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.

26. 24 Run In Check In

Chapter Twenty Four: Run In. Check In.

The control room remained bathed in red light. The two entrances into the room show wide open. From the left side, a vertical double barrel peeks around as Carmine inches around the corner. Checking every edge of his sight, the boy keeps the weapon trained forward. No one in sight.

Roman moves around Carmine, clearing the room with his own weapon ready. Giving a once over, he lets out a whistle. "Color me impressed with the setup." Moving over the desks, he finds a physical map under the clear desk top covers. "Ah ha!" He peels the clear cover up and pulls the map out. "Hmm... Not nearly as large as I expected."

"Let me see." Carmine waves for the attention, earning an eye roll from the man before setting the map on a cleared table top. Carmine raises a brow a moment. "So, where are-... Holy crap, this place is big."

The large layout was already making his head spin, hurt further by the difficulty of sight in the low light. Roman sighs and points. "We're here. We've already moved through these halls, Section A is the label. If I had to guess, the broken up smaller bits in Section B are the more technical rooms for keeping the kids or teaching."

The boy cocks his head. "O... kay? You sure that's where we came from? I don't see-" Whack! The boy is flicked off the side of his head. "Ow! What?!" Roman scowls at him before pointing to the black circled spot labeled for the accounting firm. He trails his finger as Carmine follows and finds the path. "Okay, I see now." He sends a glare back at Roman. "Jerk."

Roman crosses his arms, shaking his head. "You're terrible at finding anything in the dark."

Carmine growls back. "I am not someone that does crap in the dark like a CRIMINAL. Unlike SOME- Oh, forget it. Let's just go."

The two move from the room, following through the red halls. At multiple points, they find checkpoints. No guards. Powered down gun placements and inactive cameras. Moving about the corners, Roman's gaze narrows. "No stiffs around... I don't like it."

"Think they cleared out before we got here?" Carmine mumbles back as he whips around a corner. Once again, an empty hallway. A boil threatens in him. If he missed out on saving more of those kids... fuck.

"Well, can't quite rule out a hidden back door out from the dungeon, as it were." Roman flippantly responds. "But I have other suspicions..."

The come to an end of the hallway, opening up into a great wide class room. Roman and Carmine share a glance before both spread to the walls. Moving at the ends of the room, they check each row simultaneously, from both angles. First row: clear. Second: clear. Third-

Carmine's trained sights find terrified brown eyes looking back. A little girl, in a simple blue dress, prim and proper hair up in a bun. She was no older than Carmine, looking terrified at him. "AH! Please! Don't shoot!"

Carmine reflexively nearly pulled the trigger, barely stopping. Trigger discipline. Remember. Trigger discipline. Even back in Sanctuary, his father had mentioned it when discussing the shooting range. He releases his held breath, immediately holding his hands up to placate the girl. "Sh, Sh, it's okay! We're here to help!"

Roman raises a brow then gives a cursory glance about, continuing the search.

Carmine crouches by the girl, who coils away from him. "Hey... it's okay. I promise we're here to help you." Slowly, he offers his hand to the teen. "My name is Carmine, leader of Team CRBN. What's your name?"

The girl just... stares at his offered hand. Her own shaky limp clenches, but slowly starts to extend. However, she pauses upon looking at Heulin Noon.

Carmine takes notice, pulling the weapon to the side. "Don't worry. That's not for you. Uh. It's for the people who have kept you here." She remains cautious before accepting his hand. Upon his grip, she flinches, eyes shut, but opens them ones he gently tugs her to her feet. Good. Ease her on.

Roman disagrees. As Carmine offers a warm smile, the conman clears the rest of the room, fixing the back of her head with a hard stare.

"Are you hurt?" The boy starts looking her over. Nothing noticeably stood out, injury wise. Then again... Roman DID say the blue series members were meant for beruca- no. How do you say it? Buracity? Bureaucracy! That's it. Meant to look prim and proper, meaning not beaten and bloodied.

"I... am... okay." She states, fighting the shake of her voice, an almost forced proper English. "You are... not with AZRL?"

Carmine flashes a grin and a thumbs up. "Not. At. All." Then, he loses his smile and bobs his head towards Roman. "He's ex AZRL. Our job is to take em' down."

She flinches and sends a wary glance over her shoulder, locking with Roman's hard gaze. As she falters under his green eyed stare, he speaks up. "What's your number, Blue?" He gives a smarmy grin at using the color nickname.

She flinches, working her mouth a second before clamping up. Carmine steps in. "Easy there. Take your time. What's your name, also?" The boy sends a side glare at Roman for going number first.

The girl takes a deep breath. "I am... Blue 20323. My... name is Tamara."

Carmine grins at her opening up. "It's nice to meet you, Tamara. Can you tell us where everyone else is? We need to save them all. And where your captors went if you can."

She gulps down the lump in her throat. "Miss... Miss Anne sent guards to gather us all. They were in a rush. We were all gathered, but with the low lighting and less available guards, I quickly moved in here to hide. I... was hoping to wait until I was certain they left so I could leave."

Roman's gaze narrows to a squint, scrutinizing the girl heavily. "And how exactly were you going to get out? And where were they all taken?"

She cowers down, earning a defiant glare at Roman from Carmine. She continues. "They... said we were to go to Section s-... Section D. I don't know why. We were not told why. It all happened after the power went down."

Carmine nods at her and looks to Roman. "Right. We need to go to Section D then." Back to Tamara. "We'll come back for you after we save the others, okay Tamara?"

She flinches, facing the boy and standing straighter. "Wait! I... I can show you exactly where they went in Section D. I'll come with you?"

Roman fixes a stare on her, waving the rolled up map in his hand. "We got a map, so we can find it."

The girl's eyes widen at that as she adds. "But it's outdated!" This brings both to a halt. "They've been reworking the tunnels. Sections C, D, and E are all redone after incidents recently. But, I have been through them for different... classes. I can lead you to Section D."

Carmine sends a cautious glance to Roman. "I... guess it would work better if we didn't have to back track."

The girl, Tamara, nods, cringing timidly before walking forward. "Okay... I can lead the way."

The boy sighs. "Alright. Come on, Roman."

However, Roman simply stares at the retreating figures, cutting eyes the whole way. Eventually, he follows. Hopefully, Barbie and Tricolor will get here soon without problems.

. . .

Spyyra's wide grin remains, hands moving into his pockets. Standing a distance off, he sighs content. "Well? Are you not enthralled to see me? I see you have some new accessories, 2814."

Blair raises her blade, settling into her stance in front of Neo. She whispers lowly to the girl. "Let me take the lead. We may need to retreat." The girl numbly steps behind Blair, keeping her features neutral to the man.

"Why, Miss Gale, you didn't tell me you were so great with kids." Spyyra chuckles, taking his first steps forward. "Already standing like a ferocious mama bird, but 2814 needs to come on home now."

Blair glares back. "Neo does not belong to you."

He stops, eyes wide. "Riiiight. Right! I forgot, she WAS paid for." He puts one hand over his brow and makes a show of looking around. "And where IS her owner? That cocky nut with the hat. I remember." Suddenly, he snaps his gaze back to Blair, a feigned mock hurt portrayed. "But then, are you and he a thing then? I didn't take you for a gold digger, Miss Gale."

Blair huffs. "Gag me. I'd rather die." Neo feels her nerves calm under Blair's rare levity. "And no, she does not belong to him either."

As Neo smirks at the declaration, Spyyra chuckles. Eyes on the widen eyed girl, he shakes his head. "So then, she's back up for grabs then. Don't worry 2814. We'll find you a home someday you lil scamp."

"You have one chance to turn around and leave, monster." Neo nods along, gripping Hush at her side.

Spyyra chuckles at Neo, eyes locked. "Oh, don't go taking sides, little one. Mommy and Daddy just have to catch up real quick. Isn't that right, Miss Gale-"

"My name is not Gale, and you make one more step, you die." The blonde affirms, harshly. The threat makes Spyyra stop, eyes wide and he blinks a few times processing the information.

Ever slowly, Spyyra's lips curl up. "Oh, I'm well aware of who you are... Blair Goodwitch." Ice chills the blonde as Spyyra chuckles. "Oh, we always knew who you were, but don't let that mean you didn't trick us. We were so convinced upon discovering your identity that your expulsion from Beacon made you a perfect addition to our family. We were still wrong, unfortunately."

His wistful sigh earns a burning glare from the woman. Her grip tightens on Florescent Finish. "Then I should drop formalities. I am still trained as a Huntress, and I will be a part of AZRL's downfall."

For maybe the first time, Spyyra's grin falters. Only a second. Yet, he smirks and cocks his head, smug in his stance. "Well, then I guess I can only have my fun with you. And here I was actually curious about you. My gentleman side is hurt. I'm afraid I'll need to ask for an apology."

Both girls cringe, Neo glaring as Blair resists gagging. "I believe you need some polite counseling and a restraint jacket. Not giving in to your sick perversions."

"HA! Hahaha!" Spyyra begins cackling loudly, head cocked back. He sways with the uproarious exhalation, before stumbling off to the side. He wipes a tear from his eye as he approaches one of the CCT tower's four supports, massive hunks of metal dug into the ground at an angle. "Perversions? That's what you call it?"

His semblance activates, the black material of his left suit sleeve warping and spreading into dust. Metal dust, before condensing into a three foot sleek pole. His left arm left with only his gray button up shirt sleeve, he grips the three foot pole and proceeds to ram it into the support leg of the CCT tower.

Blair moves back into her kendo stance, Neo spreading out to the side. The man's grin widens. "If you want to know what gets me going, let's get right to it!" (A synth melody begins, ending the measure with Guitar and drums beating.)

Pulling on the metal rod, the tower support whines with the sound of splitting metal. The structural shape of the pillar leg begins to warp, 'pulling' with the rod as Spyyra wrenches back slowly. (Melody repeats, drum rhythm mixing as the guitar punctuates each measure.)

The screech of metal ripping from metal like a fabric rings as a two story long, foot thick sheet of metal separates from the support. Blair's and Neo's eyes widen as the MASSIVE metal warps and straightens. ("UNDEAD!" Guitar fully joins melody. "UNDEAD!")

The three foot pole becomes a long hilt. The gigantic hunk of silver steel warps and shapes, a sharpened side taking form. Finally anchoring its form, influenced and moved by Spyyra's semblance, the twenty foot long metal work buster sword sways in the comparatively tiny man's grip. ("UNDEAD!... UNDEAD!")

His semblance works in concert with his arms, twirling the three foot pole overhead as the GIGANTIC blade cuts slowly around the air. Not physical strength. Strength WITH a semblance to imitate an impossible feat. Wind fans from the movement, gently pushing both the shocked women. ("UNDEAD-" "You better~ get up out the way! Tomorrow we rise, so let's fight today!")

"Hehe... HYAH!" Spyyra crouches before leaping into the air. Carrying the massive blade with him, he cackles as he floats in the still twirling. Hovering holding the metal up with his semblance. A mad grin and wide eyes meet the two. ("And no. I don't give a fuck what you think and say! Cause we gonna rock this whole place anyway!")

Blair grits her teeth, quickly popping a dust cylinder into her hilt. "Neo, how much of his semblance do you know?" The girl shakes her head, conjuring a sign. 'manipulates metal is all I got'.("UNDEAD-" "You better~ get up out the way! Tomorrow we rise, so let's fight today!")

She narrows her gaze before channeling more aura through her blade. "Right. Stay back!" Her call out is met with Spyyra laughing loudly and dropping from the sky. He brings down the massive blade as Blair leaps left and Neo right. (And no. I don't give a fuck what you think and say! Cause we gonna rock this whole place anyway!)

Orange eyes flick between the two before he swings to his right. Blair leaps over the broad side of the gigantic blade. The large weapon swings a circle around towards Neo. ("Now we see that motherfucker writing on the wall. When they see J3T thirty deep, he's down to brawl!")

Neo's eyes widen as the blade turns to slice her. Her image shatters on the blade. Spyyra grins as Neo reappears clutched onto the blade. She leaps down, blade sticking out of Hush's tip for a stab. ("Fuck the haters I see cause I hate that you breathe. I see you duck, you little punk, you little fucking disease!")

He wrenches the blade up, like a levy to launch Neo up and over before she makes it. The girl lands behind him as he raises the blade, bringing the slash down directly down at her. ("I got H.U. Tatted on the front of my arms. The boulevard, brass knuckles, in the back of the car!")

Blair dashes in, deciding between attacking Spyyra and saving Neo. Activating dust in her hilt, the blade lights violet, lightning bursts. She upswings, cutting the massive blade in two. ("Cause we drunk drive Cadillacs, we never go far, but when you see us motherfuckers, better know who we are!")

He grins, hand flashing with orange aura. The separated top half of his blade pulls back in, clamping Florescent's blade between the two halves of the giant weapon. Spyyra presses down, pulling Blair down by the grip of her sword. ("I got one thing to say to punk asses who hate! Motherfuckers don't know, they better watch what you say!")

Releasing the three foot grip, Spyyra steps from the large blade. Hands out in a wave, he rips material from the base of the blade. The metals warp, shaping and sharpening into a dozen four point shuriken. He throws his arms out, throwing the projectiles. ("From these industry fucks to these fa—ot ass punks! You don't know what it takes to get this motherfucking drunk!")

Neo flips over, opening Hush and using the parasol as a shield. The projectiles deflect off to the sides. She closes Hush, readying herself. Behind her, Blair reaches into her inner jacket, pulling a blood capsule. She cracks the capsule over the base of Florescent, the blade shifting red absorbing the liquid. ("I'm already loud. Maybe it's a little too late. Johnny's taking heads off of all fa—ots who hate!")

Spyyra reaches and grips the three foot shaft and rips it from the large weapon. His right sleeve and collar scatter in metal dust, condensing and forming a spear head and longer shaft. Twirling it with a grin, he approaches the two. "COME ON!" ("Cause I'm a god, motherfucker. There's a price to pay! Yeah, I'm a god, motherfucker, and it's judgment day!" Music builds to chorus)

Neo flinches back, dodging and deflecting lightning quick jabs of the spear. One jab hits Neo center chest, then shatters her. Neo swings from below, knocking the spear up with the parasol, then swinging with the sword. ("UNDEAD!" "You better~ get up out the way! Tomorrow we rise, so let's fight today!")

Spyyra twirls the shaft with the deflect, parrying the sword with the back end of the shaft. He spins and swings, but she ducks the spear head catching her hair. Suddenly, her chest clenches... Her vision blurs as a cough of blood comes up. ("And no. I don't give a fuck what you think and say! Cause we gonna rock this whole place anyway!")

The girl hunches forward, cringing as her balance sways. Blair catches this, activating Florescent's absorbed blood, its captured semblance, Tora's. Tora of Mibu's The 100. Strength floods her body as she rips Florescent Finish from the metal debris. ("UNDEAD!" "You better~ get up out the way! Tomorrow we rise, so let's fight today!")

Muscles pulsing, she flashes forward! As she's slashing over Neo's crumpling form, Spyyra's eyes flinch wide as he barely blocks. The strike carries him back ten yards from Neo. Semblance fading, Blair twists into another slash. ("And no. I don't give a fuck what you think and say! Cause we gonna rock this whole place anyway!")

Spyyra deflects the slash, locking eyes with the woman and grinning. In a flash, the two dance around one another as he parries strike after strike. Blair grimaces as her off hand grips her sheath. Using it, she strikes the spearhead up, slashing next with her main hand. ("White boys with tattoos, p-pointing right at you! We're breaking everything! R-rowdy like a classroom!")

Twirling his spear, he deflects the slash. The metal dust shifts along the haft, dissolving the spearhead on one side to appear on the other. He presses forward with quick thrusts. Blair ducks back, popping the empty dust from the hilt and putting ice dust in. ("Pack of wolves 'cause we don't follow the rules, and when you're running your mouth, our razor blades come out!")

Parrying her into a spin, Spyyra's vest dissolves, forming a metal halberd on the spear head. His top shirt left as a gray button up shirt, he grins as he power swings back at her. ("You make me wanna run around pulling my guns out and shit! Tempting me to run my mouth and call you out on this, Bitch!")

Blair activates the ice dust as she blocks, a large hunk of ice encases the weapon, trapping Spyyra's metal dust and shocking him. She strikes him back with her hilt to stun and jabs her sheath at him! His off hand pulls enough metal from the iced halberd and coats his hand to block. ("How ignorant you gotta be to believe any of this?! You need to slit your wrist, get pissed, and go jump off a bridge!")

Gripping the sheath with his metal coated hand, Spyyra grins. "You're just as much a handful as I hoped." Blair growls as she swipes Florescent up. Spyyra's right hand grabs his black tie, made of metal fabric, as he shifts it into a short blade and deflects. ("What you can't see the sarcasm in the verses I spit? What, you think I just got lucky, didn't work for this shit?!")

Separating, Blair advances, pushing Spyyra back with vicious slashes. Near hit deflections glance around Spyyra, slicing his hair and scratching his cheek. The black fabric on his leg shifts under his semblance. Deflecting Blair's next slash, he kicks up, the lower pant leg peeling away and slashing up. ("Bitch, I've been working at this ever since I was a kid! I've played a million empty shows to only family and friends!")

The slash catches her forehead as she ducks back, earning a small blood spurt and a wince. Spyyra punches with his left coated fist, launching Blair skidding back on her feet. Her aura heals the cut as she dodges another slash. ("So, what the fuck you know about being a gangster? And, what the fuck you know about being in danger?!")

"Come on! Show me more!" He demands as he throws the formed short sword from his right hand. It strikes Blair center mass, before the blonde shatters. Neo! ("You ain't doing this, so you know you're just talking shit! Mad at all of us 'cause every song is a fucking hit!")

The air shimmers in a shatter illusion as Blair thrusts out from nowhere. Spyyra dashes back, the point of Florescent inches from his neck. The slight panic shows as his hand reaches out. ("UNDEAD!" "You better~ get up out the way! Tomorrow we rise, so let's fight today!")

The ice shudders before shattering, the halberd bursting into dust particles and pulling to Spyyra while dodging. He leaps into the air as the metal particles form a disc platform to stand on out of reach. ("And no. I don't give a fuck what you think and say! Cause we gonna rock this whole place anyway!")

A shadow overhead. Spyyra lurches back as Neo thrusts down and misses. But she lands on him, forcing him from the platform. They separate in the air and land, Neo with one hand over her throat. ("UNDEAD!" "You better~ get up out the way! Tomorrow we rise, so let's fight today!")

Upon landing, Blair speeds past Neo, the girl rushing after her. Spyyra grins madly as the dust particles form blades on both arms. "That's it! Dance with me!" He cackles and meets the charge. ("And no. I don't give a fuck what you think and say! Cause we gonna rock this whole place anyway!")

His blades clash with Florescent. ("UNDEAD!" music cuts)

. . .

The dark halls still illuminated red sound out with foot steps. Rounding the term, Carmine aims around the leading girl, Roman maintaining a healthy distance behind them. The trio moves through the halls, finding labels noting the directions to the sections.

"This way." The girl states, trying to remain proper in her speech. As they follow, Roman continues to glare at the girl's back.

Carmine speaks up. "Are there any other quick ways out of these tunnels?"

She nods. "I... believe that Section D may have a special entrance or exit from the facility." The girl frowns, looking in thought. "There are many air transports in the section, but I do not know how they could enter or leave."

They move through another intersection of halls. Roman flicks his eyes at the labels. Section D was to the left. Why are they going straight? "Hey, blue. Why are we going this way? Section D is that way?"

The girl tenses... answering slowly. "That's one of the halls that's been changed. It's why the map is obsolete."

As they continue, Carmine and Roman share a glance. The boy seems to buy the answer, but Roman narrows his gaze, boring a hole into the back of the girl. As the children look forward, Roman glances back at the map. Not a single solitary spot they'd walked by contradicted the map.

So, after the next turn, he asks inquisitively. "So, blue, I'm curious. What's your aptitude score?"

Carmine squints, looking back and forth between the man and girl. "I don't think that's-"

"Just curiosity, Silver Streak. If she could hide from the guards, she must be pretty witty. I could get actual stimulating conversation." He answers the boy with a smirk.

Meekly, Tamara responds. "I have a... 37." She seemed confident enough, but he rose a brow.

"That's depressingly low, sweetheart."

A look of terror flashes for just a second, disappearing as fast as it came. "What? No. We blues are graded on a scale of 1 to 40. I'm in the highest percentile for the program level." She smiles back at the man. "I've never met a series black before. How is it that you are scored?"

He scrutinizes her eyes a moment before huffing. "My bad. We got scored out of 100 is all." The girl and Carmine turn away and continue walking. Carmine still gives an odd look, but continues on. Roman's smirk drops immediately.

. . .

Carmine and Tamara move out of the hall, entering a wide, large area. Two story tall room with catwalks overhead, lightly crowded with storage crates organized to the sides. It was definitely large enough to be a hangar, but... there was no entrance showing. Concrete walls on all sides.

The two hide behind a crate, looking around to find no one present. "I thought you said they would be here. And where's the ships? Where is everyone?"

Off the edge of his vision, the girl gulps the lump in her throat. She steps out from their cover. "There is... a hidden switch. This way."

Hesitant, Carmine follows her into the aisle of crates. He looks over his shoulder, gasping. "Roman? Damn it, where'd you go now?" The mix of a whine and growl turns out in a whisper. He shifts his stance, hand on his hip as he glares at the hall they'd entered from. His off hand mimes a hand puppet talking. He mocks to himself. "Myeh! You left me behind at Mibu. Pft! Jerk." He turns back and continues to follow the girl.

Still, Roman knows what he's doing... Carmine turns and continues after Tamara. If Roman veered off, he must have seen something the boy didn't.

Looking back, he finds Tamara standing ahead, turned toward a blue crate in the center of the right shelves. He cocks his head. "Hey. What is it?"

The girl doesn't look his way. Doesn't move an inch. The only change he sees in the red lighting is the reflective shine of a tear down her face. He walks up, placing a hand out, pausing awkwardly. "Hey, what's wrong? We'll get you out of... this..." His eyes trail forward into the open blue crate.

The open blue crate with a device center. Red and blue wires connected to a charge...

A bomb. Light changing from green to red.

He flinches back in a gasp-

BOOM!

. . .

The clash of steel rings as Spyyra is launched back. Morphing the blades on his arms, he jabs into the ground to halt himself, cackling with glee and a cocked head. Standing and advancing, he throws jabs, in a shadow boxing, as his semblance launches pieces of the metal blades out at spike projectiles.

Blair stands ready, but Neo drops down, opening Hush and deflecting the spikes with the open parasol. Behind her, Blair reaches into the pouch on the inside of her jacket. She pulls out another blood capsule. She then reaches and gets a fire dust canister. "Hold him just a moment."

As if he heard, Spyyra charges, shifting the metal arm blades into a chain sickle. Twirling it, he throws the weapon and swings like a whip. Neo closes Hush, blocking the chain in the swing, only for the sickle to wrap around it and pierce her from behind.

SHATTER!

Neo appears knelt below and charges forward. "Come to papa, kiddo!" Spyyra mutters as he jerks the chain back, pulling the sickle to hook Neo from behind. She jukes right, dodging, still charging. Regaining the sickle, the material scatters and morphs down onto the same material on his pant legs. Blades form around his calves and ankles.

Spyyra flips forward into an ax kick. Neo ducks left. He spins into a sweep, and she leaps over it. He chains into a step kick, and she blocks with her feet off the ground. She's sent back off balance, and Spyyra flips into Capoeira martial kicks. Like a dance.

She ducks one kick, deflects the next away, shifting his momentum into wide, flipping mixes of high and low kicks. Neo pulls one foot up, stepping back from the next sweep. She uses Hush to deflect the next two.

Neo lunges for a counter, but Spyyra raises a hand as an orange flash of his semblance wisps. Her weapon stops, frozen in the air. Neo's eyes widen, jerking and pulling on Hush and only moving a few inches.

Spyyra's grin washes away, his hand clenching. "What's this?" His semblance washes over the weapon, but nothing happens... He brightens. "I'm impressed! You got some Black Dust?"

Neo growls and forces Hush through as the blade barely misses its mark. Spyyra spins and hooks her side in a spin kick. The girl is launched away, rolling along the ground back towards Blair. Her hand clutches her side as she stumbles. She sucks in a breath, only to fall to another coughing fit.

Blair redraws Florescent from her sheath, activating the blood in her sheath and the dust in her hilt. The blade shines orange with fire dust, but the soft of the blade darkens further.

Spyyra smirks and leaps away. Back to the large broken metal blade, the metal dust around his legs shifts as his suit jacket and tie reform. Semblance activating, he pulls the large hulking blade in front of himself as a shield.

"HA!" Blair channels her aura through the blade, activating the fire dust and blasting Spyyra's makeshift shield. The blast shudders the shield as Spyyra strains to hold it in place with his semblance.

Then as Florescent shifts to crimson, she activates the captured semblance. Zaku's of Mibu, Flame Control. Casting the semblance, the flames in front of Spyyra's wall whip up and ROAR! Spyyra flinches in realization, warping the large blade wall around him in a full circle. He then sheds his suit jacket to form a metal cover over top his head.

Blair swirls the flames, encasing the entire metal dome in a flaming, whirling tornado! The burning inferno continues for a solid minute before a sound blast shakes the air. The red hot metal cools, a solid welded done left behind. Blade returning to gold, Blair flourishes the weapon and watches the dome like a hawk.

Crrrrrrrrk!

Both women's eyes widen as the side of the dome begins to bulge out. Blair grabs Neo at the shoulder. "Come. Today isn't the day."

Neo double takes before nodding. Both take off into a sprint over the rocky terrain and into the garden woodland. Disappearing into the distance, half a minute passes before the dome blasts apart! Spyyra rocks out, skidding to a halt. His gray button shirt is scorched, black soot smeared on his clothes and cheek.

Semblance active, the dome continues to whine as dust flakes ripe away from the roof of the dome, slowly reforming his suit jacket. However, he's smiling, even as he looks around and finds nothing. "Ah, a true beauty playing hard to get. Way to my heart." He chuckles to himself.

Farther off, Blair and Neo make it to the elevator platforms. "Still no power. Are you okay? Breathing well?" Neo rubs her throat a second before nodding curtly. "Alright. Let's go." Both rush to the edge... and Blair grabs Neo by the arm. And they jump!

Both women leap from the island entirely into a free fall.

. . .

BOOM!

The bomb blows out in a fire ball, waving out. Carmine barely gets his armored arm up as the shock strikes into the two teens. Both are thrown into the opposing shelves of the aisle, the lines of storage in the room erupting out in shock and a bright flash!

He feels his bones rattle as his back smashes through wood and metal scaffolds and pallets. Cracking over a crate, he rolls to a stop as the middle of the room has been almost entirely cleared. All save for large pieces of machinery and five large, tall crates. The metal catwalks above were now collapsed in the middle, now simply lining the outside perimeter of the section.

Vision blurs, dazed and numb. The feel of breath catching, pausing and choking in his throat. All he could hear was a whine in his ear, slowly receding as his aura heals the dealt damage. "Ah~!" He gasps out as his chest feels on fire!

In fact... it is!

The bright sight of fire on a burning piece of wood situated right on his side. His eyes scrunch at the sting of the bright flame. Her swats the wood off, patting around to find a stable grounding. Nothing but broken debris piles. "Wha-... where-" His hand finds flesh, gripping. "Tamara! Are you-"

Veins freeze, all thoughts shrivel as his blue orbs took in the hand that was in his grip. Or rather, JUST a hand and forearm... multiple gashes littered before the forearm just ends in a fleshy, bloody end.

He had aura to protect him... the girl on the other hand...

"AH!" The boy jolts back, as if burned! Pawing away, he looks around, finding a scrap of clothing. By it was... well, it was mangled, and face down, hair shrouding. Red colored the material, slowly coloring the shelving pieces under and around it.

He flinches again, legs protesting in numb pain. His lungs burn as quick shallow breaths come. His left hand clamps over his mouth, the boy too afraid to use his right hand after feeling a distinct wetness.

Ssst.

Latches sound undone, as the five remaining large crates each open to one of their sides. The single sides dropping outward, five guards pile out from each, rifles at the ready! Lined up, the last figure marches out from the nearest crate. Mary marches out, her shortened gold and black skirt showing black shorts now.

Her right forearm and hand is covered, enclosed in a bronze casing. Her thumb is visible, resting over a trigger. Dust canisters line the weapon as the end is structured into a large gun barrel. Her right eye is covered by a blackened monocle with a bronze rim. The black lights up blue, showing her eye behind it. She aims the arm gun at Carmine, raising a brow. "I had expected more than a child."

The boy's eyes remain on the corpse in front of him. His breath chokes out, threatening to hyperventilate. The hand clamped over his mouth quivers and shakes...

Just one second. One second he's standing beside Tamara. Right beside him. She'd spoken to him not two minutes ago... How? Why?

"Hey, it's okay. I promise, we're here to help." His own voice plays back in his head.

"Why?" His tiny voice squeaks out. "Why would you..?" He couldn't tear his eyes off the bloody torso. The surefire realization that Tamara was alive just minutes ago and no longer so.

Mary steps forward, a look of amusement. "Oh, her? Well, frankly, you're the answer to that." She smirks and looks down her nose to the boy. "We knew you were coming, and she was charged to lead you into this trap. For once, she did her job. 20323 was a terrible student." For just a second, her expression softens. "You would be more than welcome, though. You have proven capable simply getting this far."

A frail, withered body,dark red faded and covered in a white cloak.

Carmine's eyes clench shut, away from the image of the girl in the student outfit. His breath shakes out. Mary's smirk curves down. "How disappointing. You honestly expected to come here, but you're shaken by the loss of a number on paper."

The boy's eyes snap open, locked up to the woman. The chill and shock freezing him in place before mixing with a new feeling. Teeth gritting. Just a number? She was just a number to her?! His shaking mixed, the horror of the blood, the flashes in his mind, and the new hot bubbling rage threatening to appear.

These weren't people... they're monsters.

Mary raises a brow, locking eyes with the boy. "Hmm. You do seem to have something to you, but... you're not my issue." She aims her arm gun at the boy. "It should be taken as praise to go by my hand, boy."

"I used this hand."

The woman fires, a bright orange fire dust shot blasting. The boy disappears in a flash of blue.

- Move, Carmine –

Eyes slammed shut, Carmine recalls back to the center of the explosion, popping into place amid the armed gunmen. Without even waiting, he breaks into a sprint. All the men whip around, opening fire. Streams of bullets scrap by as the boy leaps around the nearest crate for cover!

Sparks fly off the metal container, Carmine flinching away. His eyes were unfocused, darting about. His left hand clutches Heulin Noon's grip, the gun lightly shaking. "Fuck." He haggardly grunts out, banging the back of his head on the crate side. "Fuck, fuck... Fuck!" He punches the crate wall, allowing numbness into the limb.

This wasn't like last time. No, before, they'd had the first move. They set the tone last go around. THEY raided AZRL's event, their territory, and things went overall well.

But this time, it was how AZRL chooses to fight. THIS is how they fight. Using the very children he'd wanted to save. Not just as bait, no. But, to even lead him into a suicide trap!? Had Tamara even known?

The image of a tear on the girl's face came.

No. She didn't know she would die until that very moment.

Jaw locked, a seething breath escaping, the boy's rage continued to bubble. The men began to spread out, aiming at the crate and pinning the teen behind cover. The armed firing squad slowly steps wider and wider. Mary smirks. "Kid's quick on his feet. Maybe I'm wrong." She addresses the men to her right and left. "Box him in and don't stop firing til he's dead."

"Yes Ma'am-, huh?" The man catches movement. TINK. TINK. An metal object bounces on the floor, rolling to a stop at the feet of two guards. Another object at the feet of a guard trio. TINK. Yet another at the furthest pair of guards.

Homemade grenades. Fire dust.

"SPREAD OUT!"

BOOM! The three objects explode at once, throwing half the men off their feet. Mary shields herself with her arms before peeking up to find Roman. The conman drops down from the scaffolding above, landing beside the crate Carmine hid by.

Smirking, he aims Velvet Valentine in gun mode at the remaining scaffolds holding the cat walks above. His eyes flick to Carmine as he bobs his head towards the nearest exit, opposite where he and Carmine entered the room. "Move it, now!"

The boy shudders in a breath before running on shaking legs for the exit hall. As he sprints out, Roman opens fire upon the scaffolds around the room. The structured walk ways collapse down, fully blocking off all the remaining exits of the room while landing on some of the guards.

Upon a job well done, Roman smirks before locking eyes with Mary. Blank looks adorn the two. Curiosity forms on Roman as Mary turns to confusion. Each have the same thought... 'You... look familiar'.

Not the time. Roman turns into a sprint to the hall after Carmine. Upon exiting the room, he tosses a last mini bomb behind, waiting two seconds before detonating. The exit collapses, enclosing Mary and her men in the room.

The woman remains unfazed, paused, curious. Even as the panicked guards immediately set about working on the collapsed exits to the large room. One marches up to Mary, reporting. "Ma'am, we're boxed in! It'll take us a short bit to break free from this room."

"I see. Focus on that entrance." Eyes still focused on the collapsed exit, she raises a hand and points at a third exit to the room. She speaks disinterested. "Send five men to Section E. Initiate protocol 70. Everyone else will go with myself to Section C after the intruders."

As the men set about to work, one guard steps forward to question. "Ma'am, uh... are you okay?"

Mary remains focused on the collapsed exit. "I know him... but, I can't put my finger on it. The orange haired man..." Suddenly, her stance stiffens, glare turning on the man. "And it's no business of yours! Stop talking and get to work!" Once the man sets back to work, the woman strokes her chin. "It's on the Captain to hold them off."

. . .

Roman and Carmine sprint through the halls, Roman shouting out. "Left!" He breaks at the turn, Carmine tailing him. Each stride pounds through his body, his eyes weighing further and further down. The bloodstained corpse plaguing his mind.

Stop thinking about it. He shakes his head and grits out. "Where are we going?"

Roman huffs out. "When that girl was originally talking to us, she used a hard S before correcting herself to name Section D. She must have nearly said Section C. We'll find the captured brats there."

Okay. Roman thought ahead after all- wait! Carmine shouts back. "You knew before we went in there?! How?"

"Right!" Roman calls as the two snap around the next fork of turns, then down steps. "A terrified child looking to self preservation doesn't go to her captives, knowing they'll kill her if she's actually turning against them. It didn't make sense, and her crap about aptitude scores." He scoffs. "They're out of 120, not 40, for Blues. I knew she was lying from the get go."

The words... they processed. They registered in the boy's mind, but... but that would mean. For that second, all he sees his red.

They turn around the next corner, Carmine barreling into Roman and pinning him into the wall. Furious blue eyes glare at pained and annoyed green. "YOU KNEW!? You knew it was a trap, and let Tamara and I walk in there?!"

Roman grimaces before scoffing flippantly. "They set a trap, so I used it against them." He explains like it's the simplest thing in the world. "I, being a genius, hung back to counter their attempt to box us in an ambush, placing them at a disadvantage instead. Art of War, eat your heart out."

Carmine presses his armored forearm up into Roman's neck, anger burning behind his blue orbs. "She died! She's one of the people we're here to save, god damn it! And, you let her die?!"

Roman, seemingly ignoring the pressure at his throat, looks the burning abyss of anger in the eyes. His eyes narrow just slightly, unnerving the boy. "This is how AZRL fights." He lets it hang in the air as he huffs. "What was the alternative? We go directly to Section C, strong arming the girl who will give us away, turning everything into a brawl over the children. What happens when they use the kids as meat shields? Cause THAT'S happened before and let me tell you, it puts what just happened to shame."

Slapped with the reasoning, Carmine is shoved off of Roman, the man patting dust off as he continues. "Get it through that skull. These children? You. Will. Not. Save. Them. All!" He grits forcefully before turning to continue down the hall. "This is the fight. Accept it, or screw off. I want to defeat these bastards. You want to save lives? Then save the largest number actually possible. That girl was dead the moment we found her."

"Now, quit wasting the time I bought us, will you, Silver Streak?" He condescendingly ends before kicking into a run.

Carmine's eyes clenched shut, fists shaking and threatening to bleed his palms... He tries to breath, but all he registers is the image of blood tussled hair obscuring a face. "Fuck." He chokes out before following Roman.

. . .

The office building plumes in flames, the city's lights all dark from lack of power. People lined the streets, looking about with shouts of the incident. A force of firefighters lined with fire trucks spraying down the now scorched structure. A hexagonal shadow catches the attention of some of the onlookers, bringing their attention up.

"What in the world?" "They must be completely insane!" "Did they come from the upper island?" "Whoa, where did they come from?"

Drifting downward, lightly along the winds in the air, Blair hangs with her arms wrapped tightly around Neo's gut. The woman hands from the girl, Neo who has her legs wrapped around Blair's gut. So uncomfortable! The short girl grips the open Hush, controlling their dual descent from the upper island!

"Frankly, I'm shocked the fall is this slow." Blair mutters dryly. "Are you holding up well?"

The drift finally meets the ground, Blair's feet touching before she gently lowers Neo to the girl's feet. Neo allows a full breath, working her jaw a moment before spitting a mouthful of blood behind a dumpster. She gives a sickly look to Blair before raising a thumbs up.

The blonde sighs loudly. "At some point, we will need to pay a specialist to check that out." Looking to the office building, her shoulders sag. "And if I had to wager how Roman and Carmine did... We most definitely will not be going THAT way down."

Neo gives a tired smirk, chuckling, only to choke out several coughs. Calming down, she flashes her semblance, appearing in a firefighter uniform obscuring her face in a visor. She gives Blair a thumbs up again.

"You are quite short to be a firefighter." Blair states the obvious, nearly smirking as Neo's short frame stiffens, as if offended. "But it will have to do." She draws another blood capsule from her jacket inner pocket. Neo's blood, this time, as she inserts it into her hilt. Casting Neo's semblance, she coats herself as well in a firefighter uniform.

A line of two firefighters hold a hose, spraying city water over the fire with one fire chief standing off to the side. He barks orders as Blair steps up and gives an salute. The chief waves her off. "Yeah, yeah. Get to work." Blair nods and rushes towards the building, Neo coming next, not even half the man's height. Like Blair, she just salutes, looking like a mini stuffed fireman. As she walks by, the chief finally reacts, double taking before the two mystery fire fighters disappear into the building. "Hey!"

. . .

Within Section C, one large wide wall shows as a metal hangar door. The entire structure side is lined in the middle, vertical. In front of the Section's specialized hangar door, three small airships sit, with helicopter blades their method of propulsion.

Each ship was manned by a pilot, with open cargo holds guarded by two men each. Lined at attention in front of the small carriers were lines and lines of students. Children. Dozens standing perfectly at attention with hands either at their sides or interlocked behind their backs. Before them stood a lineup of seven armored and armed guards, visors adorned with the three eyed skull.

All stand at attention, the guards at the ships being the only ones lax enough to speak to one another. The massive section room remained lit red in the dull lighting, with the only sounds being the airship engines. All awaiting further orders. A sign.

And it comes in the sound of crackling. The crackling of gunfire, echoed and muffled.

"Alright! Move it! On to the first shuttle!" One of the gunmen waves his hand, herding a line of the children, now all more confused, hesitating. "MOVE IT!" He shouts, getting the first few to flinch and skitter on towards the first of the ships, entering the cargo hold to find seating lining the walls.

The ship guards begin herding the children as the remaining seven step forward into a firing line. The center man, whose visor has a black skull on silver, holds a hand up to hold fire. The guard to his left bobs his head, speaking. "You think they got by Miss Mary?"

"Nah, they couldn't get one over on her. The girl must not have lead them to the trap."

"Zip it!" The superior calls out. "When the door is breached, let em fly! No one enters that door way alive."

More crackling gunfire. It's closer. Machine gun fire. Full auto. It gets closer. Each of the seven tense, fingers itching on the triggers of their rifles. Closer... the sounds of fighting suddenly cut out...

The doors throw open in a bang, an unconscious guard flying through, hitting the ground, and rolls along the ground to a stop. Two hanging canisters jingle to a stop, hooked to his chest.

"Oh sh- FLASHBANG!"

BANG! The nearest three guards flinch back, the remaining four moving back. As the middle three are dazed, Roman leaps into the room from the hall. Disconnecting the drum mag from Valentine, he twirls the cane up.

Striking the nearest Guard's gun aside, the opening fire shoots the next guard over. Wrenching the first guard in, Roman hooks him with the cane, grabbing both ends of the tool and tossing the man into the nearest blinded man.

The second guard who was shot shakes the hit off, fabric armor torn with bullet holes. He fires point blank, Roman ducking back just before. The shot misses. Spinning in place, Roman hits Valentine's hammer head into the man's knee, crumpling him to kneel.

Hooking the pick side behind the man's leg, Roman pulls the guard into a running knee, cracking the helmet visor and knocking the man out. The other two stand as Roman twists one into becoming a meat shield, the other four soldiers recovering and firing into the poor man. The Kevlar isn't absorbing that...

Rushing the closest of the original three, Roman grips Valentine just under the head with one hand, clocking the guard's head up, chops his throat with his off hand. Then, he unloads three quick punches into the teetering guard, knocking him away.

Dodge rolling right to avoid another volley of fire, he transforms Valentine back to gun mode. Returning fire, the four guards spread, one caught in the explosive burst of fire dust bullets.

The silver helmeted superior double takes and growls, dropping the gun and drawing an extended baton. It sparks, electric charge, as he charges Roman. He jumps up, striking down!

Roman jumps back, the strike hitting the floor, loosing an electric pulse along the ground. Roman transforms Valentine back to cane form, immediately parrying the guard captain's baton. Sparks crackle and fly off each repeated contact of their weapons.

Parrying up, Roman and the captain each kick, canceling strikes, before continuing to deflect and strike back and forth. The conman smirks. This one is good. He steps forward, landing a palm thrust and knocking the captain off balance.

The captain grabs the palm arm, pulling Roman with him. He raises a knee, Roman blocking with his man arm. He throws the Captain's balance to the side, so the man pirouettes into a round house kick. The conman ducks to dodge. Stopping his spin, the captain brings the baton down.

Roman blocks, locking his eyes onto the empty sockets of the black skull on the helmet. "Well, hello there! What's your number, Black?"

"Hpmh! 1372." The man spats back.

"Oh, my junior!" Roman grins before throwing 1372 off.

Carmine leaps into the room, spotting Roman and 1372 having their fight. To the side, the remaining standing guards spread out, attempting to get angles on Roman. His blue orbs flick over, finding the dozens of children pooling into two of the three transports by the hangar door!

His face pulls into a snarl, eyes clenching closed for just a moment. Not this time!

Heulin Noon is up in a split second, firing a double shot into the first of the two guards. The exploding dust shot propels the guard across the floor, the second firing back. Carmine ducks into a run, both he and the guard exchanging shots.

Click. Both out of ammo.

The second guard ejects his magazine-

That's as far as he gets as Carmine flicks, recalls the empty shells out and another load in. He fires another double shot, blasting the guard away. "Gotcha!" His attention diverts to the middle of the three transports begins to power on, the second one with children.

"Oh, no you don't!" He takes aim to two of the rotors with spinning helicopter blades. One double shot to the left, one to the right. Dual bursts shudder the transport as its engine roars to no movement. Carmine smirks as he flash reloads Heulin Noon. But another engine sounds, grabbing his focus.

The third carrier powers on. The two guards from the empty carrier charge out. One draws a baton, the other a pistol. Opening fire on the boy, Carmine brings his armored arm up. The shots ping off, ricocheting. Carmine charges back.

He runs left, lining the two guards up so the second can't fire. Opening up, Carmine swaps his gun to his right hand. He takes a shot at the first guard's foot, making the man flinch back. The boy cocks his metal coated arm and strikes a superman punch into the guard's face. The guard is launched back.

Now open, the second guard fires three shots, Carmine ducking down as the shots deflect off his left arm. He then brings Heulin Noon up, a double shot meeting the second guard to put him down.

A seething growl sighs out as Carmine looks down at the guard he punched. The downed man groans, attempting to pick himself up. The boy glares down as he kicks the guard onto his back. "Filthy... rotten bastards."

All control gone, a red rage in him. The boy kneels and bashes his fist over and over into the helmet, bouncing the head off the ground. "Filthy! God! Damned! Monsters!" He shouts with each hit, getting more and more aggressive, shattering the helmet and leaving an unconscious brown haired man on the ground.

The hum of engines brings his view up. The third transport rises into the air. The hangar door isn't open, and it's not filled with children... So, it turns around as two mounted mini guns on the front shift, aiming at the boy.

Anger giving way to shock, Carmine gulps. "Jager!" Armor flashes to his calves as he bursts into a dust propelled sprint!

The ship's guns open fire, a stream of bullets sparking behind the boy as he speeds in a zig zag! Serpentine! Serpentine! He narrowly manages to duck into the original hallway he and Roman came from, bullets sparking off the corner of the opening.

He sighs. Safe-

"There he is!" Carmine looks down the hall, spotting a stream of guards coming. The same ones Roman trapped. They open fire, a wall of bullets aimed at the redhead!

"Eep!" He flickers away, recalling himself back onto the hangar floor. Realizing he's in the open again, he growls. "Damn..." The carrier turns on him and aims both mini guns... and fire upon the boy. Carmine brings his arms up feebly, only for another figure to land!

Neo lands and opens Hush, the parasol shield blocking the harsh stream of shots. She winces, holding the parasol at the right angle, her feet starting to skid on the floor. Seeing this, Carmine braces her shoulders with his hands, keeping the girl steady.

Upon the carrier, Blair lands from above, charging Florescent with lightning dust. She jabs the now violet charged blade into the hull before activating the lightning dust! The controls in the pilot cockpit spark as the entire ship is short circuited! The ship falls and slams into the ground once again under gravity's pull.

The stream of guards enter the room from the hall, taking aim at Carmine and Neo. The boy grips her shoulder. "Shatter!"

The line of troops open fire! The shots connect- SHATTER, the image of the two falls apart. All the men look confused as Carmine and Neo appear high up in the hangar rafters. Hush is open, Neo clung on and Carmine dangling from his grip on her leg!

He aims down, returning fire on the confused gunmen. Two go down before sending a volley back. Carmine activates Jager's thrust, propelling himself and Neo to the side, maintaining height as they flail about.

Said mute girl goes dizzy as Carmine's thrust throws the balance out of whack! The two kids jerk through the air between Hush keeping them from dropping and Jager carrying. They flail towards the wall, impacting and falling apart onto the ground. The girl rolls to her knees, glaring at the boy as he gets up as well.

The soldiers line their sights on the two as Blair lands from the side. The blonde speeds at them, charging her blade with gravity dust. The blade shifts black as she dashes into the center of the large collection of men She strikes the ground, a pulse of gravity warping the air as pulling the group inward towards her.

Blair spins into a wide slash, striking each and every one of the guards with at least a glancing blow. Knocking them back, most still remain on their feet! That is, until Blair flares her semblance. An unsaturated shroud appears over each of the ill prepared guards as she lock up and scream in pain.

Blair stands tall, her semblance inflicts pain and numbness over the more than a dozen men. They all drop. The blonde spares a glance to the children. "A maneuver like that will need work."

Neo doubles her glare at the boy as he just huffs. "First time. Give me a break."

CLICK. An echoing metallic lock undone, the massive hangar door along the far wall splits, beginning to open!

Carmine cocks his head. "What the- how do they have power for-" He looks to the corner, finding the two outer guards of the first carrier acting on a manual control for the door, cranking it to open! The crack widens as natural light breaks and overpowers the dull red lighting of the hangar.

The brightness stings the boy's eyes, Neo adjusting first. She takes into a sprint towards the first airship as its engines roar. The ship slowly lifts from the ground as the two guards manning the hangar door draw their pistols and fire.

The girl begins blocking and disappearing with her shattering, slowly pushing forward to the men. Carmine slowly comes to focus as he rushes to help the girl. Blair catches on, only to find movement from the side!

A blast of condensed flames strikes into the blonde's guard. Blair is sent back, skidding to a halt and wincing. In a growl, she looks up, scowling at Mary. The dirty blonde smirks confidently at the huntress, lowering her cannon. The barrel smokes. "Ah, now I see the full group. And do tell, who ARE you meddlers supposed to be?"

Blair brandishes Florescent to a guard stance. "We're the ones who will defeat you."

"Better forces than you have tried." Mary's smirk disappears, losing interest at the response. She raises the cannon, the barrel lighting blue and sparking with lightning dust. Her monocle lights, guiding her targeting as she fires.

Blair enters gray blue wind dust. Activating the blade, she slashes up and uses wind against the blast of lightning, forking and splitting the shot in half. She charges through after Mary as the woman leaps back firing more shots.

The hangar door opens completely, showing the sky blue sky with blotches of white gray. The first carrier full of children floats lifted, revving its engine to exit from the bottom of Vaterra's main island, hiding inside an indented crevice along the island side.

Carmine shoots the nearest guard at the hangar door. Neo leaps over her guard, striking him off balance before kicking them in the temple. The two watch the carrier float out... Free of the underground base.

Carmine grits his teeth. "NO!" He aims Heulin Noon at the rotors like before, but stops. His wide eyes flick down... If he fires now, they'll drop into the ocean... "No... No no, Damn it!" His off hand grabs at his hair, scrambling for an idea. After only a second, however, his eyes find Neo's grip on Hush. She follows his look, immediately frowning and flaring her nostrils. "Please! We can't fail them!"

Neo gives a dry look, holding one finger up as she rubs her neck. Bending over, she hacks up a fit of coughs. One lurch. Two. On the third loud cough, she wipes some blood from her lip, giving Carmine tired thumbs up.

He frowns back, but nods. "Thank you." The two lower their stances, facing the open hangar door, to the open air as the airship slowly drifts off... "GO!"

Both kids kick off into a sprint, striding from the concrete hangar floor, over the metal opening, to the rock edge. Neo doubles her effort, speeding in front and leaping from the hangar exit! She opens Hush, pausing herself in the air... then Carmine leaps after, propelling himself with Jager! His arms wrap around the girl's legs as she lets out an 'eep'!

Neo's tugged down, spiraling until the boy's boosters fire. From inside the hangar, Blair deflects a sparking shot of lightning, then looks out the hangar to see the children having leaped out. Her eyes widen before she groans. "You have got to be..."

"Excuse me?!" Mary exclaims, noticing the same. She steps forth, taking aim at the children. Her gun barrel heats with fire dust, monocle flickering on target. "Not so fast!" The flare burns out towards the two.

"Me first!" Blair exclaims, activating wind dust in her blade yet again. The next cut in the open air sends an air slash, intercepting the fire blast mid air. The dusts flare into a burning whirlwind, splashing the flames over the ceiling and walls. The room begins to burn, sides set ablaze.

Blair immediately dashes towards the teacher, clashing her blade into Mary's arm cannon, used as a shield. Pressed back, Mary angles the barrel down, blasting flames into the floor before sweeping forward. Blair disengages as the flames blast the floor between them, only for Mary to spin and swing with the cannon like a hammer!

The huntress deflects the bash, going for a counter slash as Mary aims her cannon to fire again...

Across the hangar, a strike sounds, 1372 thrown back before stopping himself. The silver helmeted guard looks up, finding Roman transforming Valentine back to gun mode. The conman opens fire with a stream of fire dust shots!

The masked man reacts, aura flashing over his body. A semblance. He clenches his right fist, bringing it up before kneeling to slam his fist into the concrete, knuckles down. His aura flashes again before the stream of shots bombard him!

The shots explode out for a second until finally, Roman's drum magazine runs out. The man frowns, but relaxes his stance. "Alright, good game junior-..." He pauses, cocking his head curious. "Hmm, don't see that everyday."

The smoke clears, the captain, 1372, still kneeling in place. A shimmering aura barrier outlining around his limbs flares. It flashes away before the guard steps up from his kneeling position. Though, he stumbles lightly as he stands tall.

"Neat semblance. Seems to take a toll though, huh?" Roman chimes in, unconcerned. He smirks as he watches the guard continue to sway lightly. The conman then points downward. "You didn't even notice."

1372 cocks his head before glancing down... a small device on the ground by him... hooked to an ice dust cylinder.

CRACK!

The air mists as the device beeps, igniting the ice dust. A bursting explosion of cold flinches 1372 before freezing him in place in a layer of frost! Roman tips his hat to the frozen man. "Good show, junior!"

From the side, Mary leaps backwards, landing by 1372. She double takes at the captain. "You fool! How could you let this happen?"

Blair steps in, stopping near Roman. "The children left the hangar."

"Oh, I saw. I'm sure they're fine." He fires back cheekily.

"Save it. We need to get them back in."

Taking her seriously, Roman sighs. "With no working carrier left, just how are we supposed to do that? Sprout wings and fly?"

"First, we defeat these two." The blonde declares. She and Roman each huff, charging forth-

An impact shatters the concrete, a burst of debris halting their charge. The dust cloud clears, revealing a black lance embedded into the ground. The material begins to dissolve, particles warping back around their owner. Spyyra grins at the two. "Ah, Love, I can't believe you ditched me. For another!" His orange eyes meet Roman's green. "You wound me."

Mary narrows her gaze into the back of the man's head. "You aren't needed here, dog."

His grin widens. "Oh, really? I think we're seeing a different picture, Never did I think you would be so bested. Just shows my good taste, I guess." He sighs wistfully, eyes leaving Roman to Blair.

Roman smirks in amusement. "Oh, NOW I see what you talk about. He IS rather forward."

"I reluctantly agree you're less insufferable." The blonde quips.

Before Spyyra takes an aggressive step or a biting comment, Mary calls out. "Mr Barnall, we're activating protocol 70. If you must be present, perhaps you can assist a hasty reprieve." Her worse grain out, as if snapping at him.

The man's smirk turns to blank surprise, raised brow, then a look of disappointment. "Oh, my, my, Miss Mary Anne-"

"Stop it." Mary chastises, using a burst of fire dust to free the frozen captain from Roman's trap. She glances to the two disabled carriers. "The ship closer to the exit."

Spyyra sighs, a slight frustration bubbling through. "Fine, just kill all the fun."

"Owner yanking your leash, eh?" Roman antagonizes, cocky as he flippantly brandishes his cane… Suddenly, the floor shakes in a quiver. The CRBN members freeze, then look at one another. The conman drawls. "Oh, this now..." He whispers under his breath. "We should get out of here."

The ceiling begins to crack, dirt falling between the cracks into the hangar...

Spyyra, Mary, and 1372 break right, rushing for the downed carriers. Blair nearly rushes after, but Roman grabs her arm. "Don't even. We survive first before guaranteeing everyone's deaths, eh Barbie?"

One breath to focus, she nods. The ground shakes more as the room begins to cave in, areas beginning to get crushed underneath the collapsing rock and stone. "Right. Stay close." Immediately, she ejects an empty dust cylinder, inserting gray brown earth dust.

The room shatters, earthen rock rumbling down in an avalanche! Blair activates the earth dust in a slash upward! She and Roman disappear into the earth as dirt blows out in a dist cloud throughout the hangar...

The dust blows out from the open hangar, pluming out the side of the main island of Vaterra. The dirt cloud spreads, shadowing the ocean below... before one of the two disabled carrier ships roars out. It's flying! The disabled ship with destroyed rotors is flying! Its helicopter blades spin rapidly, no longer gray, but coated in a much darker metal... Spyyra shows himself, knelt atop the center of the ship.

His suit jacket gone, metal dispersed, he uses the metal particles to coat and control the propellers. With his semblance, he keeps the ship airborne. A smirk adorns him, but his eyes narrow in slight irritation.

Inside the hull, Mary stands before the line of sitting children. All look about with frightened horror. Mary glares over them all. "Well... Children. It seems we are forced to relocate for now." The targeting monocle shuts off, looking again like an eye patch. Her visible eye scrutinizes the group. Beside her, the captain stands at attention. "Go to the cockpit. Communicate with the other ship. See if we've lost the other half of our flock."

1372 nods as he marches to the cockpit, leaving the teacher standing, furious, amid her frightened students.

. . .

Two minutes earlier

Neo's scrunched, pained face colors red as her eyes loop unfocused. She and Carmine spin dizzy as the two spiral after the carrier ship. The two children whip around, barely keeping up until Carmine manages to stop their spinning. He chokes out for air, having his own panic attack, but he focuses on the ship in front of him.

The girl takes a strained breath as Carmine screams out. "Angle yourself towards the hull! I'll blast us onto the back!" Neo nods, but makes the mistake of looking down... to the LONG fall towards a watery death. She looks forward, swinging her legs back to put Carmine behind her at an angle.

The boy activates the thrust at his leg guards, throwing the two forward! They close the distance as Carmine lets go of Neo, blasting forward in front of her. "Schneider!" The armor flashes to his forearms as he bites the blades into the hull to stick the landing! Neo falls after, catching herself onto his back.

Inside the cargo hold, each side is lined up with the captive children, two guards standing in the central aisle. Carmine's Schneider blades pierce through the roof of the cabin, pulling their attention up. Both draw their pistols, one shouting to the children. "Stay put!"

They watch as the blade slowly rips a few inches down, air beginning to whistle loudly blowing out into the open air. The second guard raises his gun, firing through the ceiling!

Atop the ship, Carmine and Neo flinch left and right as bullets blow out from the metal. One shot comes up, striking the boy in the gut! His aura tanks the hit, but he slackens, face losing color. Neo peaks around, showing concern. "Don't worry. I'm fine. Low on aura though! We gotta get in there!"

Neo nods. On the hull below his head, a shatter message appears. 'Follow me'. The girl crawls over him, using him as a stepping point to leap the twenty yards to the front of the ship. She grabs onto a seam by the cockpit wind shield. Rolling forward, the girl flattens prone against the wind shield, smirking through to the surprised pilot.

Her semblance activates... over the wind shield.

The pilot's vision flashes! He shields his eyes a moment before peaking through and seeing an island in front of the ship! "AH!" He shifts the ship to a hard right!.. Directly into the main Vaterra island. Island rolls back to the top of the ship as Carmine claw climbs his way up using his arm mounted blades.

The impact shatters her illusion over the glass wind shield... and the wind shield itself! It hits at an angle as the ship is deflected away from the island, tearing damage into one wind and ripping the side hull. Now directed away from the island, the pilot tries to shake the shock off. Only for Neo to drop into the ship from the newly made opening. She drop kicks directly into the pilot, knocking him out instantly. She lands with a smirk as Carmine crawls inside... before both sway.

Right... they just took out the pilot. "CRAP! The hell, Neo?!" Carmine shrieks. The girl, wide eyed, grabs the wheel, shoving the man from the seat as she takes the helm! Pulling hard, the ship stabilizes straight before pulling upward.

The guards in the cargo hold stumble backwards, as back becomes 'down'. Carmine, from inside the cockpit, leaps into the cargo hold. The boy spins into a wide slash, cutting the first guard aside, blitzing by to the second. He lunges, running the mounted blade into the man's armored side as he shoulder tackles him into the back of the hold!

Both guards hit the floor in crumpled heaps, Carmine staggering to his feet. Still dazed, he looks around, spotting two dozen wide eyed stares. At him. His face scrunches, pursed lips. "Um... Sup?" He immediately blushes. Stupid. Stupid! He chastises himself mentally. They all look horrified, shocked, and... confused. RIGHT! "Hi! My name is Carmine, leader of Team CRBN! We're here to free you-"

BOOM!

"Why..?"

The ship quakes at the sound of an explosion, jolting all the people in the hold. The rotor on the right wing blowing out from damage sustained in the earlier scrape against the island. The ship's rise stutters as it now hovers in the air above the city's islands!

Carmine blitz's to the cockpit, finding an equally wide eyed Neo. Tugging as hard as she can on the wheel... the sky is still shifting up... the ship is starting to lose altitude. "Oh crap." Carmine mutters. "We'll... uh, need to land pretty quick!" He starts low and ends in a shout.

Neo double takes at the boy, cocking her head. She pulls the wheel over for him to take.

He gulps, pushing back to her. "Uh, you already got more experience than me."

She shoves it back, giving a scoffing giggle and points to his armor. Does Jager count as flight?

He shoves it back at her. "No, really. I insist-"

BOOM!

A second blowout on the wing sounds... and the ship's descent hastens. Both Neo and Carmine latch their grips onto the wheel, pulling with all their combined might. It isn't enough. The ship begins to angle down. The boy's jaw drops as the islands come into view below them. "sh~IT!"

Angled down, they see the view of the city. Carmine looks about for somewhere, ANYWHERE to try to put this ship... The park? No, too many people. The streets are out! Obviously none of the buildings. The other islands? Too many are thick with housing or businesses-

His eyes catch the air fields on one of the islands. "THERE!" He directs Neo as they strain with the controls. Slowly, the ship begins to redirect its course... and the people of the streets throughout Vaterra all take notice of the smoking ship losing control of itself. Inside the hull, the captive children shriek as the ship begins violently shaking.

It descends... and descends... the air field is mostly open! Thank goodness. "Angle down a little, then pull up!" Neo follows the instruction as they struggle with the control. Dipping slightly, then pulling up. The ship angles to land at the edge of the field and-

SCREECH!

The scraping of metal on pavement echoes through the fields as the ship violently bites into the ground and rips across the open land. Metal shards rip off, pavement turned to gravel whipping away. The children inside scream in fright, same with Carmine and Neo.

It slows... and slows... Crossing the full field, the wing clips the watch tower, ripping off entirely, as the ship threatens to scrape itself right off the edge of the island.

It slows to a stop... the cockpit hanging over the edge.

Both children stiffly settle back in the pilot seat. Each has an arm draped over the others chest, each hyperventilating with wide eyes. Five seconds pass. Twenty. One minute. Neo gives a long exhale, pulling at Carmine's pocket and removing his scroll. Calming down, she slowly types into the device.

A robotic voice sounds. "That was fun."

Carmine's face slowly turns wide eyed to the girl as she gives an exhausted smirk. Suddenly, he bobs his head and nods. "... Little bit, yeah..." The two hear sirens... right. Hadn't thought that far ahead... Carmine looks at her, still breathing harshly. "Uh... think you can shatter disappear us?"

Neo goes into a poker face, holding up his scroll... synced to both their auras... both tapped in the red.

Sullen, he sighs. "Great..." The sirens are louder. The ship is surrounded as police cars form a barrier, rescue vehicles behind them. Carmine and Neo get up from their seats, moving slowly into the cargo hold cabin. All the children look haggard, panic stricken. The boy coughs to get their attention. "Okay, um... Don't worry. This can't be buried by their connections. Please, be open to the authorities."

The back entrance to the ship screeches before falling open, a full force of police and authorities looking inside. "EVERYONE STAY WHERE YOU ARE!" The shouting officer first inside looks around. All the authorities appear stunned, but focus finally on Carmine and Neo.

Like a deer in headlights, Carmine blinks, body frozen. A few seconds pass before he says the first thing on his mind. "Look. I was minding my own business..."

. . .

Night Time

Vaterra Police Station

The boy and girl sit side by side in the square room. Weapons confiscated, each handcuffed to the center of the table. Carmine's head rested on the table so his bound hand could rub his temple. "Why... why would you spit in that officer's face?"

She huffs a laugh, sweetly smirking at him. Though, the bags under her eyes show she's just as exhausted as the boy. He gives a dry look as they seem to exchange heated insults in the form of glares. Well, heated for the boy. The girl remained coy. Fight all the battles!

They'd been there for hours now... First, the officers parsed through the entire collection of children. Many were taken to the hospital with minor injury from the crash. The pilot and the guards were taken to the hospital as well. However, despite Carmine's attempt at coercing the kids to open up to authorities... From their attitudes, it didn't seem like that stuck.

Each officer that had entered the room seemed to keep lining the questioning towards the CRBN members hijacking a lawful ship it seemed. Carmine wouldn't have it, but Neo certainly didn't help with her antagonizing looks to them. It wasn't until Carmine mentioned her being mute that they gave up asking her. All this occurring under candle light.

Hmm. Not exactly easy to argue against being a terrorist when they DID cripple the city's power supply... and burn an office building... and cause property damage to an air strip... and collapse underground structures. BUT THAT ONE WASN'T THEIR FAULT!

However, an hour had passed since the last round of questioning occurred.

The silence was a reprieve to Neo, but it was anything but comforting to Carmine. Silence wasn't good. Silence allowed the mind to drift... Allowed images to return. A terrified girl... the same girl face down. A lot of red.

Lots and lots of red...

Neo's shoulder gives him a ghost of a bump, lightly pulling him back to the present. The girl is barely awake, yet still raises a brow. He sighs in response. Thankful she could pull him out of the thought line. He notices that she's pretty good at knowing when to do so... They hadn't heard anything of Blair and Roman, though. That concerned them.

The door creaks open.

A gruff middle aged man enters the room. A groomed uniform with more badges than most of the officers adorns him. A captain's hat on his head, a thin, short blonde mustache, and brown eyes show. For just a moment, he looks the children over. Then he walks further in, pulling his chair out across the table from the two. He takes his seat and watches them, the picture of authority.

"There's been a great deal of happenings today." He speaks, looking at the exhausted kids. He looks to the boy. "Carmine Uhlric? Leader of a team... Carton?"

"Carbon- Shh-..." The boy speaks without thinking, then cuts himself off as his mind catches up. "How did you-"

"Not a single one of those children has given any information about today's events." The man cuts him off. "Except for one detail. That the ship they were on was hijacked by a boy introducing himself as Carmine Uhlric of a team CARBON." He emphasizes the team name, showing an attempt at courtesy. "None of the three men you sent to the hospital have woken up yet either, by the way."

Much as Neo gives a snide smirk, Carmine frowns, eyes widening. His mouth works open. "Are... Are they going to be okay?" Neo gives him a double take at the words. The mystery man raises a brow.

"Yes. They are." The man nods off to the side before setting a stern look upon Carmine. The boy sighs in relief, but tenses once more under the glare. "I am Police Chief Inspector Angle, and you've given me a HELL of a day."

Carmine gulps, wide eyed. "S-Sorry..."

"And you two have given interesting written statements." Angle states. "Striking to me is how different they are. One was a string of influential colorful insults." He says as both himself and Carmine turn to give differing looks to Neo. She smirks. Angle huffs at that, looking back to Carmine. "And the other is a... quite detailed account of my city... and things that I scarcely believe are possible."

"Listen, it-"

"First thing." Angle pushes his continuation by Carmine's attempt to explain. "You two, and who knows who else, came to my city under the pretenses of hunting down some... what? Mysterious shadow group of people?" The chief remains composed, authoritative, as he mulls that over. "An organization that kidnaps children, you say? Well, that's quite a concerning claim, especially since all the identifying information on the kids checks out." Carmine flinches as Neo frowns. "Yes... None of them are kidnapped according to our records."

Burning, seething rage fills the boy. "THEY'RE IN YOUR POLICE FORCE!" He shrieks out. Attempting to stand, he's jerked back down as his arms catch on the cuffs. "That's how they go undetected! Key members of authorities under their pay roll!" Seeing no reaction from the chief, he exclaims. "Each and every one of those child is even tattoo'd with a blue number! Their original names and identities are taken from them!"

Angle hums at that. "And now you make an outrageous claim against the entire integrity of my department... to the point of slander. Well... Slander." He produces Carmine's written statement. "And libel." Before Carmine shouts back, he holds up a finger, cutting the interjection off. "But to continue me list before I was rudely interrupted."

He continues. "Second. You cause two incidents of destruction of public property, yielding damages made to every home and business operation in the entirety of Vaterra." His eyes fall on Carmine. "One with video footage of a boy rampaging through an office building." His eyes move to Neo. "One with witnesses calling out a girl with a parasol dropping from the upper island after the loss of power."

Carmine and Neo both tense at that.

"Not to mention the suspicion of being connected to the sting operation at the warehouse district for kidnapping." He gives the two a cutting glare. "Here looking for kidnappers, yet a man disappears as these things happen."

"He's a Johnson, informants that act as agents for business transactions." Carmine interjects, earning a heated glare from Neo.

"Oh, an admission." Angle raises his brows, genuinely surprised.

Carmine's eyes widen, realizing his error as Neo stares blaring death at him. As if silently screaming 'You're killing us!'

Chief Angle huffs. "I... was informed you were quite trusting to a naive degree, but I'm shocked." The chief recounts before finishing. "And third, you and your associates break into government property and disrupt what I'm told is used for a foreign exchange program."

Carmine seethes. "Oh, that is complete BULL-" Neo kicks his shin, silencing him. He glares at her, but finds her giving a wary glance to the chief. She looks to Carmine nodding to the boy in a gesture. One brow raised.

Angle addresses her. "I see you've decided to join the conversation, lass."

Carmine and Neo exchange glances... and the boy lights with a realization. "Wait... someone informed you about me?" He looks back to share another glance with Neo. "Who?"

"Someone with more power and experience than I ever had any wish to contend with." Chief Angle stated. "Two someones, to be more specific. The last two hours, we've been speaking with these someones... and with that came some new context." He leans forward, holding a heated brown gaze into the boy's blue eyes.

Click.

Carmine flinches, looking down to find his hands freed from the handcuffs.

"Tell me, son." Angle starts. "What is this group called, and how did you identify them in my department?"

Carmine gulps, rubbing his sore wrists. "... Their name is AZRL. Avored Zenith of Remnant's Legacy... And they're identified by their undercover members wearing a three eyed skull with no jaw. It'll be somewhere on their person."

Angle scrutinizes the boy for a moment. Click! Neo's hands are freed. "I have absolutely no desire to entertain you... but it seems you have quite the resources... and a credible source backing you." He glares at Neo. "But make no mistake. The damages made to this city will be coming out of Beacon's funding. I. Am. Not. Happy about this."

As if by magic, the power kicks on! The lights blink bright, illuminating the room and allowing the kids to see the withered gray hairs of the chief poking out from under his hat. Scars showing. The two kids simply blink back as he gives a snarling grimace.

"Where is the kidnapped individual? Andrew, was it?"

Carmine speaks low, higher pitched. "Oaks motel on island 4. In the back of a hauling van in the parking lot, License plate LCD3-UV33."

Angle nods. "Congratulations. We have the information we need... Now, you have til sunrise to get the HELL out of my city. Headmasters backing or no." The intimidating chief stands up and leaves the room.

. . .

The cold night air chills as Carmine and Neo stumble out from the station. His armor back on, Heulin Noon strapped to his thigh, he looks to Neo. She wrings Hush in her hands beside him. In the hours since midday, it seems the clouds intensified, rain pouring down.

Pouting, Neo opens Hush, using it for its parasol purpose for once. Carmine scrunches his face at her as the two begin walking in the rain onto the streets. Neo gives an exhausted look to the boy as he taps away on his scroll. Carmine hadn't said a word since their talk with the chief. It was a touch concerning. Especially after, rather than tell her, he simply shows a message on the phone left by Roman. An address to meet at.

Walking for half an hour, the two finally arrive at said address... a 24 hour diner. The two walk to the door, opening it and heading inside. Shockingly, they find the two adults almost immediately. It's hard to miss two people covered in dirt and grime sitting in the corner of the room to themselves.

Roman simply eats an omelet while Blair stares at her scroll. Upon seeing the children approach, Blair is at attention. "I got your message! Why did they release you?"

Neo and Carmine lock gazes before Carmine just shrugs. They sit down, joining the adults with Neo next to Roman and Carmine next to Blair. "... A bit happened." He looks at Blair, asking in a tiny voice. "Did you manage to save the other ship of kids?"

Blair grimaces, though Roman remains unfazed. The blonde shares a look with Neo. "Spyyra followed Neo and I. He stopped us from finishing off those two in the hangar and helped them escape." She notices Carmine's fist clench at the news. "We got the general idea from the locals about yours. That was good work."

"Doesn't feel like it." The boy responds in a defeated tone. After a short few moments of silence, he speaks again. "We don't have any other live leads, do we?"

Roman hums. "No we don't. But, we have Barbie's super list of transaction locations." The conman states. "Eleven key locations throughout Mistral territories. So, we have plenty to work with still."

Neo holds up a conjured sign. 'The police chief gave us til sunrise to leave here.'

Blair grimaces. "Then we should eat, get our belongings, and return to the City of Mistral for the rest. Continue from there." She grimaces at Carmine and Neo. "Eat up. We all need it."

Carmine glares at the table for a moment, muttering. "Blair, you went on hunts throughout your four years at Beacon. How often did you see people die?"

The left field question causes Blair to drift her gaze to Neo, who looks equally confused. Then, her gaze drifts to Roman, who looks unconcerned. This earns a glare. Just for a moment, but enough of one. "I didn't see my first hunt related death until my second year at Beacon. Though it... became increasingly common by my final year. In my last semester alone, my team's hunts counted twelve human casualties in person. Fifty two by accounts from those who requested the jobs."

Silence for a minute. "How do you deal with it when you fail someone?"

She mulls over an answer, looking to Roman, but again seeing no reaction. "For the short term, you focus solely on the lives you saved. Those that you think you failed were never in contention to begin with... You may not believe it, but tell yourself that to start. For the long term... Well, you simply have to hope the message sticks." She sets a neutral look on the boy, who looks so tired when he meets it. "We're hunters who save people, but we are not gods. We physically can't save everyone. That is the truth."

He seems to take that in for a moment, looking sick as he does. "Order something for me... I don't care what. I'll be back." He gets up from the table, leaving his three team members.

. . .

Exiting the restaurant, standing under the canopy shielding from the rain, Carmine pulls his scroll out. Tapping a few times, he hits the green button. He waits as he puts it to his ear. One ring. Two rings. Three-

"I see you've been rather busy."

He sucks in a breath. It's been what? Two months? Longer since he'd heard that voice. "Hello, father..."

The neutral, rather whimsical voice of Professor Ozpin rings out. "Hello, Carmine... Have you been well?"

If he wasn't drained... physically, mentally, emotionally... he would bite back at the man's casual greeting. He doesn't even have the energy to sigh. "I have questions, and please, I'm not entertaining your picking teeth indirect questions." His head cocks upward, looking to the sky as he leans on the building. "How did you know about today? And what did you do?"

. . .

Professor Ozpin frowns. It was sunset at Beacon, the man standing at his windows. Watching the beautiful city of Vale shine in the distance. His son certainly sounded like he'd been through the ringer. "Very well. I knew because Vaterra PD contacted Beacon about a Team CRBN."

The answer was delayed, the man imagining a slapped face look on the boy. "How and why did they know to contact you?"

Ozpin allows a smirk. "After your rather vague note, I took it upon myself to add your group to Vale's official registry of Hunter teams. As you were so kind to go ahead and give me a workable name." He pauses a moment, continuing. "They ran the team name, and your own it would seem, knowing that you were affiliated with Beacon." His smirk falls to a frown immediately after.

. . .

"And you would do well to remember that you now represent Beacon with your actions."

Carmine stood wide eyed, floored once again for the day. "Why would... you don't have any names to put in the registry though!"

"Yours is the only one needed, as you are placed as the leader of the team." Ozpin's sternness once again swaps with mild amusement. "Although, I can guess as to at least two members of your team."

The boy frowns, scowling at nothing in particular. "Yeah."

"It's good of you to have friends. Would you care to tell me a bit about them?"

"No." He answers immediately. "That seems to have a bad track record with you." The biting comment may have been much. It had been months now... still. "Besides, you're just fishing for information to put in about the team at this point."

"You believe business is my only motivation for this." It wasn't a question. It was true. Carmine didn't like how he could still accurately do that. "But I do truly wish that your company is helping you, and you helping them in return. I'm quite curious about Miss Rhodes."

His jaw locks for a moment, then he sighs. "I'm... not in a spot for small talk."

"I'll wager you're correct. Mr Angle was not pleased with my explanations. Found them quite lacking. Were it not for a favor from Professor Lionheart, you would most certainly be behind bars right now."

A fact not lost on Carmine. Though, with TWO national leaders, it makes sense how he had such influence in Vaterra. "We'll have to be better."

"Quite. I believe it would do well to keep that in mind."

. . .

Ozpin remains firm. "I cannot do this for you should this become a regular thing. Use of my influence directly affects the effectiveness of Vale's huntsmen and huntresses, and affects the lives of all Vale's citizens. And remember. Should you require any assistance, please, just ask. I will do all I can to assist. Especially given the nature of the enemy you've chosen to face."

A sarcastic grunt sounds. "And because I'm your son?" Carmine mocks from the other end. Despite it being mere childish sarcasm... it still bit.

"I felt that went without saying." His voice softened slightly. A light pause remains until he perks once more. "Although, there is one particular message I wished to give you."

. . .

"Yeah? What's that?" Carmine says quietly. What more bad news could he possibly get today? Seriously. Something else has to become a problem-

"Happy belated birthday, Carmine."

His mind froze for a moment. "... Wut?" He says the word in an unsophisticated manner, blinking.

"Your birthday was last week if I'm not mistaken. Was I incorrect?" The headmaster quips back.

Did... was it? Did he really get so caught up he missed something so simple? REALLY?! Carmine pulls his phone away, looking at the date- Holy shit. It WAS last week. Eight days ago.

Carmine Uhlric

Age – 14

Four Years til The Day

Wow. Such a simple thing, but wow. He lets out an exhale of a laugh before sighing. "Um... thanks... Thank you." He looks inside, seeing multiple plates of food at the team's table. "Uh... I gotta go."

"Of course. Take care, Carmine."

His mouth opens to say the words back, but... they don't come. His finger simply taps the button, ending the call. He re-enters the diner immediately. It wasn't much... After today, nothing truly makes it okay. But... just that tiny bit of support and message. Had a work to it.

He rejoins the team, looking at the plate Blair ordered for him. Stuffed French Toast... Okay, he should begin counting his blessings. A small ghost of a smile comes. Blair speaks up. "So, for our next-"

"Stop." Carmine interrupts, startling her. "We're eating as a team... We know what we're doing, but let's just relax with something simple." He states. The others seem to take agreement before Carmine looks around. "So... when's everyone's birthdays? Anyone's coming up?"

And the group wound down... It was truly an exhausting day. And the coming days won't be easy either...

And Vaterra is over. A gift of authority from Ozpin, and some misgivings. Finally, we shall get to a small time skip. As arcs move on, Carmine and Neo will begin to age up.

References:

Song for Blair vs Spyyra is Undead by Hollywood Undead. No remixes or anything, just the vanilla version. Intermixed the second and third verses to cut out a third chorus.

Now that they've had full fights, I will reveal that AZRL is based loosely on the DWMA of the anime Soul Eater. Spyyra Barnall is based off Spirit Albarn, and Mary Anne is based more loosely off Miss Marie. And of course, Aline Zandril himself is based off several characters, two of which being Soul Eater's Death and Death The Kid in terms of purpose and minor design quirks. Zandril's primary design and personality is based on the Major from Hellsing Ultimate.

Join next time in chapter 25: To Hang Your Hat.