flat on the floor, bent perfectly. Slowly, her legs come up and over, complete control and balance, until she's bent at the back, feet touching the ground above her hands. She pulls herself up before sliding down and stretching her legs.

"Next is a, hmm hmm, special purchase awaiting you." The slightly high pitch voice chuckles lowly, as low as the voice allows. "Series Black, Number 2814."

The ground under Neo's feet shudders before the floor rises. The girl's nerves raise, but she forces a smile. Like with the green haired bastard, don't give them any satisfaction. Even if she's terrified. The lights irritate her while the girl continues to raise towards the bars.

The bars slide into the walls, allowing her head to raise through the ceiling/floor, presenting herself on the grand stage. She takes in the darkened room beyond the stage, mostly silver, black, and navy blue with white walk paths, then the multiple levels of balconies.

She takes in the tons-of-fun man by the pedestal at the stage side, smirk growing mildly. Yeah, this will be easy!

"Standing at 4'5", this lovely lass is very collected and calculated, with a solid illusion semblance, nicknamed 'Shatter'. Her specialties include infiltration and subversion, but don't hold that to her size alone. Her combat rating is 72! The highest of today's crop! Give her some respect!"

The crowds gasp, silencing individual conversation as rapt attention returns to the stage. The stage spotlights narrow, focusing lights onto the pink and brown haired girl. Her snide smirk remains. A quick scan of the crowd, she's unable to find Blair or that green eyesore. Good.

Zandril continues with a sigh. "Unfortunately... I must warn you of a few... disciplinary issues with this one."

At that tone, Neo raises her brows, smiling innocently as she dramatically looks the fat man's direction.

"Should she be bought tonight, it will be her third time. She has attacked multiple handlers, multiple past owners, and has made prior attempts to escape. Coupling this with her skill, she is not to be trifled with." The large man giggles. "Fantasized about growing into a fantastic dominatrix enforcer? Most certainly. But NOT TRIFLED WITH." He ends forcefully.

Turning the girl's way, and pausing when he finds her smiling sweetly in his direction, he matches the grin. "Please, accept a weapon from the back of the stage for a demonstration of your skills, 2814." However, his smile lowers slightly as the girl... doesn't move. Just keeps smiling his way. "Uh..."

. . .

He knew her. His wide eyes took her in. The pink and brown hair each staking their claims to one side of her head. Perfect white skin. No. No no no no no. There's just... no way that it can be her. Absolutely impossible.

Lightning fast, Carmine jams his hand into his pocket, drawing his scroll out. As he lifts it, Roman's hand comes down and holds the device down. The two meet glares. "If anyone catches you taking snapshots, we're basically dead, kid."

"I need to see her eyes!" The boy snaps, just a touch too loud as a few people in the aisles shift a scrutinizing look their way. He winces, continuing. "It can't be, but I think I know her."

Roman growls with a narrow gaze. "Listen, I don't care about whatever hormone driven attachment you might have to that wonder lass, but we have a mission here." The cold demeanor cuts at the boy, earning a furious stare down between them.

. . .

"2814. Would you please carry out your demonstration?" Zandril tries once more, meeting Neo's smile and matching the false sweetness of it. "These lovely patrons are here for you, after all."

The short girl puts a mock look of shock up, covering her mouth dramatically. With a bow, she turns, waltzing her way to the weapons table lining the back stage. Seeing the table, her smile widens just slightly.

Guns? Nah, too stereotypical. Can't use anything too large or heavy. Maybe a spear? Ranged weapons are out. Not her style. Guess the tried and true works best. Her slender hand reaches over and draws a short sword. A quick inspection finds that it is razor sharp.

Zandril smiles as three holographic green targets project on the stage. "Very good. Now, please dispatch of the targets as quickly as possible." Punctuating his instruction with a laugh, he grins as the three floating targets flash towards the turned girl. Just before the holographic projections veer off from the girl, her own image shatters away, gone from the stage.

The crowd gasps as Neo appears... almost directly behind Zan. The blonde man's face blanks as he barely glances over his shoulder. The girl is already grinning as she thrusts for a kill shot.

ZZZZCK!

A clear white barrier forms around from the floor to the ceiling, all around Zandril. The short sword Neo chose screeches, half stuck as electrical sparks fly to create a mock strobe effect. With a final zap, the girl's weapon is ejected, leaving her hands and jamming into the far war.

"Whew..." Zandril whistles out lowly, letting his smile return towards the girl's stunned look. "Now, isn't that the spirit?"

. . .

Blair nearly chokes on her water, entering her windpipe. Her wide eyes lock on the barrier protecting the tub of lard behind the podium. "What is that- What is that?!" Her voice rises against her will.

Beside her, Spyyra double takes between the scene on stage and the girl. When looking at the stage, he almost... scowls? When looking at the woman, he's back to smirking. "Oh, well. That's hard light dust, darling. Installed just before the event."

The blonde whips her eyes towards the enforcer. "But that's barely even been written about in experimentation with Atlas studies. How was that acquired?"

The man chuckles under his breath. "Oh, that's not important right now." Suddenly, he's grimacing. "More importantly, that girl is suicidal."

. . .

Neo, now unarmed, looks wide eyed at the white energy field separating her from the man. Stepping back, she swiftly dodges back as an electric prod misses her. Two armored guards, armed with shock sticks, press on her. Behind them, Zandril straightens his glasses while grinning madly. "Oh, it seems the demonstration has changed its method."

The guards charge the girl, and she acts quickly. Leaping onto the first man. She contorts and twists around his head, wrenching him to bend backwards as she lands. Controlling him, she turns him in the way of the second guard's first shock swing.

The first guard gurgles in pain from the shock. Neo lets go of him, twisting and stealing the first guard's prod. She kicks the injured man's leg out, dropping him as she jabs the second with the acquired prod.

One jab to his throat. He recoils, so she swings into his knee, jolting a reflex kick and he drops to a kneel. She then jabs into his right underarm, grabbing and stealing his shock prod as well. With both weapons, she jabs both prods into the man's torso.

As the second man drops, Zandril claps behind his barrier. "Oh, yes! Show me what you can do!"

Neo smirks, eye moving to the top of the barrier, the projector locked into the ceiling. Twisting the prod in her right hand, she throws the tool like a javelin! The crowd watches in a hush as the prod hits the projector, a sparking burst from the machine.

The barrier short circuits, the fat man looking somehow MORE satisfied as his protective barrier fades away. "Well, audience. It seems we have just a little..." Neo lunges towards the man, her other prod raised to strike. Zandril produces a remote from his pocket. "Technical difficulties."

The solid black collar around Neo's neck beeps once...

Searing pain. Her muscles clench and tense, nerves on fire, teeth nearly cracking at the sudden clench. Her lips part, a nearest silent, throaty scream as electric sparks radiate off her aura shield. The girl falls mid sprint, hitting and sliding to a stop on the floor.

The girl's body twitches, only held moderately still by the tensed, locked muscles. Her eyes dart about with the shocks, visible to the crowd. Each individual jolt is punctuated by her eyes colors swapping rapidly.

Neo begins to seize, no capability to control herself as the pompous fat man walks over. "Oh, it seems our problem has been dealt with." Looking back to the crowd, he gives a toothy grin. "What say you? Just because this is an auction doesn't mean 'no entertainment'. Shall we up the charge for this stubborn child?"

An uproar of clapping sounds, snickers and grins among the patrons. With a gleeful cackle, he raises the remote and presses the button.

. . .

Carmine's hand jolts for his gun, gripping the handle before a hand clamps down and locks it into the holster. Vaguely, he was aware of Roman speaking... something about not dealing permanent damage thanks to aura healing.

He didn't fully register it. He only wanted to. Kill. That. Man. Regardless of if that girl is who he thinks she is, not one damn person in this shithole of Remnant deserves this. It was made trice as bad once he noticed something else... There was red pooling on the stage floor by the girl.

. . .

The gurgling choking from the girl's throat doubles, wet spurts sounding as red liquid drains through her white teeth. Choked breaths spit the crimson out onto the floor by her.

And then, the pain is replaced with numbness. The chocks stop as her body goes fully limp. Standing over her, Zandril puts the remote away. He bends over to glance at her eyes... the color from her mismatched orbs gone. Pupils were visible, but no pink or brown. Her eye color had literally shifted to white.

Awareness returns to her... as well as the burning pain. Scorched nerves and muscles on fire. Then the crushing vice of a white dress shoe stepping on the side of her head. A choked wine escapes her as Zandril steps on her, up and over her, before walking back to the podium.

The two guards roughly pull Neo up by the collar. Cuffs are locked around her wrists, the guards tossing her roughly onto the floor of her cell. The floor begins to drop down, the metal bars closing as her cell returns to the lower levels.

Zandril turns, violet orbs looking utterly unaffected by the event. "Well, now at control is back and well, now my favorite part." A quick 'hmm, hmm, hmm' comes out. "Due to 2814's excellent combat record and skill set, she's been recommended at a top quality price by our physicians."

. . .

Carmine cracks his head towards Roman, the green eyed man burning the message that might as well say 'it's alright!' The burning frustration remains, his tense clenching around his gun finally loosens. This wasn't right, god damn it! He HAS to help her!

The boy sends a side glare to Roman, who relaxes back into his seat. His off hand held the bid sign. Carmine's eye twitches at the numbered sign...

. . .

"The bidding will start... at 1 million Lien." Zandril proclaims. Although, he looks slightly uneasy. "Her skill certainly shows, am I right?"

Nothing. Not a voice calls. One beat. Two beats. Soon enough, a full twenty seconds of dead silence.

Zandril's smile, as if for the first time, truly drops. "I see. Going once?" Nothing. Not a peep. "Going twice..." He sighs, shaking his head while fixing his glasses... "I guess we shall have some midnight entertainment after the show-"

"1 MILLION LIEN!" The odd voice breaks the silence.

Zandril snaps his gaze out, smile back. The spotlights track out from the stage, over the crowd in search of the raised sign... Zandril points out with a grin. "You there! Bidder 343, the lucky guy!"

In the crowd, Roman blinks oblivious... his right hand having just been thrown up by the boy as the teen shouted the bid beside him. Three spotlights shine down, illuminating Roman and Roman alone.

The conman slowly, agonizingly slowly, cracks his neck towards the boy beside him. The stupid, asinine, mentally impaired, absolute ignoramus that he would like to beat like the redheaded orphan the teen WAS. He chokes out. "1... million... you dumb ass?"

Carmine had sunk back into his seat, in darkness, but Roman could see the defiant glare. "You wanted to buy one." His tone was acidic.

"It's not MY money, you fucking moron!" He wheezes out. "Junior will kneecap me if I spend-"

"1 million 250 thousand!" A business man on the third tier balcony shouts down.

Roman snaps his gaze towards the older man. Shit, he just validated a terrible purchase for others to make as well... another voice calls. "1 mil 500!"

Carmine smirks up at the conman. "So, you've been called out. You gonna let them one up you?" Oh, no. The boy was a special kind of stupid. Using Roman's chaotic smarm against Roman's intelligence... "2 million!" Another voice calls...

Well, perhaps it's just like when he met Killian... Impress with skill and never back down. Roman groans. "I should've let you drown in the ocean." He speaks plainly before raising his sign again.

. . .

"2 and 500!" The horrific mobster with a bowler hat called out again... leaving an absolutely fuming, livid Blair sitting frozen in her booth.

Why? Why would anyone, ANYONE with a working brain ever accept that? After the girl brazenly attacked the leader of their entire organization, and was downright brutalized before the crowd, how could anyone with a functional frontal cortex possibly make the bid.

"Wow! Bowler hat ignited interest in the crowd there!" Spyyra claps with a laugh. "You know what? I owe you an apology. Seems your pricing skills are top notch! Getting more impressed every day."

An elegant woman calls from the aisles just a few row in front of Bowler Hat. "3 million!"

The light goes back to Bowler Hat, who lowers his sign and seems to check his wallets. "I suppose I can go as high as... 5 million." The false consideration drops as he states the number with... a confidence that wasn't there before?

"7!" The woman shouts again.

"10!" Bowler Hat proclaims again!

"25 Million." A stern elder voice sounds from just two booths over from Blair. The blonde snaps her gaze to find a silver suit and long grandpa length beard. His eyes were cold. Based on the symbol of his lapel... No, that's not a Winchester is it?

Silence once again. The crowd seemed to have been bested into submission, all other signs and people sitting back down... All except for Bowler Hat.

The spotlights had divided themselves between the man on the ground floor and the elder on the balcony. The stern elder glared at the young man, who smirked back up. The third actor in this came from the stage, Zandril's voice overflowing with joy. "Ooooo 25 million going once!.. Twice!.."

The orange haired conman below grins and raises his sign. His voice rings in a sarcastic tone. "Oh, to hell with it. 50 Million!"

Time seemed to pause for Blair, who simply twitched as the next several seconds flashed by. "50 Million going once!" Months of planning, chucked out the window... who was this absolute idiot? "50 Million going twice!" She'd promised Neo... "SOLD TO 343! Please follow the gentlemen at the aisle to complete you purchase my fine handsome man!"

Blair jerks up from the seat, garnering Spyyra's attention. "Hmm? What's up, Gorgeous?"

"I'm going to check 2814's injuries before her sale. Excuse me." Her voice was hollow, strained as she quickly leaves the balcony. Time for a backup plan... after she suppresses the urge to murder that orange haired nuisance.

. . .

Following the suited guard out of the auditorium, Roman strolls along, tapping his cane in a confident stride. Behind him, Carmine trails, shoulders mildly hunched as he scowls all around him. The ornate foyer is only populated with guards now. Most are in the suits. Some have body armor on and visors.

ALL of them wear the symbol. The three eyed skull. Just like the officer at the Vale City Police Department.

That fact burns for a moment. WHACK! Roman swiftly swats the boy's leg as they approach a door. Fixing glares at each other, both perk up at the guard looking back at them. "Something wrong with your whelp?"

Roman snickers, despite Carmine's furious glower switching targets. "Oh, the help just gets restless when surrounded. I'm sure you've seen others twice as bad."

The guard cackles back. "You don't know the half of it!"

As soon as the guard continues the walk, Roman wrenches Carmine closer. He furiously whispers. "You already got us in this deep with your temper, brat. Quit the attitude and actually help us live through this!"

The scolding makes the boy glare away, mumbling under his breath. "I only got you started. You caved and showed off..."

The orange head sends a smolder over his shoulder, then turns forward again. The escort had led into down a stairway, going down three levels before coming to a door with two armored guards. The suited man flashes an ID badge from his pocket, just a white card with a serial code along one edge.

The guards nod, then look to the man and boy. "Identification?"

Roman smirks and presents the paper given by Junior. "Agent of Senior, my good man." The paper is accepted and looked over, soon handed back.

The guard then stares Carmine's way. "Doesn't cover the whelp. Nephew? Cousin? Not allowed."

"Bodyguard." Roman smirks. "Actually a former purchase. Property is allowed, after all."

The masked guard recoils at that. "Really?" His tone laces with doubt as he crosses his arms, facing Carmine. "What's your identification, agent?"

His teeth clench, a flush of anger hitting simultaneously with a wave of nerves. He takes a deep breath, looking at the man's dark visor. "1313, Series black." Moment of truth! Time to see if Roman was just talking out his ass-

The guard recoils at that, cocking his head awkwardly. The second armored guard lets out a voice cracked 'oh!' "I didn't know someone finally succeeded with that number! Way to break a trend!"

Carmine blinks wide eyed at that, oblivious to Roman's smug grin beside him. The first guard chuckles. "Ha! Jay owes me 20 Lien!" His cackle settles. "Alright, hold your arms out for the search."

Moment of truth. Carmine gives a stiff nod. The other guard begins checking Roman while the second checks the boy. His eyes clench shut, a silent prayer that they don't pay any mind to the EMP components in the pouch hanging at his hip. He feels the pouch get jostled. Thankfully, he'd placed many of his extra dust bullets in there as well...

"What's this?" He questions. "A lot of ammo. Expecting a shootout?"

The mild pause holds a beat too long. The boy spares a glance in Roman's direction for help. The man scoffs. "He wouldn't exactly be a bodyguard if he wasn't prepared. Come on."

Breathing regulating, Carmine swallows the lump in his throat. Please buy that. "What are these other pieces for?"

"Um..." Oh god, he's blanking on the question! They planned this answer! Roman and the guards start to glare at him, the pit in his stomach growing. OH! "A-armor maintenance?"

The guard cocks his head at the sleeve. "If it's that complicated, probably should replace it." The blatant insult to his self created baby flares a glare of rage from the boy. "Alright, you check out." He swipes a card of his own by a scanner at the door. A mechanical buzz sounds as he opens the door for the trio. "Welcome back, Number."

The gleeful tone held a level of mocking in it, not lost on Carmine. The boy narrows his eyes, but doesn't comment. He, Roman, and the suited guard walk through into a concrete hallway. The lighting was abysmal. Despite the lighting, he didn't miss the conman's smug superior look. "Shut up." He bites under his breath.

"What's that? I can't hear you over me being right." Roman snickers.

"Hold up, I don't think your head is big enough. Where's more hot air for that ego?" The sarcasm drips.

The two are led into a basic waiting room, a table, chairs, a television, a couch. More like a break room if Carmine had to speculate. The rust red carpet was clean, but the tan walls had stains from who knows where.

"You two wait here quietly. We'll get everything set up. Your payment?" He looks to Roman expectantly, holding out his hand. Roman twitches, but smiles before handing off the black card. "One moment."

As the man leaves, Roman sighs. "So, we might need to raise hell."

"Wait, why?" Carmine sputters.

"Because I highly doubt Junior even has 50 mil on that account..."

. . .

"That could have gone better, couldn't it?" The blonde's voice grinds out. She was in her lab once more. Neo sat atop the counter top, hunched. The collar around her neck was surrounded by blaring red scorched skin.

Blair had arrived and gotten rid of the guards, per usual, though they were just outside the room. Neo's skin around her mouth was stained red with dried blood as well. Blair moves away, getting a cup of water. The blonde cradles the bottle to the girl's mouth. "Don't swallow. Use it to get the blood out of your mouth and spit."

The girl, unblinking, does as instructed. Swishing the water in her mouth and spitting back into the cup. Her half lidded eyes were glossy, but colored again to mismatched pink and brown. Blair washes the cup out, refilling it, then placing pills inside as they dissolve.

Moving back to the girl. "This will help your throat's aura healing so you can breath better.." She tips the cup, allowing the girl to guzzle down the full cup of liquid. Pulling it away, Blair wipes at the girl's mouth, removing the dried blood and massaging the numbness away.

Blair finally sits back in her own chair, her furious scowl met by the girl's emotionless lidded stare. Silence before them, Neo attempting to raise her hand, calling upon her semblance. The blonde's hand snaps out, then gently lowers Neo's hand.

"Conserve your aura. You need it to heal." She then sighs, anger growling under it. She didn't know who she was more furious at: herself for the failed plan, Bowler Hat for making her plan fail spectacularly, or that monster Zandril for utterly breaking the girl in front of her.

Probably the fat tub of lard, but that's also an easy out.

Her attention is drawn as Neo weakly perks up. The girl's mouth moves silently, wordlessly reading 'what now'. That is a question...

"It means our roles have reversed." The blonde starts. "After you're... delivered to that man, I'll lower security around him so you can get away from him. I'll use my undercover status to get to the hidden level door that I rigged before and set it off myself."

Neo's eyes widen a touch as she pauses. Slowly, she then points to herself.

"Your aura is significantly lowered. You won't be able to keep Spyyra from finding a way to escape the place, so you'll need an alternate goal." She puts a hand to her chin for a moment. "Release all the children on the lower levels. Chaos will work in our favor if they start to rebel. We can't much go any further than that."

Neo frowns at that, mildly shaking her head. She raises her hand, two fingers raised, then she closes her fist close to her heart.

Two... Too! Too what?... close to the heart. Tight? Her eyes widen. Loyal. Too loyal.

Blair scowls at that. If that was true, Neo would be caught dead then and there. "Then... we might have to abandon that end of the plan. Come and find me if no other opportunities present themselves. I promised you that you'd be free come tomorrow." She reaches over, pausing a moment before awkwardly placing her hand on the girl' shoulder. "I intend to keep it."

Neo tenses lightly at the touch. Her eyes almost glare, but not at the blonde. The moment passes as Neo stiffly nods and shuffles off. The message was clear. Get this over with.

. . .

The door to the wait room opens, both Roman and Carmine perking at the entryway. Two armed armored men step on, the first holding the black card in his left hand. Roman's eyes narrow, seeing that the card was inserted to a wireless device.

Ah, authorization of the transfer. Whew! He thought they'd been had. Roman smirks and stands. "Ah, bout time, good buddy!"

The guard holds the device out. "I'm not your buddy. Just put the code in."

"Yeesh, fine." Roman scoffs. The keypad on the device is presented as he enters '6088'. Recalling his ribbing of Junior, he snickers. "You wouldn't happen to have any gobstoppers? I could go for some candy to tide me over."

"No." The man eyes the device, staring for a few seconds.

Roman's confident smirk starts to fall. Moment of truth!

"..." Carmine warily eyes the men, who each have the shock prods and pistols holstered. His own hand twitches towards Huelin Noon. Sweat drips down... before a green light glows on the device.

The guard huffs, removing the card for Roman. "Payment approved... Hmm. Big spender."

The conman stares wide eyed at the card. JUNIOR HAS 50 MILLION LIEN?! Had... He HAD 50 million, he mentally corrects. Giving a shaky grin, he accepts the card, like a gift from god. He slides it into his pocket. "R-Right. So, when will the new sad face be in?"

"She's on the way." The man produces a folder, handing it off to the conman. "This is her history of character and evaluations of her training."

Roman genuinely blinks wide eyed. "Man, it's weird seeing this from the outside." He accepts it, opening the folder for a quick read. On top was her combat score sheet. It brought a smirk to his mouth almost. "Interesting."

Flipping the pages, his eyes bug out. "Her last owner lost an eye?" Across the room, Carmine rips his eyes from the door, looking spooked at that.

"Hmph. You were warned." The guard snickers as he shakes his head.

That's when the door opens. Another guard, just as armed, enters the room. Entering behind him is the short girl, head divided in pink and brown. Carmine's eyes lock onto her as soon as she enters, catching pink and brown.

"It IS her!"

She didn't notice him, her eyes taking in the orange haired man before her. His posture was controlled. The cane in his hand was definitely made of stronger material than a simple cane requires. No, it's a weapon. This man was capable of defending himself. He felt... similar yet different from Spyyra.

Unlike Spyyra, she didn't feel cold when he gives an over the top smarmy grin. No, instead she felt annoyed. "Oh, you're already up and around. How shocking." Her smirking mask lessened at the emphasized word. Eyes slightly wide, her hand clenches into a fist. Right, this guy was directly a dick.

He extends his hand. "Hello, miserable youngling. My name is Roman Torchwick." She stares at the gloved hand, then meets his green eyes.

His eyes suddenly harden, hand swinging wide and grabbing. The image of the girl before him shatters as his hands close around the real girl's shoulder standing beside him. Her hand was frozen reaching for his cane now tucked under his arm. Her fiery, challenging eyes raise to meet his, only to soften at a look of... approval?

"Damn girl!" The first guard steps forward, only for Roman to hold up his off hand.

"No, no! No need." Roman eases, having caught the girl before she could steal his weapon. "Girl was already hit with lightning on that stage. I doubt beating her down further will do any better." He then refocuses on the girl, who simply raises a brow at him. Searching her eyes, he smirks. "Is it just me, or does the air feel electrified?"

Aaaand that's two shock jokes at her expense in under a minute. Her eyes narrow, debating how to kill the man, only-

CRACK!

A cup holder smashes off the back of his head, jolting him over from Neo. Neo's eyes move towards Carmine, who glares at the man for a moment. "Jerk." He mutters. As Roman growls and stops the guards from acting again. Carmine then locks eyes with Neo as both pause.

He hunches, clearly uncomfortable as his mouth works for something to say. What could he say? In this situation, with guards in the room, he couldn't exactly say 'how did you end up here?'

As he shifts, unsure what to say, the girl just... stares. She... knows him. Why does she know him? He definitely wasn't someone from the organization... No, he couldn't possibly be from before all this, right? Red, nearly crimson hair with silver tipped locks. Dark blue eyes. She... remembers seeing those traits before.

Painfully awkwardly, he gives a crooked smile and stiffly gives a wave. "Um... hi."

Roman swats Carmine's head in the side as he walks around him. "Smooth start, Studly." The two glare at one another, the pause lasting nearly ten seconds. The conman smirks. "Alright, kiddos. Pretty late, so it's time for lights out!"

Neo blinks, cocking her head at the announcement. A look to the guards, and they're just glancing at each other. However, eyes move to Carmine as he takes a deep breath..

In a flash, he opens his pack, a flash of his aura before components disappear from the waist pack and form the EMP device in his hand. "REWIND!" He slams the device onto the table and activates it.

. . .

"And now, we move on to a bright mind." Zandril speaks to the crowd, another child raising to the stage. A boy with glasses, short black hair, and brown eyes in fairly ratty clothing. "Series Blue, Number 12,592." He gestures towards the boy, no older than 15, a whole head shorter than the wide man.

"His specialties include-" CLICK. Darkness. Violet eyes blink widely behind his glasses.

All lights throughout the stage, above the audience, and along the booths of the balconies all darken. All save for the very farthest reaching lights. Just enough lights in the upper rafters to let people recognize where they are.

The tons-of-fun leader's smile twitches wider as he taps at the microphone. Nothing. Speakers out. He glances to the balconies, smile still in place. Somehow, even through the shadowy dark, His amethyst eyes lock with the orange copper in the upper levels. Spyyra's smile was gone... He stiffly nods through the darkness, getting up from the booth.

Zandril smiles wide as he cups his hands and speaks out. "Ah, seems like there are some technical difficulties. We shall continue this in just a moment!"

. . .

Blair moved about the halls. Quickly, she hides around a corner. Peaking around, two guards are escorting a dressed up woman and a young black haired boy. The guards escort the woman and the boy down further into the hall, away from the blonde.

Satisfied, Blair moves around the corner, turning to look-

-at darkness. The halls go pitch black, distance yelps of shock from the group that passed... The sound of a sword drawing echoes as the faint yellow glow of Florescent Finish illuminates the sword blade. It offers no more light than a glow stick as its wielder snaps her head around.

Power surge? Her eyes scan the eerily glowing sword blade, inspecting it as small ant sized ripples showed. The ripples barely warp the color in the shimmer from yellow to both brown and violet.

"Dust?" Blair frowns in the dark, glaring forward.

Who would do this? Not AZRL affiliates, which means Spyyra would likely be bursting down here. That leaves the children, who have no access to dust, and the clients. Someone came here with an objective. Something down here.

Blair takes off into a sprint down the halls. She can't trigger the lock down without power, so all she can do is see if this has ANYTHING to do with Neo.

Finding the hall she'd been transferred to, Blair moves to the transfer room, finding the door wide open. All three of the guards lay unconscious around the broken up room. No sign of Neo. No sign of Bowler Hat. She crouches next to one of the guards, nudging him, but he's out cold. Not dead, strangely...

The lights all surge back on, the entirety of the power returning.

She bursts away from the area. If she can trigger the lock down, it'll also find time to figure this out. Trigger the lock, find Neo, and just hold out. Whoever did this could even be one of the organization's competitors, someone with a grudge, any kind of monster in their own regard...

. . .

To he fair, she only let them take her with them because they were beating up the guards. The lights flash back on, Neo's pink and brown eyes blinking and adjusting. She sat upright atop a wooden crate. Thinking over the events, she tries to judge where they are.

The boy set off a device... lights went out... she could tell that the older man, Roman, and the boy were beating up the three guards. Afterward, the boy urged her to come along. Maybe it was the open act of violence against the guards, but she decided to move with them, smiling wide.

Roman seemed to be a natural at moving in the dark. Neo followed him, while the boy bumbled in the dark. Roman chastised the kid for the complete stealth failure, but they'd managed to find a storage room. Metal shelves with various supplies and wooden crates filled the large room.

To infiltrate AZRL's largest auction in its history, these guys must be absolute pros. Her mind briefly wonders if they could be MORE dangerous. She may need to defend herself, but best to do what they say until she gets a weapon...

Her eyes quickly make out Roman standing tall and shaking his head at the boy, who winces covering his eyes. "You really suck at this, kid."

The boy gives a watery glare at him. "Oh, I'm sorry. I'm not used to moving in the dark like a certain criminal I know!" His sarcasm ends as he groans, wiping at the blue orbs. "Jerk..."

Roman simply rolls his eyes. "Whatever, brat." He side glances Neo, aiming his cane at her. "Handsy, you're going to tell us where the other sad boys and girls are, then the nearest exit. Go."

Neo blinks slowly. "..."

"Come on, lonely lass. Talk!" Roman gives a slight glare, but the girl doesn't shift at all. Her thoughts quickly wonder. 'Oh, this guy's in for a surprise.'

The red haired boy steps between them, glaring at the criminal. "Back off. This isn't an interrogation." He turns around to look at Neo, about to say something, but Roman cuts him off.

"Oh, sure. Just waste time while guards look for us. I'm sure we have time for a heart to heart." He ends with a scoff, looking around the room's contents with a cursory glance. Containers with mechanical components, various ropes, tools, chains... No dust. Damn it. Sure, give a few hours and he could whip up something, but without dust meant to be used with it all...

Sighing, the boy turns to Neo, slightly slouched awkwardly as they simply... look back and forth. "Um... hi." With a stone blank face, Neo raises one hand and wags it lightly. Just as awkward. He works his mouth a moment, unsure what to say, but finally starting. "You-... The eye thing. You can swap your eye colors, right?"

Eyes wide, she gasps silently. He does know her! So, she knows him. Why can't she place it? For just a single second, she forgets she can't speak, opening her mouth. Nothing comes out. Rather than answer, she blinks, colors swapping sides in her mismatched eyes.

Elation, celebration splashes across his face, immediately tensing, pulling down as his mouth hangs open. Confusion and frustration switch back and forth on him. "I... N-. Neo? Neopolitan, it's you." The second he says her name, she remembers.

Years ago... The little girl turns back to the boy, the two meeting glances. She smiles, a blink making her eye colors swap sides again. "Bye, Carmine!"

The young doofus's lips curled to a smile. "Bye, Neo."

Neo lurches forward, halting a few inches from the boy, leaning in and looking dead at him, wide eyed. Carmine leans back as she leans forward, giving him a once over. Slowly, she begins circling around him. Her eyes eyes finally pause as she catches sight of the double revolver... The wolf emblem on the side.

He flinches as she stands fully. A flash in front of him sets his nerves up, but he calms at the result. Her semblance conjured a sign in her hand... on the sign was a picture of a car, a picture of a mining pick, and a question mark.

"Whoa, your semblance got cool." He mutters before realizing he was talking. "I mean... Yeah, it's me." With a head tilt, he grimaces. "How the heck did you end up with these people? Where's your moth-"

He flinches as her eyes glare hot death at him. The sign shifts as the pictures are replaced with two words underlined. 'Not Now'. Carmine gulps and nods. "Um... We're alone here, so you can talk." He gives a weak chuckle, nervous. "I'd much prefer having a different voice from him to argue with."

Slowly, she shuffles back, lightly narrowing her gaze towards him. Across the room, Roman scrutinizes the conversation, green eyes intently focused on the girl. At Carmine's questioning gaze, she simply shakes her head. "What's wrong?"

"She's mute, dumb ass." Carmine turns to Roman, head cocked confused. Roman isn't looking at him, but at Neo. Slowly, her head tilts, looking at him. As if a silent conversation were occurring. The man's grim frown settles as he shakes his head. "She fell for a trap. Lemme guess, no sign language?"

She smirks, though it doesn't quite reach her eyes. She turns the sign towards him, then points at it.

He huffs a laugh before glancing Carmine's way. "She's more quick witted than you, Silver Streak."

Carmine bristles, eyes narrow. "I'm so gonna deck you after we escape here." Neo flashes a questioning look, but the boy looks her way asking. "Can you lead us to the kidnapped kids? We gotta free them and biggity bounce!"

Both Neo and Roman face one another, only to both flinch their gazes Carmine's way at the word 'biggity'. Neo, for her part, gives a dull look, while Roman glares. "Whitest boy ever." Turning back to the girl, he continues. "We got one more EMP-"

"emp."

"-And we have two problems to deal with." Roman cuts a short glare at Carmine, who smirks back. "Two of us will need to find the hostages, release them, then lead them out of the docking bay. The remaining member will need to provide a distraction." At that, he looks to Neo. Her hairs stand on end at the implication.

"Hey!" Carmine cuts in. "She's one of the one's we're here to save! She leads to the kids and no more." Neo raises a brow at the boy... what, did she look that helpless?

Roman scoffs. "Technically, I own her now, so shouldn't I-" His flippant hand waving with his speech is swatted by Carmine, who glares at him. "Fine, brat! You go play hero." He turns his gaze back to Neo. "Do you know where the central most location on the lower floors would be? The device has a set distance, and we'll need it to cover as much space as possible to distract from you two."

Neo meets his eyes and smirks. Holding her hand out, her eyes close in concentration. Her face tenses, a touch of pain and strain breaking her calm expression. Roman and Carmine turn around, eyes widening at a fully formed 3D map of the building. The two double take, looking at Neo, who opens one eye painfully.

Her slender finger reaches to the illusion, a red dot appearing on the floor just under the auditorium with two load bearing pillars on each end of a long hallway under the seating. Down three floors below that, in a small off room, a red and silver ball, an orange and black ball, and a pink and brown ball all appear.

Roman grins as he looks over the semblance created map. "Well, this is better than I could have hoped for." He traces a path for himself, a sinister smirk forming. "Good. You two will go let the proverbial depressed, kidnapped dogs out of their cages then." Neo allows the illusion ti shatter, a shaky breath coming out for a moment.

Carmine and Neo share a glance. "What are you gonna do?"

The conman draws a cigar from a pack, then his lighter. Lighting it, he takes a long puff from the delight. "If I may be crass, I'm gonna have a hell of a fun time while I can." With a final nod, all three break from the room. Roman breaks left, the two kids going right.

. . .

The murmurs within the crowd remain audible, the pause in the evening's events creating discomfort. The rows of people and those filling the balcony booths all expressing concern. Many appear ready to bolt, if Zandril had to put an action to the feeling.

Despite the unrest, Zandril remained with an ever present smile on the stage. With the microphone shut off, he brings his hand up to an earpiece. "Have you gotten any information?"

. . .

Spyyra stands over the three unconscious men in the lower levels. His own smile was bright, but his eyes were shadowed. Around him stand four guards, two checking the downed men. He taps his own earpiece. "We've confirmed our big spender assaulted our men on the lower levels... Somehow, he caused the blackout and disappeared."

Clicking the earpiece off, he turns to the nearest guard. "I want everyone on high alert, please." His pleasant, friendly tone somehow played off in the situation.

However, one of the guards, standing in the hall, brings a hand to his radio. It goes off. Radio traffic comes in like a scream. "Intruder on sub level 2- gah!" a second voice shoutsbover the general radio after. "Enemy combatant is armed and dangerous. It's the bastard in the-" the radio cuts off in static.

The guards look from their radios to Spyyra, whose smile creepily widens. He hums to himself as he keys his earpiece again. "Good news, sir! We know where an intruder is. I'll head down and deal with that now."

"That isn't necessary, my good man." Zandril's voice calls over. "I have a gut feeling that this is more... multifaceted than just one lone wolf." Spyyra straightens, frowning slightly. "Rather than go hunting the electric rabbit like a dog on a track, let us stamp out the seeds of insurrection before they may sprout."

"You will come to the upper levels and escort our deal guests and myself from here post haste. I want all things ready for Operation: Bring the House Down."

Spyyra even flinches at that, looking up in confusion. "Zan man, you really think that's necessary?" The giggling laughter on the line catches his attention.

. . .

"To coldly follow logic above instinct is to forsake intrinsic foresight. Besides." He chuckles as he fixes hos glasses. "There's no kill quite like overkill. It's not often I get the opportunity to dirty my own hands." He clicks off the earpiece.

"Understood, sir."

Zandril turns the microphone back on. "Attention, my guests. I have to apologize for the abruptness of this announcement."

. . .

Spyyra remains silent as the three downed guards are helped to their feet by the other four. The seven men stand at attention before the man. The room is silent, a pin drop would sound loud.

"Three of you, go secure as many children as possible and get them out. The other three of you will go find Dr Gale and other staff. Get them out." His voice remains even.

"YES SIR!" All seven men salute, about to move when Spyyra's arm stops the one directly to his right.

"You stay." His tone drops, making the other six guards pause.

The guard looks back, glance darting back and forth from the hand to the man. "S-sir?" He looks into Spyyra's eyes, hollow and unfeeling orange.

"I'm a man of my word." The now frowning green haired man withdraws his hand. As his hand pulls back, all the metal in the guard's weaponry and armor rips from from the holsters and fabric. The metal warps around the suited hand, forming a thick blade around the flat fingers.

In a flash, he jabs his blade covered arm through the man, down to the elbow. The man chokes out, the inside of his visor darkening with liquid as red pours from his back. Spyyra's eyes remain cold as he rips his arm away, leaving the metal blade in the man.

The guard falls over, mild chokes sounding before going still. Spyyra flicks his right hand, ensuring no blood touched his suit. He looks at all the remaining guards, smiling as brightly as ever. "Ah that's better! Now, you have your orders!"

. . .

"AH!" An armed guard flies down the hallway, into a far wall. He crumples down unconscious. Three more men step into the hall, glaring down the orange haired conman.

Roman smirks, the gun handle popping out the side of Velvet Valentine. Grabbing it in a reverse grip, he holds the cane as a tonfa. The tip sticks out past hos elbow while the cane head sticks farther past his closed hand.

Breaking into a sprint, the nearest guard draws in stud prod and jabs. Roman deflects the prod with the cane and jabs the club side of the tonfa head into the man's throat. Taking advantage, Roman hooks the man's shoulder with the pick side, pulling him into a palm thrust.

The man is thrown back, the second guard ducks under the flying man, then runs up swinging a shock stick. Roman swats the stick aside, then swings the pick side of his weapon, sticking it into the helmet. He wrenches the guard to the man's knees, then rips the helmet off.

The conman then knees the brown haired man so hard, he flies from the floor and hits the ceiling. The guard falls unconscious as Roman removes the helmet off his weapon. The final guard finally draws a pistol, taking aim.

Smirking, Roman throws the helmet in his hand. The thrown object hits the gun as the weapon fires. The guard flinches from the hit, then straightens his aim-

Roman dashes in, ramming his weapon, pressured by his forearm and elbow, across the man's sternum. The guard is slammed into a wall hard enough to crack. Roman removes his arm, the guard falling over with a groan.

The conman brushes the brim of his hat as he moves over to a door, entering a stair way.

. . .

Gun shots fly. "Get those brats!" Bullets spray into the corner turn. Around the turn, Carmine leans, back to the wall, Heulin Noon drawn. His eyes were wide, watching the sparks of the lead striking off the wall.

Four gunmen were firing pistols, one in the back with a one handed sub machine gun. When one clip empties, the next begins firing while the fire reloads. All while they slowly advance. Damn, this is actually real...

This is real. This isn't training. It's not even petty thugs! These are actual murderers and traffickers.

The image... A woman with blonde/brown hair and dog ears... bleeding at the gut. A man in a t-shirt, a diagonal series of punctures across his chest... a woman in a white cloak and hood bleeding from the gut.

A touch jolts the boy from his mind. He snaps a wide gaze over to Neo beside him. Her head is tilted, brow raised. Her other hand gestures to the weapon in his hand.

He pulls it away from her, taking a deep breath. "No. I got this. I'm here to help you all, remember?" Her unimpressed look was slightly infuriating, but she takes a small step back. Breath out through the mouth. The men were almost just around the corner. He steels himself, fire lit.

Swapping the gun to his right hand, he swings around the corner, using his armored left to shield his head. He charges through three shots, closing to the first pistol wielder. He backhands the gun aside, then pistol whips the guard with Heulin Noon.

Rocked, the guard is hooked in the jaw by Carmine's metal covered knuckles. He drops as the second guard behind him fires.

Carmine drops to the floor. "Jager!" His armor changes to his legs as lands, one foot on the downed guard's side. His leg thrust fire, forcefully blasting the unconscious guard into the second's legs, dropping him.

On the floor, Carmine fires Heulin Noon, one shot into the third, the other into the fourth. Both drop, but the final aims his SMG at the boy, firing.

Eyes wide, Carmine disappears in a flicker of his semblance, reappearing from around the corner where he'd started. Blasting forward using Jager, he closes the distance. "Zero!" The armor flashes back over his arm as he lands the charging punch, knocking the man out.

Standing satisfied, he fails to notice the second guard standing and taking aim behind him... The guard fires and strikes Carmine in the back.

The boy shatters out of existence. The man then feels his leg kicked out, dropping to a knee. Neo wrenches and twists his arm, bringing his head low enough to kick into the wall. He crumbles unconscious.

Two feet from where Carmine's image shattered, Carmine appears from a shattering invisibility. He looks around himself, confused. "H-holy crap your semblance got awesome. How did you do that?"

She huffs and smirks, pocketing a combat knife off one man, then a shock prod to her left hand, and a fully loaded pistol in her right hand. Walking over and past Carmine, she lightly twirls the gun and bops the boy's nose with the butt of the pistol.

Carmine flinches, wrinkling his nose annoyed again before he sighs and follows. The two continue through the halls, finally coming to a great long hallway. Every ten feet is marked by a barred door. Far off to the end, guards are escorting teens and children out of the barred door rooms.

One guard spots the far off girl and boy. "There they are! Get the children out!" The guy steps forward, brandishing a rifle as he kneels to a firing position. He fires.

The bullet blitz's through the hall to the wide eyed boy. It strikes dead in the boy's chest, knocking him off his feet as his aura flashes from the dust shot. Neo's eyes track the falling boy until Carmine flickers away, appearing back on his feet with his Recall semblance.

Carmine drops to a knee, hand clutching his chest. A circular area on his chest is faded gray, devoid of aura before filling up with color once more. He chokes out a breath.

"Okay..." His voice is raspy, in a growl, almost seething. He coughs in pain. "So my semblance CAN repair damage to myself like that. Ow... still hurts a lot." He raises his gun, aiming the revolver at the confused rifleman forty yards off.

Carmine fires a double shot, the powerful blast strikes into the kneeling man, shredding his combat armor and propelling him back into the wall, out. Neo blinks at the boy, confused and both brows up.

Standing, he shakes it off, looking at the girl. "What kind of bullet was that? It shredded my aura. I should've been able to at least take the hit."

All she could give was a shrug. Both their eyes snap back down the hall, hearing the distance footsteps. "Crap! Come on". Both of them move into a sprint. Rushing past many of the still caged teens, they then pass a large number of empty cages. He takes notice of that. "Damn it!"

Bounding around corner after corner, the two come out to the loading dock... finding a closing carrier truck pulling off. Two men remain behind as they train their guns on the children.

Neo surges forward, swatting the left guard's gun down and jabbing him with her prod, then firing her own pistol from her right hand into the right guard. Carmine speeds by them, skidding to a halt.

With a flick, he flash reloads Heulin Noon, taking aim and firing all six shots at the retreating truck. The shots ping off the side, puncturing small holes. The last shot pops one of the back double tires, but the ten wheel vehicle still pulls up the ramp, disappearing from view. Disappearing with a full load if children...

"No!" He runs a few more steps, gritting his teeth before aiming again. Too late... it's gone. He chokes a breath as he runs a hand up through his hair. Balling his fist, anger burns in his mind as he snarls. "No no, GOD DAMN IT!"

Shaking, BRIMMING with anger, he slowly turns and aims his gun as the stunned guard hit by Neo's prod. Teeth gritting hard enough to threaten cracking, he chokes and lowers the gun. "Zero..." He growls out, his armor flashing from his legs to his arm as he smashes it into the visor of the man's helmet, knocking him out.

He failed then. He failed them. He failed them.

This thought repeated in his head until Neo lightly taps him with her shock prod. "Ah!" The jolt throws him out from his anger, bringing watery blue eyes up to meet brown and pink. Neo takes a second, but bobs her head back towards the building.

Right... they still had other kids to save. She holds her hand up, holding a set of keys as she smirks. His breathing slows, calming as he takes the keys from her. He nods, calming before he takes off into a sprint back into the building.

Neo stays a moment, eyes watching him go. Her eyes look... far. Slowly, the orbs glance to the night sky overhead... then to the building. Now. Now was her chance to leave and never go back.

"I promise." Blair's voice echoes in the back of her mind.

Sighing, Neo rolls her neck before sprinting back into the building.

. . .

"What are you doing- Gah!" The last guard hits the ground hard. Heeled boots step over as Blair continues on. Behind her is a trail of downed guards, ten in total. She sheathes her weapon, finally turning a corner for her target. A kick to the floor in the right spot, and a ten by five foot slot begins to open in the marble flooring.

"Finally..." She groans out. She really wished she could've known the type of Grimm they were keeping down there. Still. The trap only registers if one goes through. She'd really banked on Neo going through.

Her eyes narrow in frustration, a long angry breath blowing out. The lock down will keep enough of the people here for the Hunters to arrive... So, she hops down into the dark hole...

. . .

The bar door opens, a curled ten year old girl looking with frightened green eyes. Carmine gives a quick shaky smile, waving his hand for her. "Hey there! Uh, it's okay. Come on! We're getting you outta here."

Hesitant, the girl steps out slowly, eyes widening at the hall now filled with human and faunus children of varying ages. Neo and Carmine, each with a key, move quickly, unlocking and opening each and every door.

Near the end of the hallway, Carmine moves to the door, opening it. Before him comes a tall-, and he means TALL, sloth faunus with tan skin. He was a boy... sand colored hair and hazel eyes. Carmine's eyes lot up. "Hey! Are you Ronson?"

The recognition catches the older teen off guard. "Wh-what? How do you know me?"

Finally, a smile forces its way full beaming on the red haired boy's face. "Oh! Uh, I'm a friend. Been looking for ya for your mom and cousin!" Carmine points behind him with his thumb. "Come on! We're getting you out."

Moving into the hall, Carmine looks around at all the other children. Looking to Neo, he nods. She smirks for a moment, but they quickly move their way through the crowd. "Come on! Go! Go! Go!"

The large amount of children move about through the halls, finding their way to the loading dock. The two unconscious guards catch the kids' eyes, many pausing. One was beginning to groan and move... until Neo sweep kicks his head when it's not an inch up.

The stampede of children moves outside. Neo moves inside to find the back of the pack, finding Carmine and Ronson. The sloth gets out the dock as Carmine and Neo meet gazes. "We need to get Roman out too."

Grimacing, Neo conjures a sign on the end of her shock prod. 'And my friend too. She's posing as the doctor in the lower levels.' Carmine's eyes widen at that.

"Crap. Which do we do first? It's best to stick together, after all." As soon as the words exit his mouth...

Ch-ch-ch-ch-ch!

Rapid clacking rattles loudly as massive doors drop down from the ceiling. Each door clamps down on each of the open docks in the loading area. Carmine and Neo flinch back from the doors, three children and Ronson all locked in with them.

Eyes wide, Carmine looks over the massive metal doors, a heavy metal click locking as they settle. "What... is this?"

Neo looks positively mortified... Right. Blair's plan. Guess it's easy to know where SHE is. She sighs as she looks at the four other captives behind herself and Carmine... bad timing. Well, it could be WORSE, but...

. . .

The doors clamp down in the main entrance, several guards and patrons outside. Many having already made their purchases... Upon seeing the doors seal closed, they begin doubling their paces to their vehicles to leave. Those inside begin pounding at the doors, demanding explanations from the various defensive guards...

. . .

Moving up metal stairs, Zandril marches along with a smile. Directly behind him, Spyyra walks with a matching grin. The two were marching in detail of a dozen guards, moving to the roof entrance. However, after the first three guards make it outside... the door clamps shut, a second layer of metal sheeting down and locking down.

The guards gasp. "What the- The lock down protocol? Who set that off?"

The guards all move towards the exit to the roof, all shouting over the radio. They leave the pudgy man and his suited enforcer, both simply smiling... Spyyra leans forward. "Well, someone had access and knowledge of this place's systems. It seems you're correct, sir."

Zandril shakes his head, chuckling. "Oh, dear Spyyra, I'm right here. Of course I see that I'm correct." He reaches into his pocket, producing his scroll. He hands it to the green haired man. "Please connect me to the local camera and intercom, please. I wish to have a heart to heart with these intruders."

Spyyra accepts the device, quickly tapping through the settings. "Of course sir." A few seconds tick by before he hands it back. "There we are, sir!"

"Thank you, my man." Zandril responds chipper. On the screen, he swipes through live camera feeds. Empty cages... halls filled with downed guards... guests pounding at the main entrance doors...

He continues swiping through until he finds the hell just under the auditorium... the orange haired man entering the halls. Zandril's grin doubles in size.

. . .

Roman enters the central area of the floor below the auditorium. Still plenty of bustle could be heard through the ceiling. "Let's see..." He pulls the remaining EMP device from his inner pocket of his coat. "Use this here, and everything goes lights out. Then leave with tails between our legs..."

He pauses, looking about. "Or, at least, I'm starting to second guess. There isn't hardly any resistance here. I feel like I could just walk out of here." He takes a puff of his cigar, blowing out before closing his eyes.

Listening closely, he can hear the hum of the air vents... the sparking of a wire no doubt made into a rat's snack... He can hear the distant people. 'Distant' being the key word. His eyes open wide. "Have they already cleared the auditorium? Why?"

"Indeed, the last words of the fly to the spider, shouldn't we agree?" The familiar voice sounds all around, echoing in the halls. Roman's eyes snap up, seeing the grating for a speaker on the ceiling. His shocked eyes dark around. "You see, I had a feeling from the moment I laid eyes upon you... Until I recalled." Roman looks over his shoulder, spotting a camera, a small black dome no bigger than a ping pong ball, at the very end of the hall.

"OH, don't look like that. It's so splendid to SEE you! Let's have a heart to heart, shall we?" Zandril's voice dripped through the walls.

Eyes slightly too wide to be calm, Roman manages to smirk. "Oh, Zanny... How long's it been? Sorry to say, but I don't think the diet is working out." He allowed his own sarcasm and snark to match the man's snide glee.

. . .

Zandril stands, smirking at the scroll in his hands. A far off expression come son as he sighs in satisfaction. "Ah... It truly IS you, 1075. I was led to believe you died. I'm sufficiently happy to know you're thriving in this lovely corner of the world."

On the screen, Roman turns to face the camera. "Actually, I go by Roman Torchwick now. On new names, I gotta say this. 'Zan Man' is kind of a lame one. Where and who did you pick THAT from?"

A light lit anew twinkles in Zandril's violet eyes. "Torchwick? And they say I'M pretentious." Straightening his glasses, his grin showing teeth now, Spyyra approaches the door to the roof.

The guards part their way as the green haired enforcer reaches and places his palm flat on the metal barrier. The hand tenses, a flash of clear blue as a dull thrum of groaning metal quietly. His fingers begin to push in, the metal slowly giving way.

"To think... you actually survived in this world. YOU of all people." Zandril giggles to himself. "Now, I almost want to root for you. I would love to meet face to face again someday." Suddenly, his pitch dips, darker. "A majestic flower that has bloomed out of sight. How long until it wilts away? I wonder."

. . .

Roman's gaze darkens at the camera. "Flowers are overrated." A smirk brightens on his face. "I quite prefer the warmth of a fire. The force of change." He sighs, placing the EMP device back in his inner pockets. "But, if you're already on your way out, guess it's pointless for me to be here. Let's rain check this meeting and shelve the photo album memories, shall we?"

Turning away, he takes two steps before the man's giggle echoes in the hall. "An interesting point, my boy. So let today be the mark of change. Figuratively..." Roman's eyes widen, looking down the halls. On each end is a load bearing steel beam. On each one is a wrap... a green blinking light... and lines of dust... "And VERY literally."

Bombs!? Roman drops to a knee. From his jacket, he pulls out a thick pack. Twirling his cane and gripping the pop out gun grip, he slides the pack into a slot just down the shaft from the gun grip. Further up, a grip pops down, forming the Tommy Gun mode of Velvet Valentine.

He aims up, firing a stream of explosive shots into the ceiling. The burst breaks through the ceiling tiles, through the construction, and blows a hole through the floor of the auditorium.

Zandril's laughter echoes out. "Yes! Play the odds! Show me a winner!"

Leaping up, Roman rises through the hole, landing in the center rows of the auditorium first floor. "Damn it!" He breaks into a sprint.

On the lower floor... the blinking green light shifts red. All the rows of dust ignite...

. . .

Carmine and Neo turn to the four children with them. "Alright. You four stay here! We have to go get our friend- partner-..." He stops in thought, looking at Neo for help, but she merely raises one brow. "We just have someone else to get."

BOOM!

The dull roar sounds through the halls with a violent quake of the ground. Ronson and the three others all drop to the floor, while Neo and Carmine manage to remain on their feet. Everyone looks with wide eyes as a cloud of dust blows from the halls. "What the heck?!"

As they shield themselves from the cloud, the lights flicker on and off... and their footing starts to slip. Forcing her eyes open, Neo finds the floor beginning to give, bending downward as loud creaking and groans echo.

Her gasp must have been loud, cause Carmine notices after, looking back to the other children. "Crap, we have to save them!"

Both of them leap back towards the other kids, using their aura as a shield. The ceiling breaks downward, and the floor slants down and collapses... The group of six slide and fall into the dark dusty abyss...

. . .

The rumbling settles, the guards all gasping and taking time to breath easier. However, Zandril simply smiles, looking over to Spyyra. "So, were those charges placed how I wanted them?"

Spyyra's grin widens as he twists his hand on the metal door, warping the metal with the movement. "Exactly as desired. Should give us five, ten minutes tops before the roof collapses. Immediate collapse of the lower levels to bring the building's contents to the sub level caverns."

With a grunt, Spyyra shoves forward, a flash of his aura punctuates the movement. With a loud ripping of metal, the sealed door is shredded off its confines, blasting out onto the greater portion of the roof. Spyyra steps out of the open doorway, bowing and gesturing Zandril through.

"Thank you, my good man. Now, we need only fly away and assess this situation." The large man giggles under his breath as he steps out onto the roof of the Silver Auditorium.

Spyyra walks out after him, smiling wide. "You know. I would've thought you'd be more angry at today's events. You seem to have a spring in your step, if you don't mind my comment."

"Oh, somewhere inside, I assure you I am blindingly livid..." Zandril's violet eyes darken. However, his jovial tone remains unfettered. "Yet, at the same time, I find myself giddy. Giddy with pride. Pride in someone else, you see. Giddy... for the events to come from this."

Stepping out to the night sky and shaky roof, both men stop, expressions blanking in confusion... as black feathers fall around them. Before them, all the guards, all the men that were on the roof before them are splayed around, unconscious.

The guards around Zandril all move to his sides, leaving the boss and Spyyra in the center. Standing between the line of criminals and their getaway vehicle, the helicopter Zandril arrived in, is a man.

The red cape off the back, white jacket with black interior, sleeves rolled up. Qrow Branwen stands, taking a swig from his flask before pocketing it and brandishing his sword. "Oh? And what events would you happen to be talking about?"

Nothing. They say not a word to him. All trace of glee is gone from the fat man's face. The guards don't hesitate, taking a charge at the team STRQ member. Before they close the distance, Zandril pats Spyyra on the back. "I'll prep the plane. Just keep him busy..."

With that, the fat man marches to the helicopter, leaving Spyyra to watch his men get absolutely slaughtered by the man they all should know. Beacon's number 1 agent. With his master prepping their getaway, Spyyra grins widely.

. . .

"UGHNNNN!" Carmine grinds out. Both feet planted, body squat holding a mix of dry wall and concrete over his head. His eyes twitch rapidly as he strains against the material. Directly under him is a younger girl, shaking with wide eyes, laying on top of an equally young boy who wasn't moving. All three were roughed up by the collapse, absolutely covered in dirt.

Pushing hard, the material gives as his metal covered arm sinks in. The concrete crunches onto the metal trapping the boy's arm. His breath hitches, realizing this. "Crap! Lower your head." He orders the girl.

She ducks further over the boy, so Carmine lifts one leg and plants it on a concrete slab beside her. "Jager!" The metal flashes off his arm, the sliver of space enough for him to pull his arm free from the material's vice.

The debris crunches down, weighing Carmine a few more inches down as he cries out. Groaning, he looks to the boosters on his calves, letting part of the material slide down his back. Now at an angle, he roars.

"HAAAAA!" The boosters fire as he heaves back, using his shoulders to push. With the added thrust, the large mass of debris gives and falls backward.

The concrete falls off as Carmine falls onto his back, breathing heavily. He and the two children expose to the open air, on top of a catastrophic amount of debris from all the sub floors of the auditorium. Looking up a large pile, he sees Ronson and the other boy, about Carmine's age.

Both sit, huddled together, under the shade of a large slab at an angle. "Get out from under there!"

At that moment, the large concrete barrier cracks. Carmine bursts to his feet, but too late. The debris caves in, falling and smashing down onto the sloth faunus and younger boy... Until their images shatter.

Seeing the shatter, Carmine's gaze moves all over finding the two off to the side, equally confused. Behind them, Neo lets out a long breath. She's covered in dust and dirt, clothes lightly ripped, but is well enough to give Carmine a dull lidded look.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Carmine smiles at her and stands up. Thankfully, she returns a smirk as they turn attention to the younger children. Quickly helping them out of the cubby hole Carmine pushed out from, They examine the still boy.

"Out cold, but it doesn't look TOO bad. Here, look after him." He gives the boy over to Ronson, letting the tall teen carry him. Carmine and Neo look around them...

Mounds of collapsed steel beams, concrete, marble, walls, wiring between the constructions... Stranger was the cavernous rock, covered in glowing moss, lining the side of a grand hole... they were in a massive pit. Looking further and further up, it's almost 100 yards above then that the signs of construction show!

Streaks of light peek down, some stray lights all the way from the ceiling of the still standing auditorium! Parts of the building's walls and roof were caved in, revealing city light and moon light trickling and lighting all the to the bottom of the cavern.

Neo's jaw drops at the scale. Just how fucking deep is this Grimm cavern?!

… Oh.

… Grimm cavern.

Neo whips around, eyes darting back and forth. Slowly, she backs up until she'd backed into Carmine's own. Shit, he doesn't know... Carmine simply looks over parts of the debris, seeing some shattered pieces offering a sort of makeshift hill.

Maybe they could climb their way back up-

A pebble falls and pops next to the two children, making both flinch. Carmine snaps Heulin Noon up, Neo aiming her stolen gun as well... at Roman.

Roman stands at the tip of a debris pile. His right suit sleeve is ripped off, tears showing on his shirt and pants. His hat somehow survived. Unamused, Roman takes a puff of his cigar. "That could have gone better."

Carmine gapes at him. "What... did you do?!" He shrieks, ignoring Neo's gesturing to keep quiet.

Roman double takes, voice raising in defense as he hops down to their level. "I didn't do anything! This was done by Big Phat up there! Apparently, he knew about us and decided to blow us all to hell!"

Carmine narrows his gaze, scoffing. "Sure. So then he shut the doors on us? We were basically home free!" Groaning, he runs a hand through his hair. "Oh, doesn't matter now. We need to get out of this pit."

"Finally, you show some sense- whoa!" Roman's snide comment is interrupted as Neo grabs both the man and boy for attention. Releasing then, she holds up a conjured sign showing a picture of a mass of black with four red eyes.

Carmine snaps his gaze to the four children, suddenly whispering. "There's Grimm?" He holds his hand up for the others attention, then holds up one finger to his mouth.

Behind him, Roman scoffs at the action. "Please. This pit would've been here before AZRL, and Senior doesn't deal in Grimm trade. I'd know."

The redhead looks at him with a raised brow. "Just like before three days ago, you know AZRL wasn't partnered with Senior?"

Roman's mouth hung open, finger raised. "..." Slowly, he lowers his finger and closes his mouth, a settled glare. Suddenly, his hand is snapping his scroll from his pocket. Amazingly, still in one piece. A few taps later, and he brings the scroll to his ear.

Carmine and Neo, as well as the other kids, share a collective glance as the man starts a call.

The line picks up, faint music in the background as Junior's voice rings. "Roman? How did things go-"

"Does Senior deal in Grimm trade?" Roman speaks clearly, an accusatory tone from him. The short pause was long enough for Neo and Carmine to start glancing around, wary.

"I don't-. I mean, why does that-"

"I kind of need the answer right this moment." Roman's eye twitches, waiting impatiently.

"He hasn't in years, but he's made one or two purchases that caught his eye."

"And he keeps them?!" Roman's voice rose slightly until he recalled. Senior doesn't waste a potential resource... Roman himself was proof of that. He sighs loudly. "Wait, scratch that. What do you mean by 'caught his eye'?"

A light tremor rattles the ground under their feet. All present freeze, listening to the crackle of pebbles and debris all around them. Roman scowls. "Scratch that again. We'll talk later... By the way, don't check your account balance."

"Why? What did you-" The call beeps over as Roman hangs up.

With a loud crack, a long black limb rips from under a pile of rubble. Carmine shouts to the kids. "Stay back!" As he, Neo, and Roman dodge back.

Like a whip, the appendage slams down, cracking and shattering the already broken surface. Looking at the limb, it's like... a tentacle? Carmine's brow raises, looking at the underside to find small six inch spine like spikes piercing into the rubble.

On the upper side of the tentacle, thick black plates lined the skin like scales. Just a shade lighter than the black under the armored scales. The limb lifts over, threatening to smash down onto the group...

A high pitch shrieking wine of metal sounds as a orange-red blade slashing into the plated skin from the side. A trigger sounds as flames explode out from the blade, encasing the entire towering 20 yard limb. The flames die out as the limb is flung back into another debris pile.

The sword shifts to a golden yellow, its wielder landing off to the side from the group. Blonde hair was slightly disheveled, pleated shirt ripped at the shoulder, but outfit otherwise untouched except for dirt.

Carmine's wide eyes locked on the woman as she turned amber eyes to them... Blair and Carmine meet eyes. His mouth hangs open agape, her own jaw parting with a grunt. In a snap, the boy raises hisnright hand, pointing accusatory at the woman.

Blair's eyes flick to Roman... then Neo... then back to Carmine... Face tensing as she began putting fledgling pieces together...

Roman and Neo equally look between the two, Roman disinterested while Neo was confused... Especially as Carmine's face lit up to a grin, the boy taking into a sprint at the woman. "BLAIR-"

CRACK!

Roman cracks a laugh out as Neo flinches with wide eyes.

Blair smashes Florescent Finish's sheath down on the boy's head, planting his face into the debris. With a look of pure fury. A high pitch whine comes muffled out of Carmine. "~aahhhhhh..." Blair sheathes her weapon smoothly, then grabs the boy by the back of the shirt.

Pulling him up, she stares murder into his eyes, making him remember just how god damn terrifying she can be. "CARMINE UHLRIC, WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE?!"

"AH!" He yelps like a horror movie scream, hands held up in defense. "S-S-S-S-Saving children! That's it! I swear!" If she could get more rigid, she manages it. Her eyes lose fury, replaced with ancold mask without emotion.

Carmine yelps as he's dropped onto his feet shakily. Both Blair's hands reach up, one on each of the boy's temples, holding his head to lock eyes. "Carmine... were you working with that man over there?"

Sweating bullets, the boy can't find his voice for a moment. Behind him, Roman snickers, catching a side glare from Blair. "Well, I didn't think the brat had friends. I didn't believe him." With a smarmy grin, he tips his head. "Roman Torchwick."

Carmine flinches as Blair's eye snaps to look back at him. "... So my plan was ruined on purpose..." Her head dips, a long frustrated sigh sounding.

"Wait, you were-" The boy's speech was cut by Blair's finger jabbing over his lips.

"I'll deal with you in a second. Let me finish off this Grimm." He pushes away, turning from the group to face the pile of shaking rubble in the distance. Rumbling under them all, the group sees four more tentacle like limbs break from under the collapse.

Neo hops around Carmine, coming to a stop beside the woman. They meet eyes for a moment. The short girl nudges her head towards the tentacles, raising a brow.

"No. I thought there would be regular Grimm down here. Not this one. It's powerful, so I'll face it alone." Blair pushes around Neo and steps forward, drawing Florescent Finish. She slides into a Kendo stance.

Roman cocks his head. "'This one'? So there was only one beast down here?" Suddenly thinking of the scroll call, he recalls Junior's specific wording. 'Purchases that caught his eye'. "What is it?"

Before them all, the debris rips upward... Eight. Eight total tentacles with armored points, black-gray armored scales overlapping on the backs of the appendages, with white spikes lining the under sides. The eight limbs come in to a dome like center... like an octopus? On each side of the center... head thing, was two slit red eyes one over the other. Each eye had white bone bordered around it. Under the dome head was a white bone beak facing the ground, teeth spiking the inside.

Carmine takes a step back, aiming his gun. "What... what kind of Grimm is that?"

Blair huffs. "Kraken." She scowls, keeping her eyes in the beast. "Vicious. They typically prefer deep waters." She neglects to mention something else... they typically take at least 2 seasoned Hunters to kill. "My old team killed one before. I know it's weak spots."

She also fails to mention all four of them nearly dying... but that doesn't matter. She's the only one with the knowledge and training. Only she can do this.

She takes off into a sprint, the monster's beak opening under it to roar. It sets its head on the ground, lifting four tentacles and lashing out...

. . .

A yelp sounds as the last guard hits the roof top. His chest armor is gashed open as he groans and falls unconscious. Near the fallen man, Spyyra snickers and looks up. "Wow, is this really happening? A live performance of a Team STRQ member!"

Standing before him, Qrow lazily squares off with the man, hard eyes locked on him. "You know who I am, so that puts me at a disadvantage. Who are you?"

The green haired man smirks as he begins stepping to the side. Qrow matches the movement, the two steadily walking in a circle. "Oh, I'm no one special. It least, not compared to Beacon's best and brightest."

"Flattery or no, it's still rude to talk about others when they don't know you." Red eyes hold orange, the two stopping in their circling. Qrow swings his sword in a flourish.

A false look of grief comes over the enforcer. "Oh, I guess I'm just a rude guy. I hope you'll forgive me." Grin back, he slides to a wide stance. His aura activates, smile widening so much, it almost splits his face.

His jet black suit shifts... His sleeves seem to dissolve into dust... or rather, dust particles. The particles of black in the air shift, covering his forearms before forming curved blades out from his wrist. Spyyra now stands, his suit jacket gone, the material now making two jet black blades attached on his gray undershirt sleeves.

The green haired man's lips were pulled back in a mix between a snarl and a grin. "Besides, I'm positively THROBBING at the chance to face you."

Qrow narrows his gaze, shifting his stance defensively... "Well, if it lasts for more than four hours..." With no more warning, Spyyra launches himself forward.

. . .

Blair slides under the coming tentacle as it buries into the uneven ground behind her. Rushing forward, a second tentacle sweeps along the ground. The woman leaps up unto the moving limb before running along the armored scales.

A third tentacle drapes over the one she's running up, sweeping along her path. She angles her guard down, blocking the hit as she's swatted off the limb. Flipping in the air, she lands on the cavern wall, running along it before leaping back at the beast.

Two of the armored limbs whip up at her. Flipping, she strikes the first, using the force of the strike to throw herself around the second. Landing on the ground, she moves into a sprint.

Another limp stabs at her point first. Eyes wide, Blair throws her weight into a swing, parrying the jabbing limb. The tentacle slides by, scales scraping and sparking against her sword as it roars on. Pushing off, the woman continues forward. She quickly slides a dust shell into Florescent's hilt.

The Kraken rolls back, setting its head on the ground and directing all eight limbs in the woman's way. It coils two limbs together in front of it, swinging them out for a wide sweeping attack. Blair leaps high, dodging the twin sweep!

In the air, two more limbs whip out simultaneously. Pulling her weapon trigger, the golden blade shifts sky blue-gray, wind dust. She slashes as a massive torrent of wind blows both of the armored Grimm limbs back.

She lands again, but doesn't react in time as another limb strikes her from the side. The blow sends her away, through a mound of rubble before she rolls to her feet and skids to a halt. With a mild groan of pain, she sets back into her stance before charging again.

A short distance off, Carmine watches, angry. Fists clenched, his armored hand reaches for Heulin Noon. He takes an aggressive step towards the fight when Roman's hand grips the back of his jacket. "You go in, I'm not getting you out of it."

The boy's gaze drops, eyes clenching closed... an unbidden image in his head coming. A tall beast radiating electricity facing a woman in a white cloak...

Carmine's eyes snap out. "Darn it! We should help!" He shouts out towards the other two capable fighters. Neo looks on with pursed lips, flicking her eyes to Roman.

"Yeah, not interested. See, if SHE wants to take this herself, that's her issue." Roman waves the boy. His green eyes track the various mounds of debris lining the great large pit. Behind them, unstable piles lead far up the scaling. "Ah, we can use that to climb out merry way out-"

Behind them, the Kraken slams down, missing Blair, as it pursues its prey. The shaking of the loose debris jostles the piles Roman points out... and they fall.

The group of children off the side yelp out as the debris falls towards them. It misses them as they find a more stable mound to stand on. Immediately, Carmine and Neo turn to Roman. The boy looks with an angry scowl while Neo gives a small smirk.

The man groans, face palming. Carmine grabs Roman at the arm for attention. "Come on! We need to kill that thing before it knocks everything down anyway."

The orange haired man rolls his eyes. "Yeah right. We'll just take another way out of here from the oh-so terrible beastie."

A light tap on both of them brings their gazes to Neo. The girl simply points across the way. Both follow the gesture, finding three similar broken paths lining the cavern wall across the pit, on the other side of the Grimm's battle.

"See? Plenty of options-"

Another quake from the fight shakes apart two of the broken mounds, collapsing and leaving only one viable way out of the great large pit...

Roman glares, a low growl coming out of him. He looks over to Carmine, who brightens with his own smirk. Roman's glare narrows. A heavy breath in through the nose, then out through the mouth... Damn it.

In the fray of the fight, Blair dodges left, mid sprint, as a tentacle spears by her. Another of the spiking limbs missiles down from above, catching her eye. In a split second, the blonde back flips away, letting the spike bury itself in the slab of concrete.

Sticking the landing, the last tentacle she dodged curls around behind. "Tch!" Blair drops, ducking down as the large tentacle swipes just over her head, whipping at ponytail as it passes.

She stands back up as a third tentacle jabs at her. Without time to dodge, the woman brings the broad side of her sword up.

The strike sends Blair scraping along the uneven ground, feet planted in the giving footing. She finally grinds to a stop, the limb retracting away from her out of her sight... revealing four more tentacles spiking down from different angles.

Blair scowls, raising her blade... and stopping. 'What?' She feels the sensation of another aura... Deciding to allow the control, she remains still as the four limbs spike through her.

She shatters into glass like shards of aura.

Blair opens her eyes, now over a ridge overlooking the monster. Turning her head, she finds Neo beside her with a smirk. Blair huffs. "I told you not to-"

"Don't care." Blair cuts her look to her left, finding Carmine. The boy stubbornly holds her glare. "We're helping."

A sardonic scoff catches her attention to Bowler Hat. "'We', he says. What am I doing?" He mutters to himself. Meeting Blair's eyes, he raises a brow. "Of course, if you wanna continue getting smacked around and destroying out way out, be my guest."

Blair's amber eyes meet Carmine's blue... and she was losing. A loose sigh escapes her her, bringing a smile to the boy. "What do we need to know."

Narrowing her eyes at him a second more, she groans and looks back to the monster. "The only vulnerable spots on the top side are its eyes, which are difficult to him. The armored scales on the top side are nearly indestructible to conventional means."

Carmine's face twists in confusion. "So nothing gets through it?"

"Lightning dust will let me cut through, but I only have one lightning dust charge on me." Blair answers slowly. "The flesh on the underside is far more vulnerable, but dangerous due to the spikes."

Roman scoffs. "Your own fault for not using God's gift called a 'gun'." He takes a puff of his cigar, blowing out. "So how does it die?"

"It's beak is the last line of defense, although it's very strong. A hard enough hit to its center can destroy its brain for the kill. The obvious problem is getting there."

"Easy." Carmine's determined statement catches her attention. However, the boy looks past Blair to Neo.

Blair follows the look to the girl. "You have an idea, Carmine?"

"Oh, this will be great." Roman huffs. "Is it as dumb as the last one?"

Ignoring Roman, Carmine smirks. "Blair's the only one that can straight up fight. She attacks." He looks to Neo. "Neo's on defense. Use your semblance as much as you can." He then looks to Roman. "And the jerk can keep it pinned."

Roman bristles. "Since when am I being ordered here?"

"Do you want to be on the front lines?" The blonde challenges in place of Carmine. Roman meets Blair's glare evenly. Neo peeks around with a smirk, easily taking the blonde's side in the standoff.

Roman's even stare twitches to Neo. "Aren't you supposed to be on my side on principle?" While Neo merely smirks, both Blair and Carmine glare at the man. He opens his mouth to respond...

A loud shriek pulls their attention as the beast angles its head, finding the four. Lifting itself on its legs, almost like a spider, the beast begins a feral charge. Each of the four look at one another for just a second, Roman sighing as he steps forward. The beast closes the distance, spreading its limbs out ready to lash out. Roman smirks as he pulls his weapon up in its gun mode. (A faint echoing base clicks, static beats sound.)

Roman snaps his gun up, opening fire! A rapid stream of combustive shots spews out like a hose, washing over the beast and halting its advance! With a shriek, it falls onto its side, raising the armored sides and swinging out. (Guitar bridge begins, moving into first verse.)

He cuts off the burst as Blair rushes forward. Immediately, the Kraken jabs forward with two of its limbs. From behind, Carmine aims Heulin Noon, firing a double shot. The blast knocks one jabbing tentacle aside, Blair slashing the other aside. As the tentacle retracts, Neo lands on it, firing the remainder of her handgun clip. ("Your last mistake's been made, you're on a-. Fast track to an early grave.")

The monster lashes out two limbs at the girl, who rolls off her perch. Mid fall, she gracefully slides around the swiping. She lands, using the stolen shock prod on the nearest squishy appendage, getting a shriek of anger. It responds, jabbing another spike tipped limb at her. ("And you're never gonna get away. It's time to face consequences you can't escape... Watch me come A-")

The girl shatters, revealing not Neo, but Blair from the illusion. Her sword lights up a pale crystal blue, ice. The woman slashes in a blink, freezing the entire limb to the ground. Two more tentacles lash out, one getting another of Carmine's double shots. The boy lands in front of Blair. "Zero!" He uses his armored arm to parry the spearing limb. "-LI~VE" "And burn so bright, you better shield your eyes." "I swear I'll watch you-")

Three limbs raise over Blair and Carmine, but Roman's stream of shots hits, making them coil back in defensively. Blair swaps dust canisters, sword shifting a dark tan. With a mighty swing, earth dust casts out. Earth spikes forth along the ground, stabbing into and encasing the frozen tentacle. ("-DIE" "It should come as no surprise when I end your life." "Watch me come a-")

The ear shattering scream sounds like an air horn, two limbs brush along the ground on both sides of Blair in a pincer move. Carmine leaps in. "Schneider!" Landing, he crosses his arms over one another. The two massive limbs clamp in as his arm morphs over his forearms with blades. The blades sink into the black flesh and halt both limbs. (-LIVE" "I'm done holding back. This is my full out attack." "Watch me come aLIVE. Watch me come a-")

Blair slashes the inside of both tentacles, making them reel back in pain. Another slams down from above. Blair dodges back while Carmine rolls forward. He looks up with wide eyes... directly under the beast's beak... ("LIVE" "Before it all cuts the black." Music dies down ending the chorus.)

The bony, jagged beak cricks as it opens, Carmine bracing himself. Above, on top of the armored scales, Neo runs along one of the limbs, drawing her stolen combat knife in a reverse grip. She leaps at one of the beast's crimson eyes, plunging it into the red. (quiet base echoes as music bridges to second verse)

The monster shrieks, bucking upward as Carmine recalls himself back to a distance with his semblance. Knife still locked in, Neo swings and dangles from the bucking monster, hanging for dear life. Hindered by its frozen and caught limb, the beast lifts two tentacles up, curling their armored sides down. ("Choked out, there's no hope now. I'm two steps ahead, and you're six feet down.")

The beast roars, raising the two curled limbs before slamming them down on its captured limb. A great crack and boom bellows as the frozen and bound tentacle shatters at the base! The beast frees itself! Neo's eyes widen as the monster bucks wilder now loose. ("You thought it'd go the other way, but no. Just keep on screaming out from under that epitaph you wrote.")

One tentacle whips up at the girl on its eye. Gasping, Neo rips the knife free, dripping as the spiked limb scrapes the area. The appendage swipes after Neo, but the acrobat leaps up and over the attack. ("Your last mistake's been made. Fast track to an early grave.")

However, she realizes her mistake. In the air, she can't dodge as a second tentacle baseball swings her out of the air. The girl is launched away, catching Carmine's eye. "Jager!" His armor shifts to his legs as he propels himself up into the air. ("Never gonna get away. It's time to face consequences you can't escape.")

Carmine intercepts the tumbling girl to catch her... as the force launches both back into another pile of broken debris only slightly less painfully. The beast lifts itself from the ground with its now seven limbs, crawling its way over until another spray from Roman halts it. ("Watch me come aLIVE!" "And burn so bright, you better shield your eyes." "I swear I'll watch you DIE!")

The beast powers through the barrage, rushing him. It lifts a limb to jab down at him, but Blair rushes from behind, popping her lightning canister into Florescent. The blade shimmers a bright, flickering violet. "HA!" The astute woman's cry sounds as she slashes right through one of the Grimm's hind legs. ("It should come as no surprise when I end your life." "Watch me come aLIVE!")

The beast wheezes as it falls back, then jabbing spiked limb after limb at the dodging woman. Roman opens fire from behind. "Just kill the damn thing!" The Kraken curls three limbs to block his shots, the other three jabbing at Blair. ("I'm done holding back. This is my full out attack." "Watch me come aLIVE!")

"I'm trying!" Blair growls out as she dodges around the jabs before charging. Roman eases off as he removes his drum magazine, pulling a second from his jacket. ("Watch me come aLIVE!" "Before it all cuts to black." music cuts.)

"Roman!" The conman stops as Carmine and Neo come to a stop next to him. Roman huffs as he bobs his head towards the fight. Neo nods, rushing off and backing up Blair.

"What is it? I'm about to run low on ammo." Roman Grimaces as he checks his weapon. "We're gonna run out long before we out it down at this rate."

Carmine's gaze trails down to Velvet Valentine's drum magazine... His gaze narrows in thought. "How many shells are in that?"

"A lot." Roman answers annoyed. "Why?"

Carmine smirks. "Remember that Atlas robot on the boat?" A moment passes, Carmine waiting for the dots to connect... it doesn't take long as Roman's eyes widen. He trails his gaze to the magazine, a smirk coming on.

"Eh, that's worth a shot. You better hit."

A loud crash sounds as Blair rolls across the ground, then rolls to her feet. Shaking off the hit, she finds Neo across the way, running and dodging swing after swing from the monster. Roman steps next to her, smirking. "Get me in close and enjoy the show, okay?"

The smarmy tone irritates her, narrowing her gaze at him. "Great. A cocky man child. Haven't dealt with that for the past week." Regardless, she complies, charging ahead of Roman as he rushes after. Rushing into the fray, Blair sheaths her weapon into the hilt.

Her eyes trail to Neo, thankful that she prepared...

. . .

Neo sat on the stool, watching with lidded eyes as Blair wrote notes onto a paper. Standing in Blair's given lab room, the blonde stared at a small clear capsule filled with red liquid. Finishing a sentence, she glances off to Neo. "And you cast your aura over a given area. Then, you concentrate your aura into surfaces that reflect light differently that what's in the area. That sound correct?"

The girl shifts, rocking her shoulders while working her mouth. Eventually, she shrugs before pointing at her eyes. She blinks, the two colors swapping... She absently picks at a band-aid on the crook of her elbow.

Blair returns attention to the paper. "Hmm. Well, many semblances carry multiple capabilities all falling under the curtain of a single ability." She stands tall, taking the capsule into her hand. "But, that's enough of a direction for use. Thank you."

. . .

Sword sheathed, Blair activates the second trigger on her hilt. She draws her blade, now a bright crimson, infused with Neo's blood. Neo lands in front of Blair and Roman, spotting Carmine running next to them.

Turning around, all four charge the monster. The Kraken leans onto its side, putting all six of its remaining limbs up. Neo runs ahead of the group, leaping up to the side.

The first tentacle jabs out at Neo. The girl is hit head on, shattering as her real body appears on top of the limb's spike. She holds up her combat knife, throwing the weapon with precision... directly into the second eye of the beast's right side, under the eye she'd stabbed earlier. Shrieking, the beast jabs as second tentacle at her blindly, missing.

The beast sends the third tentacle head on to the other three. Blair rushes forward, slashing and parrying the limb aside with her red blade. A fourth tentacle closes in as Carmine runs in front of Blair. "Zero!" The armor shifts to Carmine's arm as he swings and chips the tentacle just off course.

The fifth tentacle jabs at Roman head on... RIGHT THROUGH HIM!

A red shimmer flashes between Blair's sword and Roman's image before the man shatters. Blair's sword returns to golden yellow as Roman's image at the use of Neo's semblance.

The real Roman appears on the other side, rushing past the fifth tentacle as the sixth one jabs forth. Roman smirks, dropping to a power slide. He skids just under the limb, the spike missing his hat by an inch.

Roman takes back off in a sprint, right to the monster's wide open jaws. The Kraken lurches its mouth down at the conman! Roman twirls Velvet Valentine, the drum magazine still locked in. Holding the cane by the shaft, he swings up, using the magazine like the head of a mace!

The magazine cracks into the Kraken's jaw, knocking the Grimm back slightly... and leaving the magazine stuck on the monster's jagged teeth lining the beak.

The beast shakes and lurches back down to take a snap at the smirking conman... right as Neo comes from above and lands both hands on Roman's shoulders in a hand stand. Both humans shatters as the beast tries to bite them! Picking its head back up, the Kraken roars, Roman's magazine still in its mouth.

A short distance off, Roman and Neo reappear beside Blair and Carmine. The boy smirks as he raises Heulin Noon. He takes aim at Roman's magazine. "Boom..."

He fires... The double shot strikes Roman's magazine in the Kraken's mouth... It ignites the entire magazine of fire dust.

BOOM!

A ear shattering shock blows out as the large Grimm's core, its entire central body, scatters as paste from the sudden fiery explosion.

Carmine's smile beams out as he pulls his gun back. "Head shot!"

Behind him, Roman scoffs. "Really taking liberty with the term, aren't you?" The criticism elicits a scowl from the boy.

"Well, the magazine was IN ITS MOUTH, so I say it counts as hitting the head."

"Whatever, Silver Streak. Pat yourself on the back later. We need to fly." He gestures irritably as he walks around Carmine. Quickly checking around, they find the trail of debris lining the wall of the cavern still there... mostly.

Carmine turns to Blair with a smile- WHACK! She swats his head as she walks past. "I expect answers from you after we escape here."

"Ow..." Carmine whines, then turns towards Neo... as the girl bumps shoulders with in and he falls on his ass! He looks at her with wide, irritated eyes. "What was that for?"

Neo simply blinks at him, shrugging her shoulders before pointing at the other two. It took a second until he caught the meaning... 'everyone's doing it'. She smirks as she rushes off after the two. Carmine glares after her as he stands up.

"WOO, That was awesome!" The far off voices catch his ear. Looking to the other kids, he sees that the previously unconscious boy was now standing, supported by Ronson, as they cheered at their success.

The action brought a blush to the redhead, but he waves his arm at them and shouts back. "We're making a climb back up! Follow us, okay?" The group looks to where Roman and Blair walk to, then give Carmine a collective thumbs up as they begin moving. Carmine breathes heavily, looking up at the night sky overhead of the pit... no stars, but that's expected with all the city's lights. Harder to see. He had to stop himself from the sudden surge of pride... they still needed to leave, after all.

. . .

Blades clash as Qrow and Spyyra leap apart. Landing, the curved black blades of Spyyra's arms warp, shifting into dust to a new shape. Fingers fiddling, the dust morphs into a pole, then a full staff, then a spear head on one end, twirling around him.

He flourishes and advances at Qrow, who matches the pace and shifts his weapon, Harbinger, to its scythe form. Both mean, a blur of sparking strikes as the scythe and spear try to fight through to hit their mark.

Spyyra's grin splits his face as he goes for a stab, but Qrow parries and hooks the scythe behind the spear pole. He pulls, attempting to pull Spyyra's weapon away, but Spyyra's semblance shifts the weapon, allowing Harbinger to cut through.

Spyyra backs off, fusing the poles back together and entering a stance. He advances a step, only for the both of them to stumble, the section of the roof shaking and sinking. Both leap from the section of the roof as it caves in and falls.

Qrow lands on the top of the far wall, not much room for him to move. Across the way, at the helipad, Spyyra lands, smiling wide. The copter behind him revs, blades spinning. The enforcer's green hair starts to blow in the wind as he looks over his shoulder.

Indeed, Zandril sits in the cockpit. The fat man smiles through the windshield, waving at Spyyra. The enforcer's own smile drips away. "Aw... I was just having fun..." He looks at Qrow, a good distance between their sections of the roof. He waves. "Would love to finish this, Qrow Branwen of Beacon Academy. However, I must go."

Behind him, the helicopter begins to lift from the ground. Qrow shifts Harbinger to gun mode, firing at the copter. However, Spyyra throws his spear into the air. Just after leaving his hand, the weapon morphs into a disc. The disc intercepts the dust shot.

The disc blows into a black dust cloud. Spyyra chuckles as he leaps into the air, through the cloud and into the door of the copter. The cloud of dust follows him against the wind, warping around him and coating his top half, back into his suit jacket.

With a grin, he waves as the copter flies away. "Goodbye, my strong friend!" With that, he enters the cabin as his boss pilots the copter away.

Qrow scowls, lowering his weapon as it gains too much distance. Instead, he turns his attention around the remains of the auditorium...

The entire property is now surrounded with the red and blue lights of cop vehicles. Several of the cars in the parking lot were locked in by the wall of cops. Some were being rowdy, others were simply accepting the situation.

Qrow's red eyes hone in on a couple fights brewing with some of the officers and some... children. However, now that most of the auditorium was now... nothing, he could see the downward ramp to the loading dock. He narrows his gaze at the large collection of children gathered. Several of the cop cars blocked off the top of the ramp as a few cars drove down to meet them.

Good. That's covered- His eyes widen, finding the boy. Carmine and the orange haired conman... and a blonde he's heard about... and a familiar head of hair he hadn't seen in years. With them were four other kids. They were climbing their way out of the pit inside the destruction.

. . .

"GAH!" Carmine drops to a knee, breathing heavily. Beside him, Neo similarly falls on her own butt, breathing hard. "That... was harder than I expected."

Roman and Blair looked at them, each unimpressed. "Children, am I right?" Roman mutters.

Blair scoffs at him, eyeing his cradled arm. "Please, you're just as worn out. Now, lets get out of here." She takes one step and has to steady herself, face tensing in irritation.

"Oh, that glass house is certainly cracked." Roman snarks. He looks over to the children. Ronson and the three kids with them all huddled together, breathing hard from the climb. They'd gotten out of the hole, and into the frying pan. In the distance, they could see the gathering of kids on the ramp of the loading dock... and the cops.

Carmine smiles at the kids. He weakly points in the direction of the crowd. "Hey... there's the cops. There's too much attention for any of the corrupt cops to get you. Trust us."

Ronson looks at Carmine, double taking a moment, before eventually facing him. "Thank you... Thank you so much." He and the other kids nod to the redheaded boy before running along to the crowd, leaving the four conspirators alone.

"Alright... now what about us?" Blair asks, irritably. "I'm not exactly welcome to Hunter business."

At the mention, color drains from Carmine entirely. "Oh, god. I'm so dead once they find me. Ozpin is gonna restrict me for months." Roman snickers at him.

"Aw, gonna get in trouble with daddy dearest?" The conman lets out a laugh. The comment draws Blair's attention.

"Wait, how do you know about that?" The blonde accuses, glaring at him.

However, HER glare catches Carmine's attention. "Whoa, wait! How do YOU know about that?"

Roman turns an eye to Neo, who looks between the bunch. He could practically see the question mark over her head. He juts a thumb to the boy. "Oh, boy wonder is Ozpin's biological son." The statement gets a wide eyed double take from the girl.

"ROMAN!" Carmine shouts in anger.

The conman throws his hands up in mock surrender, his smile unapologetic. "What? She can't tell anyone." If she weren't still staring at Roman, Neo would take offense to that.

"...Wow." Blair glares at the man. Shaking her head, she glances in the direction of the cops. "But, more important right now is getting out of here."

"Oh, that's covered." Roman smirks, reaching into his jacket and withdrawing the remaining EMP. "Turns out, this wasn't needed before. Perfect for shutting off everything around here."

Carmine, still white as a sheet from thinking of Ozpin, lurches forward. "Do it! Do it! Do it! Do it!" The man simply holds the flailing kid at arms length with one hand. Neo glances around them as she and Blair look ready to bold.

Roman looks between them. "Alright, but don't mess up following me this time." With a smirk, he turns the device on.

. . .

Qrow lands on the ground, ready to approach the four... and everything goes black. The sudden darkness takes him by surprise. It takes a moment, but he adjusts his vision. Everything around the loading ramp is pitch black!

All the cops and children freak out, but Qrow can just BARELY make out four silhouettes making a break for it! The huntsman moves to rush after them... until one of the children freaks out and strikes an officer.

Damn priorities... Qrow shifts his attention to the crowd, needing to stop the panic... He'll have to let them get away for now. A good plan of escape. He loses track of the silhouettes as they enter a far off alleyway.

They must have planned this out very well.

. . .

In the dark of the alley, four figures run through... with little grace.

A trashcan falls over with a grunt. "OW! Frick!"

"HOW do you keep hitting everything?!" Roman's voice chides.

"Because I don't make a living shiving people in alleys-" Another impact. "DOUBLE FRICK!" He sighs. "Is Neo still with us?"

"I got her in front of me." Blair states plainly.

"Good. It's hard to tell." Another impact. "OW! Neo, why? That wasn't even a joke."

"ENOUGH!" Blair shouts. "I'll direct you."

"OW! Is that your regular grip?" His smart aleck response is followed by a bone pop sound, followed by Carmine's wail. "AHHH! Why is everyone picking on me!"

The unlikely group continues on, disappearing into the city...

WOO! Our main four kinda f***ed each other over, but came together in the end. Awesome! How will it go from here?

References:

AZRL and all characters affiliated with are based originally from the same source. It will be more obvious as time comes, but at least Spyyra is pretty easy, in my opinion, to guess who he's based on.

The song used is Alive by Brandon Yates, cutting the song at the second chorus.

Join next time in Chapter Sixteen: CRBN.